I need a couple good 20 gauge sporting clays guns for my boys but no one has anything around here unless you want an 870 who is a good dealer to buy from? I am thinking Beretta or Browning or ? I would like to be about $2500 a gun.

Thanks for the help.

Matthew

I'd vote for the Browning (but have your boys do the exercise where they bring the gun up awith eyes closed and see what come up pointed at what they were looking at).

The Browning Citori Lightning stocks have no cast and worked for left-handed shooting too.

I've bought my shotguns locally or old ones on gunbroker. Some were at Galyans (pre Dick's Sporting Goods acquisition) or Bass Pro, but most were at LGS. I did this because I wanted to see how they felt shouldering them. Once I knew the measurements (Drop at comb, drop at heel, Length of pull) that I could shoot, I was more comfortable ordering online.

For online, maybe try Cabelas, Jacquas, Midwest Gunworks, Impact guns.

Matthew, how old are your sons? If they're full-grown, that certainly opens up the possibilities. A Beretta Silver Pigeon Sporting in Grade I is about $1,995, and seems to be a very popular O/U for clays. Beretta also has the newer A400 Sporting in a semi-auto for about $1,600 or less. I'd normally suggest starting them with a used gun until they develop their particular likes/dislikes in a clays gun, but target guns get much more use than your typical hunting shotgun, so you have to beware of high-use arms.

I just bought a Fausti in 20 ga for an upcoming bird hunt. About in the price range as the Browning. I got a S x S, they just seem to work better for me.

I like Beretta over Browning but that is just me. You might look here, http://www.joeletchenguns.com/
I have never bought anything from the shop but he does have the inventory.
C.G.B.

Thanks guys. My boys are 11 and 9. I figure with no guns to try here and sadly none at my closest Cabelas either I just need to find something and then get them fitted. There are suprisingly(to me) very few clays guns in 20 gauge. I will try the link.

Matthew

I got involved in SAporting clays because I wanted practice for hunting .Originally it was developed for that. I used a Benelli auto or Beretta O/U and had lots of fun.Idon't think there's any need for a "clays" gun,
More important is to get a gun that's made for you .I have an Orvis Beretta fitted using the proper try gun. It's great !

Remington 1100 Youth Model?
Way cheaper than those doubles. Probably can be restocked as they grow.
Shooting "squared up" it fits me (6'0") and by 9 yr old.

With that budget, you have options. I would look at a Beretta silver pigeon 1, at about $2000.
I have bought two of them from Coles Gunsmithing. Call them and ask for Kelly.
They have a website and are Beretta dealers and warranty people.

I prefer the old Belgian Browning Superposed. A Good used 20 is priced just a about what you have in mind if you look around for a bit. You might find one tomorrow for that price, and it might be 3 months from now.

All the used 20 gauge Superposeds I've seen were used by upland game hunters and in very nice condition, with hardly any rounds through them when compared to the newer guns bought for sporting clays by their original owners. (Sporting Clays didn't exist as a sport when the original Superposeds were madeand sold.)

The older ones (20s, that is)seem to last forever, and have wonderful balance, together with a frame size made for exactly that gauge.

There were a few Superposed "Lightning's" sold as two-barrel sets (12 and 20 gauge in a French-fit Browning hard leather case) which were built on 12-gauge frames and I've owned some of those, but they are CONSIDERABLY more money than what you have budgeted because they are seldom ever seen for sale. The last one of those I bought was in 1973 from a grain famer in Dermody, Saskatchewan to keep down the Pheasant and Huns in his fields. I paid him $1,100 for it back then...and a few weeks later he offered me $1,300 to get it back...which I declined to do. I eventually traded it straight across for a Cogswell & Harrison double rifle in .375 H&H Flanged. And I was always sorry I did...the Superposed set was much more useful, much better built, and a joy to handle in the field, which the C&H was not. So after less than a year I traded off the C&H for a Berretta SO6 28 gauge which wasn't near the gun my previous 28 (also a
Superposed) had been. But that's whole 'nother story...

The nice little 20s are still around and still relatively affordable for what you would be getting...a truly classy-built, hand-fitted classic which really performs.

P.S.: Since posting this I checked around via the internet and found a lot of 20s for sale at from around $1,500 to $2,200...it should be possible you could pick an address close enough to go look at it in person to decide what your think.