Sporting Clays Gun.....???

[R.Morehouse]

I know there are forums to answer my questions, but I belong to this one and have come to trust you guys.
I have friends from my local cigar "hang" that shoot sporting clays every weekend and have been bugging me for years to come out and join in their ball-busting fun.....With that being said.....I am looking into a gun and was looking at the Beretta A 400 XCEL. I KNOW that the over-under is most likely a better option, but I am partial to semi's.....Any advice on a gun that won't break the bank but still keep me competitive?.....Any advice on quality equipment ( eye where, shooting vest ect. ) would be appreciated as well.............Thank for your input and time on my non-Accurate Shooter subject.

Regards
Rick

 

[HTSmith]

You are on the right track. I prefer the looks of over/unders but a reliable gas operated semiauto has the advantage for most. The gas action will take the sting out of the recoil and they usually have stock shims that can be adjusted for perfect fit. They do take a little more cleaning than an O/U and they do chuck your empties on the ground. I don't have an A400 but I've had great service out of 390's.

So far as accessories good shooting glasses will make a big difference especially if you have a little age on you. Tint matters also. A light reddish purple makes an orange target pop, but you'll also need a set of clear or yellow lenses for cloudy days. I use Decot mostly because I started with them 40 years ago and their frames last about forever.

No advice on a vest as I just use a shell belt. Remember to shoot where they're going to be not where they're at and keep that gun moving.

Great fun but it can be humiliating

 

[Trigger-Jerker]

A couple nice options besides the Beretta A400 would be a Fabarm L4s or a bit cheaper Browning Maxxus II sporting.
Take a look at Ranger shooting glasses. They have a number of styles to choose from.
I prefer glasses that don’t have a center post for the nose bridge. Here’s an example of what I’m describing.

Falcon Pro - Matte Black

Falcon Pro shooting frames featuring a sporty lens shape and soft silicone nose pads for comfort and custom fit. Browse sizes & lenses!

www.reranger.com

 

[Syncrowave]

I used to shoot skeet twice a week for many years (until I moved away from that area) and I always used a Browning Auto-5 ... I don't think you'll find a softer-shooting, nicer-pointing gun than that. They're uglier than a mud fence but boy, do they shoot! (I'd get the recoil-operated OG, not the phony gas-gun "remake"...)

 

[DumpHollow]

My wife and I like sporting clays and 5-Stand. Go to a store and handle several guns and see if any of them just fall in. We shave several guns. The O/U is easier for loading and picking up hulls. There’s better deals and economy in 12 gauge ammo but 20 gauge is not far behind.

The Beretta autos have a good reputation, but I really am a strong Benelli advocate. Their guns are very reliable. I am also not real enchanted with gas operated autos vs the Benelli system. The Benelli’s also have the ability to adjust the stock comb height and shims for customizing the buttock. The CRIO bore and choke system makes cleaning a breeze.

I’ve been through a lot of shotguns over the years trying to find the one that just falls in. It’s just another rabbit hole like rifle shooting. We have guns in 12, 16, 20, and 28 gauges. The 28 is having a resurgence in popularity in the field due to modern shotshell development. I do have loaders for 16 and 28 however, ammo for 12 and 20 is much cheaper to buy. I’m thinking about selling a Browning 525 28 gauge O/U because the new Benelli Cordoba Ethos is nagging at me.

If you find an active shotgun club, there is usually an expert around to help with gun fitting.

Clay shooting is big fun because of the feedback from breaking the target, similar to shooting rifles on steel.

I use Ranger Shooting Glasses.

 

[Gary in MD]

Sporting Clays is a blast... pardon the pun.
I'm definitely in the semi auto fan club. I have, and really like, the Benelli in 12 gauge. It has never failed to cycle in the few years that I've had it. I also have been using a Remington 1187 20 gauge, it's light and swings fast. Both guns have nice wooden stocks and are a pleasure to carry. You should try and handle several and see what feels better.
Eye protection is a must, (I like the yellow tinted) ear plugs work better for me than muffs, I like a vest better than a belt carrier for the shells.
I can be a humbling experience but fun to go out a burn up 50 rounds at a time.

 

[10at6]

An older Beretta 390 ST or 391 will do everything a 400 will do, they are a nicer gun in my opinion.
A nice old can be had for around $1200

 

[ebb]

Quail creek sporting clays is the largest in my area and they had a guy that gunsmithed there. He told me the exact same thing a 10at2 said.

 

[Schippergreg]

Sporting clays is a lot of fun. I shoot a a300 beretta which is my duck and dove gun also. If I was going to buy a dedicated clays gun it would be an a400. The berettas are extremely soft recoiling and point well for me. Be sure to get the stock shims setup so that it shoots where you’re looking.

 

[Dgd6mm]

Man I guess I' m backing up with my 1980 Remington 1100. I always shoot the best in my group when I shoot at Bradford Sporting Farm. Rick i know you're a strong competitor and you'll do your research and make the right decision im sure of. Sporting Clay's is definitely a lot of fun.....so is 5 stand. Enjoy.

 

[DumpHollow]

I’m fundamentally a rifleman. That brings its own set of behaviors to overcome in clays or game shooting. I usually shoot behind the target because I am aiming vs pointing the gun. My attitude about clays is just having fun. When I get too serious about rifle shooting, it takes the fun out of it. So shotguns are a refreshing change as I don’t take them as seriously. My interest in shotguns was all about hunting until I met my wife who doesn’t much like punching paper. We have a wobble trap here at home that is a good tuneup for hunting season. All manor of clays shooting is available here in Western PA and in the other states where we have lived.

Have fun with it.

 

[KMart]

Man I guess I' m backing up with my 1980 Remington 1100. I always shoot the best in my group when I shoot at Bradford Sporting Farm. Rick i know you're a strong competitor and you'll do your research and make the right decision im sure of. Sporting Clay's is definitely a lot of fun.....so is 5 stand. Enjoy.

Stick with your 1100. Years ago an ATA HOF member gave me this advice. If you ever find a shotgun that shoots where you look, don't ever get rid of it.

 

[Bill Rodolph]

I'll second or third, whatever, the Beretta auto's. When I lived in Lubbock, I did a lot of shotgun work for the sporting clays crowd. This was back in the 90's. They started with o/u's but went to the semi auto's after a few years, Some tried the Benelli, but felt the Beretta was faster cyclying. They would talk about waiting on the Benelli so they could make a follow up shot. You will probably want to have it ported as well and lengthen the forcing cone.

 

[Doug Casner]

I used to have alot of fun shooting clays. Always with a bunch that BS was always at max. Had a browning citori . Its a fun game. Doug

 

[Tommie]

Former competitive sporting clays shooter.
Shotgunning is about fit and ergonomics. Try several guns (most ranges have loaner guns) and find out which fits you.

 

[Mike Kohout]

+1 what Tommie said, the gun needs to shoot where you are looking always. As the old book said, move, mount, and shoot. The Beretta auto's due have some adjuatments for fitting, but as said before pickup a bunch of shotguns until you find the best fit for you. I shot sporting clays but more Fitacs for over 25 years around the states and several countries, gun fit is king, best of luck and enjoy!!
Mikey

 

[Jr solocam]

It's all in "pointability" and how you swing the gun. Fit is obviously important. I shot sporting clays, 5 stand and skeet for many years with a Beretta Ultra Light Deluxe OU and a Montefeltro. I preferred the OU but YMMV....

 

[ronsatspokane]

I shoot sporting clays almost every weekend and it looks like I'm going to be the contrarian in this crowd. Forget the auto loader. In sporting clays it is considered polite to clean up after yourself just as it is in any other shooting sport. Yet at every station you will see shotgun shells scattered from hell to breakfast. Those are from the auto loaders. I guess they think that their mothers will follow behind and clean up after them. Some people do clean up after themselves and at some stations where the shells are being tossed over the edge they can be difficult or even impossible to retrieve. With a double gun you put your thumb in front of the shells as you open the action to stop the shells then pull them and drop them in the bucket. That is not to say that an auto will not work. It will.

I shoot over and under almost exclusively these days with a side by side thrown into the mix for the fun of it. I started with CZ's which work great but you are often limited to 28 inch barrels. A few models have longer barrels these days. Then I shot a base model 686 Beretta with 30 inch barrels. Great gun. Then I shot a Browning 525 with 32 inch barrels. Another great gun. They were all in 12 gauge. These days I shoot a high rib Caesar with 30 inch barrels when I shoot 12 gauge (or a CZ Hammer Gun with 29 inch barrels just for fun). Most of the time though I shoot a Caesar 28 gauge with 32 inch barrels. I shoot the 28 nearly as well as the 12.

What I found is that you don't want a light fast gun, you want a heavier gun that slows your swing and prevents you from swinging past the bird. The heaver guns also mitigate recoil. Take a look at the weight of a Kreighoff or a Parazzi dedicated sporting gun and you'll see what is considered a proper weight among those who shoot competitively (and have a large wallet). That 28 with the 32 inch barrels does it for me. Those long barrels swing just right.

As others have said, it is about fit. You can spend a lot or very little on a shotgun that does not fit and become disgusted that you can't hit much. Close your eyes, pull the gun to your shoulder, open your eyes and see if you are looking along the rib with the bead centered. Try a couple of guns to see what fits. Most guns these days come with adjustable LOP (length of pull) and shims to adjust cast (which will allow you to center the bead) and drop (which will allow you to look along the rib but not down on it). Some come with adjustable combs that permit further refinement of fit.

Sporting Clays is a rabbit hole, no doubt about. If you get caught in it you'll find yourself spending far more than you ever spent shooting metallic cartridges. I do it just for fun rather than competitively but I shoot occasionally with some of the top shooters in the US. Those folks are good. I'll never get to that level but I have fun anyway.

 

[wvlongshot]

I've got 2 sets of vintage eyewear if you want them.

 

[450BM]

I love my Benelli Super Sport. I had a Benelli Vinci for myself and bought the Super Sport a few years later for my son to use. He didn’t shoot it as well as his Franchi Affinity auto so I kept it for myself. I shot the Vinci well but it was uglier than 10 days of sin so I sold it. Once I got the stock adjusted to fit me on the SuperSport I shoot it better than I did the Vinci so it all worked out!

I’ve shot my sons gun enough that I would buy one for myself if I didn’t have the Benelli. It’s also an inertia action and soaks up a lot of recoil.

Yeah, it’s a little more work to pick up the hulls from an auto but I don’t mind. I had an O/U for awhile but didn’t like it, more felt recoil which is a huge con for me.

Speaking of double, I was at a charity sporting clays shoot about 8 years ago. The winning score was 99 out of 100, the shotgun was a Damascus barrel side by side! I would have liked to get a lesson from that guy…