Beginner upgrade to O/U for skeet?

J

JordanYOW

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I am new to skeet, improving, but still getting down the basics. I am currently shooting with a SXP pump with 28" barrel. I can manage some doubles with it but I also still miss a lot of singles.

Is it worth upgrading to an o/u now? Will it help or until I can get in the 20's should I just save my money?

As a secondary question, how important is an adjustable comb?
 
I bought a decent o/u for my first just because a quality gun does not normally loose value if taken care of. It was a Citori with adjustable comb and but stock and honestly I had to have the comb lowered for my chubby cheeks lol. If you plan on staying in the sport go buy a o/u and you will love the game more!!! Get a gun that fits well more so than worrying about the adjustability!
 
Your field pump gun may be giving you quite a bit of recoil which is not good for clay target shooting, and will negatively affect your scores over multiple shoots or rounds of skeet. You can't go wrong with a quality gun for your sport, being skeet, trap or sporting clays. Some stock adjustability is great, but more important is to get someone to teach you the fundamentals of the game you are shooting such as skeet. Executing the fundamentals of each shot is more important than anything. With the Ottawa Skeet Club shut down, not sure of another local club where you could get some instruction. Any Ottawa guys know?
 
Being a competitive slide-action shooter, my opinion will be biased, so take it with a grain of salt. If you can shoot doubles with a pump gun without issues, and have trouble with your singles, it tells me that your issue probably isn't gun related but focus related. Have you patterned your current gun to assure fit? Are you consistent in your foot and hold positions? Are your misses consistent(always behind/in front/over/under, it is always station#2 high or #6low?) or inconsistent? Are shooting 3dr 1 1/8oz 12ga loads through a lighter field gun? One can run straight in skeet with a slide-action, it was done for 50 years before the O/U took hold in the sport. Changing guns won't cure a fundamental issue with your form and movement, those fundamentals have to be sounds before the tool makes any difference.
 
I don't believe action type will make much of a difference in early days learning. Early money is well spent on a good instructor - both for fundamentals and to advise you on gun fit. Next money could be spent of a gun that fits you - and yes, and O/U is a great choice - probably the most popular by those who are active in the clay sports. As for the adjustable stock, it has no value on a gun that fits you - but might be helpful on something that comes close. Once you know what to look for, there is really high value in trying guns for a round or two - either borrowed or club rentals. That saved my butt twice recently from making a bad decision.

Don't shoot the first trophy you see. The hunt is way more fun than the field dressing - and with clay sports, there is no closed season. ;)

Rob!
 
An adjustable comb can help to fine tune a gun that is very close to fitting you. I personally prefer an O/U, but I have shot clean rounds with semi autos, pump actions, and SxS shotguns as well. As long as the gun fits, you should be able to shoot it well. If you really want to buy another gun, find a decent quality gun that fits you ,a used quality gun is a better choice than a new economy model.
 
Donski said:
Executing the fundamentals of each shot is more important than anything. With the Ottawa Skeet Club shut down, not sure of another local club where you could get some instruction. Any Ottawa guys know?
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Starting with solid fundamentals, and an understanding of gun fit is a major advantage.

Dean Herzberg is actively coaching at Stittsville Shooting Range. I highly recommend him.

As for getting a new gun or not... it depends on about 1000 different things. If your fundamentals aren't there, then you can miss with a $20,000 gun just as easy with a $200 gun.

I always tell people new to the sport not to rush into buying a gun. You will save all kinds of money if you try some different guns and figure out what you like/want and only buy once. Also, don't think you need to buy new. There are 1000s of resale guns out there which are a way better value. A good used Browning or Beretta O/U will treat you well, and if you ultimately decide that it isn't for you then you can resell it for pretty much the same that you bought it for.

Brad.
 
In my mind, the fundamentals are;

1) Proper stance
2) Face on the gun
3) Eye on the bird
4) Appropriate lead
5) Follow through

No mention of firearm on the list. I would shoot what you have until at least steps 1-3 are sorted.

C
 
The only way that changing to an O/U will significantly improve your shooting, is if you are going to a gun that fits you much better than your current gun.
 
While everything said about shooting fundamentals, fit, trying other guns and instruction is correct and pump gun fans notwithstanding any new shooter will be further ahead if he avoids the gun that acts like a trombone and chooses a semi-automatic or an o/u that fit him. Even though I own pumps and have shot some good scores with them it is poor advice to promote a pump gun to a new shooter particularly if wants to shoot his best possible score.

If a pump is all the new shooter has or can afford then he should shoot it until he can acquire a quality semi or o/u.
 
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Thanks for all the input. I certainly don't blame the gun for my shortcomings, I am still very new. I do plan on contacting Dean at some point for some lessons. That said, I shouldered a few O/Us and they just felt miles better and more natural. Not all of them fit of course, but those that did just felt amazing and seemed to sit in just the right place. That alone I would imagine could make a huge difference.
 
To each is his own, I make a point of never telling a new shooter he needs to upgrade in order to shoot our sport, I've seen too many people leave and never come back because of it. Claybuster; if you read his original posting, you notice his issue is more on his singles, not the doubles, the gun action wouldn't factor in here.
 
Maritime Storm said:
To each is his own, I make a point of never telling a new shooter he needs to upgrade in order to shoot our sport, I've seen too many people leave and never come back because of it. Claybuster; if you read his original posting, you notice his issue is more on his singles, not the doubles, the gun action wouldn't factor in here.
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He would appear to be missing both.

I can manage some doubles with it but I also still miss a lot of singles.
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There's a difference between "telling" people they need a new gun and giving them advice when they ask. The OP asked.

What I never do is tell a new shooter he should have what I have because it works for me. I've seen too many shooters end up with the wrong gun because some loudmouth at the club believes Jesus shot a Browning Auto 5 and so should everyone else.
 
Maritime Storm said:
To each is his own, I make a point of never telling a new shooter he needs to upgrade in order to shoot our sport, I've seen too many people leave and never come back because of it. Claybuster; if you read his original posting, you notice his issue is more on his singles, not the doubles, the gun action wouldn't factor in here.
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I still miss on both signles and doubles. Oddly I'd say my hit rate is better on doubles partly because they are my stronger stations and maybe because I don't have time to think. I am rapidly improving but I have only about 15 rounds under my belt so I am fresh. I know I don't NEED a different gun to shoot, but some that I shouldered just felt soooo much better.
 
Claybuster; That would be my misreading on his post, not yours. I apologize. We each have our likes and dislikes and ways that work for us, we each have a different style/form on how we shoot, not necessarily wrong either. I find alot of new shooters switch guns to fast thinking money will get them better scores not realizing the money is always better spent on ammo and instruction. My journey started with a Remington Wingmaster then to a couple of different SXS', then to a Benelli Nova. I was then convinced by a few shooters that I had to have an O/U, 2 years of worse scores followed before I figured out that it didn't work for me. I sold it bought another Nova and Winchester Model 12. Ran my first straight with Nova 2 weeks later. Now for the fun of it I'm playing with a couple of Remington 870 Express'. A pump gun works for me, not necessarily someone else. A K80 feels awkward to me, I can't stand listening to the clang of a semi, yet to others they are an extension of themselves. For me that's a Benelli Nova.
 
Maritime Storm said:
Claybuster; That would be my misreading on his post, not yours. I apologize. We each have our likes and dislikes and ways that work for us, we each have a different style/form on how we shoot, not necessarily wrong either. I find alot of new shooters switch guns to fast thinking money will get them better scores not realizing the money is always better spent on ammo and instruction. My journey started with a Remington Wingmaster then to a couple of different SXS', then to a Benelli Nova. I was then convinced by a few shooters that I had to have an O/U, 2 years of worse scores followed before I figured out that it didn't work for me. I sold it bought another Nova and Winchester Model 12. Ran my first straight with Nova 2 weeks later. Now for the fun of it I'm playing with a couple of Remington 870 Express'. A pump gun works for me, not necessarily someone else. A K80 feels awkward to me, I can't stand listening to the clang of a semi, yet to others they are an extension of themselves. For me that's a Benelli Nova.
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No apology required. For most clay target shooters guns really are tools and the pipe wrench that works for me might not work for you. Pump guns are great and I've owned more of them than any other type. They wouldn't be my recommendation to a new shooter if he/she asked but otherwise if the guy beside me has a pump I will admire it and keep my opinions to myself.

What's really fun is shooting clays with a lever action shotgun. :d
 
JordanYOW said:
I still miss on both signles and doubles. Oddly I'd say my hit rate is better on doubles partly because they are my stronger stations and maybe because I don't have time to think. I am rapidly improving but I have only about 15 rounds under my belt so I am fresh. I know I don't NEED a different gun to shoot, but some that I shouldered just felt soooo much better.
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Lots of good advise from these seasoned guys. I'll only add, that at only 15 rounds shot, a new gun isn't going to do much for you, unless it fits much better than your current gun. Get more shooting time in, and then make a decision. When I started a four years ago, I was shooting 5 to 6 rounds twice a week. So 15 rounds came and went in the first week and a half. After 3 months or so (hundred plus rounds) and trying out some guns at the club, I decided an O/U trap gun would suit me better than the field gun I was using. My constancy improved, and eventually my scores.
 
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