Clay Sport Shooting - Budget shot gun question

akbarstrap said:
I agree with stubblejumper. Try it out first. Most clubs will rent you a gun your first time - or chat with someone who will loan you one. If you like it, then you can decide whether you want to spend $500 (or more). A good bet for a starting gun would be a used semi-auto with a rib. Either a Remington 1100 or a beretta 301. If you look hard enough you can find them for around that price with fixed chokes but in good condition. Semis are easier on the shoulder and at that price you can likely resell without losing much money. I’d stay away from the Turkish O/U until you’re sure you want one as the resale market is tougher for those in that price point. Pumps are fine but can limit you (and your enjoyment) of many clay sports. They are cheaper, but I’d say get an older 870 Wingmaster if you’re going to go with a pump. Leave the tactical mossberg 88s to the home defence folk.
Click to expand...

Absolutely. Rental gun to try as they should get it to fit you. You'll have the best chance of hitting something and then become addicted. Clays is different than most shooting sports as the target often cost the same as the shell. Double hit on the pocket!
 
Geoman said:
One thing to keep in mind once you have your new shotgun is that different guns like different ammo. My less expensive pump shotgun hated Challenger target and jams with Kent but runs like a charm with Remington or Federal target! Don’t buy to much of any brand before trying a few different manufacturers in small quantities before getting a case or two of your now identified preferred ammo.
Click to expand...

My franchi hates cheap ammo like fiocchi but runs through anything Winchester, Remington or federal. I initially thought I had a broken semi auto!!!
 
My FIL shot trap with a cheap Baikal single shot, and despite the laughing and ridicule, out shot everyone at one time or another at our club. I shot skeet with a cheap Baikal S x S with the chokes sawed off, and a ray-bar front sight and a reworked stock, and was always very competitive. I also shot skeet with a Boito .410 with reamed chokes, and was still competitive. If a shot gun shoots straight, fits you, is reliable, go for it. Practice lots, and you might even be able to lord it over those who's shotguns are the price of a new car.
 
BracheteMachete said:
My franchi hates cheap ammo like fiocchi but runs through anything Winchester, Remington or federal. I initially thought I had a broken semi auto!!!
Click to expand...

Fiocchi is a better quality shotshell than the Winchester Supertargets, or worse yet the Universals, those are the shotshells that cause the most issues on our skeet field. Even the Challengers seem more reliable than the cheapest Winchesters.
 
stubblejumper said:
Fiocchi is a better quality shotshell than the Winchester Supertargets, or worse yet the Universals, those are the shotshells that cause the most issues on our skeet field. Even the Challengers seem more reliable than the cheapest Winchesters.
Click to expand...

My error!! I went and looked at the last box I had. It was Maionchi 7.5 target loads. I tarnished Fiocchi’s name and I haven’t even shot them. Thanks for questioning it!!

Scott
 
Jetman said:
if it goes bang, it can hit a clay. weatherby SA-08 for a less expensive semi . if shooting doubles, id want a semi (or over/under but more expensive). nothing wrong with a stoeger condor O/U though. a pump would make it more difficult but not impossible.

i would highly recommend at least one or two short lessons with a pro if you are new. a good instructor can almost double your success rate very quickly
Click to expand...

There is plenty wrong with a Stoeger Condor. A buddy of mine thought he'd cheap out, couldn't imagine spending an extra $700 for a mint used Citori over what he could buy a new Condor for. So he bought a new Condor and flew out from Ontario to hunt ducks and geese with me here in AB. He ended up having to borrow my wife's gun the entire time here as his Condor would not reliably fire. It would fire less than 50% of the time on first shots and if it did fire the first it rarely fired the second no matter where the selector was set. Absolute piece of junk to recommend someone looking to shoot clays..
OP you will have a tough time finding anything reliable for $500 or less. Double your budget and go with someone who understands gun fit and knows guns well enough to help you choose a good fitting reliable shotgun.
 
the spank said:
There is plenty wrong with a Stoeger Condor. A buddy of mine thought he'd cheap out, couldn't imagine spending an extra $700 for a mint used Citori over what he could buy a new Condor for. So he bought a new Condor and flew out from Ontario to hunt ducks and geese with me here in AB. He ended up having to borrow my wife's gun the entire time here as his Condor would not reliably fire. It would fire less than 50% of the time on first shots and if it did fire the first it rarely fired the second no matter where the selector was set. Absolute piece of junk to recommend someone looking to shoot clays..
OP you will have a tough time finding anything reliable for $500 or less. Double your budget and go with someone who understands gun fit and knows guns well enough to help you choose a good fitting reliable shotgun.
Click to expand...

A skeet shooter at our club started out with a Stoeger Condor, but firing pin issues made it so unreliable, that he was forced to retire it, and buy a used Citori. He would have saved money, if he had purchased the Citori in the first place. A few other people started with cheap Turkish made shotguns with similar results. When you start putting thousands of rounds each year through a clays gun, many of the low quality shotguns don't last long.
 
stubblejumper said:
Fiocchi is a better quality shotshell than the Winchester Supertargets, or worse yet the Universals, those are the shotshells that cause the most issues on our skeet field. Even the Challengers seem more reliable than the cheapest Winchesters.
Click to expand...

I haven't had a problem with a Super Target shell in many tens of thousands of rounds, they're right up there in my number one picks for cheap shells!
 
Falconflyer said:
I haven't had a problem with a Super Target shell in many tens of thousands of rounds, they're right up there in my number one picks for cheap shells!
Click to expand...

I had one batch of 20 gauge that had crimps so mushroomed, that I had to force them into my K20 barrels. They didn't function at all in a friends semi auto, that cycles pretty much anything else.
 
Hate those shells and will never buy again. Crimps were so bad on a couple shells in the flats that pellets were rolling around in the boxes.

Falconflyer said:
I haven't had a problem with a Super Target shell in many tens of thousands of rounds, they're right up there in my number one picks for cheap shells!
Click to expand...
 
micromind said:
I have wanted to start clay shooting, But im on a budget. Plus I'm not even sure i'll find it fun. Wondering if anyone has any suggestions on a good shot gun for a reasonable priced one. . trying to stay in the 500 dollar range. will probably look for a good used one to start out. Or am I out to lunch on this dollar figure?
Click to expand...

I have shot trap casually over the last 40 years. I rarely buy a Trap Model. I did do better if the
gun fit me. I usually shoot in the 20-24 range with one that fits me. Used guns were my 99 % choice.
One to try is an older Rem. 870 with a full choke. There are many other choices. My most recent one
is an Ithaca Model 37 - T . This is a older rare trap model. I shoot very well with it. A regular M-37
with full choke & rib may shoot just as well for you ?
 
stubblejumper said:
I had one batch of 20 gauge that had crimps so mushroomed, that I had to force them into my K20 barrels. They didn't function at all in a friends semi auto, that cycles pretty much anything else.
Click to expand...

I had the same. Cant even recall how many got stuck in my chamber that required a ram rod to get out. I wouldn’t shoot super targets even if they were given to me for free. Worst target shell on the market in my opinion
 
My wife and I have shot thousands of Super Target in both 12 and 20 ga. They won't cycle my wifes A400 20ga though they do in my SX3 20 but just barely. Of course in the 12's we both shoot break action guns so cycling a second round is not an issue especially since my 725 Trap Max is mechanical triggers not inertia.
 
For around $500 you should be able to find any number of name-brand pumps. But if you're doing sporting clays then you really may want to have a semi. Remington 1100 in decent shape would be in that range. Not hard to find. If you can, try different guns at a clays club. A cheap but quality O/U may be hard to find in that price. A used Citori for $500? Maybe a Winchester 101 or 96, or Miroku or SKB? If you can, bump that gun budget up just a tad.
 
Winchester super targets are ok in my guns. The Winchester universal shells with the very low head suck in just about everything. The new branded Remington gun clubs have the worst crimps I've ever seen in factory ammo

It's true. Ammo costs quickly surpass the price of the gun
 
the spank said:
There is plenty wrong with a Stoeger Condor. A buddy of mine thought he'd cheap out, couldn't imagine spending an extra $700 for a mint used Citori over what he could buy a new Condor for. So he bought a new Condor and flew out from Ontario to hunt ducks and geese with me here in AB. He ended up having to borrow my wife's gun the entire time here as his Condor would not reliably fire. It would fire less than 50% of the time on first shots and if it did fire the first it rarely fired the second no matter where the selector was set. Absolute piece of junk to recommend someone looking to shoot clays..
OP you will have a tough time finding anything reliable for $500 or less. Double your budget and go with someone who understands gun fit and knows guns well enough to help you choose a good fitting reliable shotgun.
Click to expand...

I've gone through similar issues. Some people need to learn the hard way though. I tell buddies now just once with my advice then shut up. If they don't take it, it's their issue. I'll be having a couple buddies learning this mistake this spring! Can't wait for the texts to start flowing complaining!
 
There is no cheap way to shoot clay. The gun price will soon be lapsed by ammo cost. Try some guns at the range if possible. Have someone help with fit. Then (sorry) start saving a few more bucks. At the range I shoot sporting at it’s $30/100 birds +$44 for 100 shells . It adds up quick. Our skeet range has lots of helpful guys and birds are $5/25 till next shipment. It’s lots of fun and easy to find nice people to shoot with.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom