Gun for casual clay use?

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sailor723

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I am looking at picking up a gun suitable for casual (foot operated launcher in a field) clay shooting. Do to other interests in the summer I would almost never be able to make our clubs Weds. night shotgun clay shoots so this would just be for fun and fooling around.

I've looked a few options both used and new. So far I've looked at....

1. A couple of Browning Superposed 12Ga that LGS has for 899. One is fixed choke IC/Skeet and the other has thin wall choke tubes. Both 28"

2. Used Beretta a302 for 550 or an a303 for 699. I've read account of these sometimes having issues cycling target loads?

3. New ATA Venza bronze for $899. Supposedly (?) one of the "good" Turkish guns from the reviews I've read.

4. Armsan Phenoma at $875 Also get s good online reviews ...especially from UK shotgun sites.

I'd like to stay under $1,000 as this is really just going to be a toy. Thoughts?
 
You have put out radically different choices/ styles of shotgun.
Shotgunning is all about gun fit and smooth swing. Whatever you choose, choose for fit and natural eye alignment. Try before you buy if at all possible.
The Browning Superposed is one of the great "classic" shotguns, suitable for recreational clays, Trap and Skeet and upland hunting, depending on chokes. Skeet and IC are very suitable for upland hunting and the game of Skeet, but not so suitable for longer range shots at Trap. Thin wall choke tubes in a Superposed are aftermarket additions that need to be examined carefully for workmanship. The thinwall tubes are likely only rated for lead shot, but certainly make a more versatile gun.
If you ever want to hunt Waterfowl you want to select a gun that is capable of shooting steel shot, or suck up the horrible price of other non-toxic shot like Bismuth.
The Berettas that you mention are tried and true guns. The Turkish semi-autos, while getting good reviews, have not likely done the long term endurance test, and certainly will be harder to find parts.
You need to get out to the gun club a few times when you can shoot a few of other members guns, if you don't have the experience to focus in on your most desirable style of gun. Any club that I have belonged to has been welcoming and ready to allow a newbie to try out guns.
I always say spend more, buy better. You will save money in the long run if you buy a lifetime gun, that you really, really like, at first go.
 
Brownings don't fit all people equally well so address that first when considering one.
Additionally, please educate yourself on salt wood stocks before committing to a superposed. This was a practice to accelerate curing of blanks and really damaged the reputation of Browning and the fear of it substantially reduces the price fetched for these (great) used guns. I'm not suggesting the guns you are looking at necessarily have salt wood, but am saying if it were not for the worry of salt wood then the price would be (a lot) higher. The buyer who knows what to look avoid can get a high quality gun for very reasonable $. Suspect years are '66 to early 70's. Inspect the metal to wood contact points in forestock and buttstock for any sign of rust on the metal or discoloration of the wood. If the LGS tells you no, its in those years but not salt wood, then ask them to back out a screw from the butt pad. It should come out easily and not be orange. You can look up the serial numbers that are considered safe in advance to put your mind at ease if you are considering one.
 
So, I was at the gun store today and came home with a Browning Superposed Lightning 12 ga with 30" barrels and a broadway vent rib. The serial number 95### would indicate 1961 but that number is followed by "S8". S8 means a 12 ga made in 1968 according to the Browning date your gun info but in all the examples for that format the serial number preceding the S8 is only 4 digits, not 5.....a bit of a mystery. I would seem to have either a 1961 or 1968. The good news is there is no sign of any corrosion under the wood from it being a "salty"if it is in fact a '68 and the butt plate screw I pulled was clean.

The barrels were stamped as Full over Full in the Browning code ( A single * on each barrel) but they also have "IC" stamped on the upper and "S" on the lower. To make matters more confusing they gauge IM over M with my cheap little brass choke gauge. I can only guess that maybe the gun was sent to a smith in some point in it's life to have the chokes opened up and he either didn't get it right or my gauge is off. I'll see if I can borrow a micrometer and see what they read.

In any event the gun seems to fit me well and it feels natural to shoulder and point. While it has a bit of bluing loss on sharp edges and the trigger guard it's a neat old gun to have and I'm happy with it.:d
 

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cosmic said:
Money well spent! You have a round knob, long tang model (RKLT) - likely made in 1961. Make sure you lube the critical areas...
Click to expand...

Thanks!

Round knob yes but I believe it is a short tang (by "tang" I'm assuming you mean the metal strip extending along the underside of the pistol grip from the rear of the trigger guard?....this gun doesn't have that).

As to the year, I emailed Browning and they came back saying it was a 1968. OTOH the email from customer service also claimed the "S" stands for Superposed while their website clearly shows it as being the code for "12 gauge" used after 1967. The 95### serial number would suggest 1961 as you say but i think short tang was post 67 no?
 
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