inexpensive starter shotgun?
- Thread starter alltieear
- Start date
This is good advice. Trap is a pretty easy entry into the sport and will work fine with a cheaper pump shotgun to start. Skeet gets into needing 2 shots in rapid succession, hence O/U or SS.
Well fitting does not mean expensive.
The point is to go to your lgs and try handling a few. When I was buying my first o/u I narrowed it down to a $500 CZ and a $900 Churchill. The CZ fit like a glove so that is what I got, double triggers and all.
The point is to go to your lgs and try handling a few. When I was buying my first o/u I narrowed it down to a $500 CZ and a $900 Churchill. The CZ fit like a glove so that is what I got, double triggers and all.
Go out to the club where you are going to shoot. Lots of people will let you shoulder their guns and some may let you try a few shots.
They will certainly offer lots of opinions! LoL
RF
Maritime Storm
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Riverview, NB
Come on now Spank, some of us shoot a slide-action for everything competitively including Sporting Clays. Now that I've wandered into this, I might as well add something constructive to it. Alltieear; I shoot a slide-action for everything, Trap, Skeet, Sporting Clays, & Upland Hunting, I shoot every week, during the winter 4 rounds(100 shells) and 6-8 rounds a week during the summer, plus competition. My suggestion would be this, go to your local gun shop try every gun for fit in your price range, pick the one that fits best. I would recommend you look at, in this order, and no cheaper; Browning BPS, Benelli Supernova/Nova, Remington 870, Winchester SXP Trap, Mossberg 500 Field. I'm not a fan of Mossbergs synthetic stocks on the 88 or the 500, I've seen too many of them work loose while shooting trap. On the used side of things, a good used Winchester Model 12 would also be a good recommendation, if it fits. I'm currently shooting a Remington 870 Express, Benelli Nova and an Ithaca 37, yes that is a Model 12 I'm shooting Sporting Clays with on my Facebook page. This is not a cheap hobby, buying a cheap gun that will fail in hard use, and make no mistake shooting clay targets is hard use on a shotgun, makes it much more expensive.
So about two weeks ago, I bought this semi and I have only taken it out once but boy does it make a good entry level clay gun. I was at the local Canadian Tire and I see these three Mossberg 930s sitting there for $450 each. They are nothing fancy but they have ported barrels and comes with 3 chokes. Watched a couple of vids on youtube about the gun and decided to take advantage of the 30x ct cash day and no interest equal payment promo. $42 a month for a year and they gave me $55 ct cash. It was the fastest transaction I made at a Canadian Tires and I must say, it is a pretty sweet semi for the price. Might also be a good entry level 3 gun shotgun in the future. Just another option.
Maritime Storm
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Riverview, NB
Very few people shoot a SXS competitively, cost wise your are better to stick with a 12ga or 20ga, the ammo is far cheaper. If you plan to shoot trap, I recommend you stick with a 12ga. My principal target load is 1oz of #8@1200 fps in 12ga.
Maritime Storm
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Riverview, NB
Garaldtao; We have a couple of members at the club who shoot a 930, very rare to see a failure to cyle from them with light target loads. Like any gas operated semi, cleanliness is next to godliness. Keep it clean and it will do it's job.
Coastal has a few models of the remington 870 on sale for $350 right now with free shipping (I think). add that to the $50 MIR that remington has right now will bring that down to around $300.
bonus of buying new vs used with remington is you get lifetime warranty if you're the original owner. Gravel is awesome to deal with for warranty stuff too
bonus of buying new vs used with remington is you get lifetime warranty if you're the original owner. Gravel is awesome to deal with for warranty stuff too
To the OP when the smoke clears, the only thing of value is the gun.
On an 88 the good news for you is you’re not going to lose much money.
Sitting on a bench one day with a highly dedicated shooter 400 000 plus registered life time trap targets had a few questions for him first one was how did you used to shoot those old nonadjustable guns? He replied “very well actually” After more digging and questions here is what he finally asked me why would you ask a gun smith how to shoot 27 yards?
The above might not mean anything to you as of yet but one day it might.
Hope to see you out there.
On an 88 the good news for you is you’re not going to lose much money.
Sitting on a bench one day with a highly dedicated shooter 400 000 plus registered life time trap targets had a few questions for him first one was how did you used to shoot those old nonadjustable guns? He replied “very well actually” After more digging and questions here is what he finally asked me why would you ask a gun smith how to shoot 27 yards?
The above might not mean anything to you as of yet but one day it might.
Hope to see you out there.
A shotgun does not have to be adjustable to fit the shooter. It also doesn't have to be expensive to fit. As far as price goes, a clays gun must be reliable but it doesn't have to be fancy. The bottom line, is if the OP intends to learn the clays games, and if he wants to shoot anywhere near his potential, he needs a shotgun that fits him, and that does not fail to function properly.
If I was you I'd save up and buy something you will be proud of . why buy something cheap and then in the future have to sell it at a loss because you want to be proud of what you shooting amongst lets say new friends.- shooters you have met on the line -at the shooting range.
a couple of buddys of mine had Ruger Red label shotguns and love them . the sky is the limit. if you don't want to spend huge money I would'nt buy a Maverick over under for $800 or so I'd just hunt down an older Remington wingmaster with a full choke or a Ithaca model 37 an older one of course with a full choke or a Winchester Model 12 . those are 3 great pump guns I think would do you fine on the line and I'd be much happier owning any of those than a brand new Maverick over under.
three Quality shotguns - pumps that is or as I said save up a couple of grand and a half Azz over under. that's just my opinion.
a couple of buddys of mine had Ruger Red label shotguns and love them . the sky is the limit. if you don't want to spend huge money I would'nt buy a Maverick over under for $800 or so I'd just hunt down an older Remington wingmaster with a full choke or a Ithaca model 37 an older one of course with a full choke or a Winchester Model 12 . those are 3 great pump guns I think would do you fine on the line and I'd be much happier owning any of those than a brand new Maverick over under.
three Quality shotguns - pumps that is or as I said save up a couple of grand and a half Azz over under. that's just my opinion.
Doubt very much he has a clue what even fits comfortably for him or knows what works for his style at this point. And more importantly it has to shoot where he is looking.
As far as non adj guns and fit go most not all but most have settings for singles handicap and doubles because we can.
For my guns Sporting clay, field, trap are all set differently but yet they all still fit? Can’t be can it they don’t all measure the same?
Stand behind someone and watch them shoot misses are by feet not inches choke for smoke set the gun to shoot where you are looking and enjoy, clay sports are simply the most fun you can have.
Everything else is pop cans in the gravel pit.
Start with a pump gun if that's what you want and can afford. 12 gauge. 28" barrel with choke tubes. IMO you'd be better off with a Remington 870 Express than a Maverick and I've owned both. Ignore anyone who is advising a gun that is not currently in production. Winchester Model 12s are nice but if something breaks it's much easier to get a gun fixed that is still being made.
It really doesn't matter what gun you start with because if the bug hits you will be looking for something else. When you go to your next gun you will have had the advantage of seeing and perhaps trying other guns. Most clay target shooters are pretty good about letting a newbie try their gun.
Start with trap because it is the easiest game to learn and it's singles only. Don't get preoccupied with fit because trap is a pre-mounted game and fit is less critical than for a gun down game.
Find a good instructor to help you learn how the games are played and how to shoot them. If none is available there is a wealth of information on the web.
Eye and ear protection is mandatory at all clubs. There are also shot and shell limitations, 7-1/2 shot or smaller, 3-1/4 dram loads or less and 2-3/4" shells only in most places.
Have a shooting vest and belt pouch to carry your shells. Always have more shells than the round requires because you may have to re-shoot a target.
Most of all have fun! Turning clay targets to clouds of dust is fantastic and what keeps us coming back year after year.
It really doesn't matter what gun you start with because if the bug hits you will be looking for something else. When you go to your next gun you will have had the advantage of seeing and perhaps trying other guns. Most clay target shooters are pretty good about letting a newbie try their gun.
Start with trap because it is the easiest game to learn and it's singles only. Don't get preoccupied with fit because trap is a pre-mounted game and fit is less critical than for a gun down game.
Find a good instructor to help you learn how the games are played and how to shoot them. If none is available there is a wealth of information on the web.
Eye and ear protection is mandatory at all clubs. There are also shot and shell limitations, 7-1/2 shot or smaller, 3-1/4 dram loads or less and 2-3/4" shells only in most places.
Have a shooting vest and belt pouch to carry your shells. Always have more shells than the round requires because you may have to re-shoot a target.
Most of all have fun! Turning clay targets to clouds of dust is fantastic and what keeps us coming back year after year.
Lots of good advice on here. I started with an 870. If you go that route then buy new because some of the express models have chamber issues with low brass shells. Polishing the chamber is covered under warranty.
My first o/u was a Kahn arms Artemis which is the maker of the mossberg maverick. It did fine but it's a lighter shotgun and not meant for the high round count. I picked up a used sporting model citori for $1900 last fall.
Once you get bit by the bug you're done for. I started shooting skeet teee or four years ago with my pump and now shoot sub gauges, reload my own and even started shooting registered targets last year.
Look up some YouTube videos on gun fit and shouldering a shotgun and you'll see what we are all talking about. For example I shoot a browning instead of a beretta because the beretta's didn't fit me.
My first o/u was a Kahn arms Artemis which is the maker of the mossberg maverick. It did fine but it's a lighter shotgun and not meant for the high round count. I picked up a used sporting model citori for $1900 last fall.
Once you get bit by the bug you're done for. I started shooting skeet teee or four years ago with my pump and now shoot sub gauges, reload my own and even started shooting registered targets last year.
Look up some YouTube videos on gun fit and shouldering a shotgun and you'll see what we are all talking about. For example I shoot a browning instead of a beretta because the beretta's didn't fit me.
If you pick up a shotgun, close your eyes and shoulder it with your eyes closed, and then open your eyes without moving anything else, you will know if the gun doesn't fit you. If you are looking at the rib rather than along it, you need more drop at comb. If you can't see the front bead, then you need less drop. If the rib isn't centered left to right, then the cast is wrong. This won't tell you if the gun fits you perfectly, but it will tell you if the gun is pointing where you are looking, which is a good starting point. It's much smarter to do this , and choose a gun that is at least pointing where your eyes are looking, that to simply pick a random shotgun that may be pointing far from where your eyes are looking. As for misses, with a beginner, they are usually feet behind the clay, but for a better shooter, they are often by inches.
Several months ago there was a thread on here where you were asking to have an ADJ comb installed. Why would you have purchased it if the gun didn’t fit you perfectly in the first place? Didn't you open and close your eyes before the purchase?
Add a rib, spacers, chop saw, mole skin, duct tape, are all seen out there it doesn’t have to be pretty to work and yet it’s all for not if it doesn’t shoot where you are looking.
Problems still arise even though it felt really good in the store.
No experienced shooter wants to shoot on the fringe of his patterns from the center to the far edge is closer to a foot than inches. Misses happen in feet.
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You are correct. That is why wood stocks are the way to go. Easy to adjust with a few tools and a little time.
Someone who is asking about starter shotguns will need time to work on proper mounting before he can decide what fits. The closed eye advice is not much good if you don't understand how to mount a shotgun.
The guns that I chose to have adjustable combs installed on fit quite well, but not quite perfect, so I wanted to fine tune them, to see if it would make a difference in my scores. I didn't really notice any significant difference in my scores after the combs were installed. Other shotguns that I shouldered were not even close to fitting, and a couple did not even have enough drop at comb despite the comb being adjustable. If the stock does not have enough drop at comb, it's not simply a matter of adding moleskin or duct tape, you actually need to remove material to make them fit, and with a cheap plastic stock, that isn't easy to do. As far as choosing a shotgun for clays, the odds of success drop off dramatically when the shotgun is not pointing where the shooter is looking, so why not choose a gun where the gun points as close as possible to where the shooter is looking, rather than just choosing a random gun, with no concern for how it fits?
As far as misses go, according to the scorecard, it's not a miss if the target breaks, and the difference between the target breaking or not when a decent shooter misses, is usually inches, especially with the small gauges.. Even clean rounds don't mean that the shooter was perfect they just mean that he was close enough.
