I've got a grand and need a shotgun...

Mr. Friendly

Mr. Friendly

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...for skeet, then trap then sporting clays.

I have a Baikal SxS, but I find it cumbersome (the wide barrel situation is distracting. I'm thinking of a 28" O/U...and think I would like something lightish.

I was going to look at the Mossberg Onyx Reserve Sporting or their Silver Reserve Sporting...but their site is gimped and all I get is an error page when I try to open to read about them. I like the idea of the barrel's being ported for the reduced recoil.

In any case, aside from my Mossberg thoughts, which are a bit below my max budget of about $1200(ish), I'm open to suggestions on what I should consider.

Skeet is what will be shot the most, with occasional trap and possibly sporting clays (my group hasn't done it yet, but may try soon).
 
Mr. Friendly said:
...for skeet, then trap then sporting clays.

I have a Baikal SxS, but I find it cumbersome (the wide barrel situation is distracting. I'm thinking of a 28" O/U...and think I would like something lightish.

I was going to look at the Mossberg Onyx Reserve Sporting or their Silver Reserve Sporting...but their site is gimped and all I get is an error page when I try to open to read about them. I like the idea of the barrel's being ported for the reduced recoil.

In any case, aside from my Mossberg thoughts, which are a bit below my max budget of about $1200(ish), I'm open to suggestions on what I should consider.

Skeet is what will be shot the most, with occasional trap and possibly sporting clays (my group hasn't done it yet, but may try soon).
Click to expand...

Keep saving, keep your eyes open for a quality used B Sporting O/U, but keep saving. You're looking for a dedicated clays gun, lightish feels nice, but light can be your enemy in clay games. A well balanced quality 8lb+ is what you should be looking for. It also wants to fit you. If not, be prepared to spend more money once finding someone who will fit it for you.
If that $1000 is burning a hole in your pocket, perhaps look into a used 391 Sporting or A400 Sporting.
Just my opinion, but keep saving.
 
no money is burning a hole in my pocket, I just want something better than my SxS is. I'm not finding it much fun to use for trap/skeet.

I guess I'll be saving! ;)

is it all about the Citori, or are there other options out there to consider?
 
We're basically in the what's considered the off-season anyway, (the majority of us continue to shoot, just not quite so much). Which makes it easier for you to continue saving up for that decent piece.
No, it's not all about the Citori's. If they fit you good, then fine. If it doesn't, pick up any Beretta 680 model series and test for fit. Must be some guys you regularly shoot with that will let you handle what they're using and I'll wager they'll let you shoot it as well. Always be courteous.
The new models should soon be hitting the gunshop floors, once they do, many trade up for the latest bling and the good used clay guns will be found much easier. Keep an eye out, the good ones will go quick! When/if you get a chance to try some name brand clay guns, make some notes. Try as many as you can, even those turkish mossbergs. Take your time. Don't go by your scores...You'll find each different piece has a feel of it's own. You want your clay gun to be an extension of yourself when you shoulder it.
It's hard to explain, but you'll get my meaning once you start exploring the variables. Do not go by the fit when all bundled up for cold weather shooting, (in case you didn't realise).
In the mean time, keep banging away with your sxs, have fun and keep saving.
Hope this has helped.
 
is it all about the Citori, or are there other options out there to consider?
Click to expand...

Was in the same boat, looking for a dedicate skeet gun that could take high volume shooting. Had the opportunity to try damn near everything.
Was about to get a 725 but ended up tripping over a nice lightly used 686 and acquired a used PFS stock for it.
Total cost came in at $2500.
 
well...I'm not a high volume shooter. We'll probably head out once or twice a month and shoot 2 or 3 rounds. I just want something that feels better than my SxS, so thought I would ask for some suggestions.

I'll have to weigh some factors considerably...as I'm not really going to take advantage of having a $2000+ rig with the limited shooting I'll be doing.
 
Mr. Friendly said:
well...I'm not a high volume shooter. We'll probably head out once or twice a month and shoot 2 or 3 rounds. I just want something that feels better than my SxS, so thought I would ask for some suggestions.

I'll have to weigh some factors considerably...as I'm not really going to take advantage of having a $2000+ rig with the limited shooting I'll be doing.
Click to expand...

If you read the reviews of the Silver Reserve on Shotgunworld dot com, one quickly comes to the conclusion that this Mossberg product is unreliable for anything much past occassional use. Fishslinger's advice is a very good one. Same for the Ithaca/SKB now discontinued. The problem with the SR and other such guns as the Condor, once the dreaded broken firing pins rears it's ugly head, a guarantee you the repair cost for these low budget firearms will easily be double or triple the initial cash outlay of the firearm purchase. I suggest always buying snap caps for any hammerless hinge action shotgun, that cocks the action on opening. Then one can relieve the action springs with considerably less hazard of breaking your firing pins. With some research on a relaible gun from an honest seller, 1200 should get you a decent and used but not abused gun IMHO.

maybe
 
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Trade your Baikal SxS for a Baikal O/U. I'll bet you won't be feeling such a big urge to spend the money you saved for a Browning so fast.
 
There was a Beretta 391 in the EE yesterday for $800. Might be gone today, but i'd be looking hard at that one. Aside from that, you might find a new Winchester SX3 for just a touch more... and that's a GREAT gun!
 
Shooting clay targets can easily become addictive.

Cheap guns are cheap for a reason. They just will not stand up to the rigors of clay target shooting. I've seen many of them break on the firing line after only a few thousand targets, which isn't very many once you start shooting clays.

Look for a good lightly used Beretta or Browning O/U fitted with choke tubes. Be prepared to purchase, if they don't come with the gun, good quality tubes (Briley, Trulock, etc.) since many of the factory tubes don't pattern very well. I've seen many sell in the $1,000 to $1,200 range. Try shooting as many different target shotguns as you can and then look to buy the one that feels and fits you the best. IMHO look for a trap configuration. Many of the skeet guys that I know that are buying new guns are buying higher ribs and parallel stocks and guns that shoot a little higher than traditional skeet guns. If the gun is worn, you can easily drop $400 plus into one, so make sure you know what you are buying. A good used B gun bought at the correct price will hold their value very well. So you can sell it down the road for what you paid, when you decide you need to upgrade.
 
I could be wrong about this, but IIRC, trap guns are sighted and shot differently than skeet guns. Something about viewing the falling target. I'm sure sporting clays has it's little idiosyncracies that those outside these shotgun shooting sports cannot easily recognize right off.

Maybe someone here can enlighten us??
 
Mr. Friendly said:
well...I'm not a high volume shooter. We'll probably head out once or twice a month and shoot 2 or 3 rounds.
Click to expand...

You say that now. In the early stages I'm sure many of us said those exact same words at some point as well. Be prepared, before you know it, you may just find yourself shooting a flat a week. That can soon turn into a flat per visit. THIS is where you want a name brand target gun that will stand up to that, week after week after week... Will a Bakail O/U? I dunno, I've yet to see it. Silver Reserve? Nope. Condor? Nope.
Having that $1000 has got you close, in the meantime, try as many as you can and keep pocketing what you can until the clay gun deal you want turns up.
 
For low volume in this budget I don't think you'll be looking at any guns that are truly dedicated to one of the games.

There are new semis in the $1000 range, but often they will have short barrels. If the gun is primarily for clays you'll want a 30-32" barrel. Maybe a 28", maybe.
 
I have no time to go out shooting more than once or twice a month...once most likely and I hope to dedicate myself to a bit more rifle shooting than skeet. I enjoy skeet a lot more than I have trap, but I will no doubt play both to break the monotony that tends to follow focus on one thing.

I have to take my Baikal SxS in for work...something's happened with the spring in the right barrel. pin fires, but doesn't impact hard enough. this beastie has caused me a # of headaches now, too :p

so while I only have about a grand now...if a 'true' or 'real' skeet gun doesn't start until the $2K mark, that's what I will save up to buy. My friend has a very nice $3K Benelli, but it's length of pull is waaay to much for me, but perfect for him, so it's a very uncomfortable gun to shoot. Perhaps I should just condition my older Auto 5 (fixed modified choke) and start using it.
 
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