Need A Recommedation On A Skeet Gun

Hokus Grey

Hokus Grey

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Hi,

A friend of mine is looking for a decent 12ga skeet gun. Side by side, or Over Under. Her and her husband have recently taken up skeet shooting and she asked me for some advice on a gun in the $800 range. Unfortunately, us mall ninjas don't know squat about shooting skeet, so I'm asking for advice. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!
 
Before you get a bunch of replies, is this true skeet with a high and low house or just pasture clays with a thrower? $600 won't buy much new in the line of a quality O/U. Are the opposed to buying used?
 
I'd raise the budget a bit and get a used Citori. but if it's a fixed choke gun itel likely be the wrong chokes. Not difficult to get them opened to Skeet though.

Edit: Found this. 20ga 26" would be good for her.
https://ellwoodepps.com/hunting/firearms/browning-citori-93002.html
 
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Hokus Grey said:
What about these? Any good?

http://store.prophetriver.com/categories/Shotguns/Yildiz/Over-and-Under/

Price is right.
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The Yildiz is not a bad gun for an entry level hunting o/u that is made to carry lots and shoot a little .however is not going to be ideal for skeet as they are light which is going to add to the felt recoil . also is my opinion they are not built to take the pounding of the higher volume of shooting you will do when skeet shooting . for a budget of $ 800.00 you will get a better gun in an auto loader than you will buying a o/u if buying new . my advice would be that your friend visit a club and try as many different gun as possible be for laying down her money .this will give her the opportunity to see what guns fit and shoots best along with what felt recoil will be with different guns .
 
this same thread comes up dozens of times each year.

Save your money and buy something good..........$800 is very likely going to buy yourself a piece of junk. I have seen this hundreds of times at my local club where new shooters buy something based on price as opposed to buying based on proper application or quality. They end up buying a baikal or a mossberg, etc. and in two weeks find out that it's not suited for shooting skeet and then they go to sell it.........Next step is trying to get rid of it.............good luck on that because no serious shooter wants it so they take a huge bath on unloading it to start over with something with better quality, durability and functionality. I know I'm going to take a big tonge-lashing from all of those who own some of the names I've mentioned but sometimes the truth hurts. There is a reason you don't see entry level guns being shot by AA shooters at a competition......they don't cut it.
 
$800 will get you an excellent quality used 12ga semi-auto. Remington 1100, 11-87, Beretta A300 series, Browning Gold/Silver/B80/ B2000, Winchester SX2/SX3 and the best one of the bunch is the seldom heard of Winchester Super-X Model 1 but it's a heavy gun for many ladies!
 
Entry level guns are the most expensive you will buy. Start with a $500 gun, a year later discover you really like the sport and discover all the downfalls of that cheap gun, so you go and buy a $1500 gun. Shoot that for another year, and by that time the bug has bit you and you, partially do to running into people at the range with high(er) end being "kind" enough to let you try theirs, and you start lusting for the Kohlers, Kreighoffs, and Perazzis out there.

I started with a Stoeger pump (still have it), but it was retired from clays duty after I was bullied into buying my 682E. Sure $3K was a but tough to swallow at the time, but its not a gun I will ever need to replace (want is another thing... mmm Perazzi)
 
smokinberetta said:
this same thread comes up dozens of times each year.

Save your money and buy something good..........$800 is very likely going to buy yourself a piece of junk. I have seen this hundreds of times at my local club where new shooters buy something based on price as opposed to buying based on proper application or quality. They end up buying a baikal or a mossberg, etc. and in two weeks find out that it's not suited for shooting skeet and then they go to sell it.........Next step is trying to get rid of it.............good luck on that because no serious shooter wants it so they take a huge bath on unloading it to start over with something with better quality, durability and functionality. I know I'm going to take a big tonge-lashing from all of those who own some of the names I've mentioned but sometimes the truth hurts. There is a reason you don't see entry level guns being shot by AA shooters at a competition......they don't cut it.
Click to expand...

This is good advice - I played the game for 50 years and saw many many cheap guns come and go. Try before you buy! The semi-autos are less expensive but can be too heavy for a lady unless it is 20 ga and even some of them are heavy. As for O/U's, a good 12 ga skeet gun will weigh in at 8 lb or so and unless a lighter model, will be too heavy. She should at least heft everything she can try to get a feel for what is right for her, within a reasonable price range, and ask lots of questions of the more experienced shooters in her club....most will be happy to share advice. My advice for her first gun would be to buy a good quality used one rather than a lower quality new one.
 
I think you have gotten good advice so far, that the "inexpensive" gun is not the route to go. A good quality used O/U gun can be had in your price range, but you need to make sure that it is also in good condition. Repairs to a worn older O/U can easily run from $400 to $800 or more. Berettas and Brownings are good ones to look at and many of the used ones are available with adjustable combs and recoil pads already installed.

The one thing that hasn't been touched on is gun fit. That is the key factor in being able to shoot well and improve. The gun needs to fit the shooter properly. That is a whole other subject.
 
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