Shotgun for waterfowl and sporting clays?

MD

MD

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After my very first day shooting sporting clays yesterday with my fixed modified choke Rem. 870 with a 30-inch barrel, I started wondering what kind of shotgun I could get that would work well for sporting clays and waterfowling.

The other guys had doubles and semi-autos, and they were kind enough to let me shoot single clays, and I don't feel confident enough to shoot double sporting clays with my pump gun. (yet)
 
One of the Beretta 391 models would do you fine. My son shoots one and it cycles everything from his light 7/8oz target loads up to the heavy stuff. It came with 5 extended chokes all steel approved , 2 recoil pads and a Beretta hard case. Price on them will vary depending on your location and exact model but they are worth the money.

Tim
 
Another vote here for the Beretta 391. Mine is the plain jane model sporting model with a matte finish. I bought it for waterfowling and to use as a back up gun for sporting clays. Out of the box I shot this gun as well as my over/under. :oops: Great gun that shoots light 7/8s ounce loads and 3" magnums without problems.

Another possibility is the Benelli Supersport except that it has a shiny receiver that I wouldn't want in a duck blind and ported barrels which fellow hunters in the same blind might not appreciate. Benelli also has the new Cordoba model which appears to be the same as the Supersport except with a matte finish. I have yet to see a Cordoba in Canada but suspect they'll be around soon.
 
hr said:
how about a Benelli SBE2
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Great gun and if I were to have one gun solely for ducks and geese this would be it. Simple, easy to maintain, robust and reliable IF you are using heavy enough loads. Benellis don't always function with light target loads. Anything less than 1-1/8 ounce, 3 dram loads may not work the action reliably.
 
Claybuster said:
hr said:
how about a Benelli SBE2
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Great gun and if I were to have one gun solely for ducks and geese this would be it. Simple, easy to maintain, robust and reliable IF you are using heavy enough loads. Benellis don't always function with light target loads. Anything less than 1-1/8 ounce, 3 dram loads may not work the action reliably.
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well i suggested that because i own a Benelli SuperSport and love it, i'm currently shooting 2.75drams /w 1oz loads, and they cycle just fine in my gun (ran into some issues /w cheap Wally World loads but that's a different thread)

my gun is relatively new and not broken in as some have suggested, but it cycles just fine...
 
hr said:
well i suggested that because i own a Benelli SuperSport and love it, i'm currently shooting 2.75drams /w 1oz loads, and they cycle just fine in my gun (ran into some issues /w cheap Wally World loads but that's a different thread)

my gun is relatively new and not broken in as some have suggested, but it cycles just fine...
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The SBEII is a 3-1/2" gun while the SuperSport is a 3 inch. Based on playing with a SuperSport for an afternoon this past summer I think they are set up to handle lighter loads while the 3-1/2 gun isn't. I was really impressed with the SuperSport except that I wouldn't take that shiny receiver into a duck blind. Now, that Cordoba however looks very interesting. And anyone I went hunting with would just have to get used to the porting. I'll just provide ear plugs if anyone complains. :lol:

Everything is a trade-off when comparing Beretta and Benelli autoloaders. The Berettas are more complex but are softer shooting and more tolerant of lighter loads. The Benellis are simpler and have less that can go wrong but are a little stiffer in the recoil department although that Comfort Tech stock is a real improvement.

Both are excellent guns. Best of the breed IMHO.
 
Beware the man with one gun !

Your 870 will work fine on Sporting for now. Go pick up a couple more chokes, like
a cylinder, skeet and Imp. Cyl. - and shoot those doubles - it ain't rocket
science ! Pump smoothly and keep your head on the stock !

While perhaps not the "optimum sporting gun", a couple of thousand shells later, you WILL be a better pump-gun shooter, and the experiance will definitely help with your waterfowling. Get some assistance from the local pros to ensure your gun fits you properly and " is shooting where you're looking ". If you ain't looking straight down the rib with a quick, smooth gun mount - then there's probably something amiss. See the recent discussions about "Cast" elsewhere in the forum. Length of pull, drop at heel & comb and pitch are all important considerations too. What works for one guy, may ( and generally won't) work for you. Of the dozens of shooters I know, only two have shotguns that I would consider to fit me ... a lot of the others are close, and as many aren't even in the ball park. The fit (and balance) for YOU is the most important criteria.

Generally, 870's balance well right at the point directly under the extractor slot when the action is closed ( same for 1100's and 11-87's) ahead of that point they seem muzzle light and behind, muzzle haeavy and sluggish. A few ounces of weight in the butt stock ( or mag azine tube) brings them from being muzzle heavy (or muzzle light). By all means, try the other fellows guns once and a while when invited. A year or so from now you will likely KNOW what you want, but in the meantime, shoot LOTS and have FUN. Save your hard-earned for quality ammunition. Ten flats of good 1oz. 8's is a pretty good shooting coach for someone just getting started. Listen to the advice of others, try to follow it, and see if it works for you. Above all, have fun and enjoy ! When your scores at Sporting get up into the 75% range with your 870, you'll be ready to make your own decision on what kind of gun you're going to shoot next.

If you just HAVE TO - the 391 IS a good choice - I quite like the "RL" Parallel
Target version in 28" / Optima Chokes. A good used 682 Beretta Sporting or 325/425/525 Browining Sporting in 30" or 32" would also suffice if you must have an O/U.
 
My sons Beretta is the RL 391 version. RL stands for reduced length and the gun is designed for women and youth shooters with a 13 1/4" LOP. They make a an "SL" or standard length for adults which is about 1" longer. What Beretta Boy says about gun fit is quite true and important. Just to add my sons Beretta came with a set of stock shims that allow the stock to be cast on or off aswell as raised or lowered which really helps with gun fit.

Tim
 
TReX300 - thought the RL stood for Regular and SL for Short ??? If I am misinformed, my apologies... confusion wasn't intentional.

Whichever way it is ... get the one with the length of pull closest to what is
required !! I recommended the parallel target version as the comb being (more or less) parallel with the rib helps ensure a more consistant head placement on the stock when mounted from a low-gun position. Big advantage particularly to a "new" shooter. Seemingly the pistol grip radius is also somewhat reduced, which fits the hand better.
 
One of the main reasons my son got the Beretta he has now is becuase of the parallel comb. He had Brownign before and was haveing a problem shooting over and under targets becuase of inconsistant had placement. He doesnt have that problem now. I like his gun so much that I'm haveing an adjustable comb put in my Rem. 3200 trap gun so I can make the comb parallel. Its a great feature and I dont know why there aren't more guns with it.

Tim
 
Thanks. I'll stick with the 870.

In fact a pal is trying to sell me another 870 Wingmaster for $150.

Maybe I'll borrow another old buddy's Browning A-5 to see what that is like.
 
MD said:
Thanks. I'll stick with the 870.

In fact a pal is trying to sell me another 870 Wingmaster for $150.

Maybe I'll borrow another old buddy's Browning A-5 to see what that is like.
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If you don't buy it for that. I will.

Dave.
 
I like berettaboy's advice. Shoot what ya got and shoot lots. Take your time and see what all the other guys use. Try as many guns as possible before you jump in with serious money. Don't feel out of place with a pump. Many of us started that way and most still take the ole shell shucker out to the range every now and then. :D
 
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