Shotgun Type vs Scores

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stubblejumper

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I often hear people commenting on how they shoot better with their lower priced hunting guns, than some people with high dollar target guns. I have to admit, it is true, I can take my SX-3 out to skeet, and shoot pretty much the same scores that I do with my K-20. And at my previous club a fellow with two matching Krieghoffs in 12 and 20 gauge , never did better than low 90s. So why do I own a K20, and an F-3? I like my dedicated clays guns, because I don't like picking up hulls, they never fail to function, and they will stand up to high volume shooting for a lifetime. I do also prefer shooting 410 and 28 gauge for skeet. And of course, I just enjoy shooting higher end shotguns.
 
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A good shot is a good shot no matter what he shoots. If the gun fits and you're familiar with it you'll shoot well with anything. I own high-end guns because I enjoy shooting them more. Better triggers, smoother handling and they look great. Sure, a Prius will get you from one place to another but you'll enjoy the ride a lot more in a Mercedes. ;)
 
I don't ever recall a AA class shooter ever saying they could keep their average up the same when using a cheaper gun as opposed to a higher end gun, but shooters like D.Lee Braun and Barney Hartman, even though they used 58's,1100's or 42's , had those guns and chokes adjusted precisely to fit them and pattern to their form of shooting .
The average shooter ( I consider myself one ) cannot often see the difference however .
Cat
 
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iron cat said:
I don't ever recall a AA class shooter ever saying they could keep their average up the same when using a cheaper gun as opposed to a higher end gun, but shooters like D.Lee Braun and Barney Hartman, even though they used 58's,1100's or 42's , had those guns and chokes adjusted precisely to fit them and oatten to their form of shooting .
The average shooter ( I consider myself one ) cannot often see the difference however .
Cat
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I have O/U, SxS, and semi auto, but they are all pretty much identical fit wise. Of course they don't all swing or balance the same, but fit means the most to me.
 
I don't think that the price of your gun has anything to do with your ability to break targets or down birds. Mostly it comes down to fit, handling, eyesight and hand/eye coordination.

I've said this more than once, Tiger woods could pretty much beat anyone on the golf course using a set of clubs from Canadian Tire even though the clubs aren't built or optimized for him. He simply has the ability to strike the golf ball like most others cannot!

We've all seen the 19 year old that shows up at a turkey shoot with an old side by side and whips everyone there! The 19 year old eyes... the 19 year old reflexes... the 19 year old confidence that he can do it...... the gun doesn't matter much when you have these things.

I shoot a gun that costs a lot more than most but I like it and I could afford it when I purchased it although i probably couldn't now the way prices have increased in the last few years. I'm an average shooter that has good days and bad days and frankly I like it when a 19 years old shows up and cleans house with an old side by side. :)
 
The eternal question will a better gun make me a better shooter, well we all know that usually if the fit is there it will help. I was quite amazed by my F 3 how it does not literally kick compared to many trap and skeet guns I have had in the past. Do I shoot it better somewhat but I "enjoy" shooting it ,like my 20g SKB at pheasants and my 12 G Jeffrey sxs at ducks. So we wait to see the 19 year old show up at the turkey shoot with the well worn 870 but see how well he does if he has to shoot 300 targets that day....I was that guy once :)
 
reddog said:
The eternal question will a better gun make me a better shooter, well we all know that usually if the fit is there it will help. I was quite amazed by my F 3 how it does not literally kick compared to many trap and skeet guns I have had in the past. Do I shoot it better somewhat but I "enjoy" shooting it ,like my 20g SKB at pheasants and my 12 G Jeffrey sxs at ducks. So we wait to see the 19 year old show up at the turkey shoot with the well worn 870 but see how well he does if he has to shoot 300 targets that day....I was that guy once :)
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For some reason, my F-3 does feel softer shooting, than my other 12 gauge O/U clays guns.
 
reddog said:
The eternal question will a better gun make me a better shooter, well we all know that usually if the fit is there it will help. I was quite amazed by my F 3 how it does not literally kick compared to many trap and skeet guns I have had in the past. Do I shoot it better somewhat but I "enjoy" shooting it ,like my 20g SKB at pheasants and my 12 G Jeffrey sxs at ducks. So we wait to see the 19 year old show up at the turkey shoot with the well worn 870 but see how well he does if he has to shoot 300 targets that day....I was that guy once :)
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The trouble is that the 19 year old probably could do 300 targets per day with an 870.... I used to be tough too but now I'm more comfortable!
 
Too true FF ,last big shoot on snows in Saskatchewan we had 160 on the first morning ,don't think I recovered from that until I was home for a week
 
stubblejumper said:
I don't see anyone posting that it is wrong to shoot a high end shotgun, but rather that the price of the shotgun doesn't necessarily determine your scores.
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For myself I’ve had people shoot better scores then me that where wheel chair bound, pre pubescent little girls, old men that couldn’t open a jar of pickles, drunks, ect. One thing they all had in common was on that particular day they had a very good day. Most people I see at shoots that have lower priced guns usually have models made for that particular style of shooting.

Is a 1100 trap gun a pile of crap? YES.

Is it still a very capable trap gun? YES.

Falcon flyer and myself know a AAA singles shooter that shoots a o/u sporting clay gun that wouldn’t call cheap but certainly a handicap to him. Scary to think what he’d be like with a trap gun.
 
My clay gun is not as high end as a lot of you guys shoot but its pretty and I like it. Shoots about the same as my bird gun though score wise. Enough reason for me.
 
I think I use to be a great field shooter with pretty well anything that was placed in my hands. Love shooting but didn’t have attention span for skeet or trap before I got bored. Sporting clay was better but now walking the course is more of a challenge than hitting the targets. I’m that guy that’s starting to have trouble opening pickle jars.lol…. I swear the automated machines putting on lids now are over tightening them on purpose. It’s a conspiracy….
…..oh and back to the thread…. I look good shooting my Krieghoffs but shoot most of my other guns ‘gooder’. 😜
 
being a trap and skeet and trap shooter since 1973 -1998 ish
7000-10,000 per year may -oct which really is not a lot in the shooting sports
i started out with a model 12 for singles and handicap
it did very well for me as it did for 1'000's of other shooters at that time
i tried many other guns high end and modest priced guns but the model 12 worked for me
as far as a doubles gun i tried them all every pizza gun on the market and japan made and american made
the one i settled on was a rem 3200 competition trap grade with a standard trap stock full& mod
never changed after that
as far as a skeet gun i used a 12 ga citori and a 20 ga citori
never shot any other gauges
only shot a few registered targets over the coarse of a summer
citories were cheap to buy the 12 ga was a club but it worked
all had fixed chokes which i still prefer i never lost birds because i was using the wrong choke
today the industry has madd it complcated as far as equipment basically do to the fact they want to sell product
nothing has changed in trap or skeet
sporting clays a bit of a different game where choke selection could make a difference
 
My best run in skeet was 485/500 shot with an old worn out 1100. Yes it needed to be taken apart and cleaned and lubed every 100 targets but I grew up with it and shoot it well
My beretta a400s are no doubt better guns and fit me better yet I doubt I could match my score of that 1100. Maybe on a good day if my body wasn't sore swollen or broken
Most of my 100 straights were shot with an old baikal sxs. It swung like a club and is worth less than most high end guns cases.
But in the 20 years or so that id owned it it fired over 85000 rounds without failure and when I sold it it was sold for $25 less than I paid for it
There's no doubt that I enjoy shooting better grade higher quality guns of which I can somedays shoot well but I'll never look down on someone for using an inexpensive gun. I was once that kid thst could only afford a mossberg pump and I shot everything with it. My next shotgun purchase after that was the baikal. I shot all shotguns sports and hunted with those 2 firearms plus my hand me down 1100 and ithaca 37 for well over a decade before I could sacrifice enough to buy a better gun.
Now I own a decent collection of vintage doubles and some newer ones. I tend to care more about craftsmanship and wood selection now than before. Life is short why settle for an ugly gun
 
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