Which gun for Skeet?

[wweigle]

Keep in mind Browning and Beretta are as different as Ford and Chevy.

If one fits you and you shoot it well, the other won't.

Yep.

[Bull Elk]

Keep in mind Browning and Beretta are as different as Ford and Chevy.

If one fits you and you shoot it well, the other won't.

Yes, in most situations. But not all. Some older Brownings are Beretta's.

[ezb57]

Did you like your 391? They can be a pretty close to an all around gun. Reloading for 12 gauge is barely worth it, especially if your time is at a premium.

[bwhited]

It was a 391 Tekneys Gold Sporting and it was an awesome firearm!
Wish I did not sell it but needed the money more than the shotgun at the time.

Did you like your 391? They can be a pretty close to an all around gun. Reloading for 12 gauge is barely worth it, especially if your time is at a premium.

[Bill Steele]

It was a 391 Tekneys Gold Sporting and it was an awesome firearm!
Wish I did not sell it but needed the money more than the shotgun at the time.

Oh shoot, here I go posting all this newbie information and it turns out you are an old hand. I guess I should read more and post less.

[bwhited]

I appreciate the effort.

Oh shoot, here I go posting all this newbie information and it turns out you are an old hand. I guess I should read more and post less.

[Bill Steele]

I appreciate the effort.

Well, maybe some newbie lurker got a few things cleared up.

Now with the full picture, I think I would just say go back to what you had. Maybe skip the fancy receiver, get a 391 in a sporting length barrel and add a weighted cap to get the balance to your taste. The revelation on your past ownership got me over to GB to see what 391's are going for, man, hard to beat the value there.

My wife had a 20ga Urika Youth model, should have kept that one forever, didn't need the money and still sold it, doh.

[bwhited]

Since I need to purchase, do you think it is time to move to the latest and greatest A400?

Well, maybe some newbie lurker got a few things cleared up.

Now with the full picture, I think I would just say go back to what you had. Maybe skip the fancy receiver, get a 391 in a sporting length barrel and add a weighted cap to get the balance to your taste. The revelation on your past ownership got me over to GB to see what 391's are going for, man, hard to beat the value there.

My wife had a 20ga Urika Youth model, should have kept that one forever, didn't need the money and still sold it, doh.

[Bill Steele]

Since I need to purchase, do you think it is time to move to the latest and greatest A400?

I love my A400 Xcel, but frankly, I don't see enough technical improvement to justify what looks like about double in cost over a nice used, say 391 Urika, at least from my first blush look at GB listing.

I bought an A400 Unico on a lark one day. It was a close out sale at a gun shop who had picked it up as new old stock from a defunct shop and was willing to part with it deeply discounted to make more room. The gun functioned flawlessly, like most Beretta autoloaders I have shot. I traded for the Xcel and with the exception of exhibiting a slight intolerance for one of my lightest 3/4oz skeet loads, again, has been faultless.

In a straight up comparison I think there have been more complaints about A400 reliability than previous designs, but my experience with the A400 has been A+.

Honestly, if I had not happened on the Unico that day, I probably would be shooting a 391 Urika right now. Just my $.02.

[bwhited]

Have heard of issues with the 391 but I never experienced.
Have heard of issues with the 400 in 20 gauge.

Just trying to decide on which Beretta auto loader.

I love my A400 Xcel, but frankly, I don't see enough technical improvement to justify what looks like about double in cost over a nice used, say 391 Urika, at least from my first blush look at GB listing.

I bought an A400 Unico on a lark one day. It was a close out sale at a gun shop who had picked it up as new old stock from a defunct shop and was willing to part with it deeply discounted to make more room. The gun functioned flawlessly, like most Beretta autoloaders I have shot. I traded for the Xcel and with the exception of exhibiting a slight intolerance for one of my lightest 3/4oz skeet loads, again, has been faultless.

In a straight up comparison I think there have been more complaints about A400 reliability than previous designs, but my experience with the A400 has been A+.

Honestly, if I had not happened on the Unico that day, I probably would be shooting a 391 Urika right now. Just my $.02.

[ysr_racer]

Shoot my A300 before you buy an A400. It shoots softer, and costs half as much.

[bwhited]

I will take you up on that.

Shoot my A300 before you buy an A400. It shoots softer, and costs half as much.

[Chubs T]

Approx:

0.04 powder
0.02 wad
0.03 primer
0.09 shot (1 oz of Northwest)
=
$4.50 /box.

In 12g I shoot 7/8oz for skeet and 20g I shoot 3/4 oz.

For me, closer to $5, $5.25 if buying hulls. I quit reloading and just buy shells from Cabela's when they are on sale. Keeps my guns and everything else cleaner and I can let the hulls fly.

[JagerDog]

For me, closer to $5, $5.25 if buying hulls. I quit reloading and just buy shells from Cabela's when they are on sale. Keeps my guns and everything else cleaner and I can let the hulls fly.

My volume (skeet) rounds are a bit cheaper with reduced payloads. Less $, less recoil and the targets don't seem to notice. I set a friend up recently with a Sizemaster and using Promo powder and reclaim shot, it's under $4/box. She's on a very tight budget and every $ counts.

Hulls should be less than 1 cent amortized. When I didn't have thousands at home, I typically came back with more hulls than Ieft with (free). Most of my hulls never hit the ground so "letting them fly" is not a thing.

Yeah..I know a lot of folks have chosen to pass on loading 12 and 20. The return is minimal vs. generic promo rounds. Like any other reloading, the more volume you shoot, the more net savings.

For targets I have 7.5's, 8's and 9's. I like having stock on hand to load 500 or 1000 of whatever I'm getting low on. I enjoy reloading. Some significant savings available on field rounds including non-tox, so I'm gonna keep set-up anyways.

[bwhited]

I have reloaded but you have to be careful in your calculations of cost. The cost of the equipment and the cost of your time need to be included.
The more you load the less the equipment costs per round but your time does have a value.