Choosing a shotgun for sporting clays

[davek8s]

I bought mine thru www."Budsgunshop".com. Easy to navigate. There are a few models of the 930, so look around.

Did you have to pay a fee to your FFL for the transfer? Last time I checked the shops in San Jose charged $100 plus tax and DROS to accept an item ordered on line.

[ysr_racer]

I like the idea of an O/U, but I don't know anyone that owns a budget O/U.

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My buddy's had three Stogers. They keep breaking, and they send him a new one

[pennstater]

Did you have to pay a fee to your FFL for the transfer? Last time I checked the shops in San Jose charged $100 plus tax and DROS to accept an item ordered on line.

I did. My gun was $428 plus the location fee's it went to: Tax, FFL and DROS. Total for me was 511.00 OTD. This was in May this year. At Bud's, you choose your FFL you want to have it sent to in your area. Fee's differ, so look around. The one I posted above looks to be a good deal. Good luck.

[davek8s]

My buddy's had three Stogers. They keep breaking, and they send him a new one

I really don't want to deal with all that

[davep23]

+1 on the 930. For me it shoulders and swings well. I ordered the walnut stock waterfowl (discontinued) version from Bud's, and currently have 5 days, 1 hour and 25 minutes until I get to take it home...

[POLICESTATE]

I was in the same boat. I don't have a lot of time to get into Trap, though I do love shooting them and watching them explode. I also did not want to make a large initial investment.

I checked out the Stoeger Condor, but I read reviews that seemed to suggest it wasn't a great choice in terms of reliability and lasting for the long haul. All the Browning stuff, while nice, is out of my price range for now.

What I ended up getting, and people will laugh, is a Mossberg Silver Reserve side by side in 12g.

I put a choke for closer range in my right barrel, and a choke for longer range in the left. I typically use the right barrel, sometimes I'll use the left for a round just for fun, but I shoot from the closest position anyway.

I think it was $600 on Gunbroker, plus shipping to an FFL and DROS and all that plus California collected their sales tax and I was out the door for around $725.

I have put roughly 1,500 shells through it, and used it for sporting clays (using both barrels there of course) but I'd say 75% of my shots are through the right barrel.

I have never had a problem with it.

What I like about it:
#1 Side by Side. I don't know, they just look sexy and I've loved them ever since I was a little kid.
#2 It's remarkably light!
#3 No ejectors, just extractors, I don't have shells flying out I have to pick up later
#4 It shoots pretty nice, easy mount

Here's what I don't like:
#1 No vent rib, you only have the front bead
#2 The handguard (if it can even be called such) is small and thin. Can get a little hot near the barrels but I use a glove and even after several rounds I don't get burned.
#3 Not built for clays, it's a bird gun, I always worry it cannot handle the all the shooting but who cares? By the time it breaks I'll probably get something much nicer in the $3,000 - $4,000 range
#4 Kicks hard, I try to keep my shells to about 1150fps, 1 1/8 dram, No 8. Lack of a good recoil pad sucks but I either use a jacket or if I'm only going to get in 3-4 rounds I can take it

How does it shoot? Shoots great! I typically hit 20/25. It's not the gun's fault, it's mine. I do not shoot as often as I would like and I tend to miss by leading too much or too little on clays that fly off to the side pretty quick, but I am getting better

I like to call it the "Stumblin' Joe" in honor of Joe Biden and his booziness and "fire both barrels through the door" comment.

I haven't received any negative comments though I know there are a few folks out there that probably think I'm an idiot, I don't care, it's a fun gun and it suits my old-fashioned sensibilities just fine. I don't really care for over/under and likely will get a single barrel trap gun in the future at some point but also with the interchangeable over/under set as well. Hence the higher price range I'll probably be looking at.

[Ducky's Dad]

So what does Calguns think?

Speaking for CalGuns, I think you should find a nice Model 12 or 870 Wingmaster (NOT an Express) trap gun and learn how to shoot it.

[XVIga_Rob]

Find a local shop or look here on Calguns, and find yourself a used but good condition Remington 1100 or Wingmaster, with a 28" barrel & screw in chokes. You should be able to find something NICE, for <$500. If you can afford a little more, there was a sweet A300 up for sale here.
No matter what gun you buy, it's the gun fit that will be most important when it comes to mounting and shooting the gun well.

[davek8s]

I've been scouring the market place with no luck. It looks like the market place is flooded with ARs right now.

So I'm pretty much set on an entry level O/U. Here are the shotguns I'm looking at:
CZ Mallard
Mossberg silver reserve
Stoeger condor

All 3 are in my budget. Does anyone here own one of these shotguns? The reviews of the CZ are pretty solid and I've read good things about the Mossberg. With the Stoeger it seems like people love them or hate them.

[XVIga_Rob]

If you can afford a few more $, you might want to make one of these guys an offer. Just a thought. Any of these would serve you well. Good deals are out there.

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=1260787&highlight=al391

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=1255262&highlight=a300

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=1202950&highlight=a300

Not trying to steer you away from a gun you really want. But I can tell you that I hunt and occasionally shoot 5-stand with an A300. It hammers birds & clays if I do my part, and have never had a malfunction.

[olhunter]

Beretta A300 is the best value out there.

Find a local shop or look here on Calguns, and find yourself a used but good condition Remington 1100..

Good advice.

I got this for $500. 11-87 Remington Sporting Clays. Just be patient and keep watching the marketplace here. Something will come up. A A300, 1100, 11-87 will be better for Sporting Clays. And you'll get a nicer gun for your money.





I have a CZ Redhead Deluxe and love it, but it's still a mid range gun in durability and quality.

There are a couple of things to think about when comparing 2 barrels to 1.

A single-barrel semi will always shoot to the same place, but you only get one choke.

A double barrel (o/u or s/s) allows 2 different chokes, but the barrels are aligned to converge at a set distance. Then they cross and go away from each other. You have to account for that when shooting. It's not a huge deal, but it's there.

Just my opinion which is worth about .02. If that.

[tikitavi06]

might try searching the Gun Genie application on the Davidson's Gallery of Guns website. You might find a LGS in their system that will give you an "Instant Quote" once you "Choose" your weapon. Make sure you look for the Total OTD price.

[kmas]

Okay, I've never used a shotgun.

Does the Mossberg 500 spray too wide a pattern for clays?

What's the least expensive, reasonably accurate clay shotgun?

[XVIga_Rob]

Okay, I've never used a shotgun.

Does the Mossberg 500 spray too wide a pattern for clays?

What's the least expensive, reasonably accurate clay shotgun?

Screw in the Mod choke and it'll work fine.

[Thefeeder]

Good advice.

I got this for $500. 11-87 Remington Sporting Clays. Just be patient and keep watching the marketplace here. Something will come up. A A300, 1100, 11-87 will be better for Sporting Clays. And you'll get a nicer gun for your money.





I have a CZ Redhead Deluxe and love it, but it's still a mid range gun in durability and quality.

There are a couple of things to think about when comparing 2 barrels to 1.

A single-barrel semi will always shoot to the same place, but you only get one choke.

A double barrel (o/u or s/s) allows 2 different chokes, but the barrels are aligned to converge at a set distance. Then they cross and go away from each other. You have to account for that when shooting. It's not a huge deal, but it's there.

Just my opinion which is worth about .02. If that.

Barrels are supposed to be regulated, shoot the same, only the difference would be the distance between the barrels. When they cross, the barrels are not regulated. A well regulated double rifle will shoot both bullets side by side all the way down range...in a shotgun it will hard to see that 1 inch difference.

In a good O/U or S/S the patterns should never cross at any range