Why are "Good" Skeet/Trap Shotguns so expensive?

[ceh383]

This is a good point. SA's have only one barrel, so less cost to make.
A quality SA can be had for 1k or less. I see almost as many of them as I do O/U's.

[870classic]

$500 Competition shotgun? ... Absolutely. !
My Remington 870 TB have been breaking trap targets for the past 35 years without a problem. I do not have a total round count on this 870 but I would beat it would be in the 10,000+ range.

I have owned a Krieghoff Model 32 O/U trap gun and after a few cases of ammo I found that this model was not to my liking. I tried a friends Beretta 682 and after a few cases of ammo, I found the Beretta to be more to my liking. I sold the Model 32 and have been using the Beretta 682 for international trap, the 870TB for trap (ATA and club shoots), and the 870 "skeet" for skeet shooting.

You don't have to pay $1000+ to get into the sport. But, if you want to spend the money, go for it. There are some beautiful shotguns out there to be had.

Best regards.
870classic.

[tanks]

$500 Competition shotgun? ... Absolutely. !
My Remington 870 TB have been breaking trap targets for the past 35 years without a problem. I do not have a total round count on this 870 but I would beat it would be in the 10,000+ range.

...

So, you averaged 285+ rounds a year in 35 years of breaking clay targets? Most people do that in a week or two

[Jet Setter]

a $500 gun will get it done just the same as the $400,000 gun just one looks fancier doing it.

True. However, for high volume shooters, I highly doubt that the $500 shotgun would last anywhere near as along as the high end gun. The more expensive competition guns are built to that standard (mostly). Yes, there are problems with even the most expensive offerings. It is to be expected for any machine.

[Imageview]

Being a lefty, or cross dominant, sucks for firearm selection period. But there are plenty of neutral cast guns out there. Maybe not as perfect a fit as you might want, but they'll work. If you're diligent about your mount you can break clays even if it's cast in the wrong direction.

Similarly there are good value doubles for under 1k, but when you look at total cost it's a risk. I'm looking to put at least 5k rounds through my gun this year; how many years is your average stoeger for example gonna hold up at that pace? Not that say a 686 or a citori is invincible, but both are built for that sort of volume and both companies know their business is dependent on that reputation.

Long term, the trick to shooting economically isn't getting a good deal on a shotgun it's reloading and getting a cheap supply of shot.

[Jet Setter]

OP, IMO, the build quality is really the difference between $500 shotguns, $10k+ shotguns, and heirloom quality shotguns. Obviously, some of it is marketing and embellishments like high grade wood, extra engraving, and gold.

However, for high volume, competitive shooters, there truly is a noticeable difference between each level that each manufacturer offers.

For example, making it as equal as possible, the fit, finish, balance, feel, and performance is very noticeable between something like a LSI Pointer and something like a Perazzi. Moreover, the Perazzi will outlast the LSI by hundreds of thousands of rounds and still look good.

Lastly, clay shooting is one of the top 10 most expensive hobbies in the world. Expensive shotguns makes it one of the reasons why it ranks this high.

[squeeze]

You do not need an expensive gun to shoot well. You do need one that fits you if you want to shoot your best. Usually that means spending bucks. FWIW a few years ago I was at a big tournament at one of the local gun clubs. After two days of shooting I noticed the guy who was 'killing it' was using an old 12 ga pump much like the one I used in my yute. I bet it fit him. Before buying; try many guns you'll soon get a feeling for what works for you. Don't be afraid to ask shooters; they often are flattered that you like their gun. Most a generous with time for newbies. Take your time moving up to better quality. Quality does not break clays but it lasts longer and looks better. One very big suggestion is to TAKE SOME LESSONS! They will quickly pay big dividends.

[novelty]

First, the OU has two barrels.
Second, it’s the triggers. A good rifle trigger is expensive too. And, the competition shotgun usually has drop out trigger and can be exchanged in 10 seconds.

Third, the balance and the fit. Almost all Perazzi guns are customized.

$10k-$15k should get all the bells and whistles. Above is mostly high quality wood and engraving.

[SunsetIE]

important things in a high quality shotgun - Balance, Trigger, and how a gun fits you.

My FIRST O/U was a Beretta Silver Pigeon. That gun is really nice, but there is still a difference between that gun and the Perazzi. The recoil is much more violent compared to the Perazzi. The Beretta will kick as opposed to a push. :

My 680 silver pigeon fits me like a leather glove, but its been heavily customized with a high rib and ported barrel, inletted/extended stock etc.

A friend has some model of perazzi and i wasnt too impressed after a round, although it didnt fit me that well by comparison.

His Ljutic mono on the other hand, shoots amazingly.

[JagerDog]

First, the OU has two barrels.
Second, it’s the triggers. A good rifle trigger is expensive too. And, the competition shotgun usually has drop out trigger and can be exchanged in 10 seconds.

Third, the balance and the fit. Almost all Perazzi guns are customized.

$10k-$15k should get all the bells and whistles. Above is mostly high quality wood and engraving.

Beyond that, it's functional art.

Speaking of art, why is some $250 and some $2.5M?

Folks who take their hobby serious tend to want to use/mimic what the pros use. The pros use quality doubles. For one they hold up to 100's of 1000's of rounds. Tend to swing better, have better triggers. Target guns tend to be heavier too. You're not walking fields with them and weight helps tame recoil when shooting 100's of rounds per day.

My "best" are a couple 682's. Beretta's entry level target guns in the day. Not many frill, but some national teams used them with great success.

[JagerDog]

So, you averaged 285+ rounds a year in 35 years of breaking clay targets? Most people do that in a week or two

Ya. Hard to take that serious.

Someone like Kim Rhode shoots 500-1000 per day when training. A weekend tourney is several hundred rounds. 300 rounds per year is pre-season a dove tune-up. Just a friendly weekly skeet night is 2500/year with no practice.

[RayPDA]

I think when it comes to quality, factors such as actual build quality, reliability, shootability, fit, finish, reputation and the like serve as more meaningful indicators over cost.

While in general terms, the higher cost of a product is an indicator of quality (especially with regards to the doubles guns), a direct use of ‘quality begins at one or two price points’’ on sporting shotguns isn’t the best scale.

I bought a used Beretta 302 almost a decade ago that was made roughly in the same year I was born. I paid $400 for a minimally used, great condition field model with a plastic butt plate and a 28” bbl with the early slip-in choke system.

It’s had a number of stocks, barrels and forends on it over the years, but I haven’t replaced or fixed anything mechanical on it. It got me my first NSCA score that began with a ‘9’, my second 100 straight in trap singles, and is my current club gun for the 27yd line. At my peak and when I thought I could track every single round through every single shotgun I had along with every competition score, I averaged 1,000 rounds a month. The 302 accounted for a over half of that monthly amount for several years.

In each barrel/stock combination (sporting or trap) I had under 1k into it.

I’d say it’s a quality gun, regardless of what it cost new or what I paid for it.

I’d say the same for my 870TC and all my Model 12s.

That being said, my personal baseline for a quality target O/U would be a Citori or 68x series guns. Same goes for the underrated Finnish made Valmet 412s and st O/Us.

For single barrel trap guns - BT-99. That one got me my first 100 straight.

Now, if I anticipate running 500k-1 million rounds through just one shotgun for the clays games, I’d pick an MX8 or a K-80.
Not just because they cost more, but because of how well they’re built.

I think under 2k still gets you quality, and depending on your preferences and tastes, can go a little or a long way.

[JagerDog]

Maybe he shoots more than just that one shotgun.

That wasn't part of the argument:

$500 Competition shotgun? ... Absolutely. !
My Remington 870 TB have been breaking trap targets for the past 35 years without a problem. I do not have a total round count on this 870 but I would beat it would be in the 10,000+ range

A competition gun in competition will see several times that in 1 year.

And no serious competitor has used a pump for competition in decades.

[JagerDog]

All true. Look at what they use in the Argentina dove shoots. Mostly a few select quality autos. Berettas and Benelli from what I hear. 1000's of rounds per day. I'm not going to say they don't break and see repairs, but that's a torture test. I'm sure they have back-up guns too if one fails.

A lightly used 682 is a bargain.

[beetle]

some of the higher end competition shotguns have features that make them suitable for high volume use -- for example, replaceable triggers, replaceable shoulders, locking lugs, etc. All of these add cost. For example, a replacement trigger pack for a Beretta DT11 (what Kim Rhode users) is about $1000 by itself.