Shotgun dummy needs advice…..

[Sacperformance]

My son goes to school and plays baseball in Oklahoma. On a whim, he tried out for the shooting sports team and made the cut. He is a avid duck and dove hunter, and in my opinion a damn good shooter. He has had zero experience shooting trap and skeet, we’ve done maybe 8-9 rounds of sporting clays just for grins….. but he consistently scores low 90’s when we do.

Right now he’s shooting matches with his duck gun, a Weatherby SA-08. Needless to say he’s looking like an Oklahoma hillbilly running his full camo duck gun against some of these kids running custom 10k over/unders, but so far he’s holding his own and scoring mid to upper 25% overall.

I told him I’d put up 2k to get at least a decent O/U, but I have ZERO knowledge about shotguns. He is an Oklahoma resident so he can walk in and buy and walk out with the gun, get some practice in before the next shoot. Opinions?

[ceh383]

The best bets are Browning or Beretta. He should go into several shops and shoulder as many as he can.

[Bakerloo]

Beretta or Browning. Find a range that rents both. Shoot 'em and figure out what fits best.

[mtenenhaus]

Sacperformance, that's awesome

In order to best guide you i would first try to identify which shotgun sport he wishes to equip for....most prefer a very different format for Trap Shooting as compared to Sporting Clays or Skeet or even Olympic Trap.

Many (but not all) Trapshooters tend to gravitate to high adjustable ribs so they can float the bird...

Most Skeet, Sporting Clays and Olympic Trap shooters tend to shoot lower ribs.

People who excel in these sports shoot a lot of rounds....and so a good quality build is critical as is a well fitting shotgun....as such many tend to have their stocks fitted, whether by virtue or adjustable length and angle of recoil pad as well as adjustable combs....or getting a completely custom fitted stock.

My gut feeling is get him something of good quality.....and don't be surprised if he takes to the sport and further trade up after a while.

A funny memory, i had the good fortune to take a class with Leo Harrison (famous for shooting a Remington 1100 early on in his amazing career)....a giant of a man, many hundreds of pounds and very very tall....he would absolutely powder doubles in the blink of an eye...it was so incredible, so fast to see. At one class he picked up this little girl's gun, a tiny, short shotgun...it looked like a toy in his hands....he proceeded to destroy birds almost as well as with his gorgeous custom fitted gun. We were all so humbled having seen the master at work...and having spent oodles of cash on custom fancy shotguns, this exhibition certainly lent us all a bit of perspective.

That said, still love my Perazzi.

[HAVOC5150]

We have Brownings, Franchi’s and I believe Benelli over unders in our shop. Also CZ has some pretty nice O/U as well.

[Tarmy]

[Sacperformance]

Thanks for the advice so far…. He’s a long tall son of a gun….6’8”…… so I imagine finding something that fits is important for that long frame…..

[RandyD]

I am not an O/U shooter, but I just want to say congrats on having a son who is an athlete and good shooter. I applaud what you want to do for him. My best.

[Dvrjon]

"On a whim, he tried out for the shooting sports team and made the cut."


His coach should be able to get him some really good information right where he is. With his size, fit is going to be an issue, but it has to be based on his shooting style, too.

There are probably a number of clubs in the area with stacks of people who would be happy to advise a newbie with innate skill...some may have gently used guns available.

And, to echo some other comments: "Good Dad".

[PTAGP100]

O.P. nothing related to your question, just want to say Oklahoma holds a special place in my heart. I was stationed in Fort Sill Lawton OK back in 2002 to 2006.
I wish I just stayed there. I had fond memories of Lawton, OKC, San Antonio and Kileen TX.

[Sacperformance]

O.P. nothing related to your question, just want to say Oklahoma holds a special place in my heart. I was stationed in Fort Sill Lawton OK back in 2002 to 2006.
I wish I just stayed there. I had fond memories of Lawton, OKC, San Antonio and Kileen TX.

[PoorRichRichard]

Tell him to ask his friends/Teammates to shoot some of their guns and see if there are any he likes. If he’s busting the clays with SA-08, tell him to stick with it, especially being that he’s so tall and the gun seems to fit him.

[PTAGP100]

I was born and raised in Manila Philippines, moved here in the U.S.A.( Queens NY) 2 weeks after 9/11 and enlisted a week after that. I am truly grateful for the opportunity this great nation has given to me and now having a kid of my own who is currently in her schools
Gifted program. I tell her to love and be appreciative of what shes got. Take care and God Bless Sir!

[JagerDog]

Tell him to ask his friends/Teammates to shoot some of their guns and see if there are any he likes

See bold.

IMHO a lightly used Beretta 682 is the "sleeper" competition gun. They can be had right about your price range.

But it has to fit.

Note that trap and skeet tend to be different guns at a competitive level.

[Thefeeder]

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PoorrRichrRchard nailed it ....buy nothing....he has what he shoots well. Everyone will look at the score card, not what you are shooting.

If he wants to switch it is up to him and the coach.

At best, if the camo starts being a distraction....same exact gun, and I do mean exact down to the last detail without the camo may be in the works.....only he can be sure if it feels 100% the same when he shoots it.

He's doing great right out the gate, and will get better with some coaching

Instead of a gun...buy a trophy case