Shotgun for clay's, advise needed

[Donny1]

My GF has a very nice Browning o/u that she loves to death. The problem is it's very light, 6.4 lbs with no recoil pad and a curved butt stock so a custom pad would have to be fitted. It kills her to shoot an entire round of 25 and the pad would only help slightly. We have made the decision to sell and have a buyer.

She is stuck on Browning (and it's a battle I probably won't win), a Silver Hunter 20ga is her choice, and not to say they don't make great guns but I think there are better choices with a budget of $800-$1000.

Remember the object here is to get a more comfortable to shoot, semi-auto in 20ga. She will not compete with it, she just wants something that is not murder on her shoulder.

Any opinions?
Is it a decent gun?

My choice was a Beretta but she's not listening to me, big surprise!

[kmca]

If she can't get through 25, I'd say the gun doesn't fit. If you get another gun, it will also have to be fit and it's more than just putting on a butt pad. What clay game does she want to play? Is her Browning a 12 gauge? More information would be helpful.

[MFortie]

I'd have her try a Browning Maxus. I know it's a 12g, but it's a pretty soft shooter.

I bought one for my son for his first shotgun and my wife shot at a few clays with it just last week (she's not an ''aficionado") and stated the recoil didn't bother her at all.

[jimmykan]

I bought a Beretta 3901 Target RL for my fiancee and me. I like it because all the important shotgun dimensions were USER adjustable: length of pull, comb height, and cast-on/off. The comb is parallel to the bore, so it doesn't slap our cheeks with recoil, just slides past. I found ours for $900 online and had it transferred through Roger's Relics in Santa Clara.

[Donny1]

If she can't get through 25, I'd say the gun doesn't fit. If you get another gun, it will also have to be fit and it's more than just putting on a butt pad. What clay game does she want to play? Is her Browning a 12 gauge? More information would be helpful.

This is it:

http://www.2020designs.com/browning/browning.html

Made in 2000, lightning feather 20ga

This thing really does hit hard. She and I were shooting semi-auto 12 ga with no problems. We discussed getting a good pad or recoil system but we were told by John at PSA that even won't be as comfortable and cost quite a bit.

[Newshooter]

I bought a Beretta 3901 Target RL for my fiancee and me. I like it because all the important shotgun dimensions were USER adjustable: length of pull, comb height, and cast-on/off. The comb is parallel to the bore, so it doesn't slap our cheeks with recoil, just slides past. I found ours for $900 online and had it transferred through Roger's Relics in Santa Clara.

_________________
I could not agree with this any more. Beretta is a really soft shooter. If you are going to go with a semi-auto, I recommend a 12 gauge. A 20 gauge gun is lighter than a 12 gauge which will cause it to kick more. The gun above is also extremely adjustable so it can be fit to her which will cause it to kick less.

my wife, 5'5" and 119# shoots my 12 ga Beretta 391 and has absolutely no problem with recoil.

[ysr_racer]

Remington 1100 20ga youth model

[utvtactical]

Don't switch

You can go to Briley or Kolar and get inserts to shoot 20 or 28 gauge. Cut the stock down and put a pad on it. O/U is the best gun for shooting sporting clays or skeet. you can always get another stock later.

[kmca]

This is it:

http://www.2020designs.com/browning/browning.html

Made in 2000, lightning feather 20ga

This thing really does hit hard. She and I were shooting semi-auto 12 ga with no problems. We discussed getting a good pad or recoil system but we were told by John at PSA that even won't be as comfortable and cost quite a bit.

What do you mean by "hit hard"? Is it the shoulder or is her cheek getting hit? I usually shoot trap, which means those guns are set up a little different than skeet or sporting clays guns. I am one of those that believe almost any gun can be comfortable to shoot, if it fits properly. It can get expensive to get your gun to fit.

[renardsubtil]

Wait, whaaaattt? Why would a custom recoil pad not be as comfortable? No offense but uf I didn't know this "PSA" place any better, I'd say they were making a play for you to spend money on new shotgun from their store.

If she likes her Browning Shotgun and can shoot a good consistent score with it, then just have the stock cut down and a recoil pad added to it so that the length of pull is not affected, it will probably by more cost effective then running out and buying a new shotgun that you're not even sure she'll like or shoot good with imho since you'd probably have to modify that one as well.

[bjl333]

The battle continues!!!

A recoil pad will help to a certain degree. It will take up some recoil but ultimately weight is what'll help in her shooting. There was a suggestion for tubing (full length inserts) the O/U to a 28ga. That is actually a very good idea as it will add 10-16 oz to the gun. The higher expense of shooting the 28ga shells might not be the best wallet wise. The combo of a good recoil pad (KickEZZ) and tubing the gun to 28ga will make the gun very comforable to shoot. The cost of installing the recoil pad will vary from $50 - $90 and the Briley tubes will be $595 plus S/H. The shells will cost around $8 per box though ...

A Browning Silver will serve your purpose. I don't know the longterm record of the gun so I won't comment there. A used Remingtion 1100 in 20ga will be a good choice, but stay away from the newer ones with the alumium frame. Those kick a bit from what I understand. The Berettas are always a top choice. I would still recommand fitting a good recoil pad to an auto. The toe of the buttstock will have to be cut inwards to better fit a woman's curve.

Good Luck!!

[runway1]

If she likes her Browning Shotgun and can shoot a good consistent score with it, then just have the stock cut down and a recoil pad added to it so that the length of pull is not affected, it will probably by more cost effective then running out and buying a new shotgun that you're not even sure she'll like or shoot good with imho since you'd probably have to modify that one as well.

Totally agree here and from what others said. If the gun fits correctly (especially if it has a decent pad), it shouldn't beat up any size person. Get a proper fit first.

Sunday, I just watched an 8/10 yr old boy shoot the daylights out of a skeet range with a youth 20 ga. He couldn't have been more than 80/90 lbs and shot that gun all day. On the flip side; A .410 will briuse you if it really fits bad.

My son shot a Remy 1100 (12ga) that was properly fit to him with a 3/4" gel pad attached. Shot 100 rnds and said he could shoot that thing all day and not feel it. This is from a 1978, 12 ga gun that weighs 7.8 lbs.

[mjsweims]

Wait, whaaaattt? Why would a custom recoil pad not be as comfortable? No offense but uf I didn't know this "PSA" place any better, I'd say they were making a play for you to spend money on new shotgun from their store.

If she likes her Browning Shotgun and can shoot a good consistent score with it, then just have the stock cut down and a recoil pad added to it so that the length of pull is not affected, it will probably by more cost effective then running out and buying a new shotgun that you're not even sure she'll like or shoot good with imho since you'd probably have to modify that one as well.

I agree. In addition to a recoil pad you can insert a recoil reducer in the stock behind the bolt attaching the stock to the action. These are usually mercury-filled and use inertia to reduce the felt recoil. Also you can just put some lead in there to increase the weight and help absorb some of the energy. The best place to start, with this gun or a new gun is to get it fit to you.

[Donny1]

bjl333 A Browning Silver will serve your purpose. I don't know the longterm record of the gun so I won't comment there. A used Remingtion 1100 in 20ga will be a good choice, but stay away from the newer ones with the alumium frame. Those kick a bit from what I understand. The Berettas are always a top choice. I would still recommand fitting a good recoil pad to an auto. The toe of the buttstock will have to be cut inwards to better fit a woman's curve.

Again common sense from the expert

Thanks everyone for the input. Look, this is a very light, hunting gun. She has shot various semi-auto's and it's a night and day difference. It would be costly to modify it and even the Guys at JS Air Cushion stocks said it would never be enjoyable to shoot. As for "That Place" called PSA, it's Pacific Sporting Arms in Azusa and yes he wants to sell us a new gun but that is not his motivation. Anyone in the sport knows John Herkowitz from PSA knows his guns. If it was a matter of just "fitting" the gun we would have done that. I want her to end up with the Beretta but I was just looking for opinions on the Browning.

[runway1]

... I want her to end up with the Beretta but I was just looking for opinions on the Browning.

Frankly, I can't stop my love affair with Beretta. I've shot 20 different guns at clays at the Raahauge shoot out, June 4/5, for the specific purpose of choosing a new gun. I shot the $12k Guerini-s, the $800 Stoeger-s and every flippin shotgun in that place (most of them twice) for two days.

My preference only but for me; The Browning didn't feel or shoot nearly as well and I'm a BIG fan of Browning pistols! I really wanted to like that gun

The Beretta made me giddy - both semis and O/Us (that X400 is like butter). The Benellis made me close to giddy (super Vinci points like a laser) and that Remington 1100 was far and away my "best buy".

I now own a Beretta Silver Pigeon and a Remington 1100.