best shotgun for clay shooting

[savageevo]

my brother just gave me a dual clay shooter for my birthday but the only problem is I do not have a shotgun yet. What is the best shotgun for clay shooting. I would want one that can be all around use. Clay shooting, Home defense, Bird hunting, so on and so fourth. thanks

[-hanko]

my brother just gave me a dual clay shooter for my birthday but the only problem is I do not have a shotgun yet. What is the best shotgun for clay shooting. I would want one that can be all around use. Clay shooting, Home defense, Bird hunting, so on and so fourth. thanks

Search/google/read a lot.

The best all-around gun, imo, might be a Remington 1100 or 870. The best clay shooter WILL be an o/u...look at what top clay shooters use. An optimized clays gun will NOT be the optimum bird and/or home defense gun; you'll have to compromise somewhat in a number of directions.

You can get a starter 870 in the ~$300 range. You need a short barrel for home defense, a long barrel for the other stuff.

Start by educating yourself.

-hanko

[PatriotnMore]

The best clay shooter WILL be an o/u...look at what top clay shooters use. Hanko

The best, or best for the money you want to spend?
I agree O/U are best for clays, and IMHO, upland shooting.

[ysr_racer]

Get a Reminton 1100 and you'll be happy. The best clays gun? Probably a Perazzi. They start around $8000.

[smittty]

my brother just gave me a dual clay shooter for my birthday but the only problem is I do not have a shotgun yet. What is the best shotgun for clay shooting. I would want one that can be all around use. Clay shooting, Home defense, Bird hunting, so on and so fourth. thanks

Sorry to tell this but there isn't one "best" shotgun that's going to meet all those needs well.

For clays and bird hunting the "best" shotgun is one with long barrels (30") and has removeable chokes. An o/u is the traditional shotgun for this and imo is the "best" for this purpose. Some guys like a semi-auto and the most common and most liked semi that I've seen is the Beretta 391.

A short barreled shotgun is best for home defense. 18.5" or 20" barrel with either a ghost sights or plan bead sight. The 870 is propobaly the most recommended home defense shotgun.

I have a 30" 686 Onyx and it's the best clays/field gun for me and I like my 20" 870 the best for a HD gun.

The 870 is cheap compared to a clays gun so buy it first with a short barrel for HD and and long barrel for clays and then save up for a clays/field gun.

The 870 will last forever so hang on to it even if it never gets used again after you get your nice clays/field gun.

[CSACANNONEER]

The "best" is going to be the one that fits YOU the best and You shoot the best. Although my experience in the competitive shotgun sports is very limited, my dad has been shooting trap for years. He has found $59 single shots that he can consistantly shoot 25/25 and he has had expensive shotguns that didn't fit him right. The gun he shoots best (according to mutual friends) is an old beater Berretta 303. If you are going to be shooting doubles, a gas operated semi or an O/U would be good choices. The bootom line is not the brand, model, cost or type of action, it just needs to fit you properly.

[rg_1111@yahoo.com]

CSACANNONEER,
+1
could not have said it better.
The "best" is going to be the one that fits YOU the best and You shoot the best.

[-hanko]

The "best" is going to be the one that fits YOU the best and You shoot the best. Although my experience in the competitive shotgun sports is very limited, my dad has been shooting trap for years. He has found $59 single shots that he can consistantly shoot 25/25 and he has had expensive shotguns that didn't fit him right. The gun he shoots best (according to mutual friends) is an old beater Berretta 303. If you are going to be shooting doubles, a gas operated semi or an O/U would be good choices. The bootom line is not the brand, model, cost or type of action, it just needs to fit you properly.

The gun can be fitted to you, but it takes a gunsmith with a bit of experience

-hanko

[smittty]

Fit is most important but very few if any shops these days can fit a shotgun properly. It takes years or trial and error to figure this out yourself. Shoot as many different brands and types as you can get your hands on. Once you figure out what too look for and how a shotgun should fit you, only then start shopping for one.

A single shot will only suite trap shooting. Skeet or sporting clays requires a repeating action.

Start wth the rem 870 or mossberg 500 which will serve as your HD gun and also double as a sporting shotgun until you can save up for a couple years (or longer) for a proper sporting shotgun.

Take your time and don't rush into buying an expensive shotgun. The 870 or mossberg are cheap, that's why I suggest starting with them.

[Rocko]

I use the 870...i like it.

[savageevo]

thanks to all for all your replys