Sporting Clays...I'm hooked!

[RDVaughn86]

So I went out to Ben Avery for the first time and spent a few hours on the sporting clays course, and now I'm addicted!  Probably some of the most fun I've ever had with a gun.  While there I noticed almost everyone was using an over/under while I was shooting my good ol' 870 Express Mag.  If I were to get serious about sporting clays and skeet shooting, what would be the advantage of an over/under vs. an autoloader?  I was already thinking about upgrading from the pump to an autoloader because I want a versatile gun for clays and for quail/dove/all birds.  After this experience, I'm sure I'll find myself at Ben Avery quite often.  But now, do I want an autoloader or an over/under for skeet?  Any input from anyone? 

[AlmightySheep]

I think the reason they use an o/u is so the follow up shots are less strung apart -- I'm not sure. I think it'd only be a thing to consider once you've gotten really serious about it. They are 1500-2500 dollar for the less expensive ones.

[Flash]

The 2nd shot with an O/U is going to be the same speed as the 2nd shot with a semiauto and maybe a smidge faster than a pump...although there are people who can operate a pump as fast as a semiauto or O/U.

There is no follow up shot in Sporting Clays, BTW, there is only a second shot at a second bird.

I personally prefer O/Us because I reload shotshells and I detest having to chase my empties.  Also, an O/U is just a touch easier/faster to clean for me.

If you don't reload, pick whichever one appeals to your visual senses the most.

Life's too short to shoot an ugly gun.

[Guy1az]

That whole O/U thing is what those guys do...nothing wrong with it..but be prepared to spend some serious coin.

[Black_water]

There are a few you can get for less than $600.

I saw Mossberg O/U in the ads last week for $399.  Sure, you're not getting a Citori, but if you don't have a lot to spend at first something like might be the way to go.  Also, Stoeger sells some decent priced ones.

[Thernlund]

Life's too short to shoot an ugly gun.

HEAR HEAR!!   


-T.

[Flash]

Sure, you're not getting a Citori, but if you don't have a lot to spend at first something like might be the way to go.

You know, I'm old enough to remember when a lot of O/U owners thought Citoris were junk...or at least very low end shotguns.  I'm one of those guys.

Now I own 2 of 'em and they're considered by many to be outstanding.  Who woulda thunk it?.

[steve2md]

They shoot them for tradition's sake, and you only need 2 shots at a time for the sport. O/U can be significantly lighter than pumps or autos. In the end, it's all about personal preference. When I can afford one, I'm getting an O/U. I only have a single atm, and reloads for sporting clays is stressful for me with it, since I have to be super quick about it.

[Wingman709]

I got to go out to Rio Salado two weeks ago and shoot shotgun for the first time.  I also got to try and hit those clay targets.  I walked away trying to figure out how I am going to get another gun into my house.  It was such a blast (pun intended).  It was a lot more fun to watch a clay target explode instead of trying to look at a piece of paper down range to see if I hit it or not.  So I might just have to put a shotty on my Christmas List and start being extra special nice to my wife.   

[GTGallop]

I got hooked at BASF too. Never got bit by the golf bug but Sunday AM and 20 clays will cleanse my soul.

[ezdays]

Just a bit of info from a trap shooter, the reason that guns that are used for trap, skeet and sporting clays are so high priced is that they are built to be able to shoot hundreds of rounds in a short period of time, or even a few hundred-thousand rounds in its lifetime. Field guns, be they auto-loaders or O/U are not designed to handle that kind of repetition. A clay shooter can go through a few thousand rounds in a weekend competition while a dove hunter may only shoot a few boxes at best.There are guns designed for each of the specific sports as well. A trap gun is different than a sporting clay or skeet gun. Some people shoot a O/U because they can have a different choke tube in each barrel depending on how far the target is. In trap when you shoot doubles, the second bird needs a tighter choke.

Go to a registered shoot and there are normally vendors with tables and tables full of used and new guns for that sport (although there's been fewer and fewer showing up lately). It's the only time I get to hold a $50,000 Perazzi or Krieghoff, and think, "gee, I can miss just as easily with this as I can with mine, but mine costs a heck of a lot less"... You can get a decent gun for sporting clays for under $2000, but be sure it is not a field gun. A Citori is a good low-cost option.

[Flash]

Just a bit of info from a trap shooter, the reason that guns that are used for trap, skeet and sporting clays are so high priced is that they are built to be able to shoot hundreds of rounds in a short period of time, or even a few hundred-thousand rounds in its lifetime. Field guns, be they auto-loaders or O/U are not designed to handle that kind of repetition.

True.  My first trap gun was a field grade Beretta O/U.  I shot it to death in 5 years or so, but I was shooting around 20,000 rounds/year.

I then bought a higher end Italian O/U trap gun that they claimed needed around 200,000 rounds to be completely broken in and I believe them.  It still isn't completely broken in.

I've got around 7,500 rounds through the Citori I use for Sporting Clays and so far, so good.  Time will tell with that one.

[idiotsayswhat]

Clays are fun for sure...  I handled a Citori about 10 years ago and fell in love with it instantly.  It's unfortunate that my wallet wasn't the loving type back. 

As far as shooting trap with an 870, I don't mind...  That's why I use and I still have a blast doing it. 

[ezdays]

Just a bit of info from a trap shooter, the reason that guns that are used for trap, skeet and sporting clays are so high priced is that they are built to be able to shoot hundreds of rounds in a short period of time, or even a few hundred-thousand rounds in its lifetime. Field guns, be they auto-loaders or O/U are not designed to handle that kind of repetition.

True.  My first trap gun was a field grade Beretta O/U.  I shot it to death in 5 years or so, but I was shooting around 20,000 rounds/year.

I then bought a higher end Italian O/U trap gun that they claimed needed around 200,000 rounds to be completely broken in and I believe them.  It still isn't completely broken in.

I've got around 7,500 rounds through the Citori I use for Sporting Clays and so far, so good.  Time will tell with that one.

I started shooting trap right off with a Remington 1100 Trap, for about $1,000, sold that and bought a Win 101 O/U for, I think $1200. But that was back in the 80's. I'm now shooting with an SKB, 85TSS trap with adjustable forcing cone, ported barrels, adjust comb and rib and a few other neat things, but you know what, I still miss about the same number of birds that I did with my older guns. Yup, but you feel a lot better missing targets with a more expensive gun...

[gilacr]

"

So I went out to Ben Avery for the first time and spent a few hours on the sporting clays course, and now I'm addicted!  Probably some of the most fun I've ever had with a gun.  While there I noticed almost everyone was using an over/under while I was shooting my good ol' 870 Express Mag.  If I were to get serious about sporting clays and skeet shooting, what would be the advantage of an over/under vs. an autoloader?  I was already thinking about upgrading from the pump to an autoloader because I want a versatile gun for clays and for quail/dove/all birds.  After this experience, I'm sure I'll find myself at Ben Avery quite often.  But now, do I want an autoloader or an over/under for skeet?  Any input from anyone?  "

Both my sons shoot with SCTP and use Browning Cynergys. When you were shooting at Ben Avery did you get to station 12? One of the big reasons they shoot the O/Us is because of the ability to have different chokes for each shot. My oldest boy shoots station 12 with a light modified lower and a full upper. That is one of the big advantages of the O/Us. I enjoy using them for dove hunting for the same reason.