Sporting Clays Shotgun

[gregkl]

Nothing wrong with an auto loader for SC's. But I admit I really enjoy the Citori

Glad to hear it. I would say I really liked it and I'm sure I would have, but I don't think I got a box of shells through it.

 

[Dean C.]

I really like Browning shotguns, always have.
I do not have a 725, but have friends who do and I have seen on a trap shooting forum some concerns relating to the 725 chokes. So you might research that some but here is what I've heard.
First off they are a completely different design from their Invector or Invector Plus chokes. The 725 uses Invector DS chokes which have the threads in a different location and the DS chokes incorporate a sort of gas seal to limit carbon build up which could lead to chokes getting stuck in the barrel. Also, when Browning came up with the DS chokes, from what I hear and have read on the other forum, they are being made by a different source. Their Invector and Invector Plus chokes are made by Briley but the DS's aren't. As a result, some claim they mic looser than they should but you can research that easy enough. It's not something that would scare me away from it but I would probably end up later buying a set from Briley just because they are the best IMHO.
As for an adjustable comb, if you choose to have that done rather than buying with it already done, check out Tronspace stock works. Joe does phenomenal work and often has it done and shipped back within a week.

Did not know that about the new choke system on the 725's , I knew I wanted extended chokes however. The FIL's 828u just has the stock flush chokes and I cannot say I am a fan of them. Was actually looking into getting him a couple of Briley chokes for Christmas. Thanks for all the fantastic advice!

 

[Dean C.]

Picked up a 725 Sporting in their new gorgeous AAAA Maple , took it shooting on the Sporting Clays course at the IGC and I really like this shotgun. Pointed very well, and when I mounted it the sight picture just appears, very very happy with it so far.

 

[thunderchicken]

Picked up a 725 Sporting in their new gorgeous AAAA Maple , took it shooting on the Sporting Clays course at the IGC and I really like this shotgun. Pointed very well, and when I mounted it the sight picture just appears, very very happy with it so far.

By chance were you there in the clubhouse right around 2:00ish? I was standing by a pallet of ammo when a guy walked in the front door with a 725 just like that spoke with the guy at the counter and was on his way. The maple stock caught my attention. I hadn't seen one like that before and it looks great.
Enjoy it

 

[Dean C.]

By chance were you there in the clubhouse right around 2:00ish? I was standing by a pallet of ammo when a guy walked in the front door with a 725 just like that spoke with the guy at the counter and was on his way. The maple stock caught my attention. I hadn't seen one like that before and it looks great.
Enjoy it

That was me !!! We had just wrapped up our round of sporting clays and were off to get lunch. Very happy with the 725, if you ever see me you are more than welcome to shoot it if you want. Ended up with the Sporting model with 30" barrels , did not feel the need for the adjustable comb with the 725.

 

[Cameramonkey]

 

[VostocK]

Picked up a 725 Sporting in their new gorgeous AAAA Maple , took it shooting on the Sporting Clays course at the IGC and I really like this shotgun. Pointed very well, and when I mounted it the sight picture just appears, very very happy with it so far.

Man, that thing looks nice ! I have been putting off buying an over under for years now. I think this thread may have pushed me over the edge.

 

[Dean C.]

Man, that thing looks nice ! I have been putting off buying an over under for years now. I think this thread may have pushed me over the edge.

Do it !!! The IGC has a boatload of them on the shelves

 

[COOPADUP]

Took my Citori Lighting out Saturday afternoon for the first time.
Shoulders and points very nice.

 

[thunderchicken]

Man, that thing looks nice ! I have been putting off buying an over under for years now. I think this thread may have pushed me over the edge.

What would you primarily use it for?
Can make a real difference

 

[Hookeye]

Ive shot trap (and hunted) with both Citori and 1100 (couple of each).
Citori unfortunately hit a little high for me. Hunter models.
Lots of time behind 870/1100 and they fit me well, so am a "flat" gun guy.

Still think a 20 ga 28" Citori might be worth a try.
They used to have a sporting lightning, diff rib. No longer made, was hot for one way back.
Odd, shot a buds Superposed and clays just puffed.
It had sling swivels (and was a 12).

 

[VostocK]

What would you primarily use it for?
Can make a real difference

I honestly don't know. I recently joined a range that has trap, skeet and sporting clays. I have shot trap before (at a different range) but I just used a pump action Mossberg 500 with a 28-inch barrel without chokes. However, I am thinking that if I am going to try to get into skeet and sporting clays, I may need to upgrade the old pump action truck gun that I used before. I am thinking of getting an entry level Turkish over/under 12 gauge. I am reluctant to spend a few grand on one, only to find that I may not enjoy shooting clays that much.

I was thinking something like this : https://www.academy.com/p/yildiz-legacy-hps-12-gauge-28-in-ou-shotgun

 

[gregkl]

I honestly don't know. I recently joined a range that has trap, skeet and sporting clays. I have shot trap before (at a different range) but I just used a pump action Mossberg 500 with a 28-inch barrel without chokes. However, I am thinking that if I am going to try to get into skeet and sporting clays, I may need to upgrade the old pump action truck gun that I used before. I am thinking of getting an entry level Turkish over/under 12 gauge. I am reluctant to spend a few grand on one, only to find that I may not enjoy shooting clays that much.

I was thinking something like this : https://www.academy.com/p/yildiz-legacy-hps-12-gauge-28-in-ou-shotgun

The clays sports can be addictive. For me the key is to have a good place to go which I don't right now. If when I move to the Evansville area in my retirement, I'll take it up again if there is a range nearby.

 

[VostocK]

The clays sports can be addictive. For me the key is to have a good place to go which I don't right now. If when I move to the Evansville area in my retirement, I'll take it up again if there is a range nearby.

I also don't have any good ranges nearby. The range I joined is about an hour's drive from home so I don't know how often I'll get down there, which is another reason I don't want to invest much into an over/under. If I get hooked on it, I might be more inclined to go ahead and get a higher end shotgun.

 

[thunderchicken]

I honestly don't know. I recently joined a range that has trap, skeet and sporting clays. I have shot trap before (at a different range) but I just used a pump action Mossberg 500 with a 28-inch barrel without chokes. However, I am thinking that if I am going to try to get into skeet and sporting clays, I may need to upgrade the old pump action truck gun that I used before. I am thinking of getting an entry level Turkish over/under 12 gauge. I am reluctant to spend a few grand on one, only to find that I may not enjoy shooting clays that much.

I was thinking something like this : https://www.academy.com/p/yildiz-legacy-hps-12-gauge-28-in-ou-shotgun

The few people I know who've tried a yildiz, have all traded them off. I have never handled one.
Clays games can be very addictive.
As far as an entry level O/U, you can get into a CZ Redhead Premier or Redhead Target for around the grand mark. They have a good fit & finish and better trigger than most budget O/U guns. Another option is the Stevens 555.
If you can stretch your budget out around 1500ish you could find a good used Browning or Beretta which will last a long time and will hold it's value better should you decide to sell it down the road.

 

[gregkl]

I also don't have any good ranges nearby. The range I joined is about an hour's drive from home so I don't know how often I'll get down there, which is another reason I don't want to invest much into an over/under. If I get hooked on it, I might be more inclined to go ahead and get a higher end shotgun.

An hour is pushing it but could be doable for me.

I had a CZ at one time. I bought it when I thought I would prefer Skeet over Trap and when I discovered it was the opposite for me, the shotgun didn't fit the bill. So I sold it.

One thing I noticed though was that even though I didn't shoot it a lot, it got loose fairly quickly. I showed this to guy I sold it to, and he didn't mind since he was going to hunt with it, and it would see the action like a sporting shotgun does. They all can look pretty but the lock works is where the $500 shotguns separate from the $1500 ones.

And you put way more rounds shooting shotgun sports then you ever would hunting. When I sold that CZ and started shooting my hunting autoloader for Trap it was pristine though it was 30 years old. I'd say I put more rounds through that shotgun my first year shooting Trap than the entire time I owned it. It's a tad worn now.

Personally, if I was thinking of Sporting Clays I would go with an autoloader. But that's just me.

 

[VostocK]

As far as an entry level O/U, you can get into a CZ Redhead Premier or Redhead Target for around the grand mark. They have a good fit & finish and better trigger than most budget O/U guns. Another option is the Stevens 555.

Thanks, I'll look into those options for sure.

 

[VostocK]

They all can look pretty but the lock works is where the $500 shotguns separate from the $1500 ones.

Thanks, I never even considered that the guns could wear out over time. I guess I never considered just how many rounds a sporting gun would see vs a hunting/defense shotgun !

I'll also look into autoloaders and give the CZ offerings a look. I may even get rid of a gun or two I no longer use in order to help offset the cost of buying a little higher priced gun than I originally planned to get.

 

[thunderchicken]

Thanks, I never even considered that the guns could wear out over time. I guess I never considered just how many rounds a sporting gun would see vs a hunting/defense shotgun !

I'll also look into autoloaders and give the CZ offerings a look. I may even get rid of a gun or two I no longer use in order to help offset the cost of buying a little higher priced gun than I originally planned to get.

Obviously how many rounds you regularly put through it depends on how frequently you shoot and what you shoot. Trap and skeet are 25 targets per round, whereas many sporting clays courses are 100 targets per round.
That doesn't seem like much but it adds up quickly if you get addicted.
If you think you can sell off other stuff you aren't using and stretch the budget some you can find some really nice used Browning and Beretta shotguns that will hold up much better than an entry level gun.
It's been said many times that overall the cost of the gun ends up being the cheapest part of clays shooting.
Go to your club and ask around what others are shooting and ask why they like it. You might be surprised how many people will offer to let you try their gun for a round of trap or skeet. Then you will get some real idea for what you like and you may feel how much better a little more expensive gun holds up in the long run

 

[Dean C.]

Obviously how many rounds you regularly put through it depends on how frequently you shoot and what you shoot. Trap and skeet are 25 targets per round, whereas many sporting clays courses are 100 targets per round.
That doesn't seem like much but it adds up quickly if you get addicted.
If you think you can sell off other stuff you aren't using and stretch the budget some you can find some really nice used Browning and Beretta shotguns that will hold up much better than an entry level gun.
It's been said many times that overall the cost of the gun ends up being the cheapest part of clays shooting.
Go to your club and ask around what others are shooting and ask why they like it. You might be surprised how many people will offer to let you try their gun for a round of trap or skeet. Then you will get some real idea for what you like and you may feel how much better a little more expensive gun holds up in the long run

^^^^
Agreed , only had my 725 for a week and I have already ran 200 rounds through it, with the Terrahaute Sporting Clays club on the docket for this weekend. The rounds add up and quickly too , not sure how long a "budget" O/U would last but if I wanted to save money I would have bought an autoloader! Plus the nice thing about getting a "B-Gun" is they do not really depreciate a whole lot assuming they are taken care of.