Sporting Clays Shotgun

[AdventureTeamJoe]

Most inexpensive but decent O/U 12 gauge?

My family is teaming up get my BIL a membership to Indiana Gun Club and a decent OU shotgun for Xmas. We are limited on budget for the gun. Can anyone recommend a BUDGET O/U 12 gauge shotgun that would be serviceable for a novice getting into sporting clays/trap?

www.indianagunowners.com

Here is the thread for you , looking for long term "B-Gun" reliability with high round counts. Ended up with a 725 it's epic

Great looking 725. Hope you did better on the C bird at that station than I did!

 

[gregkl]

I would be game for that. But we gotta get through the holidays and frankly temps have to come back up just a bit. I'm only about a 20-25 minute drive from IGC

Yeah, I don't think I will be going to my range this Sunday!

 

[Dean C.]

Great looking 725. Hope you did better on the C bird at that station than I did!

If memory serves I did not have much success , I need to start keeping scores better. Last practice outting i would shoot untill I found a target I missed then just focus on that particular bird for a few tries. Crossing targets i definitely struggle with , moving away and coming towards me targets i generally do much better on so far. So I am a big fan of the "in the woods" section of the course

 

[Dean C.]

So I think this explains why I consistently struggle with crossing presentation targets. Assuming the zero point on the ShotKam is correct I was not even close to leading the targets enough. This also explains why I have no trouble with targets coming towards me or going away from me.

The analogy of "you are arranging a collision in mid air with the clay" really made a lot of sense to me. Definitely going to be getting a ShotKam in addition to professional lessons when it gets warm out.

 

[thunderchicken]

So I think this explains why I consistently struggle with crossing presentation targets. Assuming the zero point on the ShotKam is correct I was not even close to leading the targets enough. This also explains why I have no trouble with targets coming towards me or going away from me.

The analogy of "you are arranging a collision in mid air with the clay" really made a lot of sense to me. Definitely going to be getting a ShotKam in addition to professional lessons when it gets warm out.

I've only used a ShotKam once. Based on what I see in this video, I'm not sure the zero point of the shotkam is accurate (maybe just how the shooter had it set up).
The one time I used one it was for trap. Trap targets are pretty much always shot while the target is rising (even in this video). That's why most trap guns are set up to shoot a higher point of impact, so you can float the target over the bead.

If you haven't the best place to start is making sure the gun is shooting where you are looking. That means shooting a pattern board. Gotta know if it's shooting high, low left or right.
Watch some videos on YouTube from GoShooting (with Russell Mark) lots of great info from him and his wife (both olympians)

 

[Dean C.]

Not sure if the link will work since it's videos , but got to mount a ShotKam to my 725 today, got it calibrated in on the app so the reticle is accurate +/-1 inch. Definitely improving on follow through and leading faster crossing targets.

 

[Dean C.]

As a visual learner myself I love this kind of feedback. Really can tell I am improving with follow through as well. Thanks everyone for sticking around my sorting clays thread.

 

[gregkl]

Not sure if the link will work since it's videos , but got to mount a ShotKam to my 725 today, got it calibrated in on the app so the reticle is accurate +/-1 inch. Definitely improving on follow through and leading faster crossing targets.

Very cool! I can see where that could be helpful.

 

[Dean C.]

Very cool! I can see where that could be helpful.

It's very neat, you can slow down the video frame by frame so you can clearly tell when the trigger is pulled and the gun recoiles. Occasionally you can even see the shot pattern at closer ranges , just wish they would run a sale. Testing out my FIL's for him while his Benelli is in the shop.

 

[Dean C.]

The internet was right , Browning DS chokes are a bit open to say the least. All shots taken at 25 yards, but confirmed the 50/50 POI so happy with that. Running an IM and Full choke untill I get a new set from Briley

 

[Bzikot]

I have owned both the Browning and the Beretta both shot very good. If I was going to buy one today I would go with the Beretta. It felt the best shooting for me. I like the chokes for the Beretta better.

 

[Dean C.]

So patterning the gun to actually see how the shot pattern dispersed was very helpful , I went from IC and M chokes to IM and F and shot by far my best round ever of clays at the IGC yesterday. Based on the patterning at 25 yards I was definitely WAY underchoked and the results on the farther away targets proved it.

I usually struggle with the crossing targets on the last few stations and legitimately shot every target on stations 9-12 without missing a single one. Definitely no where near "good" but getting better rapidly IMHO.

 

[thunderchicken]

The internet was right , Browning DS chokes are a bit open to say the least. All shots taken at 25 yards, but confirmed the 50/50 POI so happy with that. Running an IM and Full choke untill I get a new set from Briley

My first question is, did you shoot those free handed or off of a rest?

The patterns really aren't that bad compared to some I've seen. I would agree it does seem to be a pretty solid 50/50 poi.

One thing to remember is different shells will pattern differently. Another thing to keep in mind is don't get hung up on what it shows on paper. Those little pellets are constantly moving around as they fly through the air. So long as you don't have a big ole hole in the patterns that repeats with several shot,ls, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Now I do know the DS chokes aren't made by Briley like many other have been for years.

 

[thunderchicken]

So patterning the gun to actually see how the shot pattern dispersed was very helpful , I went from IC and M chokes to IM and F and shot by far my best round ever of clays at the IGC yesterday. Based on the patterning at 25 yards I was definitely WAY underchoked and the results on the farther away targets proved it.

I usually struggle with the crossing targets on the last few stations and legitimately shot every target on stations 9-12 without missing a single one. Definitely no where near "good" but getting better rapidly IMHO.

So I have a question, now keep in mind I haven't shot the SC course at IGC for a few years. Have you ever paused and evaluated about how far out you are actually shooting/breaking targets? I ask because regardless of patterns on paper, it's possible you had need the IM/F for those distances.
I isn't bad for skeet or shooting quail over a pointer. But personally I never used it much for any targets.

 

[hps]

Beretta a400 sporting is as fine a clays gun as any o/u!!! soft shooting and the thing runs like a fine Swiss watch. Cost as much as most used o/u. I prefer it over an o/u, the gas system WORKS an with the KO system SWEET!!

 

[planedriver]

Thunderchicken is spot on. Fit first. If it’s sex appeal first, like women bring your checkbook for the date. It’s going to take some fitting to get along..

 

[thunderchicken]

Thunderchicken is spot on. Fit first. If it’s sex appeal first, like women bring your checkbook for the date. It’s going to take some fitting to get along..

That's a good way of stating it

 

[gregkl]

Beretta a400 sporting is as fine a clays gun as any o/u!!! soft shooting and the thing runs like a fine Swiss watch. Cost as much as most used o/u. I prefer it over an o/u, the gas system WORKS an with the KO system SWEET!!

Having a Beretta AL2-Magnum since I was a teenager, I am partial to Beretta auto loaders. When I was shooting Trap, it worked well even though it had a fixed Modified choke barrel.

 

[Dean C.]

So I have a question, now keep in mind I haven't shot the SC course at IGC for a few years. Have you ever paused and evaluated about how far out you are actually shooting/breaking targets? I ask because regardless of patterns on paper, it's possible you had need the IM/F for those distances.
I isn't bad for skeet or shooting quail over a pointer. But personally I never used it much for any targets.

So on some targets definitely a full is needed, but based on how an IC "should" pattern I was way off there with my Browning chokes (70% in a 30" circle at 25 yards is what IC chokes are supposed to be). That and I have been reading and going over ShotKam video to see how I missed as well. When I get into a new hobby I go all out most of the time.

 

[Hookeye]

Hmmmm, have to pattern test some Invector Plus chokes next weekend.