First Shotgun for a New Sporting Clays Enthusiast

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  • Hooker2

    Disgruntled Pygmy
    Jan 10, 2008
    688
    Bel Air
    Back Story:
    I took my friend shooting rifles and pistols for his first time right before the pandemic. He had a blast.

    His son was coming up from Carolina last weekend and we discussed shooting as possibilities of things to do (there was a baby shower going on and he's going to be a grandfather so shooting is obviously the best solution for the guys)

    We went to Loch Raven with my dad, who after he retired as a machinist shoots sporting clays almost daily.

    They shot semis and over-unders and did really well.

    My friend is looking to shoot more but with the current world situation he's looking for a shotgun just like every other person for taking to the range and having it at home.

    I wanted to ask this collective about which semi to go with on a reasonable budget.

    I'm not looking for 'he should have armed up 5 years ago' or suggestions for Franchi. :-)

    Pretty much looking for lower budget semi or over under or S/S recommendations.

    I don't post much but always learn from the community.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    B or B.

    Browning or Beretta, whichever fits him best.

    For shotgun, fit is primary.

    Both Bs make quality shotguns at reasonable prices.

    Low priced over and unders will not stand up to the rigor of serious clays shooting.

    Semi autos work, but if you get to more challenging courses, you will like having two different chokes with an O&U.
     

    Pale Ryder

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 12, 2009
    6,232
    Millersville
    Budget semi that will withstand a lot; Beretta A300. Only downside, max’s out at three rounds so may be disadvantaged for HD.

    I was looking at getting into clays until Covid hit. Now it’s on the back burner. I have an 870 and 500 but those were more for hunting, I was close to getting an A300.
     

    Hooker2

    Disgruntled Pygmy
    Jan 10, 2008
    688
    Bel Air
    Appreciate the responses. He liked shooting the semi and the O/U so I'm going to run with these suggestions and throw some options.

    Thank you gents!
     

    Art3

    Eqinsu Ocha
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 30, 2015
    13,267
    Harford County
    See what Top Gun in Fallston has. I know he's been cleaned out of cheap and defensive type shotguns, but he had some nicer ones last time I was there.


    "Lower budget" doesn't really exist anymore:sad20:
     

    possumman

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 13, 2011
    3,199
    Pikesville Md
    Look at the Mossberg 930 Pro Sporting---its basically a slicked up 930 semi--comes with a few Briley chokes and some shims to adjust the stock. I have one as my "guest" gun and it has a couple thousand rounds thru it-never a bobble. And it is made here.
     

    rbird7282

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 6, 2012
    18,530
    Columbia
    Stoeger is a lower-priced Beretta (some interchangeable parts), the M3000 is semi-auto, comes in a variety of package forms, $600 range https://www.stoegerindustries.com/


    THIS. I have a Stoeger M3K (already set up for 3 gun, it’s just a slightly modified M3000) and it has worked flawlessly out of the box with anything I’ve put through it from day one. About $600 and no need to clean it religiously.
    No personal experience about the Mossberg JM series but have heard about many issues with them.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    alucard0822

    For great Justice
    Oct 29, 2007
    17,643
    PA
    Main difference is that O/Us are a little more compact for a given barrel length(shorter action), a little more recoil, a little better balance, a little easier to run, and they can use a specific choke for each shot. The last is probably the main advantage where clays course designers love to have "semi penalty" presentations with something like a fast crossing clay within a few yards benefitting from an open choke, and a 2nd retreating clay far away that needs a tight choke. I'm a beretta fan, but Browning and Benelli make good stuff too, the "B" guns. If you are on a sub $1k budget, a used or lower end "B" gun is probably best, especially an O/U, but some have luck with Stoeger M3000s, Rem 1100s. Mossberg silver reserve and 930s can be hit or miss, but can be great for the price if you get a good one. I have a 22" JM pro 930 that had a few hickups for the first 500 or so rounds, primarily because of tight gas rings, but after loosening up it runs flawlessly, it's primarily for 3 gun, but I love shooting clays with it. My 28" Beretta AL391 was flawless out of the box, it's a MUCH better clays gun, I prefer semis personally, and occasionally shoot tripples so it works for me. of course fit matters more with shotguns than perhaps anything else, even inexpensive guns usually include shims to adjust the stock fit, but you definitely want to spend a couple bucks more if it gets you a gun that points or feels better

    As far as using a clays gun for defense, IMO only if you don't have anything else. Most everything that makes a clays gun good for clays(long barrel/s, long LOP, slim low capacity mag, tuned for birdhot) makes it bad for defense. Each intended use really should have a dedicated gun, I have run enough shotgun comps and classes to know that a carbine is FAR SUPERIOR in a HD setting, no question about it. Shotguns are really hard to run well, and you need as much help as you can get to mitigate the overall length, heavy recoil, low capacity, and potential reliability issues with defensive shells, don't handicap yoursel further with a 4 foot long clays gun that only holds a couple rounds, and only ever sees birdshot.
     

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