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Clay shooting beginner

4,153 Views | 44 Replies | Last: 7 yr ago by Hoss
Knucklesammich
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I learned skeet on a youth model 1100 20ga.

Seems to me a gas operated semi will give you a shotgun you can use and learn on at a decent cost. If you get more into it then you can move up to an O/U if you'd like and still have a semi for other things like Dove, Quail, etc.

Less of a beating while you learn and depending on what you buy way more budget friendly to start.


I have a Browning Citori from the mid 80s that I've shot for nearly 30 years. My buddy got a Yldiz O/U and its a great gun for the money but I feel that it kicks more....not sure if its perception over reality, if its lighter thus more felt recoil, etc but that's just my perception.
civilized05
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AG
I shoot an A400 and love it. I'm in the Houston area and don't mind you shooting it if you're interested. May be a little higher of a budget than you want, but it's an incredibly easy shooting gun. Have shot well over 200+ rounds in a day with a thin fishing shirt on and had no soreness.

Personally, I've steered several budget-minded folks towards the A300 and they love it. There's a rebate going on right now for the A300, A350 and A400. With that in mind, you'd be looking at a pretty nice semi-auto A300 for around $600 + taxes from somewhere like Bass Pro.
JSKolache
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AG
Go used for lower price - and choose one with the best sight picture when you shoulder it. There are slight variations in fit among all brands & lines.
Hoss
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AG
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If you're on a budget, just get a Remington 870.


NOOOOOO!

You do NOT want a pump for sporting clays or skeet.

Meh, maybe we'll agree to disagree. I've shot at many clay events with my 870 and almost always score high (have been on second and third place teams more than once and had the third highest individual score on one occasion). These were all at large fundraiser events standing side by side with folks shooting very nice O/U's and semi-autos. Sure, if I wanted to shoot with the professionals I'd probably select a different gun, but for amateur events or just for a fun a pump will work just as well as anything else.

A pump certainly isn't the soft shooter a semi is, but aside from that I can't think of a single reason not to shoot clays with it. If it's good enough to hunt with it's good to enough to fake hunt with. And since the OP said he's on a budget, I think the 870 is a pretty solid suggestion.

By the way, I think the Yildiz mentioned several times above is the brand I was thinking about in my first post.
TheEyeGuy
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AG
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If you're on a budget, just get a Remington 870.


NOOOOOO!

You do NOT want a pump for sporting clays or skeet.

Meh, maybe we'll agree to disagree. I've shot at many clay events with my 870 and almost always score high (have been on second and third place teams more than once and had the third highest individual score on one occasion). These were all at large fundraiser events standing side by side with folks shooting very nice O/U's and semi-autos. Sure, if I wanted to shoot with the professionals I'd probably select a different gun, but for amateur events or just for a fun a pump will work just as well as anything else.

A pump certainly isn't the soft shooter a semi is, but aside from that I can't think of a single reason not to shoot clays with it. If it's good enough to hunt with it's good to enough to fake hunt with. And since the OP said he's on a budget, I think the 870 is a pretty solid suggestions.

By the way, I think the Yildiz mentioned several times above is the brand I was thinking about in my first post.
As someone who used to compete in sporting clays, there are times you will be at a genuine disadvantage using a pump. If he already had the pump and was just going to rock that for a bit, that's one thing. If he's going out to buy a gun, there are semis and O/Us that don't cost much more that will negate the pump disadvantages.

Two main issues with pumps on a SC course.... one is time... on some birds, the follow up shot has to be nearly instantaneous. Pumps are obviously a little slower. The other thing is just concentration... so much easier to pick up and get on the second bird without having to mentally think about shucking a shell in. Plus, one thing less to go wrong in regards to short stroking it.

At the end of the day, sure, you can shoot SC with a pump. However, unless you already have one, why even look at a pump when there are other options that are genuinely better for it?
OnlyForNow
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AG
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Two main issues with pumps on a SC course.... one is time... on some birds, the follow up shot has to be nearly instantaneous. Pumps are obviously a little slower. The other thing is just concentration... so much easier to pick up and get on the second bird without having to mentally think about shucking a shell in. Plus, one thing less to go wrong in regards to short stroking it.



I'd typically agree with you, and while I can't deny physics, I can beat quite a few people to the shot on a two shot set with my nova; both on a SC course and in the marsh on ducks.

If you're prone to short stroke it and cause a jam, that'll always be a problem for you and a semi is obviously the way to go, but if you handle an 870 or nova well then it's a good gun to practice with, especially if you're gonna end up hunting with it as well.
AgEng06
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AG
I love these threads
TheEyeGuy
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AG
Also, let me put it this way...

Weatherby SA08 and CZ 612 can both be had for $500. If that is more than you want, look at the Winchester SXP.... I do those for about $300 and they have a $25 rebate right now.
Hoss
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AG
quote:
quote:
quote:
quote:
If you're on a budget, just get a Remington 870.


NOOOOOO!

You do NOT want a pump for sporting clays or skeet.

Meh, maybe we'll agree to disagree. I've shot at many clay events with my 870 and almost always score high (have been on second and third place teams more than once and had the third highest individual score on one occasion). These were all at large fundraiser events standing side by side with folks shooting very nice O/U's and semi-autos. Sure, if I wanted to shoot with the professionals I'd probably select a different gun, but for amateur events or just for a fun a pump will work just as well as anything else.

A pump certainly isn't the soft shooter a semi is, but aside from that I can't think of a single reason not to shoot clays with it. If it's good enough to hunt with it's good to enough to fake hunt with. And since the OP said he's on a budget, I think the 870 is a pretty solid suggestions.

By the way, I think the Yildiz mentioned several times above is the brand I was thinking about in my first post.
As someone who used to compete in sporting clays, there are times you will be at a genuine disadvantage using a pump. If he already had the pump and was just going to rock that for a bit, that's one thing. If he's going out to buy a gun, there are semis and O/Us that don't cost much more that will negate the pump disadvantages.

Two main issues with pumps on a SC course.... one is time... on some birds, the follow up shot has to be nearly instantaneous. Pumps are obviously a little slower. The other thing is just concentration... so much easier to pick up and get on the second bird without having to mentally think about shucking a shell in. Plus, one thing less to go wrong in regards to short stroking it.

At the end of the day, sure, you can shoot SC with a pump. However, unless you already have one, why even look at a pump when there are other options that are genuinely better for it?
Fair enough. Like I said, if I were going to shoot competitively I'd select a different gun. And if I ever get around to buying myself a good semi I have no doubt I'll use that instead of my 870. But the OP said he was on a budget and the 870 is a classic reliable budget gun. Certainly there are better choices available for more money (but probably not for the same or less money).

I don't really agree with your comment on concentration and having to think about racking the next shell in. At first that's true, but in time that pretty much becomes automatic. I honestly don't even think about racking the slide when I'm hunting or shooting clays. It just happens. And it happens pretty fast.
AZAG08
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AG
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. I honestly don't even think about racking the slide when I'm hunting or shooting clays. It just happens. And it happens pretty fast.




I guess that makes you a.....Hoss
Hoss
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AG
quote:
quote:
quote:
quote:
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. I honestly don't even think about racking the slide when I'm hunting or shooting clays. It just happens. And it happens pretty fast.




I guess that makes you a.....Hoss

Yeah, I get that a lot.
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