Teach me about shotguns

[Joe Bob]

Can't fault a Berretta.....except for the fact they named a Chevy after it.

One thing is to get a gun that fits the individual. Over unders are easier to aim. Side by siders are faster reload.

[tabs]

Originally Posted by enzo1

what about the 28 gauge, how does it play in all this?

I have a friend who has a Krieghoff B80 28 GA OU...He never hits LESS than 22 or 23 Clay Birds in a round of Skeet with it. He shoots 2 or 3 rounds with it every Sunday out in Redlands. Years ago he shot Skeet competitivily and was #2 in CA.

[tabs]

A Ferlach Austrain 12 GA OU circa 1950's.

Ferlachs can cost up to 500K and are completely hand built per customer order. Ferlach has been making spoons since 1500 AD.

[on2wheels52]

"what about the 28 gauge, how does it play in all this?"

There is a 28 ga class in Skeet shooting, and it makes a fine quail gun (if you're a good shot). The guns are usually very light. Shells will cost considerably more than 12 or 20 ga. In 25 years I think I've had two 28's come through my shop (out of 17,000) so I wouldn't call them very common.
Jim

[tabs]

The hot ticket now are Winchester mdl 42's 410's.

[targa911S]

I'm sure he is totally confused now, but great advice here. Fit is everything in a shotgun I can't stress that enough. Start easy. a remington 870 or Ithaca 37 pump in 20 ga. An 1100 remington is a good place to start in semi autos. Side by sides are a slippery slope. Keep it simple, get good and enjoy the sport, THEN start moving up. Shopping and trading is half the fun.

[on2wheels52]

Originally Posted by tabs

The hot ticket now are Winchester mdl 42's 410's.

So these old things are worth something?
Jim

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

The world of shotguns is generally divided into two distinctly different categories. There are "upland" bird guns and "waterfowl" guns. The former tend to be light and lively in the hands, the latter tend to be heavier and slower...cut...

I would look for something in the seven to eight pound range, in 12 gauge, with 3" chambers. Choke tubes are on every modern shotgun outside of the very expensive doubles but, keep in mind, changing chokes on a ten or eleven pound waterfowl gun will never make it an upland gun. Nor will changing chokes on a six pound upland gun make it a waterfowl gun. So, look in the middle ground. You will find that's where over/unders seen to live. Their fit and finish is generally superior to the pumps and autos, giving them more of an "heirloom" quality.

As usual Jeff hit all the right marks.

I have a least on of each of the shotguns you mentioned.

I use the A5 or the old pump for geese and duck. So does my son.

I like to shot Dove with the Citori, a Stroger .410 o/u or a CZ s/s 16 guage I bought from Dave.

My son, who grew up shooting a 870 Express 20 gauge, still prefers that gun for everything, deer included. He is very good with it.

All of the above guns are what I affectionately call "truck" guns...I take care of them, keep them in shape, but I don't worry about them, just like my truck

I honestly do not have a preference.

[slakjaw]

What range are you guys going to? I go to the one in woodbury sometimes... There is another trap range south of here that has a bar attached to it. I shoot a Winchester 1300 which is a great working gun. Reliable and cheap. 870's are great too.

[5String43]

When confronted with the question you ask, I looked around a bit and then bought a Browning 525 Sporting. It's a really nice gun with removable/external chokes. The one thing I will say about is that its swing is a bit heavy, since the heft of the barrels make the gun feel just a bit front-weighted. Some people choose Berettas for just this reason, as they seem to have a lighter swing. I don't think you can go wrong with either of them.

I think choosing the sporting is the way to go because it's more adaptable - might not be the ideal skeet gun (especially mine, since it has 32-inch barrels), but it works really well for trap and sporting clays.

In any case, you're into a sport that's really great fun. Pretty expensive, too, unfortunately. And with lots to learn, for me, at least, about shotgun shells.

[JTO]

Man, I like my Ruger Red Label 12 ga. It is US made, which I like and the thing is easy to hit with.

Troy

[MRM]

Thanks for the replies. They really help a lot. I think I should have put green text on my request for technical specs on the streetsweeper. I don't think they're approved for trap league use.

It has been hard to get really educated on what makes a good shotgun, no matter how much reading I do. Inevitably, most reviews or web forums end up saying something to the effect of "My expereince with ____ gun was good/bad and so I think you should/should not get one too. While that is helpful, I don't know enough to be able to evaluate why a gun is good, and what makes it higher or lower quality.

It's kind of like someone asking for help learing about 911s. Sometimes people just want you to give them the names of a model or two to look at, and they just buy what you suggest, figuring if it worked for you it will work for them. Other people want to know what makes the 3.0 SC more desirable that the 2.7 mid year cars and how to tell them apart. What makes the SC and Carrera different when they look the same? Is the 964 a transition between two desirable models, or is it good enough to stand on its own? What characteristics will each have? That sort of thing.

I am leaning toward getting an autoloader for Alex and an over/under for me. I think he likes the idea of an auto and appreciates the softer recoil. I'm looking closely at the Browning Maxus. The obvious competition is the Beretta AL391. What should I be looking for when I compare the two?

As for the over/under, there is so much out there that it's been a lot of fun looking at everything. I do like the Browning 525 and 625 sportings. Is there much difference between the two? How do they compare to the Beretta 600 series? I have heard good things about the Red Label too. Is there any reason to favor vintage or newer guns?

[slakjaw]

ok. Well for me, when I am looking at a shotgun, I want to be able to lay the butt on my bicep and have my fingers just go past the trigger. If it’s in that area then I know the spoon in question will fit me. Your mileage may vary. Good luck.

[Taz's Master]

If we're talking about Citoris, and Ruger Red Labels, where does the Winchester 101 fit into this discussion?

[john70t]

There is also the Saiga 12 or 20, which has external clips.
No experience/opinion with the shotgun world though.

[tabs]

Originally Posted by on2wheels52

So these old things are worth something?
Jim

One trusts that this 42 is part of the long term portfolio. There are things that can come and go, and a few things that are so clean or so rare that they should just stay.

If U don't know what has happened to the 42's then far be it for me to disregard my Uncle Litvak's advice about never wising up a chump,

[tabs]

Here is what U want...Collector's Firearms

[enzo1]

^^^thanks....

[targa911S]

Tabs has found a gem. That is a great price for a two barrel set also. I have bought spoons from this place and can vouch for them being a top shelf establishment.

[on2wheels52]

Great idea tabs. In the future I'll consider it as part of the Winchester Portofolio.
Jim