Clay pigeon Shooting

Jonty

All,

I'm currently shooting a baikal S/S at clays. Its getting a bit bet, so i'm in the market for a new shotgun. Either way it'll be a beretta, so I'm thinking O/U or S/A?

Any takers on this one? I'd like to know the pros and cons of each if thats possible.

bayliner

o/u best option automatics are nearly frowned upon at this stage at shoots, i know a certain shooting ground banned them(for a spell anyway).......if you are to shoot sporting then you can change chokes to suit the diff targets,with semi you only have 1...... personally i dont like them,especially when 1 is beside you on a dtl:rolleyes:......

jwshooter

john lambert has over a dozen beretta s on the shelf new and S/H ,

Jonty

jwshooter wrote: »

john lambert has over a dozen beretta s on the shelf new and S/H ,

A friend picked up an extrema 2 off him this week, and I got a few shots out of it. Its weird shooting a semi auto, when you're not used to them. It hard to get used to the KA-KLUNK of the action.

no12

If you are looking for a Beretta try Courtlough they also have a very large selection of Berettas in there last week and had a good selction of new and s/h o/u and s/a Irelands only Beretta shop in shop AFAIK

gofaster_s13

bayliner wrote: »

if you are to shoot sporting then you can change chokes to suit the diff targets,with semi you only have 1...... personally i dont like them,especially when 1 is beside you on a dtl:rolleyes:......

There are a lot of multichoked semi/autos available, best advice is try as many differant guns as you can some people prefer the lower recoil of semis, some prefer o/u's its just a matter of preferance.

Cass

Not claiming to be an expert but i've had 4 berettas over the last few years the last of which (until recently) was a semi auto. Couldn't fault any of the guns but each new seemed to offer a little something more than the last. The semi auto was the AL391 sporter with the blue tear drop on the side of the breach. Excellent all round hunter and not too shabby at the clays.

Experienced the same problems when i first got it as others have mentioned with the KA-KLUNK after each shot. A bit off putting but after a week didn't even notice it any more. The reason i changed was the looks and at times grief i was getting on some shoots as nobody fully trusted the fact it was emptied even with tha action back and locked and breach cleary empty. Changed to a 682E Gold 2-3 months ago. Bought from Sean in Stakelums (previously of Urlingford now in Thurles). Great value both for my trade in (€200 more from him than the shop i bought it new from) and €200 cheaper than others i priced it from.

Have spent alot of time at M.N.S.C.I. over the last month or so and with the five extended multickoes that come with the gun i'm dusting on average over the different traps 90-95% of clays (spring & teal, DTL, Crossers, Ball trap). I've given the gun to others who have dusted 100% and in their opinion my 5-10% miss is down to me and not the gun. The next step up is DT10 territory.

bayliner

gofaster_s13 wrote: »

There are a lot of multichoked semi/autos available, best advice is try as many differant guns as you can some people prefer the lower recoil of semis, some prefer o/u's its just a matter of preferance.

my point was with an auto you have 1 barrell 1 choke... u/o you have 2 barrells 2 chokes!!!at sporting if you have 1 target close and the 2nd is further out or visa versa, with the auto you must choose a choke that will work for both(something in the middle) where as o/u you can choose a choke for each target:rolleyes:....... dont buy an auto would be my advice, young lads seem to buy them cause they look cool or cause have that 3rd or more shots at game, for clays not the best choice, again thats only my opinion................

ayapatrick

id prefer the o/u for the clays. the semi just doesnt feel right - i cant really explain it, even though its a great yoke for foxes and game - fast lively gun! i think the stock is a bit short and maybe thats why i dont like it for clays?? its a benelli.
I have a DT10 trap for the clays. wouldnt sell it for the world, really like it!

Cass

Couldn't agree more bayliner. The reason i bought the semi was all my shooting buddies were changing from u/o to semi. The reason i got rid of my semi auto was for the reason above but at time i bought it i was not shooting clays only game and it was great for that. When i changed to the u/o i found exactly what you said, could adjust the chokes for a more varied shooting choice ( 1 up close, 1 out further) a choice i did not have with the semi . I had to let all the clays travel out a bit to get best results from the single choke. Now i can start peeling them from when they leave the trap and still have the second shot with a tighter choke for that longer shot. Good call though. If its clays ONLY stay away from semi autos. Like you only my opinion.

jwshooter

i have a 391 mostly leave full in it ,only use it for game ,ducks, pigeon .i hate the sight of them at a clay ground .

the u,o is your man 30" or if you half tall and half well build a 32".

i use a 32" for sporting and would not highly recommend them

Cass

Hey jwshooter, out of curiosity what is about the 32" that you don't like. As i said before i'm no expert and always want to hear what others have to say to see if i can learn or improve from it.

bayliner

i started using a 525browning(supreme gold deluxe) sporter a year ago 32" barrels, prob a bit long for general sporting to be honest, am 5'8"and 15stone:(,,,, does that work?:D..... anyway i getting used to it and happy with it,and the price of it means i may stick with it now:D

jwshooter

some say its point ability ..

if you ever played darts or golf you will know a smooth swing or throw is what its all about .

a 32" barrel will slow your swing a tiny bit mind,
you will have to be more deliberate with your swing follow a line the 32" will help you but only if you use it to your benefit .

the longer barrels will draw your eye better into the target ,sight picture is different than with a 28" it looks less.

you cant fight with a 32" gun you have to work with it

less flip, less recoil, less tiring over a weekends competition .

i would think the vast mojorty of sporting competitions are won with 32" guns .

bayliner

so would you recomend a 32 or 30 for sporting then? i went from 28 to 30 to 32. wasnt really an intential thing just the way it worked out really ie;went to try new gun picked the one that fitted best or felt the best and barrell lenght never came into it,just the way it worked out,

pullandbang

Some people swear by 32" and others swear by 30", yet others say it makes no difference. I think it's really down to personal preference. The one thing you must get right though is gun fit. Make sure it fits properly or no matter what barrell length you have , you'll struggle to mount it right consistently. I would advise against a semi auto for clays though, they are frowned upon, especially in squad situations.

Good luck with what ever you get!

Cass

i'm in the same boat as bayliner. I bought the 32" as it fitted perfectly when i put it to my shoulder. Had nothing to do with price, name (or as some i've met) image. I got to try out a DT10 EELL (30" i think) and as soon as i put it to my shoulder i knew that it was not right for me. That and the mortgage of a price tag.

jwshooter

32" for sporting if your able to shoot one ,you will be cracked not to buy one please pm me if you want to chat about the pros and cons of barrel length

bayliner

ezridax wrote: »

i'm in the same boat as bayliner. I bought the 32" as it fitted perfectly when i put it to my shoulder. Had nothing to do with price, name (or as some i've met) image. I got to try out a DT10 EELL (30" i think) and as soon as i put it to my shoulder i knew that it was not right for me. That and the mortgage of a price tag.

yep same as! didnt even notice till got home with it that it was 32",, never entered my head barrell lenght:) the one thing i wanted as much as anything was exterior chokes no more messing with keys,

jw if you want to put up the pros and cons about barrell lenght here please do, am interested in anything that may help.... well ok maybe just the pro's:D:D

Jonty

I'm interested to know too

Breachloader

What about 26 or 28 inch barrels? Or is everyone of the opinion that longer is better, like 30/32?

I'm Looking to buy a Beretta Silver pigeon Sporter for clays and game both... What length would suit best???

Cheers..

Breachloader

jwshooter

go for a 30" if your tall and string build if not the 28"

cavan shooter

I have shot both o/u and repeater for clays, most my clay shooting now is done with a 30 inch o/u, I won more money with the repeater and shoot better skeet with the 391 than the o/u.

If you dont shoot registered you've nothing to worry about with regards the automatic, you can make (or buy) a deflector where your shooting on a line, just pick up the shells after you (manners).

Regardless....

Get a gun that suits you, fits you and you enjoy shooting and dont get hung up on price, or image friend of mine spent 8k on a Kemen and shoots s*ite, shot far better with a 686. I shoot with a Bettinsoli supersport and can hold my own with the Beretta's, brownings, mirokus and kemens (although I will be upping within the next two years)

On the subject of chokes-dont get hung up on them 1/4 and 1/2 is all I use in the o/u and 1/2 in the semi same for cartridges 7 1/2 's. I know another guy shoots everything 1/2 and 1/2, others that use trap guns for everything

Just enjoy yourself

pullandbang

cavan shooter wrote: »

If you dont shoot registered you've nothing to worry about with regards the automatic, you can make (or buy) a deflector where your shooting on a line, just pick up the shells after you (manners)

This chap was at a big (600 guns) registered shoot in Wales last weekend. He was using a semi which must have been annoying for the person to his right.



See the blue shell heading for the chap on the next peg who is getting ready to take his shot.

ayapatrick

any of ye ever stand beside someone with ported barrels? annoying as feck! gettin dust and sh!t in the face!

Cass

Was standing beside a lad like our friend above last week at a fun shoot. After the fourth shell in the head i got fed up, cleared the gun and left the line. It wasn't the lads fault but whatever the make of the gun it threw the shell further than any semi auto i've seen before. When i left the line the shoot continued and the chap to my left was now getting hit. Must have thrown them a good 8 - 10 feet straight out. Looks great on rapid fire but damn annoying when in a line.

MRJ

pullandbang wrote: »

This chap was at a big (600 guns) registered shoot in Wales last weekend. He was using a semi which must have been annoying for the person to his right.



See the blue shell heading for the chap on the next peg who is getting ready to take his shot.

Is he using a right handed semi. when he's a left hander?

pullandbang

MRJ wrote: »

Is he using a right handed semi. when he's a left hander?

Yes he is. It's hard to find semi-autos with the ejection port on the left although the new Beretta UGB25 Gold ejects downwards as well as breaking like a normal gun. I picked one up at the weekend and TBH it felt like a shovel.

Cass

A lad i shoot with is a Kiteog. Got himself a lovely Benelli semi auto but looked for months to get one. Not sure of the model but he used to shoot mine and said it was awkward as hell firing a right handed gun and having the ejected shell come across your face. Don't know how or why your man above is shooting with a righty. Lefties not impossible to get.

ayapatrick

pullandbang wrote: »

Yes he is. It's hard to find semi-autos with the ejection port on the left although the new Beretta UGB25 Gold ejects downwards as well as breaking like a normal gun. I picked one up at the weekend and TBH it felt like a shovel.

when ya think about it, what advantages does the UG have?

ayapatrick

ezridax wrote: »

A lad i shoot with is a Kiteog. Got himself a lovely Benelli semi auto but looked for months to get one. Not sure of the model but he used to shoot mine and said it was awkward as hell firing a right handed gun and having the ejected shell come across your face. Don't know how or why your man above is shooting with a righty. Lefties not impossible to get.

i think benelli are the only manufacturer that have a left handed version of all the guns they make.
im lefty meself and ive shot right handed semis and it never bothered me?