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Thread: Semi-Auto for Sporting Clays
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July 4th, 2020, 10:46 PM #1
Semi-Auto for Sporting Clays
Been having some fun lately at Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays and it's time to "upgrade"... I know I want 12 gauge and semi-auto even with some of the benefits of a good O/U.
Looking at the 3 B's.. Beretta, Benelli and Browning. I was originally leaning towards the Benelli's but find myself more interested in the Beretta (specifically the Beretta A400 Xcel Multitarget 30" KO) due to the gas system and lower recoil. Price-wise I'm okay with spending a little extra to get the right thing the first time out.
ANYWAY, that's my research so far. Any other shorting clay shooters out there want to throw in their opinion?"A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves." ― Edward R. Murrow
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July 4th, 2020, 11:19 PM #2Senior Member
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Re: Semi-Auto for Sporting Clays
I have that exact shotgun. Last time I shot clays, our group scorer and I got to talking and he has one as well. He found that his swing benefitted from some added weight under the barrel in the cg spot, but I haven*t shot mine enough at sporting clays to be that dialed in with mine.
I bought a semi auto since my daughter had shown an interest in clays shooting with me, and all my research pointed to the parallel target model with the kickoff system. Dealer just got back from the Grand trap championships, had a multi target that was bought brand new by a lefty shooter who thought the semi auto action he could manage but the shell extraction came right across his field of vision so he returned it with 50 rounds through it. I saved several hundred dollars on the purchase.
It*s also a very pretty gun even though the *wood* is faux grained with some kind of appliqué system Beretta uses.
Soft shooter, for sure, took me a bit to get the rib dialed in too, with the front and rear height adjustments.
I mainly run my Browning 725 high rib spotter 32* o/u though. Both great guns, both will shatter clays. The only thing I have found, and it*s nothing against the Multi-target, but more a semiauto vs o/u thing is I like o/u because of the two different chokes I run in the Browning. You only have one barrel in the semi auto, so if you run a course that has targets moving toward you or away, the second choke can be tighter or more open if you know what your second shot is going to do. With the one barrel semi, you get one choke constriction no matter what the second bird is doing. Really though, that only matters in competition where shooters might be swapping chokes at each station.
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July 4th, 2020, 11:30 PM #3
Re: Semi-Auto for Sporting Clays
I haven't used an A400 but I will say my preferred setup is a 12 gauge gas operated autoloader for sporting clays.
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July 5th, 2020, 08:40 AM #4Grand Member
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Re: Semi-Auto for Sporting Clays
I had a Smith & Wesson Super 1000 made by Howa in Japan (vs. the current). It was gas return and was my go to shotgun for any kind of clay. It's old now with no spare parts easily available so I'm also looking for a good gas system shotgun.
Know your audience. Don't try to sell a Prius at a Monster Truck Rally.
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July 5th, 2020, 11:12 AM #5
Re: Semi-Auto for Sporting Clays
Cant go wrong with an A400. Personally I would stay away from the SBE series. Not that their bad guns but I've seen more problems with them than any gun. Also cant go wrong with a Rem 1100 or 1187. Just because it's a 60 year old design doesn't mean it won't run for a million shells either.
I run 3 guns for clays depending on my mood. It's either my FN Competition SLP (the blue one) , a FN O/U, or my old ass Rem 1100.
The FN with has the benefit of lighter and capacity, the O/U is heavy but has the benefit of 2 chokes, and the 1100 has a steel receiver so it's also a bit heavy but absorbs recoil nice. But I find myself using the O/U the most.
Really I think it depends on the course you shoot and how serious you want to be .
I shoot clays at Lawrence and we have birds from point blank to 60 yards. Each station has 4 machines. You pick your pair out of 4 machines. Each machine is progressively harder. The O/U really shines there. Can run 2 ammo choices with 2 chokes depending on the birds at the station.Last edited by DucatiRon; July 5th, 2020 at 11:16 AM.
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July 5th, 2020, 11:49 AM #6
Re: Semi-Auto for Sporting Clays
A5 for me all day long.
The Gun is the Badge of a Free Man
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July 20th, 2020, 07:30 PM #7
Re: Semi-Auto for Sporting Clays
Benelli , I shoot an M2 12 ga and my wife shoots a M1 super 90 20 ga. We shoot clays once a month.Can beat them for simple operation. No need to worry about gas system clogging. Ours cycle everything from light to magnum loads.
Really can*t go wrong with either a Benelli or a Beretta semi IMHO . I prefer the inertia system of the Benelli*s. Very easy to clean too.
While an OU is a great choice for clays ( choke options) I prefer my semi's.Fortuna audaces iuvat
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July 23rd, 2020, 11:46 AM #8
Re: Semi-Auto for Sporting Clays
I used to shoot my Benelli Sport II all the time and it has been amazing. The performance never disappointed me, light weight, low recoil, easy to take apart to clean, and so on. The only shotgun I would consider changing to would be the supersport carbon fiber furniture version for the looks.
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July 23rd, 2020, 12:04 PM #9Active Member
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Re: Semi-Auto for Sporting Clays
"I have that exact shotgun. Last time I shot clays, our group scorer and I got to talking and he has one as well. He found that his swing benefitted from some added weight under the barrel in the cg spot, but I haven*t shot mine enough at sporting clays to be that dialed in with mine."
I have a Rem 11-87, bought it to hunt pheasants out west. You don't need to plug the gun to 3 rounds in SD.
I removed the plug one day and loaded 5 rounds. the balance was great.
I made a plug from brass bar stock, it's the same length as the factory plastic plug, but, I turned it down until it weighed the same as the two rounds it replaces.
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July 28th, 2020, 09:27 PM #10Grand Member
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Re: Semi-Auto for Sporting Clays
Browning Citori is what I run. OU classic styling, can shoot light reloads and never worry about a jam. 2 chokes is nice as well.
Hoplophobia is funny
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