34 replies to this topic

[matthewbas]

looking for a good semi for shooting clays. Want to see what people thing are the better semis on the market. I just shoot at camp now but only want to buy once so as i get better i dont want anything else

[mike_pinto]

Check out the Beretta Urika2 Sporting. Very reliable platform and you see a ton of them on the skeet, trap, and sporting fields.

[Roadrider18]

My son shoots the Benelli Montefeltro and has no trouble at all on the course.

[E K]

Budget?

[2alpha]

Beretta 390-391 is very popular in sporting clays, the 303 is very well thought of and a great gun if you can find one. These are all gas guns, you don't see many recoil operated guns in clay shooting because of the recoil.

[Airedale]

Another vote for Beretta.
I shoot an old 303 special trap (32!" barrel) for sporting clays.
Great guns
Dave

[RKA5]

You'll find that, almost without exception, the better shooters are shooting over/unders. Those few shooting semi-autos mostly use various Berettas, Brownings, and Remingtons.

[Lilly]

Another vote for the Beretta 391.

[dragon52]

My vote is for an over/under. But if it has to be an semi-auto it would be beretta.

[warpspeed]

It is very rare to see a semiauto on the tap field and the ones I have were Remington 1100s.

The club I shoot at also has a very large sporting clays course and I have seen lots of Beretta 391s there. They seem to be popular.

I don't venture down to the skeet side so no idea there.

[2alpha]

When the OP said "clays" I thought sporting clays, if trap I would go with the Remington 1100, you see more of them than any other autos at the trap field.

[bigredog]

Why does all of the best shotguns start with b?

Beretta
Browning
Benelli

[Ssanders224]

Best?? A Super X1 set up for you.
Beretta Teknys is right there with it.
You can't go wrong with a 391, they are great.

[TheExtreme]

Beretta A400 Xplor Unico, Benelli, SKB XL900. Go out to the range, and try a few. Guys love to show off their guns and let somebody else try them. The best shotgun in the world is the one that fits you.

[leftnose]

I'm partial to the Beretta 391. I own five of them but they are being phased out by Beretta.

[leftnose]

Why does all of the best shotguns start with b?

Beretta
Browning
Benelli

Perazzi
Kreighoff
Kolar

Oh, wait.

[nontactical]

If you go to a league shoot or sanctioned tournament nowadays, you see the field fairly evenly divided between o/u "b" guns and Beretta 391 variants. Of course, there are Remingtons, Benellis, and exotic O/Us all the way up to Krieghoffs, but the vast majority of shooters are shooting either a Beretta or Browning O/U or a Beretta auto loader. There is a reason for this.

[ranger]

If you go to a league shoot or sanctioned tournament nowadays, you see the field fairly evenly divided between o/u "b" guns and Beretta 391 variants. Of course, there are Remingtons, Benellis, and exotic O/Us all the way up to Krieghoffs, but the vast majority of shooters are shooting either a Beretta or Browning O/U or a Beretta auto loader. There is a reason for this.

This is a very accurate statement.

[Agusta]

Another vote for 391

[canuk]

A vote for the new A400 target gun (blue receiver I think?).

yes,o/u rule but I'm assuming the OP knows he wants a semi.

[iconoclast]

I have a Beretta AL391 Urika trap - a pretty good shotgun made better with raised rail (I have a long neck and proper fit is impossible with standard rails) and bumpbuster recoil absorber. The combination is very comfortable and mitigates recoil VERY well. Unfortunately it is VERU heavy - but worth the money and recoil reduction.

I also have a Remington 1100 trap with aftermarket Jack west stock and bumpbuster recoil reducer - also excellent recoil reduction and more reliable. Slightly lighter (sans rail) as well. I plan on placing raised sights (like turkey hunting or slug gun sights) on it at some point as the raised rails are somewhat heavy and unwieldy.

Overall, I recommend the Remington option as it is substantially cheaper, more reliable, and simpler (complete stock available afterward or as competition model through remington dealers). Both are 12g guns. Also, extended magazine tubes are available (through Briley, etc...) if you wish to add 3-6 additional rounds.

I also have a remington 1100 in .410 bore which is not as reliable, though it is still quite new (about 250 rounds). Recoil is non-existent (as you might have guessed), but the sensation of the bolt returning is slightly irritating compared with rock-solid superposed versions with tubes.


S

looking for a good semi for shooting clays. Want to see what people thing are the better semis on the market. I just shoot at camp now but only want to buy once so as i get better i dont want anything else

[56hawk]

A vote for the new A400 target gun (blue receiver I think?).

yes,o/u rule but I'm assuming the OP knows he wants a semi.

I just bought one of those. The guy who runs my local trap range said it's probably the best semi auto out there. It hasn't shown up yet though so I don't have first hand experience yet.

[mbrody]

The best shotgun in the world is the one that fits you.

Remington, Winchester, Beretta, etc. has to fit you. If it does not fit, it is worthless. Shooting clays, the shotgun is just an extension of your eyes/head that are fixed to the stock. The bead/sight are nothing more than an alignment check.

I Love my 391 Field because of the fit - like a glove. I pick it up, and it is right there. I like it more than the other brands really because I like the weight, balance, recoil (lack of) and overall smooth action. Just my preference.


BTW, I shoot skeet and sporting clays with my 391. For IPSC Shotgun, I use a Remington Versa Max.

[reiser]

what gun you shoot has less advantage to how good it fits.. I shoot my $300 1100 better than my beretta teknys because I had the remington fitted to me.

[Naka16]

what gun you shoot has less advantage to how good it fits.. I shoot my $300 1100 better than my beretta teknys because I had the remington fitted to me.

Agree with this 100% pretty new to shooting but my cheap, junk M887 Remington works better for me than those nice BT99's. 34" barrel bt99 vs 28" m887.