I have been considering getting back into clay pigeon and possibly trap shooting. I have always liked the over under shotguns, but do not want to spend a fortune. Some of the Turkish made shotguns look good, but not sure of their performance and durability. Any good suggestions?
6 Likes
@em44052 How Fun for You 
Iāve got a Old Ruger Over&Under it Works,I Still Miss my āāSilver Snipeāā
7 Likes
I am a qualified CPSA instructor here in the UK ( Google it, CPSA not me lol), i will however say what ever suits your budget, and as long as it goes bang, ( just make sure which ever you choose is fitted correctly for you ( yes it makes a difference) other wise it may go bang but you will not hit much) just saying.
5 Likes
I would also recommend if you are taking up Clay shooting get some initial professional instruction as bad habits will happen and you will then find it difficult to hit the clays.
6 Likes
Hi John, Any suggestions on how to choose a shotgun that correctly fits? Is it different from picking a rifle?
@John025 I used to be pretty good at clay shooting and trap. I knew a member at a skeet and trap club and went quite often. That has been a while and would need to basically start over I believe.
5 Likes
Nothing wrong with a lesson to refresh the brain, yes it costs but if you have a good instructor they will set you on the right path to smash those clays, also shoot those disciplines your bad at, it will improve you over all and get you out of your comfort zone, only way you will learn.
5 Likes
Sorry missed your asking about shot gun fitting, if your instructor or gun salesperson ( wouldnāt go for the latter though unless they are the instructor and see everything about you, stance, size etc), is worth their salt they will consider all the factors ( and there are many), it is a rather in-depth process ( should not be about cost when getting a gun to fit though, buying any gun no matter the price should include a free fit or recommendation for one).
Basic Main one is stock length though, my advice is no more or less than 2-3 fingers between your nose and your thumb when you hold the gun ( bear in mind this also depends on your instructor ensuring your stance is correct) CPSA instructors over here, work on feet first and then work upwards for the rest of the body. It would take up most of this web site for me to go in-depth trust meā¦ It isnāt a complicated process hence my saying get a good instructor use their guns to get a basic idea on fit and get good advice, nothing worse than spending money on something that isnāt rightā¦ Also its never the gun that misses, its always you.
6 Likes
and no rear site on a shotgun thatās your eye lol hence my advice on gun fit
7 Likes
These are just suggestionsā¦ carefully qualify your needs and budgetā¦ how do you plan to use the shotgunā¦which gauge suits your needs best (12,16,20,28, OR .410) How much can you realistically affordā¦ ( itās easy to over spend when faced with so many choices)ā¦ read reviews and gather owner infoā¦ Go to Academy or the store of your choice and hold a few in person so you wont be suprised(or disappointed) later on. Donāt get in a hurry (I knowā¦ itās hard!!) Due diligence pays off. Turkey is now the shotgun manufacturing center of the worldā¦ they are less-expensive for one main reasonā¦ 1 US DOLLAR EQUALS 8.5 TURKISH LIRA.
6 Likes
@manicmecanic @John025 Great Suggestions and Pointās Made !
When the Light Came on for Me as to gun fit, Was when The sight plane looked likeā I was looking down the Flight deck of a Carrierā and the Golden Bead at the end was Magnificent. 
4 Likes
I shot competitive clays for close to 4 decades. And the one thing that has remained true over that 40 years is you get what you pay for. Iāve owned O/U shotguns made by Winchester, Browning, Remington and Beretta. I have shot, in competition, Krieghoff, Perazzi, Yildz, Hatsan, Ruger, CZ and ATA O/Us. So hereās my take.
Very expensive shotguns are works of art but donāt improve your game any. The Turkish value market O/Us just are not going to hold up especially if you intend to compete. The one exception would be CZ. They make a good O/U and only seem to be improving. Of the Winchester, Browning, Remington and Beretta O/Us I owned all had some sort of breakage except for the Browning. I have two Skeet grade Citoris in 12 and 20 gauge with tens of thousand of rounds through them with not one failure. Brownings are not super cheap but nor are they extravagantly expensive. The old saying is āBrownings donāt wear out they just wear in.ā I agree with that.
Now over the last two decades the real paradigm shift in shotguns has been in semi-auto shotguns. The strides in reliability are almost if not as good as todays good O/U. And they kick way less then any O/U. Finally if there are stoppage issues most can be self repaired. My pick is the Beretta A400. The price is just under the good O/U prices and it will make shooting a 200 clay session a lot less fatiguing.
6 Likes
John, I agree with you wholeheartedly. I am also a sporting clays instructor and canāt over emphasize the need for proper stock fit. Without it, success can be limited. I usually recommend that folks that are new to the game, (if they already have purchased a gun) to go to their local skeet/trap/ sporting clays range and find a qualified instructor. Not only will it improve their game, but he can usually make knowledgeable suggestions on stock fit. They can then hunt down a local smithy to make it happen.
M. Hall
4 Likes
āItās Hard To Hit If The Gun Donāt Fitā!
5 Likes
Like the Stoeger. Got a SxS the other year, double triggers, 12g, choke tubes. Really liked it. Fit me right away, although not everyone will be that lucky. Found out my dad had 2 O/Us - one in 12, one in .410 - and they come up right. Havenāt fired them, though.
5 Likes
I have a Mossberg Onyx Reserve O/U that I purchased in 2005. I could have purchased anything I wanted but as I went down the gun rack at the LGS this one just seemed to fit me compared to all the others. How it shouldered, how it fit my hands and how it interfaced with my head was what sold me.
Itās still my go to sporting clays SG today. Iāve had to send it back to Mossy twice to fix the firing pins but the good thing about Mossy is the life time warranty.
Iāve put thousands of rounds thru it.
Recently Mossberg re-released the Reserve series O/U and itās MSRP is basically what I paid in 05. And it comes with a set of 5 chokes.
Note that the guns are actually made in Turkey and imported and distributed by Mossy here in the states. But Mossy warranties them.
Good luck!
5 Likes