what shot gun for trap and maybe sporting clays?

[blaser f3]

I'm surprised that there doesn't seem to be more Blaser F3 owners here .
This is my ashtray buster , and I don't see myself changing it until I wear it out ( which will take a very long time )

[stokesrj]

Very nice gun, which version of the F3 is this?
Bob

[Biebs]

Rob, We're in the same boat...Ihaven't shot clays in 15 years, but just got the bug again. I'm not sure how much you want to spend, but there are good guns in most every price range. You can get an autoloader from $1,000 for a Rem 1,100 to $1,600 for a Beretta 391 to $2,000 for a Benelli Sporting. In O/U guns, the sky is the limit. A trap gun shoots more of it's pattern above the point of aim than does a Sporting Clays or Field gun, as the targets are rising from the traphouse. An adjustable comb allows you to adjust between trap and sporting clays or hunting, or you can just buy padded cheekpieces to raise it up for trap. Higher end guns now have adjustable vent ribs, so you can vary the impact of the pattern compared to the aim point, from 50/50 (half of pattern above bead, half below), to 80/20 for fast rising targets.

I just picked up a used Beretta 682 with 30" barrels and choke tubes for $1,600 in great shape with little use. This will suffice until I really start to define what I need and want. If you want to got all-out, one of the nicest I've seen is the Blaser F3 Super Sport, with nice wood, adjustable comb and rib....and it's a Blaser

[pumpernck]

Blaser F3 is a nice shotgun.

[boyscout]

On a budget I would buy a Beretta 391 sporting or the new one.
A higher budget?, Blaser F3.
Unlimited budget?, I'd go to Connecticut Shotgun Manufacturing Company with a professional fitter/shooting coach and have them build me something.

The thing is, and I know it is hard to believe, but in all reality the Beretta Semi is probably the best choice at the end of the day. Reduced recoil has great advantages. At the end of an all day event and especially multi day events I believe the semis help me break more clays. That being said I love doubles. Side by sides make my heart go pitter patter. I have a Rigby best 12 ga. that is my go to hunting gun (unless the weather is really foul). It is the only gun i own that is absolutely not for sale.

I can't stress enough what an epiphany it was to learn how a shotgun is supposed to fit. But, it was a process. First I had to learn how a shotgun is supposed to mount. Now i can pick up any shotgun and know what must be done to make it mine. It took professional coaching to get me this.
I like rifles. Rifles are tools. Double rifles are not to be included in this statement.
I love shotguns. Shotguns are art.

For what it is worth i was an A-AA level shooter. The game just got too expensive. I quit playing about 7 years ago.

[robert baker]

My latest update. Bought a k80 combo kit. Still getting used to it. It is a lot diferant then I was used to.

[stokesrj]

I bought a Blaser F3 competition with 30" barrels a few weeks ago. So far I've only shot trap with it but did manage a 97/100 with a straight 50 in the middle. So I think for not shooting the game for many years it is a fantastic shooter. I've had custom fitted guns that I didn't do any better with. If I find myself shooting it enough to warrant it I might move to a higher grade wood that is fitted precisely to me but it seems to be good enough as is so far.

[ajdillon]

My sporting clays club closed, just put my Browning Citori 525 Golden Clays up on GunsAmerica if anyone is interested.

http://www.gunsamerica.com/950827043/Br ... -Clays.htm

Andrew