Suggestions for an over/under for trap and clays

[Bat-S-Crazy]

My father is retired and living in Portland now after spending a lot of time hunting in Michigan. His hunting days are over but he still loves to shoot, so we are thinking about hitting up the Portland Gun Club to do some shooting there. We were thinking of going in on an over/under so we have a gun to take to the range, but I'm unsure as to what would fit the role.

I'm guessing we have a ballpark budget of no more than $600, so if anyone has any suggestions in that price range I'd love to hear about them.

There's a nice looking over under in classified ads here for $500.. It's an Armsport Italian made gun. Maybe check for reviews and make an offer to the guy? It looks really nice...

 

[K-22]

Thanks for the info guys. In case I can't get him to up the price range, I'll keep an eye on those suggestions.

The biggest bargain in O/U are Miroku, and Charles Daly, mfg by Miroku.
Miroku guns are the equal of Browning and Winchester 101s in all respects.
I consider the guns mfg in the 60s and 70s with the round knob and long tang to be the cream of the crop. It should not be too difficult to find une of these in your price range.
Best,
Gary

 

[burntslap]

My father is retired and living in Portland now after spending a lot of time hunting in Michigan. His hunting days are over but he still loves to shoot, so we are thinking about hitting up the Portland Gun Club to do some shooting there. We were thinking of going in on an over/under so we have a gun to take to the range, but I'm unsure as to what would fit the role.

I'm guessing we have a ballpark budget of no more than $600, so if anyone has any suggestions in that price range I'd love to hear about them.

I own Beretta's, a Ruger Red, and a Steven's 555. I shoot the latter more than any of the others as it shoulders and swings well. Fit and feel will overcome a lot. I've observed "amateur" shooters with a duck gun outshoot some pretty fancy, custom guns with seasoned club shooters.

 

[DeanMk]

IF kevbot is still around, what did you end up getting and why?

 

[esbshaw]

.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Curious what you guys think is best choke combo for an over and Under or SxS gun for clays/trap/skeet. Looking at some used SxS and o/u hunting type 12 ga with various choke combos. I assume you want more heavily choked such as full/extra full if it's a hunting length barrel such as 28"?

 

[DeanMk]

Curious what you guys think is best choke combo for an over and Under or SxS gun for clays/trap/skeet. Looking at some used SxS and o/u hunting type 12 ga with various choke combos. I assume you want more heavily choked such as full/extra full if it's a hunting length barrel such as 28"?

(NOTE: response changed because I misread your question)

Off the top of my head, Skeet #1 and Skeet #2. These are the two chokes surrounding Improved Cylinder (5/1000 looser and 5/1000 tighter).
I'm more of a hunter than a "ranger", but in my experience, barrel length has more to do with shot performance (speed/range) than how it patterns....that's what chokes do.
So whether you use 26" barrels or 32" barrels, if the chokes are the same, and the loads are the same, they should ( ) pattern the same.
I will say, though....YMMV.


Dean

 

[CastleRocker]

So whether you use 26" barrels or 32" barrels, if the chokes are the same, and the loads are the same, they should ( ) pattern the same.
I will say, though....YMMV.

Actually, I lost a bet on this exact thing! (That's why I remember it). I got into a discussion with a friend of mine, that my 28" barrel threw the same size pattern as as his 32" with the same size choke, and same ammo... I lost.

Without getting into the actual physics of particle dispersion formulas; the shot pattern expands over time. A 32" barrel will shoot just a little bit faster than a a 28" due to the expanding gasses accelerating the wad/shot for a small fraction of time longer. So that means the shot package from the longer barrel will get there faster, and so the pattern is smaller. I've done this MANY times since I lost that bet. The results are always the same.

 

[DeanMk]

Interesting results, but it doesn't make sense.
I get what you're saying, but it doesn't take into account the effect of the same choke over the same distance.
If the load is traveling faster, that just means it will open up faster....think about the effect of the wad moving through the air, faster. It would just open up and let the shot disperse that much sooner.
Not saying you're lying, it just doesn't make sense.

 

[CastleRocker]

Hahaaa!!! That was EXACTLY my side of the discussion many years ago! All I can tell you is; get an inside mic, (or a snap guage, and an outside mic), or even a good set of digital calipers might work. Find two chokes that are the exact same in shotguns with at least a 4" difference in barrel length and try it for yourself. (Just don't be stupid enough to bet someone like I was).

 

[DeanMk]

Mikes, I got.
I'll have to try that some time.

 

[Carnivore]

If you are going to only spend $600 for an over under,don't worry what brand you buy.
When you get in to the top of the lower priced O/U,$1500,then start to worry about brand. But usually at that price and above ,the guns get to be very nice guns. $1500 is a good O/U,but not high priced.
$2500 isn't even medium priced yet.
Now,with that being said,I heard about a hippy shooting at a fancy gun club with everyone talking behind his back. Not wearing proper clothing and such.
They left him alone after he started knocking down everything that flew with his lowly Rem 870!
Not always the gun,but the operator
Good luck!

I'm not a hippy, but a now-retired logger, dress like one with a hickory shirt and suspenders. For some reason I like going to new-to-me sporting clays clubs with my 30" 870 pump, complete with sling, no vest, just boxes of shells under my arm. It's kinda fun to play the newbie. When they ask about my shooting experience I just say that I hunt a lot of chukars. All the big-dollar-gun guys roll their eyes, offer helpful tips before I even shoot........then I run most of the stations and beat them badly. Makes them shake their heads and wonder what just happened. BTW, my clays gun is a Browning 325, 32" ported barrels and a soft touch. Probably closing in on a half-million rounds fired.