First sporting clays shoot which gun

[dwh79]

I am going to my first sporting clay shoot here in a few weeks. I am not sure what is best a 20ga 1187 or a 12 ga Ithaca model 37. What would you recommend? 20 semi auto or 12 pump? Also what shot size and powder amount?

 

[Grizhicks]

I would go with the gun you shoot best (leaning towards the 12); just use 7-1/2 field loads. -- Grizhicks

 

[Fordtough25]

Agreed. Use what you are used to, although I would imagine the 12 gauge would be easier to hit the clays with. I use the cheap field loads that come in 100 round boxes at wal mart, or the estate loads at my LGS.

 

[Leo]

Nothing wrong with that old pump gun esp if it is modified choke. I am sure a few of the stations you will need to shuck it pretty fast to get the second shot, but the 37's usually work pretty slick. Have Fun!

 

[H.T.]

I would use a 2GA black powder goos gun. Loaded with a sh@t load of #7 shot.
Be sure to mount gun on a swivel & have multiple clays let loose at one time.

 

[IndyND]

As a shotgun newbie I took a 20 gauge semiauto to my first clays course and greatly enjoyed it without any sore shoulder afterward. Lots of good advice about taking the one you shoot best / are most comfortable with. I would consider recoil in the equation if you are making your own loads since you'll be hitting your shoulder one hundred times.

 

[Twangbanger]

If they both fit you decently and you can hit with them, take the semi-auto, even if it is "just" a 20 gauge. The pump will work ok on "report pairs," but most courses today throw a lot of true-pairs, both targets thrown at once. A beginner with a pump gun, regardless how slick it is, will end up staring at a lot of second birds disappearing behind a tree that he never had a chance at, because he couldn't operate the gun and get onto them quick enough. Sporting can be shot with a pump, but it takes a lot of work on your gun handling to get there, and you'll always be at a disadvantage.

As for 20 ga. loads, any standard 2.5 dram 7/8 oz. target load of 7.5s or 8s will do, for your first time out. Most courses you'll be able to stick the Imp. Cyl. tube in for most of the course, although some courses have longer shots where a mod or even full might be needed. Not to get too serious your first time, but I'd recommend a couple shots on a pattern board with whatever choke tubes you plan to use, to make sure the point-of-impact isn't screwy on them.

 

[dwh79]

Thanks for the post I have shot trap several times with my model 37 and the actions are buttery smooth. I have been shooting a 37 for 25 years and have never shot a semi so probably will stick with the 37.

 

[Iceman]

Agree with what people have expressed here that you should take what you are better / more comfortable with. If you are shooting singles or a report pair, one gun won't have much advantage or the other in my opinion. If you're wanting to shoot true pairs, though, due to your need for a faster second shot I'd lean strongly towards that semi-auto. Don't get me wrong, I have a 37 in 16 ga - and I love that old thing - favorite pump action I've ever shot.

As far as loads, I have a lot more experience shooting clay with 12 ga than I do 20 ga. I usually shoot what I have found to be super cheap and super clean: Estate #8 shot does fine for my purposes usually. If you want to get super fancy and know for what kind of shot you are presented with, what choke and shot size you should select, check this out: http://bendershima.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/chokechart_inside.jpg

 

[tat2clod]

Im with all the replies except the Estate shells being clean shoot them at the Turkey Shoot matches far from clean just my