Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Shotgun Recommendation???

I have to check the dates but I am pretty sure Ill be in Slovakia then.

May I will still be gone. Who are you squared with?

Don’t know any of them. Just signed up when I saw the Fitasc was almost filled. There will be more than a few people there that I know and can hang with.

Then again, maybe I do. I haven’t looked at the actual squad. Last time down there I shot behind Cherry. Which was a definite positive. Really nice guy, but intense when he is shooting.

Dan going?

I would be surprised if he didn't go, but haven't talked with him in a bit. He has been shooting really well and recently won the American Fitasc Championship. Wouldn't surprise me if he made the top 10-15 at the Open.

He is a hell of a shooter and funny guy.

Used to race the high speed bikes were they are running around on their knees at crazy speeds. He got pretty tore up doing so.

Yeah I remember him telling me about that.

Just remember there has rarely a thing been made that wasn’t made to sell. All those fishing lures, all variations on a theme mostly were meant to catch fishermen. Not to say this or that gizmo won’t work as advertised (though many don’t) occasionally.

Most turkeys’ heads are pretty immobile until that momentary gobble when they reach up and stretch it out. Otherwise, it floats fairly stable up over the back while strutting. I’ve taken many at that moment with from 12’s to 20’s, with from XF chokes and red dotes to IM 20 ga barrels with a just bead. 2 3/4” to 3” shells but shun the “Lil Gretal” 3 1/2 ers.

No tactical turkey guns, no gun tape, earth tone clothes for myself, a cap; hands and face covered.

Just remember, it’s an industry — you don’t have to have all that stuff.

Not 3.5", but this may be your huckleberry.

If I didn't have a stable of fine operating benellis at my disposal already, I'd be all over this.

https://www.shopdunns.com/products/9071/benelli_montefeltro_hunter_s_package/

Just saw this. Great pic....

Thanks. She gave that to me Christmas Day. Then we drove 10 hours to her grandparents in Texas. After a few hours sleep I threw some decoys out behind her grandpas shop, and ended with a limit of teal. First shots fired from the gun. I won’t admit to how many of the buzzbombs I shot at to get that limit though...

IMHO after shooting many models.... A5, Remington on Browning pat. (Old timers know) Model 12 Winchester, 870 Remington, mod1100 (one of the best) Beretta 400, Benelli SBE, Benelli SBEII. The best all around shotgun is the Benelli SBEII. It’s light , rugged, simple, fast, swings and points great,
Easy to clean. Save your money, find one on line and buy it.

The Beretta is like a sore pecker.

Can't beat it.

I have no experience with high-volume competitive shooting, so I can't really say what make or model works best over time, but I can say what works best for me.

I started out with a Rem 1100 12ga. It swung like a 50-lb bag of potatoes for me - I couldn't keep up with any clay target unless it was nearly straight outgoing or straight incoming.

I lucked into a 20ga Miroku O/U and started hitting targets for the first time in my life, assisted by a couple of lessons from a good coach. I could keep up with even the fastest crossers with that gun, and as fate would have it, when I shouldered it properly I had the rib directly lined up with my eye.

For a short time, I tried a Beretta 390 12ga. It was a very good shotgun with recommendations from a lot of competitive shooters, but it wasn't as lively as the O/U and never seemed to shoot as soft as I would like.

Then I traded into a 12ga Benelli M2. SOFT shooting, regardless of what people say about inertia guns - comparable to the 20ga O/U in my hands, and fits very well because of the provided shims that allow you to tweak it to where it hits where you're looking. If I need a 12, this is the one that goes with me. If a fast-moving 20 is needed, the Miroku just shines.

With my limited experience, I'd say don't buy any shotgun unless it has shims. There is simply no substitute for fit, and the shims make it easy and inexpensive to tailor a shotgun to shoot where you look.

Oh, and one tip when you're looking at shotguns, especially if you're new to the game - take along a plastic straw and a couple of pieces of blue plumber's tape.

After telling the owner what you're planning to do and getting his OK, put the straw on the top of the receiver and out onto the top of the rib, then tape it down. (This is why you use blue plumber's tape - it won't leave a sticky mess on the metal of a beautiful shotgun!) Make sure the straw is straight and directly on top of the rib.

Get in a proper stance and quickly bring the shotgun to your shoulder - if you are looking directly through the straw to the front sight, you have a gun that fits. If you have to push your cheek down on the comb, raise it up at all or crank your head to one side or the other, it is going to take work to make it fit, and if it doesn't have shims, that work can be expensive.

Spot on on your "Shims: recommendation. Beretta was the first manufacturer to my knowledge to offer shims.....the other manufacturers were so slow to follow....especially Remington.