Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Over/Under 20 Gauges - for hunting...best value?

MCH...…..

I wouldn't know what to call my experience level. I'm definitely not in the MCH/Battue bracket. Maybe, with time to actually shoot, I could hang with yinz. About all I get to do anymore is shoot a few rounds of trap every other year. If I went out right now, tonight, I feel fairly confident I'd be somewhere in the low to mid 90's.

I have always been blessed with the ability to pick up a shotgun and know whether I need bother trying to hit with it or not. I have a couple guns that feel GREAT in my hands that I struggle with. The guns I can compete with both FEEL good and POINT well. In the instance of my trap gun (it's actually labeled as a "sporting" gun), I went to a big shop. I told the guy I wanted every trap and sporting gun he had within my budget laid out on the counter. There were roughly a dozen. I mounted each one and it only took 15 minutes to make my pick. I have never regretted or thought I may have done better.

What's crazy is that the guns I have been most effective with have been somewhere between very and sorta plain-Jane guns...……..and very little, by looking at them, in common. An English stocked Stoeger Uplander Special 20 gauge SxS with 24" barrels...……………. A Winchester 1400 XTR 12 gauge with a 22" barrel...…………….. A Winchester Select Energy Sporting 12 gauge O/U with 30" barrels. Apparently, for whatever reason, each one fit(s) my style of shooting...……...whatever that style is. That CZ Mallard sat in my hands and came to my shoulder/eye just EXACTLY like the other 3 do or did. I'm pretty fairly certain I coulda been half ways dangerous with it.

Yoder

Battue is above my level. For an old man he can shoot! Add that he is a specimen of the word UGLY! Oh crap I am in trouble now!

I was just trying to highlight something you touched on that I feel too many people misunderstand. Again not really aimed at you, it may or may not apply for you. I do think you would find a longer barrel an advantage in both sporting clays and Trap. But again it needs to be the right fit and balance for you.

As for a trap gun I ran my first 50 and 100 with a Benelli M1 Super 90 that is about as ugly as Battue!

Shot sporting today for the first time in 3 months and stunk the place out, so leave me out of all this.

I only wedged my way into this one, because I previously made a promise to myself I would stay out of all future posts regarding fit. So, It was my way of giving it all to you. As they say, thank me later....

Now about ugly, you want ugly? Have you see Dan lately? And you call me ugly?

Haha I have not seen Dan in a bunch of years. I need to make it out to his club with you this year!

What was that Line/trick to said to Tobey?

Once or twice upon a time, Mr. Battue invited me to join him on a sporting clays course. Life and my lousy work schedule being what they be, I couldn't oblige his gracious offer(s).

Maybe, someday......………..if the offer still stands...…….. I've yet to set foot on a SC course. If I can't be learnt anything, at least I can be cheap entertainment.

Offer is still there, if you don't mind shooting with old ugly....

All it takes is a PM and coinciding schedules....

You may have me beat on "old"...………..but I can hold my own in "ugly". Yep.

Appreciate the extended offer, I do. Unless I'm on one of my scheduled vacation weeks...……… Saturdays (maybe) and Sundays are about all I have to work with. We'll hash SOMETHING out, one day.

Well please invite me so there can be one good looking guy there!

Be a right LONG ride from the Big Sky ............ Better have a persistent horse. 😁😁

Have Family back near Battue.

Battue, I live close............how much do you charge for shooting lessons??????

Bartman,

There is no why I should be charging anyone for shooting lessons. In fact, I’m signed up to take them myself here shortly.

Same thing, if you are close, PM and we will go and shoot sporting clays at anyone of a number of clubs close by. We both can learn from each other.

If You want lessons, I can recommend a couple who it would be worthwhile for you to pay good money to.

MCH gives me more credit than I deserve.

Fit is very important to shooting well, but there are some important caveats. First, no two fitters will prescribe the same dimensions - it’s a very complex process, a mix of objective and subjective factors. It is iterative vice prescriptive. It is also very important that a shooter’s technique is correct and consistent.

Sounds like chicken or egg - so how do you develop adequate skill and technique suitable to seek a custom or altered stock?
My recommendation is to initially put yourself in the hands of a good instructor who will check and adjust “rough” fit with temporary means (I use a lot of duct tape and cardboard, as well as washers to adjust pitch), and who will work with you in your correct technique. Get the gun fit in the ballpark, acknowledging that it won’t be perfect. Then practice. Thousands of targets.

As MCH alludes above, “feel” is not the same as “fit”, but does also play a role in seeking out the right gun along with getting the fit right. A perfectly fitting gun whose dynamics are ill suited to the task at hand is a fool’s errand. The opposite is true as well.

Now, to the direct question at hand, I would default in my purchase and recommendation first to a 20 gauge Beretta 686. If for whatever reason the Beretta doesn’t ring your bell, get a Browning Citori if you just like it better. I certainly wouldn’t make my decision based on a couple hundred dollars either way.

I taught Toby a trick where if I would ask him, “Would he rather look like me or be dead?” At which time Toby would go down with all four paws in the air.

Dan thought it was a hoot, and most times when we were in a crowd, he would ask Tob the question. Which would always get a laugh.

If I was a Chinaman, I’d have called him a plick.

Dan was not the only one that thought it was hilarious

Cool beaners.

Maybe if you're back east visiting, all 3 of our schedules could align to do some shootin'.

Again...…...…. I'll provide the entertainment.

Sounds great to me!

Considering the O.P...……… If this happens, I sure HOPE we don't have to bring a 20 gauge O/U.

Only one I have is beautiful and feels great in my hands...……...but I can't hit CRAP with it.

They pattern well.