Gun fit generalities between brands

[Coop453]

Very broad question, with probably no good answer, but for the sake of discussion, I'll ask anyway. I've been shooting more skeet recently, and can see that becoming something I do more as the kids are getting grown, and free time becomes a little more available. I've grown up shooting Remingtons, and find Wingmasters and 1100s feel like you favorite old flannel shirt. They're comfortable and familiar. While I could probably continue to shoot my WM happily on the skeet field, the idea of a more dedicated over under skeet gun has some appeal.

With that said, is there a model that sticks out that would fill in the blank of "If you like a Wingmaster, you'd probably like a ____" on the skeet field?

The only O/U I have is a 28 gauge Academy Yildiz, which has a considerably longer LOP, than the 870, but seems to work well for me shooting skeet and hunting. Triggers are very heavy and the safety selector is a pain, especially hunting

Thinking maybe a 20 gauge. A couple that have kind of piqued my interest are a Citori CXS and a Franchi Sideplate or LX. I'd still like to have a gun for hunting. I'm not totally opposed to a Turkish O/U, but since I'm not in a hurry I would probably be more content to save towards a ~$2500 budget.

Broad topic, and I know know the best option would be to handle/shoot as many as possible, and I plan to do that. However I'm not in the most shotgun diverse area of the country!

 

[Altitude sickness]

Coop, Good idea asking others what works for them. And what models hold up for decades.

I am going through a similar exercise. I just finished reading Robert Churchills “Shotgun Book” 3 times back to back. And highlights many more times.

So after the book working on my stance, mount and the rest. I wanted to shoot sporting clays for hunting prep.

I have my Grouse gun nailed down with a Westley Richards 20 gauge boxlock. And did well on sporting clays with it last Sunday.

So I searched O/U and SxS’s looking at Franchi, Fausti, Browning, Caesar Guerini Etc Ect.

I was led astray by the appeal of the beautiful new Italian shotguns. But when digging past the outer appearance I learned that due to rising manufacturing costs. Modern shotguns from $2000 to $6000 are not what they used to be. And lose half their value as soon as you shoot them. If used often they won’t be 100 year old guns.

One example stands out. The Franchi Instinct Sideplate. It’s a seductive siren. It looks the part for $2100. But dig deeper and it’s pretty cheaply made. Ridiculously tight to open and close.

I almost purchased a new O/U then remembered that I want to hunt birds with my vintage SxS’s and the whole purpose of training was for that. Not to compete at Clays.

So then wrote off O/U and modern guns in my price range.

I restarted my search for an affordable SxS 12 gauge that I could use for sporting clays and hunt waterfowl with. Not be so expensive I would be afraid to take it in a Duck blind, or pheasant hunting in the rain and would hold up for decades and still look nice.

For $2000-$3500 you can get a very nice quality, older, well made domestic British, European, Japanese gun that has already proved its longevity and reliability.

So now I’m waiting on the arrival of my 1971 AYA number 2 in 12 gauge I just bought this week.

And am waiting to see what someone is bringing in from England this week. And am still looking for a 100 year old London 12 gauge.


The latest purchase that will easily be a centurion some day

 

[CJNJ]

Very broad question, with probably no good answer, but for the sake of discussion, I'll ask anyway. I've been shooting more skeet recently, and can see that becoming something I do more as the kids are getting grown, and free time becomes a little more available. I've grown up shooting Remingtons, and find Wingmasters and 1100s feel like you favorite old flannel shirt. They're comfortable and familiar. While I could probably continue to shoot my WM happily on the skeet field, the idea of a more dedicated over under skeet gun has some appeal.

With that said, is there a model that sticks out that would fill in the blank of "If you like a Wingmaster, you'd probably like a ____" on the skeet field?

The only O/U I have is a 28 gauge Academy Yildiz, which has a considerably longer LOP, than the 870, but seems to work well for me shooting skeet and hunting. Triggers are very heavy and the safety selector is a pain, especially hunting

Thinking maybe a 20 gauge. A couple that have kind of piqued my interest are a Citori CXS and a Franchi Sideplate or LX. I'd still like to have a gun for hunting. I'm not totally opposed to a Turkish O/U, but since I'm not in a hurry I would probably be more content to save towards a ~$2500 budget.

Broad topic, and I know know the best option would be to handle/shoot as many as possible, and I plan to do that. However I'm not in the most shotgun diverse area of the country!

The older American guns may be more similar to the Wingmaster, with shorter LOP and lower stocks.

 

[Rimbaud]

A few years ago, I ordered an AyA No 2, round action, and had Chris Batha measure me on a tri-gun. I sent the measurements to AyA and the stock fits me perfectly. In practical terms, this means it shoots where I look which sounds perhaps like a trivial statement but it is far more accurate than my off-shelf Beretta, Benelli. The recoil on the 12 gauge is nonexistent. I almost shoot the AyA as well as the old 12 gauge beater that I grew up shooting and that my Dad bought used for next to nothing!

 

[KEC]

There really is no "easy" button for shotgun fit. Finding a shotgun that fits properly will require you to try several models and brands. I have always drawn the parallel to buying a pair of shoes to shotgun fit,
what fits me might not fit you even though they are the same size (dimensions).

 

[chashardy]

Ditto on the comments about shotgun fit. I'm a Beretta guy--I have 5 of them--and I guess I'm lucky that their off-the- shelf shotguns fit me pretty well. (I'm 5'10, 170 and in pretty good shape)
Most production Berettas are set with LOP about 14.5 inches, but they all come with a couple of extra recoil pads so you can vary the LOP by about an inch. I bought a DT11 off the shelf and it fits me perfectly and I shoot at least 100 rounds a week at clays with it. Almost no felt recoil because of the weight, design and balance.
You might want to consider a Silver Pigeon I sporting model. New it's about $2000 and built to last a lifetime.

 

[BonUm16]

If you are including Beretta and Browning in your search, most likely you’ll find one or the other will fit you well while the other does not. Of the two, Berettas work for me, Brownings not so much. And, of the Berettas I’ve owned and handled, the long discontinued BL series fit and feel the best to me. My tastes gravitate to SxSs but If I were looking to add an O/U, it would be a 20 ga BL3 or 4.

 

[BonUm16]

Coop, Good idea asking others what works for them. And what models hold up for decades.

I am going through a similar exercise. I just finished reading Robert Churchills “Shotgun Book” 3 times back to back. And highlights many more times.

So after the book working on my stance, mount and the rest. I wanted to shoot sporting clays for hunting prep.

I have my Grouse gun nailed down with a Westley Richards 20 gauge boxlock. And did well on sporting clays with it last Sunday.

So I searched O/U and SxS’s looking at Franchi, Fausti, Browning, Caesar Guerini Etc Ect.

I was led astray by the appeal of the beautiful new Italian shotguns. But when digging past the outer appearance I learned that due to rising manufacturing costs. Modern shotguns from $2000 to $6000 are not what they used to be. And lose half their value as soon as you shoot them. If used often they won’t be 100 year old guns.

One example stands out. The Franchi Instinct Sideplate. It’s a seductive siren. It looks the part for $2100. But dig deeper and it’s pretty cheaply made. Ridiculously tight to open and close.

I almost purchased a new O/U then remembered that I want to hunt birds with my vintage SxS’s and the whole purpose of training was for that. Not to compete at Clays.

So then wrote off O/U and modern guns in my price range.

I restarted my search for an affordable SxS 12 gauge that I could use for sporting clays and hunt waterfowl with. Not be so expensive I would be afraid to take it in a Duck blind, or pheasant hunting in the rain and would hold up for decades and still look nice.

For $2000-$3500 you can get a very nice quality, older, well made domestic British, European, Japanese gun that has already proved its longevity and reliability.

So now I’m waiting on the arrival of my 1971 AYA number 2 in 12 gauge I just bought this week.

And am waiting to see what someone is bringing in from England this week. And am still looking for a 100 year old London 12 gauge.


The latest purchase that will easily be a centurion some day

What loads are you planning to use for waterfowl once you have your new double, As? RST Bismuth, roll your own, something else?

 

[Altitude sickness]

I picked up the AYA yesterday. I’ll use 2 3/4” Bizmuth

 

[Shotgun Coach]

I Have found that O/U 's vs SxS do not shoot the same at all even within the same brand so my advice is once you find something that fits stay with it. Don't be trying other brands or guns just to see if they fit. Unless you have the money to burn. Then go for it.