Sporting Shotguns?

[Drue]

I am interested in becoming involved with clay target shotgun shooting. I have read, in a number of places, that one should choose a "sporting gun" rather than a field gun. I know what a trap gun is and I know what a skeet gun is but I am a little fuzzy on what a "sporting gun" actually is. For example, on the Browning website, the Citori 625 Field comes with 3 flush chokes and has a MSRP of $2500. The 625 Sporting has 5 extended chokes and barrel ports and has an MRSP of $3500. Two chokes and barrel ports don't seem to add up to $1000 to me. What am I missing?

Thanks

Drue

 

[Telekinesis]

I'm not sure about those specific guns, so I can't comment on the price difference specifically, but I will say that if you're just starting and going at it for fun (and not to be a top level competitor) a field gun is fine. But if you want a dedicated sporting gun, that's great too.

I have found that a lot of "sporting" guns have better wood on them, as well as a stock design that would lend itself more towards customization, so that could be one source of the price difference you're noticing.

Also for a competition gun, I'd replace all of the chokes anyway. I haven't found a single OEM choke that patterns well. It doesn't mean there isn't one out there, but everyone I know uses aftermarket chokes (usually Briley). Extended chokes just make them easier to get out and let you rest the barrel on your toe without worrying about scuffing the barrel itself. The difference in pattern between extended and regular chokes is negligible in my experience. Especially if you extend the forcing cone.

Also, the "sporting" gun *may* have lighter or better triggers (one physical trigger, but 2 mechanisms, one for each barrel). I would take that with a grain of salt though, as my Citori had horrible triggers out of the box. One was pushing 4 lbs and the other was over 5.5 lbs. I got them taken down to 3.25 lbs each.

 

[oneounceload]

What you are missing is the extra weight, longer barrels besides the extra chokes. A target gun is typically made a little beefier to handle the extra rounds typically shot with a target gun. Field guns tend to be lighter as they are carried a lot and shot a little. There is also a difference in the stock dimensions between most field and target versions. If the objective is purely targets, get the target version of whatever brand floats your boats.

BUY THE FIT, NOT THE BRAND

 

[Telekinesis]

A target gun is typically made a little beefier to handle the extra rounds typically shot with a target gun.

Funny you should mention that. While both of those guns are slightly different, they're still built off the Citori which was originally a hunting action. I was at the Grand in Sparta a few years ago talking to one of the Browning reps and he told me that even with all the modifications I had done to my gun, it still wasn't going to hold up to years of sustained competitive shooting (think 10k rounds a year of practice and competition). The action just wasn't designed for it.

If you really get into competitive shooting, you'll most likely want to step up to a Perazzi or Krieghoff depending on your discipline. As an aside, I actually got a tour of the Perazzi factory in Italy and must say it was amazing! They had a room full of beautiful blanks for stocks and fore grips that cost more than my car!

 

[oneounceload]

And with M Perazzi now in failing health in his 80's, it will be interesting to see who steps in to take it over....(PLEASE anyone but Beretta).......

I shoot a Gti, it had a minor rebuild of sprigs at 90,000, it is now over 120 and still going strong............if you can get past the sewer pipes for barrels they are a good gun

 

[Virginian]

Funny, I haven't had a factory choke tube that didn't shoot just fine, both flush and extended tubes, from various manufacturers. And I have some Brileys and some others, and they all work fine. BUT, the actual constriction versus the bore diameter determines the pattern, not necessarily what is stamped on the tube.

 

[Telekinesis]

^^True, the pattern does not depend on a name stamped on the tube. The stock chokes weren't bad, they just had holes in that pattern that I wanted to fill. One or two targets can really be the difference between walking away with money and just getting a hearty "good shooting" from friends, or a spot on a US rep team, so I wanted to take advantage of everything I could. I must have just gotten bad chokes with the gun or my ammo didn't like them for some reason. Regardless, I have found that my Briley chokes pattern better and more consistently than the stock choke tubes given my ammo and gun/barrels. This seems to hold true for all the guns that I have shot in competition though, so I'm not sure how that factors into it...

Lengthening the forcing cone will also help the pattern and reduce fliers, so it's not just the choke tubes at work there.

 

[Drue]

Thanks guys!!! I think that I will get a field gun and shoot it. If I need something else, after some experience, I'll know what that it.

Drue

 

[jiminhobesound]

Clay pigeon and skeet shotguns are different in stock design as mentioned above. I am more familiar with clay pigeon guns. They have less drop than hunting guns because of the method of targeting the clay pigeons. I do not know about stock desing on skeet guns but they always seem to be designed with shorter barrels and for fast quick handling. Quail hunting, and other small quick targets would seem to require a skeet type gun.