High end pump for skeet

[rico903]

I have a 1979 mint condition Wingmaster that I am getting ready to put up for sale as soon as I can figure out how to post pics. I shoot better with that gun than any Beretta or other gun I've owned but with my back I'm going to a a SA. The Wingmaster is a 3" mag chamber with a a 30" FC VR barrel and and a 26" VR 2 3/4" skeet barrel(only 50 rds thru the skeet barrel). They don't make them like this any more. You'd be hard pressed to find a better looking one. They are head and shoulders above the 870's they make today. I also shot very well with a 16g a Model 12. Bought a Benelli Super Vinci Sporting which I hope will be softer shooting, haven't had a chance to try it yet. Also have a NIB Browning model 12 I'll be putting up for sale, another nice gun. Believe it is is 28" M choke and VR.

 

[MEGARMS]

Shooting whatever you are good with and comfortable shooting makes sence to me. Maybe not "high end" but I love my vintage wingmaster

Wingmasters were built to last, unlike the garbage 870 express they produce today. My Wingmaster is truly vintage as it was produced in 1954. Still going strong.

 

[Pinecone]

I love watching a guy go on the field with a beater gun and have it fall apart, only to mutter excuses about the tough life it has lived in the marsh. lol

Who the hell cares why somebody wants to shoot a $3,000 o/u in the duck blind or a camo'ed SBE2, Super Vinci, Mossberg 590, Remington 870, or what have you on the clays field.

Shoot whatever makes you happy. Do not pay attention to the high dollar gun buying snobs when they look down upon you (While I shoot some decently priced shotguns, I don't mind shooting alongside anybody with a functioning firearm, no matter the cost) and don't let those haters that want a high dollar fun get to you when they say "I have no idea why anybody would want to spend $$$$$$$$ on a gun."

Have fun with what you have, and don't worry about what others think. Some people want a Ferrari to do 55 mph. Others own a Yugo and dream of owning a Ferrari so they can do triple digits and kill themselves.

Can't we all just get along. lol

Now, back to your regularly scheduled program, which is what high end pump gun can the OP get for $1,500 to shoot skeet.

We (wife and I) were shooting sporting clays at PG. We were squadded with a couple, but only he was shooting. As we walked down to the first station, I was talking to his wife about shooting the up coming Ladies Charity Classic event at PG.

He looked at him and said, "This is an expensive hobby don't you know."

He had a Krieghoff (at the time they started at $8,000) and a gold Rolex with diamonds.

Funny thing, my wife kicked his butt with her measly Browning 325. And I was in the next state over on score. IIRC, he didn't even break 20 out of 50. My wife was shooting in the mid-30s at the time, and I was in the mid to upper-40s.

I got better at shooting sporting clays, competing with a friend who shot a field 870 and bulk pack ammo. One round he would beat me, and the next round I would beat him. We ratcheted each other up from mid-20s to mid-40s.

And one time, we were in DE and they threw a VERY close pair of rabbits across a smallish opening. He exclaimed he could not pump that quickly. SO I told him, he would have to hit both with one shot. And he proceeded to do just that, not once, but TWICE.

The person I fear on the clays course, is the guy with the well worn field gun. He can probably SHOOT.

 

[Augie]

While I enjoy my Guerini's I also love shooting old pump field guns, my avatar is from Pintail Point using a mid 50's full choke Model 12, I did not do half bad.

 

[circleshooter]

Does that cheek pad mar the finish when removed?

Nope. Peels right off. It's squishy...sorta like a gummy bear! Actually, this is a cool accessory to raise your cheek up a little bit.

http://www.berettausa.com/en-us/beretta-gel-tek-cheek-protector-12-inches/e00378/

 

[rico903]

Nope. Peels right off. It's squishy...sorta like a gummy bear! Actually, this is a cool accessory to raise your cheek up a little bit.

http://www.berettausa.com/en-us/beretta-gel-tek-cheek-protector-12-inches/e00378/

Cool, sounds like a winner

 

[brownspotz]

oh gawd! the amount of fun I have with shooting clays with the "dressage people" those with shell holders,yellow glasses,super expensive shotguns etc and then out shoot then with my bent barrel 1100.I like telling then my line..."having things better than others doesn't make you better at them" they get salty quickly...

 

[rico903]

oh gawd! the amount of fun I have with shooting clays with the "dressage people" those with shell holders,yellow glasses,super expensive shotguns etc and then out shoot then with my bent barrel 1100.I like telling then my line..."having things better than others doesn't make you better at them" they get salty quickly...

Have to laugh at this. Have never owned a shot gun shooting vest but with my age and back I feel one would be of help for recoil and handiness. Used to use a nail pouch years ago when shooting trap. I've found a nice Beretta vest that fits well and has the silicone shoulder pad, just cotton not fancy leather etc. BUT, like everything Beretta it is gaudy, big logo and it would embarrass me to wear it. I'm far from a good shooter and hate to look like a stooge. I would feel like all those going thru a midlife crisis and buying a Harley and then every piece of clothing from jackets to socks.:loll: Anyone know of a good place to buy a reasonable non advertising shooting vest?

 

[Pinecone]

oh gawd! the amount of fun I have with shooting clays with the "dressage people" those with shell holders,yellow glasses,super expensive shotguns etc and then out shoot then with my bent barrel 1100.I like telling then my line..."having things better than others doesn't make you better at them" they get salty quickly...

If they are wearing yellow glasses, they are poseurs anyway.

Real clays shooters wear orange (skeet and trap) or target purple (sporting clays).

 

[Pinecone]

Anyone know of a good place to buy a reasonable non advertising shooting vest?

Bob Allen line makes some nice cloth vests without logos.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/10...st-cotton-twill-and-mesh?cm_vc=ProductFinding

http://www.opticsplanet.com/bob-allen-hunting-shooting-vests-solid.html

http://www.opticsplanet.com/bob-allen-hunting-shooting-vests-full-mesh-dual-leather-pads.html

http://www.opticsplanet.com/bob-allen-285m-mesh-and-leather-shooting-vest.html

I prefer a mesh vest for most of the year. A solid one is nice in the late fall/early spring as an extra layer.

 

[Vile Shadow]

I shot trap with a nail pouch once. I felt like a complete ass.

Thankfully, that mistake won't have to be repeated.

 

[circleshooter]

oh gawd! the amount of fun I have with shooting clays with the "dressage people" those with shell holders,yellow glasses,super expensive shotguns etc and then out shoot then with my bent barrel 1100.I like telling then my line..."having things better than others doesn't make you better at them" they get salty quickly...

I shoot a fair bit of clays and don't think I've ever met any of the "dressage people" you mention, but I'm sure they're out there. People "with means" can afford the best. I'm not going to hold that against them. It's more important to me that they're supporting the sport so people without a lot of "means" - like me - can enjoy it, too. We need all the supporters we can get - from the poseurs to the hot shots shooting bent barreled 1100's.

I'll admit that I'm fortunate. I compete with 2 guns - a Caesar Guerini Summit Impact and a FABARM XLR5 Velocity. Between those, and the rest of my kit, I guess there's about $12k wrapped up in it (not including reloading gear). The CG was a special gift from my father. He told me he wanted to give me some of my inheritance while he was still alive to see me enjoy it. I look upon that gun with pride every time I open the $500 Americase it rides in. The Velocity is the finest semi-auto I've ever shot. That was my gift to myself for my 50th birthday. I worked hard to get it, so I'm not apologizing because I have nicer guns than a lot of people.

I shoot with a lot of people that shoot high-end guns (Kreighoff, Kolar, etc.). A good number of them are AAA, AA, or A class shooter and they'd be hard to beat no matter what gun they're shooting. I'm a B class shooter, and hell, if I'm having a good day I can be hard to beat. Some of my shooting friends are absolutely people with "means" but most aren't. Please realize that most high-end gun owners have financed them and are making payments - just like cars. Most manufacturers and high-end dealers offer 3-5 year financing plans.

Clay shooting is absolutely far more about the skills of the shooter and not about the gun. But anybody who thinks a Stoeger is as good as a Kreighoff, Kolar, or Perazzi is smoking crack. That doesn't mean that the Stoeger owner can't outshoot the Kreighoff owner - but that's no reason to assume they're poseurs and should be ridiculed.

Oh...and any serious clay shooter who doesn't have one of Lonesome Charlie's leather shell pouches doesn't know what they're missing. They're beautiful, classy, and will last a lifetime.

 

[rico903]

I shot trap with a nail pouch once. I felt like a complete ass.

Thankfully, that mistake won't have to be repeated.

That hurts

 

[Vile Shadow]

That hurts

Well, shooting by yourself it ain't no big deal. But when you have guys on either side of who may have shotguns worth more than your house, you may feel a little stupid.

 

[fabsroman]

oh gawd! the amount of fun I have with shooting clays with the "dressage people" those with shell holders,yellow glasses,super expensive shotguns etc and then out shoot then with my bent barrel 1100.I like telling then my line..."having things better than others doesn't make you better at them" they get salty quickly...

The amount of fun I have out shooting those bent barrel 1100 shooters is hilarious. I always leave them with "Get a real job, buy a real gun, get some real glasses, and dress appropriately, and MAYBE you might be able to shoot as good as me." It pisses them off to no degree.

Brown, making a comment like you did there, or even making a comment like that in person, just goes to show that you are jealous of those that have nicer things than you. Granted, they might have bought it all on credit, be in debt up to their ears, etc., but your comment shows nothing but jealousy that they have a more expensive gun, more expensive gear, etc. than you.

Yes, I used to be you, but without the jealousy. I started shooting clays with a Browning BPS, no vest, and not even a shell pouch. I had to reach down to the ground to pick up 5 shells and put them in my pocket. Like you, I beat most people. Then, I graduated to a Browning Citori and a shell pouch. Over time, I made more money and acquired more shooting gear and more expensive guns. When I was a teenager I decided I wanted to make more money/save more money, so I could buy the nicer things for my hobbies. Instead of being jealous, I just set some goals for myself.

I hear the same type of comments from people on cycling forums. "I blew the wheels off some guy with an $8,000 bicycle. He does not deserve that bike." My response, "He deserves whatever bike he can afford to buy."

Well, when I first bought my high end bikes, not many people were blowing the wheels off of me because I had the time to put 5,000 miles a year in. Nowadays, 3 kids later, I am lucky to put in 1,000 a year and am slow as hell. Mind you, I can usually beat the average Joe, just not the average racer. I still ride my high end bikes because 1) I have them and 2) I like them.

The same thing goes for shooting. Those that can shoot more often will usually shoot better than those that can only shoot 5 times a year. Practice makes perfect, regardless of what gun is being used.

Have I mentioned, shoot whatever the heck makes you happy and be happy, regardless of whether it is a bent barrel 1100 or a Krieghoff?

 

[rico903]

Well, shooting by yourself it ain't no big deal. But when you have guys on either side of who may have shotguns worth more than your house, you may feel a little stupid.

I was young and poor. Now I'm old and poor but have a real shell pouch

 

[Vile Shadow]

I was young and poor. Now I'm old and poor but have a real shell pouch

I do too, if you count the ones on the shelf at Dick's as "real".

 

[fabsroman]

I do too, if you count the ones on the shelf at Dick's as "real".

Think I bought my shell carrier, an Allen, at either Walmart or Kmart, but definitely a Mart. My memory isn't so good on things that are more than a decade ago. And yes, I am poor too.

 

[jmiller320]

MEGARMS, You just confirmed my statement. "having a nice gun for others to admire is only one of the many reason that we buy high dollar shooting irons." I don't own a 870 express. I have a couple 870 Wingmasters that were made back in the early 1960's. I put several thousand rounds of 3" magnum hand loads thru it with out a problem. As far as i know both will still shoot just like they did back in 1999 when I last shot them. I'll admit I wont shoot as well as I did back then.

 

[rico903]

What always has cracked me up is the people with more money than talent they'll ever have who try to "buy targets" as a salesman at Barts once told me. I bought a LNIB Beretta 20ga OU there. The sales person told me the guy buys a new gun every few weeks then trades it in on another trying to "buy targets" I've always thought of them as a baseball glove, only as good as the guy behind it. i don't think the best gun in the world would help me substantially. As Clint said," a man's got to know his limitations". Having said this I have tried some guns that absolutely sucked IMO but I figure I've reached a plateau unless I can afford to shoot a lot and take some lessons. I don know if I buy another O/U gun in my life I'l make sure it's a clays gun, not a field, where the safety resets after every shot. What a PIA