kellyn Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Just a few observations about shotguns from the ProAm. I was on Squad 9 which had 8 shooters. Out of that 8, only 2 shooters had 100% reliable shotguns throughout the match: Daniel Horner's VersaMax and my old Triangle Shooting Sports Benelli M1 (a gun which royally screwed me at the Northwest Multigun). The other 6 included 2 VersaMaxes, 3 Benellis (all M2s I think), and 1 Saiga. I'm not sure what this says except that shotguns are inherently unreliable, regardless of brand. Another observation. The ProAm (at least on the Pro Side) really required interchangeable chokes. There were some fairly tight no shoot problems that I would have shuddered to face with a cylinder or even skeet choke. Another observation: shooters will spend a gabillion dollars on gear, guns, glasses, mag pouches, match rifle bullets, cleats, hydration systems, travel, video cameras, IPad ballistic programs etc etc but will then skimp and shoot the cheapest ass shotgun ammo that they can find, even at a major match! One last observation (and a personal one at that!): even shotguns have to aimed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark R Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 (edited) My Benelli M2 ran flawlessly at the ProAm...however,there's a different story about the dude holding it. Edited August 31, 2011 by Mark R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomfab Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Shhhh! I like it that most of the competition uses cheap ass walmart bulk ammo. We had 7 or 8 Benelli's on our squad. All ran 100% from what I witnessed. There was a Browning(?) of some kind on our squad that had a bunch of issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M ammo Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Benelli M2,,, guess I'm lucky both M2's love the wally world,, 1oz 1/8 12GA 7's and 8's I put a trueglow adjustable choke in my gun so I don't have to look for the choke's between stages, I just give it a tern as needed. now if I could just get younger and faster, I'd be ok,,, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DyNo! Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 (edited) I agree on all points. I shoot the cheap stuff at local matches and only Fiocchi birdshot and slugs in major matches. I've seen several plastic hulls pulled from aluminum rims rendering the shotgun completely useless without something to push the shell out. I also recall reading posts from Mr. Miller discussing the challenges of engineering 3-gun shotguns on this forum. The thread is several years old but it seems like the bottom line is that we want a lot to happen with very gas to do it with. My shotgun ran as well but I accept that every several hundred rounds, it will choke since I'm running ammunition designed to kill small birds instead of the full power buckshot that combat shotguns should be fed. I have not seen an exception in any platform. No one had shotgun issues on my squad - all M1/M2's and one SLP. Edited August 31, 2011 by DyNo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red_SC Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I got an FN not long ago, it had been running great. I got the lifter back from C-Rums not long before the match and only ran a couple boxes of shells through it to test it, apparently that wasn't enough to test well. I was getting about 1 failure to feed per stage. I still have to play with it and find out what's going on, my guess is the crimp on the shells, but having fresh mods makes you question your gear. My squad had about 15 shooters and I didn't see many other malfunctions. My observation- don't mod guns right before big matches. I shot an Improved on 1 stage, and ended up just running Mod on everything else because of the no-shoots. And yeah, you have to aim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M ammo Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I got an FN not long ago, it had been running great. I got the lifter back from C-Rums not long before the match and only ran a couple boxes of shells through it to test it, apparently that wasn't enough to test well. I was getting about 1 failure to feed per stage. I still have to play with it and find out what's going on, my guess is the crimp on the shells, but having fresh mods makes you question your gear. My squad had about 15 shooters and I didn't see many other malfunctions. My observation- don't mod guns right before big matches. I shot an Improved on 1 stage, and ended up just running Mod on everything else because of the no-shoots. And yeah, you have to aim. It is OK to do MODS on your gun before a big match, As long as your shooting in the same division as I am. :devil: I'm going to have to try and fit the Pro-am on the calendar for next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtm Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Hmmmmm.....don't know about the match, but your X-Rail Benelli runs 100%, well so far! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gose Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Shhhh! I like it that most of the competition uses cheap ass walmart bulk ammo. We had 7 or 8 Benelli's on our squad. All ran 100% from what I witnessed. There was a Browning(?) of some kind on our squad that had a bunch of issues. I have quite a few thousand Walmart Federals though my M2 with exactly two malfunctions, both on the same stage and due to a weak mag spring... So I'll keep using them, you'll kick my ass anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OPENB Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I ran my HK/Benelli M1, barrel cut down and choked by Guncat. I used Remington Gun Club, poor man's STS. It ran better than I did. Didn't knock over a plate on AM 1, and ran by a plate on AM 4. Yep, gotta aim it. But it ran flawlessly. I do believe I will be looking at the new Mossberg when it arrives to market. I used IC on AM 1, and Mod. for everything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellyn Posted August 31, 2011 Author Share Posted August 31, 2011 Hmmmmm.....don't know about the match, but your X-Rail Benelli runs 100%, well so far! Now that is funny! Don't wear it out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Tischauser Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 (edited) Hmmm! Sounds like your squad needs a new shotgun gunsmith. We had 3 Accurate Iron Benellis on our squad that Ran flawlessly. Of course we run 1300 fps AA'a as per Red Neck Tacticals guidelines too. If your shotgun runs 100% at a major match...you might be a Red Neck! Edited August 31, 2011 by Jesse Tischauser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Sierpina Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 While I was absent from the Pro Am, I learned that cheap ammo is okay, if the crimps are good. Unfortunately, most of the cheap ammo has very inconsitent crimps. I take cheap Winchester and run it through an old Mec 650 with only the crimp stations on it. I use that for practice and for trap if I shoot my M2. I've long held the belief that if I were going to bring a spare gun to a major match, it would be the shotgun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prreed10 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I didn't have a single malfunction this past weekend, unless you count the half dozen or more mental ones... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlamoShooter Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I have learned the skill of messing up a good thing. my Benelli choked on stage 3. I gotta get Red Neck with this thing Or make a trip to see Mr Hill I don't have time for cheep shells Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benny hill Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Mossberg 930's ran great, shooters, not so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenrir Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Stock 930s mostly? I am in the market for one and curious if I would have to mod it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuke8401 Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 (edited) My 930 ran without trouble in AM. Started life as a 930 turkey, +5 Nordic tube & clamp, opened the feeding port. Wal-Mart Remington loads for this match. I have yet to have a problem with Wal-Mart Remington, Winchester, or Federal. Just lucky I guess (I don't believe in luck). So far the 930 has been "Glock" reliable for me, maybe 500-600 rounds of bird shot, 100 slugs, 20 or so Wolf buckshot. A guy shooting a Saiga in the squad in front of ours had problems on the 2 stages I saw him shoot. A guy in our squad had some issues with his FN but he said it may have been operator error not the gun. David E. Edited September 1, 2011 by Nuke8401 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djeffers Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Hmmm! Sounds like your squad needs a new shotgun gunsmith. We had 3 Accurate Iron Benellis on our squad that Ran flawlessly. Of course we run 1300 fps AA'a as per Red Neck Tacticals guidelines too. If your shotgun runs 100% at a major match...you might be a Red Neck! You have two rounds left in the gun and a squirrel jumps in between your last two pieces of steel and you have to do a standing reload...you might be a red neck! My M2 ran without a hitch! The only problem I have ever had was it jammed when I had a sling full of rounds during a class and I had fired about 750 rounds without cleaning it at that point. Took off sling and cleaned it.....has ran like a top ever since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoky Bear Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Hmmmmm.....don't know about the match, but your X-Rail Benelli runs 100%, well so far! Now that is funny! Don't wear it out! It has Zoombang Technology, baby! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert King Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 I was an RO at Iron Man this year and only one of the X-Rail guys ran well, one actually fell apart and all the others had several issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aheadofthecurve Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 what is the benefit of fancier birdshot, besides having a nicer crimp? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwx40x40 Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Almost thought about putting this in the "What I Hate" column, but decided to keep it here. Did anybody else experience difficulty putting down the 4" plates with SG? I went with a tighter choke (that I had never used before) IM, and it was if it changed my point of aim. Instead of bead in center of plate, I had to go to bead below plate. I guess I just need to go to the pattern board to really find out what happened. Just curious if anybody else had difficulty with these little plates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbrowndog Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 The biggest issue that I could see with the plates used at proam was that they were small, heavy and the bases were about 1/3 the size of the plate, all this caused us to have to get as many pellets on the target as possible to get it to fall off of the stand, some squads resorted to placing the targets as far back on the stand as possible to make it easier for them to fall, is that fair for the rest of us that shot them as intended?????? I choked down to mod. for the first time in years, it was just a combination of small plate size and enough weight to require a lot of pellets on it to take it off the stand. As for shotgun issues, we can probably just lump it into gun issues. Way too many competitors are just gun drivers and really do not know what it takes to keep their guns running, and this includes top level competitors, also something I noticed on the stages that I was in charge of was the gun racks were very close to the roads and the roads were mostly dust, which is why I asked several competitors to park their vehicles in the road to keep the dust down from driving past. The tendency to place guns in a rack in the open where dust and debris can get into them is not good, I try and keep mine in the case until its my turn to shoot, and then its back in the case after a short cool down period. a good weapons maintenance regimine will pay dividends in weapon reliability. As for cheap ammo vs expensive ammo, with AA's, STS's or Nitro 27's, you get better crimps, better wads, more consistent shot, more consistent patterns, and lately 2.00 off every box you buy. trapr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.E. Kelley Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 I find it funny that people take shooting guatymotto cheap junk wally world ammo as some kind of badge of honor. Cheap ammo for practice..fine, as a test of your guns ability to run with less than optimal ammo sure, cheap out at 3 more bucks a box when you just spent 6 or 8 or 12 hundred bucks on the match itself is....FOOLISH! If not now...when. It will bite you. And that's the others guys cue to pass you! Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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