Newbie Trying to make a shotgun system

[michael1778]

Hello Everyone,

I hope I haven't missed something obvious in the forum searches. I've been lurking for a couple of weeks and haven't quite got all my shotgun needs figured out. Let me explain my background and needs. Then I welcome all your input and comments on my ideas.

My only prior experience with shotguns was rental Remington 870s at Edwards AFB Rod & Gun activity (1993-94). I had a great deal of fun shooting trap in day and night time. Whatever I end up getting now, I want to be able to do that as well as do recreational sporting clays on formal clays courses. Plus, obviously since I'm posting here, I want to be eligible to compete in one or two divisions in 3-gun. No hunting would be in the mix in the future. That's simply not my thing.

I do not own a shotgun and have never owned one before. I currently have a S&W M&P 45 full-size and S&W M&P15 Sport AR (I wanted something inexpensive that chambered 5.56mm just to have around). But I hope to get a 7.62mm rifle soon. I'll make a separate post over in the rifle forum for that.

OK, so that implies shotgun(s) for trap, sporting clays, 3-Gun Tactical and Heavy Metal. I'll need one semi-auto and one pump, at the least. As much as possible, I want to keep the gun operations as similar as possible. I won't have tons of time to practice with disparate weapons systems.

One idea I had was Winchester SX3 with a 28" barrel for clay games and a 24" or 22" barrel for 3-gun. I'd get a Briley extension tube. But would the Winchester SXP be a good pump compared to a Benelli SuperNova?

Another idea is do a Benelli pair like an M2 Field plus SuperNova. I'd have to get the extra barrel for the M2, no problem I suppose. Could be more expensive than the Winchester pairing above.

Likewise, I could do a Remington pair (1100 or VersaMax plus 870?)

A last, odd couple, could be a Vinci in 24" and 28", hope that a third-party extension tube comes along in early 2012 and match it up with a SuperNova. The trigger guard and safety layouts look fairly similar. The Vinci seems interesting to me.

I want to "get it right" the first time and not have to trade out stuff later on. But it's made difficult by my lack of shotgun experience.

So, for someone that wants to do clay games, 3-gun tactical, and 3-gun HM how would you recommend I approach this? Would I be better served by three shotguns over time? Seems expensive, but I'm open to knowledgeable feedback and opinions.

Thank you all in advance for your assistance and patience with yet another newbie to 3 gun. This set of forums is great, so far.

Best Regards,

Mike

[Steveo]

I would suggest a 26 inc (ribbed) barrel Benelli M2 for 3 gun and clay shooting (check the rules about barrel lenght and capacity first) as they would be different to over here in the UK.

Benelli nova or supernova for Heavy Metal.

Benelli seem to be far and away the most popular make for 3 gun.

Edited November 21, 2011 by Steveo

[larry weeks]

I shoot my 21" barreled M2 with a Nordic extension and a lightened bolt (Benny Hill) for everything. When I do my part I can break 23 or 24 at trap, of course it's tough to keep swinging but you can learn that. I suck at skeet but have broken 14 with it (a personal high). If you want to shoot HM then the Nova or 870 would do the trick. For trap, the pump would work fine; clays, well I've seen it done but I sure can't work one fast enough. Don't think you could really go wrong with either the M2/Nova combo or VersaMax/870. I've heard Remington is going to make a Versa Tac, tactical (3-Gun) model of the Versa Max but haven't seen any official info. Don't let barrel length worry you. With choke tubes a short barrel shoots as well as a long one and one barrel length means it feels the same, all the time. The old "beware the man with one gun."

While Benelli is the most common, you now see more and more SLPs. The FN team has made folks aware of it. Horner shoots the Versa Max and likes it.

[michael1778]

I would suggest a 26 inc (ribbed) barrel Benelli M2 for 3 gun and clay shooting (check the rules about barrel lenght and capacity first) as they would be different to over here in the UK.

Benelli nova or supernova for Heavy Metal.

Benelli seem to be far and away the most popular make for 3 gun.

I neglected to mention that the Durham club monthly match rules restrict shotguns to either 22 or 24 inch barrels. Their documents are in conflict with each other (one says 22" the other 24" maximum.

Otherwise, I might have settled on the SX3 in 26" and the SXP in 26"......or the Benelli pairing. Either way, I think I might have figured this out by now without the barrel length restrictions. Who knows.....

Durham is probably the closest regular match to my home.

Thank you for the responses, thus far.

Edited November 22, 2011 by michael1778

[59Bassman]

I think you're on to something with the SX3 and two barrels. I prefer a 30" barrel for Sporting Clays, but those aren't available for the SX3 field. I ended up buying a 26" SX3 for 3-gun, but I've already got a pile of skeet and sporting clays shotguns. The 26" worked fine for skeet - I went 24/25 in my first time out in about 3 years when I picked it up from the dealer. For sporting clays I know I'd miss the extra length.

For your pump, I'd buy whatever felt good in your hands and had a decent reputation (870 or Nova would be my primary choices). Shooting a pump is so much different than an auto that I really don't know that it makes a whole lot of difference if it's the same make as your semiauto.

[michael1778]

For your pump, I'd buy whatever felt good in your hands and had a decent reputation (870 or Nova would be my primary choices). Shooting a pump is so much different than an auto that I really don't know that it makes a whole lot of difference if it's the same make as your semi-auto.

Thank you. My biggest concern was all the different positions for safeties. Some in front of trigger guard, some behind. I didn't want to have disjointed muscle memory. If I ignore the semi-auto purchase, I've been partial to Benelli Nova and SuperNova for pump guns. The Novas I've held have seemed comfortable overall. I like the features of those guns and even more so the features in the SuperNova (e.g., ComfortTech). Probably grab a 24" synthetic SuperNova Field, Briley extension to 8 in the tube, and 'drive on'.

That would get me 'in the door' for 3-gun. I'd get beat up by Tactical Irons shooters with 9mm instead of .45 and semis instead of pumps, but who cares. Not to mention I think I royally *suck* with irons on my rifles as a beginner! At least I'd be in the game and getting experience.

I have much more experience with pistols of many patterns and calibers. Learning will be fun too.

[michael1778]

OK, here is an update to my thinking and planning.

Pump will very likely be a SuperNova in 24". A gun store in my region has one in stock for only $100 more than I see Novas going out the door.

Given my time constraints and newness to most of this I will take an incremental approach to semi-autos:

For 3-gun Tactical Irons or Optics I'm looking at a floor demo of a CZ-712 Utility. Could get it for about $300. Then get an extension as a first mod and go from there. But it would be a dedicated 3-gun rig.

For other shotgun-only sports, I'd take my time, learn more, and buy whatever fits my needs after I know more about what sports I'll be shooting.

I appreciate the replies here as well as another thread about the CZ in particular. Wonderful forum and thankful to be here.