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Which gun? Well, that depends
by: Joe RankinYour best choice of guns for clay targets will include autoloaders & over/under shotguns. I strongly discourage pump actions, especially for beginners. My suggestion for the new shooter is always an autoloader. The advantages are many…there is less perceived recoil & they are much less expensive for a decent quality gun. Another important consideration is that making them fit the shooter is generally much easier & less expensive than with the over/under guns. I often have beginning & less experienced shooters come to me with quite inexpensive over/under shotguns. Or, they ask which over/under shotgun should I buy for $xxx? Most shooters do not realize that stacked barrel shotguns (as well as side by side) are quite complicated…not only from the mechanism, but the stock & forend as well. Manufacturing a decent quality over/under is an expensive venture. In short, if you are not willing to spend a reasonable amount for acceptable quality, you are much better off purchasing a good autoloader. In my opinion, the lower threshold for an over/under that will handle well & hold up to volume shooting is nearly $3K. Some of the cheaper guns often break after a few hundred rounds.
Another consideration is whether you intend to use the gun primarily for clay target sports or hunting. If you shoot lots of targets, most hunting guns will not be pleasant to shoot because they normally are very light. That results in more recoil. In addition, most of the hunting guns produced today have automatic safeties. That again is a disadvantage when shooting clay targets. On the other hand, most guns designed for Sporting Clays make excellent hunting guns. I personally prefer to use my target gun when hunting unless I know the conditions will be extreme & possibly result in damage to the shotgun.
If you are an inexperienced shooter searching for the right gun, please consult an experienced Instructor. It will likely save you lots of frustration & money. This is even more important for the parent who wants to purchase a shotgun for his or her child. Get sound advise from a professional.