Fower Shotgunning

“Beware the man who only has one gun. He probably knows how to use it!” – Clint Smith, President of Thunder Ranch There are some shooters in the world of clay target sports, who prefer to concentrate on a single clay target discipline – be that American Trap, Olympic Skeet, Sporting and so on, and there are others, who love to shoot various shotgun games and for whom the act of pulling the trigger is fun regardless of the kind of target being thrown. The former group usually opts-in for more specialized shotgun models because some disciplines demand a particular configuration and features in order to achieve the ultimate success. The latter group however frequently favors so called “all-around” or “crossover” type of shotguns, most of which are purposed, or can be easily adopted, to nearly all games shooters choose to participate in. But what is an “all-around” shotgun? Generally, these shotguns are over and unders, weighting between 8 and […]

For nearly all of us involved in clay sports, shooting those fast flying targets is a lifetime passion. We are moving through the ranks; some with more success, some with less, but always with an undying enthusiasm and persistence, which push us to strive for that flawless technique and that consistent mental performance. As we advance in skill our knowledge of what it takes to deliver grows to be more and more nuanced, and the equipment we use becomes one of the more important components of our success. Experimenting with various brands, models and the myriad of features they offer, often lead us to a good understanding of what works best for our style of shooting. Fit, weight, balance, swing dynamics, trigger pull weight and quality, rib design and sight picture, the amount of felt recoil – those are among many aspects that now come into play. Finding the right combination of the above might be the major contributing factor […]

The first shotgun you buy will be unlikely your last. Most of us shooters have come to this realization on our fascinating journey into clay target sports. As we progress, our shooting style and taste in equipment usually change as well, and such change often demands an upgrade. Whether you have been shooting clays for a while or simply have the means to buy into a higher tier of sporting shotguns, the following list of top choices in the mid range pricing category may help you find the right one: Blaser F16 Sporting MSRP $4,195 * Blaser, one of the leading gun manufacturers in Europe well-known for their phenomenal F3 platform, needs no introduction. In 2016, continuing with the model denomination that corresponds to year of release, Blaser has unveiled the F16 – its newest line of game and sporting over-and-under shotguns. Despite its lower price tag, this gun has inherited many engineering innovations from their flagship F3 model, among […]

So, after a few trips to a sporting clays course, you realized that you are hopelessly addicted to this great sport and ready to take it to the next level. You also realized that shooting borrowed or rented guns is starting to feel counterproductive and you are all set to get a sporting shotgun of your own. But, which one? With so many brands and options out there, and with all the endless advice from fellow shooters, club members, and numerous internet sites, finding the right one for you can become quite a daunting task. To help narrow down your choices, here are the top 5 entry level sporting shotguns available today: Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon I MSRP $2,100 * It’s hard to overstate the popularity of Beretta Silver Pigeon I and the 686 series. Introduced over 30 years ago, it is one of the most well-known and respected over-and-under shotguns out there, with a proven design and a long […]