On last Friday morning, a good friend and I went out to bust some clays. It was the first time we were doing this. We used a hand thrower, which was fine. He had just bought a Benelli Nova during the week and I have owned the SXP Defender for just a little more time. Of course, we tried each other's gun and compared them.
We both agreed mine looks better, but that is just a matter of taste. I would say the finish seems of better quality on the Benelli. Weight felt similar, mine maybe being a little lighter, between the two (his has the 26" or 28" barrel, mine has the 18" barrel for now), balance seemed better in the Benelli. Overall solidity feeling was better on the Winchester, excepted for the stock. The Benelli's stock feels better (I could not say why, I do not know enough about that stuff to explain the feeling), but the Winchester does not rattle like the Benelli when the gun is pumped. Both were equally smooth to pump. Both seemed as reliable since none experienced any problem during the shooting session, which consisted of 100 shots for each of us.
Now, the very real difference between the two guns must have been the shooters, because he broke more clays than I did on that nice June morning!
We will see if the 28" barrel I am waiting for does anything to help me improve my shooting when it gets here. I read on this forum more than once that the barrel can make some difference. I know for a fact that the shooter always makes a difference!
My friend used his Modified choke. My barrel comes Cylinder, and does not allow for a choke since it is not threaded. Other notable variances, of which I am unaware if they make any difference, are the ventilated rib, and the two beads on his. On the barrel it am waiting for since December, there should be a ventilated rib, but only one bead.
Last difference was the ammo we used. We did try each other's ammo, but mostly sticked to the one we each had bought. I used Challenger 7 1/2 handicap target load (bought a case on special) and he used Remington Gun Club number 8 load. His maybe kicked a little less. He thought so, I could not really tell the difference. Mine smelled better
We did talk about skeet shooting some day (most likely next year).
Is it much more difficult to shoot skeet than to just bust clays thrown by hand?
I can't go for now, because my current barrel is not allowed at the club where we would go, but I would like to know what you think about all this before I pay for membership and such. It seems likely that I shall stick to such informal clay busting for the time being, which should improve my shotgunning ability anyway.
There is lots of room for improvement.
We both agreed mine looks better, but that is just a matter of taste. I would say the finish seems of better quality on the Benelli. Weight felt similar, mine maybe being a little lighter, between the two (his has the 26" or 28" barrel, mine has the 18" barrel for now), balance seemed better in the Benelli. Overall solidity feeling was better on the Winchester, excepted for the stock. The Benelli's stock feels better (I could not say why, I do not know enough about that stuff to explain the feeling), but the Winchester does not rattle like the Benelli when the gun is pumped. Both were equally smooth to pump. Both seemed as reliable since none experienced any problem during the shooting session, which consisted of 100 shots for each of us.
Now, the very real difference between the two guns must have been the shooters, because he broke more clays than I did on that nice June morning!
We will see if the 28" barrel I am waiting for does anything to help me improve my shooting when it gets here. I read on this forum more than once that the barrel can make some difference. I know for a fact that the shooter always makes a difference!
My friend used his Modified choke. My barrel comes Cylinder, and does not allow for a choke since it is not threaded. Other notable variances, of which I am unaware if they make any difference, are the ventilated rib, and the two beads on his. On the barrel it am waiting for since December, there should be a ventilated rib, but only one bead.
Last difference was the ammo we used. We did try each other's ammo, but mostly sticked to the one we each had bought. I used Challenger 7 1/2 handicap target load (bought a case on special) and he used Remington Gun Club number 8 load. His maybe kicked a little less. He thought so, I could not really tell the difference. Mine smelled better
We did talk about skeet shooting some day (most likely next year).
Is it much more difficult to shoot skeet than to just bust clays thrown by hand?
I can't go for now, because my current barrel is not allowed at the club where we would go, but I would like to know what you think about all this before I pay for membership and such. It seems likely that I shall stick to such informal clay busting for the time being, which should improve my shotgunning ability anyway.
There is lots of room for improvement.