The main guns you will see on a skeet range,
Remington 1100, solid, reliable, good weight (most skeet guns run about 8-10 pounds)
Remington 11-87 solid, reliable, good weight, will run 3" shells for hunting if necessary.
Beretta 3## series shotguns, very light recoil, reliable, many target versions available. 391, 390, 303 most run 3" shells if necessary but work well with light loads.
O/U's Beretta, Krieghoff, Caeser Gurrini, Browning, SKB, Kolar etc.
Ruger Red Label had about a 50,000 shell life span, about 3 years for a heavy shooter, I know, went through the BS with Ruger about them, never again. NOT MADE ANY MORE AND NO SERVICE. Loved that gun though, felt great. You will find an odd assortment of occasional shooters that shoot M12's, 870, Ithacas, Mossbergs, but they are more for sharpening up before bird season. Rarely will a Benelli be seen on the skeet range, most I have seen will not function superlite target loads. An occasional SxS will happen by as well.
Barrel Length, most modern skeet shooters like 30"+ barrels.
Weight is your friend with a target shotgun, it absorbs the felt recoil of the 100-300 shells shot in a day, helps with follow through of targets as well.
Trap guns that you will mostly see;
Browning BT's, Perrazzi, Krieghoff, Beretta, Kolar, Remington 870 trap grade, Caeser Gurrini, the occasional Win M12. Very few people will shoot an autoloader on the trap range as it will bounce shells off of your partner to the right unless you use a shell catcher. Of course you will see all the field guns out there shooting as well, but I can just about guarantee you will see a couple of these on about any squad of dedicated trap shooters. Barrel length , 32"+
It is really not the gun, although the right one for the right game is extremely helpful, but the shooter that takes the time to learn how to shoot. My most fun gun I use is a Winchester 1897 with an ugly poly-choke on it, last week ran a 25 with it in 20degree weather. My business gun is a Beretta 682 Sporting with 30" barrels for skeet and sporting clay, my go to trap gun is a Winchester M12 with 30" barrel.
If you are a pistol and rifle shooter, you may need to unlearn some things, stance, both eyes open, foot work, all play their part.
Remington 1100, solid, reliable, good weight (most skeet guns run about 8-10 pounds)
Remington 11-87 solid, reliable, good weight, will run 3" shells for hunting if necessary.
Beretta 3## series shotguns, very light recoil, reliable, many target versions available. 391, 390, 303 most run 3" shells if necessary but work well with light loads.
O/U's Beretta, Krieghoff, Caeser Gurrini, Browning, SKB, Kolar etc.
Ruger Red Label had about a 50,000 shell life span, about 3 years for a heavy shooter, I know, went through the BS with Ruger about them, never again. NOT MADE ANY MORE AND NO SERVICE. Loved that gun though, felt great. You will find an odd assortment of occasional shooters that shoot M12's, 870, Ithacas, Mossbergs, but they are more for sharpening up before bird season. Rarely will a Benelli be seen on the skeet range, most I have seen will not function superlite target loads. An occasional SxS will happen by as well.
Barrel Length, most modern skeet shooters like 30"+ barrels.
Weight is your friend with a target shotgun, it absorbs the felt recoil of the 100-300 shells shot in a day, helps with follow through of targets as well.
Trap guns that you will mostly see;
Browning BT's, Perrazzi, Krieghoff, Beretta, Kolar, Remington 870 trap grade, Caeser Gurrini, the occasional Win M12. Very few people will shoot an autoloader on the trap range as it will bounce shells off of your partner to the right unless you use a shell catcher. Of course you will see all the field guns out there shooting as well, but I can just about guarantee you will see a couple of these on about any squad of dedicated trap shooters. Barrel length , 32"+
It is really not the gun, although the right one for the right game is extremely helpful, but the shooter that takes the time to learn how to shoot. My most fun gun I use is a Winchester 1897 with an ugly poly-choke on it, last week ran a 25 with it in 20degree weather. My business gun is a Beretta 682 Sporting with 30" barrels for skeet and sporting clay, my go to trap gun is a Winchester M12 with 30" barrel.
If you are a pistol and rifle shooter, you may need to unlearn some things, stance, both eyes open, foot work, all play their part.
