Hello, I'm a clay shooter

My go-to gun is my browning citori... Looking for a spare/backup/buddy shotgun.

I'm looking for something low cost for my niece or occasional friend who wants to go shooting and avoid rental fees. Its a spare.

My question...

I'm looking at semi-auto's like the beretta a300. Its not that expensive and should be easy to sell for minimal loss if I want to get rid of it.

I personally like the length of my 30" browning O/U. The 28" semi-auto's are about the same length. Which means they should look the same while staring down the barrel, and may point and aim the same (although we aren't really aiming)

Does the overall length of the semi's vs o/u make them somewhat similar?

Should I look for a 28 or 30 inch semi auto for a once a month casual shooter (mainly my niece)?

Leaning towards the Beretta a300 sporting or the Viper G2 Sporting (cheaper)

28"

I have both 30 and 28 inch barrels for the same gun, I really can't tell the difference in shooting them. The 28 will probably be easier to sell.


cdb

Although I shoot a 32" O/U most of the time I do have both of the guns you mentioned. My A300 has a 28" And my G2 Sporting has a 30". I can't really tell much difference and shot both as well as I shoot any semi auto if not better. For the money both are in my opinion great guns for the money. Don't see how you can go wrong with either one.

I love my Caesar Guerni Summit Limited with thirty four inch barrels.

My only complaint is they don’t come with 36 inch barrels.

When out competing at sporting clays, it’s nice to have longer barrels than the other boys.

The ideal length of barrel for sporting clays is 29 and 3/8 inches., although a 56 and 1/4 inch one is almost as good. Manufacturers never make them to those lengths though because once a shooter has one of those he never buys anything else.

Buy a 28 inch barrel, and screw in an extended choke, voila a 29 3/8 inch barrel



cdb

If you shoot a 30" O/U and you want to match barrel lengths, you might want to look at 26" semi-autos. Semi-autos have longer receivers. As far as comparable balance, that's going to vary greatly depending on the make/model of the guns.
Top pic is my 31.5" Perazzi MT6 next to my 1100 with a 28" barrel installed. Bottom pic is of the same guns, except the 1100 has a 30" barrel installed.

I've heard of "Eye of the tiger."
Never heard of "feet of the tiger."

Nice pictures. That explains it.

a 26" might be too light. I guess I assumed that the weight of the larger receiver would almost make up for missing the second barrel. Maybe I can't look at it like that.

I think I better go 30" on the semi when I get it. Its already 1/3lb lighter than the 30lb o/u if I go by the listed weights. I don't want it to be any lighter. I normally shoot (at ) 150-200 clays when I go to the sporting clays courses.

30” in a auto.

DL

You can add weight to the semi pretty easily. I don’t think you or your niece will notice the difference between 28 or 30 barrels on a single barrel gun. Weight change is minimal.

I think either of the guns you are considering will serve you well.

28"

I have owned both the 28" and 30" Browning Maxus semi-auto. The 30" was out of balance, front heavy. I didn't" shoot it well. The 28" is what to do. I use it for skeet and pheasant hunting.

Balance is important but IMO the barrel length stuff is pure marketing. If a firearm is balanced it's easy to move the entire gun with your body. When I hear people talk about guns being "whippy", it tells me that they are too handsy, meaning that their hands aren't working in concert with their trunk, or potentially not working together.

It looks to me that the fundamental (after entirely anecdotal observation) problem those folks are having is technique, or balance. I don't blame manufacturers for saying longer is better, as it migrates people to new longer barrelled gun. But if technique or balance is the problem, then the addition of length without foresight doesn't provide a consistent solution, and if it provides a solution at all, it's entirely by chance.

Thanks for all the advice guys...

I took in all the expert advice, considered every single option...

then I ordered the tristar viper G2 sporting 30"

It fit my needs...

1. low cost
2. synthetic stock so I won't care if it gets dropped
3. pretty good reviews
4. good warranty just incase it breaks
5. currently in stock and 28 is not. might be the deciding factor

You should have bought a 36" and a hack saw, cut to fit