[Otto CO]

I'm sure you've all been dreading this question coming up again. I went back over all the topics and also tried a search but didn't come up with anything definitive.

I'm getting back into Skeet and don't own a gun right now. I want to purchase soon but not sure if I should go with the 12 or 20. My thinking is that I can shoot both 12 and 20 competition with the 20. I know I can get tubes, but they're really not in my budget at this time.

I'm also wondering about 26" vs. 28" barrels. I believe the Silver Snipe I had back in '69 was a 26", 12 gauge. I'm not thinking about using the gun for anything other than Skeet, and am not interested in Trap or Sporting Clays at this time, and I don't hunt.

I'm looking at the Verona LX502 ($699 locally), the Baikal IZH27 ($399 locally), and the Beretta 686 Onyx ($1229 locally). The Beretta is really more than I want to spend right now, but I might bite the bullet :roll: for the perceived quality and longetivity advantage, if it's really there.

I do like the pricing of the Verona and Baikal even though they seem to be more crude in comparison. Not sure if they would stand up to the usage that serious Skeet shooting would put them through.

I also plan to reload. That was almost as much fun as the shooting from what I can remember.

Your help and comments would be much appreciated. Please go easy on me if you're sick of seeing these questions asked again.

 

[wwb]

If it's skeet, and ONLY skeet, the 20 is all you need. Now for the arguements pro and con....

If you buy the 20 and later decide you'd like to shoot trap or sporting clays, you're at a disadvantage with the 20. This is, of course, a perfectly valid reason to go out and buy another shotgun.

If you buy the 12, you can then shoot trap or sporting clays and not be handicapped by the smaller gun. For skeet, you can get 7/8 oz loads - but you'll probably have to order them by the case, 'cause nobody ever seems to carry them in stock. This will make you decide to buy a reloader... see how it works?

 

[jlptexashunter]

The versatility of the 12 gauge load and guns win out on this one. 20 gauge you will be kind of stuck.

I really love my 20 for hunting and clays but I don't shoot clays competitively. If I were to get into that I'd pull out the 1100 12 gauge and wear it out.

The 12 can also have gauge adapters if you want to shoot sub-gauge rounds.

This was an easy question.

 

[RemingtonII]

If you are going to buy over/under, in this part of the country there has been a wholesale abandonment of o/u guns in favor of semi-autos. You can buy o/u guns with fixed choke in 26 inch very inexpensively..skeet/skeet. This is one of those purchases where I would take my time, if I were you.

If you want some help send email to [email protected]

 

[uglydog]

I'd go with the 20 if I were in your shoes. As you point out, you plan to shoot skeet only at this time and the 20 will let you shoot in three registered events if you so desire (12, 20, and doubles), the 12 is limited to two (12 and doubles). As a cheaper alternative to tubes, you can try chamber inserts rather than full length tubes. They cost in the $250-300 range per ***** for the decent ones. The ones I'm most familiar with are Chamber Mates from Seminole Gunworks and SideKickes by Briley. They both have ejectors/extractors for ease of use and the Briley's can be exchanged for full length tubes in the future if you desire. The down side is that compression formed hulls have to be used otherwise the hull sticks and is a pain to get out. Since you plan on reloading, this really shouldn't be a factor as they are the best for reloading.
If you should chose to try the other disciplines, the 20 will be adequate for 16 yard trap and most sporting clays stations. I do all my sporting clays fun rounds with 20 ga tubes in my 12 ga and generally shoot my average.
As for barrels, the 26" ones were popular a few years back but the length has been increasing. I see many 28" and I shoot 30" myself as I use my sporting gun for all the clay games.
Of those you mention, I prefer the Beretta myself but the Verona is a decent gun for the money. I don't like the Baikals I've seen currently on the market, they may be a very servicable gun but I don't care for the looks, feel, nor workings of them. Browning and SKB/Weatherby make guns comparable to the Beretta in both quality and price and may be worth looking at. Also, used guns can often be found under the grand mark with fixed choke guns often in the Verona range. Welcome back and best of luck in the shooting sports.

 

[Bill]

Otto, so your top-end budget is just north of $1200, you want to limit yourself to skeet, and you want to shoot competitively. Texas is right....thats easy. Get a 20. In the skeet game, it will do anything that the 12 can do as long as you point it in the right direction. Barrel length? Purely personal. 26, 26 1/2, 27, 28, 30 can all be shot effectively on the skeet range. And subgauge tubes can be added later,when funds are available,to get you into the 28 and 410 events. If I'm you, I would be looking for a good used B-gun. My guess is, you will quickly become dis-satisfied with an entry level gun of the Baikal-Verona ilk.

 

[SamL]

If you are going to buy over/under, in this part of the country there has been a wholesale abandonment of o/u guns in favor of semi-autos.

Just out of curiousity, what part of the country are you speaking of?

Personally, I've seen a growing number of semis, especially among new shooters, but I have not seen an "abandonment" of O/Us.

-- Sam

 

[Guest]

IMHO

I would go with the 12 Ga Beretta 390 at Wal-Mart for $529. Soft shooting with 1oz loads and very versitle.

 

[Bill]

Otto - go to Eagle Trading Company. He has an SKB 585 20 ga skeet, 28 inch barrels. Asking $850.

 

[Bill]

Opps I mean $995 :roll: