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SBE-II for Sporting Clays


toolmyster

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I recently began shooting my SBE-II for trap and skeet, and the more I shoot the more I get beat up by the gun. Shooting 100-200 rounds each weekend wasn't bad, but now I am into the 200-400 round per week territory, and it hurts! After the first weekend I started wearing a shoulder pad, then a Limb Saver recoil pad, and now I am going to try a ported Comp-N-Choke.

 

I guess the big question is, am I fighting a no win battle here? Last weekend, the general concensus from several very knowldegeable skeet shooters was that I should go out and get a double or a gas operated auto...

 

Anybody have any suggestions or shoot relatively serious sporting clays using a recoil operated gun? I am thinking the mercury filled magazine cap will probably help a lot, but am concerned that at some point the gun will stop operating correctly with all of the add ons.

 

Anybody know where to find a shell catcher/deflector for a SBE other than the ugly things you have to tape to your gun? That is another one I heard shooting trap...two different guys told me it would be a good idea to get a shell catcher/deflector as it could get ugly if one of my shells hit another persons $30k gun putting a ding in the stock.

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The advice you recieved is probably close to the truth, the SBE you shoot is a great field gun but you are noticing what happens on the range with competetive shooting - getting your ass kicked.

 

A good O/U or gas Auto would fill the gap for you.

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I know of only one serious shooter who uses a Benelli for sporting clays shooting. He uses one of those Super Sport's.

 

I'll be interested to hear if your Comp-n-Choke really has any effect on recoil. My bet is it won't, but some folks who buy them say they do. Maybe they just want to believe it since they spent so much on the thing.

 

Anyway, there's a reason why most of the folks you see out there on the skeet, trap, and sporting clays courses are shooting Beretta, Browning, Perazzi, etc. and not shooting Benelli.

 

A heavy rubber band (like theones they use in the produce depertment of the grocery store for stufff like broccoli) arouind the receiver placed so that it doesn't stop the bolt from going all the way forward, but does slightly block the ejection port, will help with hull flinging.

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Thanks guys. I agree with your input...it's just a tough pill to swallow. My wife whines about the thought of me buying another shotgun because she bought me my SBEII for my B-day a couple years back. Love the gun, but it's a field gun. I am pointing out how I am getting beat to death and that seems to be helping her cope...and the money part is always fun too. Definitely need a purpose built gun.

 

This weekend is my last go around with it. The Comp-N-Choke made a noticeable difference, but a 10% reduction to an absolute beating is still a beating. I am not at all impressed with the limb saver recoil pad (ugly, poor fit, shorter than stock, wiggled back and forth after being snugged down TIGHT, doesn't make a big difference in recoil, etc.). This weekend I am putting around 8-12 oz of lead in the butt of the gun, shooting the comp-n-choke, a mercury recoil supressor (mag cap type), and a beretta check pad. I read that about 1 pound of added weight reduces felt recoil by app. 10%. Cannot say I tried!

 

One of the guys I shot skeet with last weekend is bringing out his Beretta 391 for me to try this weekend (wants $700 for it). It is his old sporting clays gun. It's backbored, ported, gas operated...should be a VERY noticeable reduction in recoil over the SBE.

 

Oh, if you buy a Comp-N-Choke tube, be sure to back down one choke...the skeet choke shoots noticeably tighter than the stock Benelli skeet choke. Dusted them when I hit em, but missed more...

 

Thanks for the tip. I will pick up some heavy rubber bands so I don't get myself on somebody's short list!

 

Thanks again!

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Get yourself an over/under and start reloading. Find a recipe for 1oz loads that have lighter recoil and your shoulder will be much happier.

 

I like over/under guns for sport mostly because they will cycle just about anything (some autos can be picky depending on how they're cared for). Over/unders are also much easier to clean.

 

You'll also notice that you're adding weight to your gun to reduce recoil....there's a reason sporting shotguns are heavier than field guns ;) Another plus is that a heavier gun is going to be easier to follow through with. You may find yourself hitting more targets because you'll be doing what you're supposed to do.

 

You mention chokes....I shoot with a friend that was taught on a modified choke. That's ALL she shoots with and she'll shoot circles around most people I know. Smokes every bird. Dove hunting with her last weekend was disgusting!

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

>>I know of only one serious shooter who uses a Benelli for sporting clays shooting

 

Interesting, as there are several folks in my club using Benellis for "serious" sporting clays use, including myself. In fact, I liked my 12 ga. Sport ll so much I went out and bought the same thing in 20 ga. I guess it must be a "regional" thing. ;)

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RUT,

 

The guy I know who shoots the Benelli is no slouch either, he's an NSCA Master Class shooter, and a fine shooting instructor as well.

 

Virtually everyone else I know who shoots NSCA Sporting Clays shoots Beretta, Browning, or Perazzi over-unders.

 

A few shoot semi-autos, and of those, its mostly Beretta 391's or Remington 1100/1187's.

 

Nothing wrong with the Benelli, its just not the "sporting clays gun of choice" of most shooters around here. A friend of mine let me shoot a round with his 20 gauge Supersport, and I must admit, its a very nice handling and pointing gun.

 

To some degree, I think a lot of folks subscribe to the "two barrels, two different chokes" theory for short/long target presentations at a given station. Two barrels gives you a little more flexibility. But really, that's a mind game. Choke for the long shot. If you're on, you're on. Most times, a more open choke won't get you a target you would have missed with a tight choke.

 

Tim

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>>To some degree, I think a lot of folks subscribe to the "two barrels, two different chokes" theory

 

You know, I used to subscribe to that theory when I used O/U's but found that for the most part, I get by just fine with an IC choke. However, I sometimes carry a Lt. Mod. choke for those rare occasions where IC might not be the best choice. I think perhaps our shots aren't as long here in NH as compared to the wide open spaces of Kansas. :-)

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  • 2 weeks later...
>>To some degree, I think a lot of folks subscribe to the "two barrels, two different chokes" theory

 

You know, I used to subscribe to that theory when I used O/U's but found that for the most part, I get by just fine with an IC choke. However, I sometimes carry a Lt. Mod. choke for those rare occasions where IC might not be the best choice. I think perhaps our shots aren't as long here in NH as compared to the wide open spaces of Kansas. :-)

I sold my cotori as I just could not get the fit I wanted. 57 was my best sporting clays score after a couple of years. I was totally frustrated. I had planned on buying a Perazzi and with most of a nice collection of Savage 99's sold for seed money I bought a Benelli Super Sport to shoot on a trip to Washington. Best thing I ever did. On my return, my first Sporting score was in the mid sixties and 5 stand jumped from 12 to 21! I was pretty excited. I dumped the plans for the Perazzi and bought a Beretta cause I was sure I could do better with a stack barrel w/32" barrells. I added 12 to 14 ounces of weight to the foreend and my scores went into the toilet. After 6 months I can shoot both the Beretta and the SS Benelli equally well and I seldom change my chokes, using IC, LM unless they are in yer face. CYL & SK work for those. I leave IC in the Benelli for everything except 60-70 yd shots.

I shoot 1oz 7 1/2 for everything using STS Hulls & 17g Clays. I know Benelli says for the gun to function properly to use 2 3/4 dram 1 1/8 oz, but I have never had a failure to feed, eject, or fire.

I am still an "E" class with my last registered score an 80 for 2nd place. I have shot an 83 on one occasion with the O/U but would not feel handicapped with either gun. No it doesn't pound me and I did remove the weight from the 682Gold E.

Make sure the gun fits, pattern it so you know that the shot is going where you point it, and where you point it is where you looking and hopefully breaking the bird. I make a lot of mistakes when I shoot, but I am now getting to the point where I can sometimes discover the problem. The worst is inconsistent gun mount and my face off the gun. When that happens nobody knows where the shot went.

Hope I didn't just rattle on too long. I shoot my SBE now and then but I usually don't run Sporting Course with it, but with a little practice I would not be to concerned. The Super Sport is a great gun for target and hunting. I am thinking seriously of getting the 20 gauge as well, but have to wait a bit. I just bought my third Benelli. It's an old well used Super 90 M-3. Maybe with the right loads.....

ARCQB

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