clayface Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 Can anyone tell me why semi's seem so unpopular for clay shooting - I am a complete newbie and may naive. but other than having to collect the cartridges instead of ejecting them into your hand. Semi's seem to be cheaper - there are some really good deals on new ones sportsman have a browning reduce from 900+ to 700. So should I include them in my gun search or are there genuine reasons why they should be avoided Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twitchynik Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 Unless you've got a knackered shoulder and can't take the recoil go for a second hand o/u. Plenty to choose from - just make sure it fits you first then your wallet. Next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 They're not unpopular for clay shooting, many top Sporting shots now use them, and they're extremely popular in the States, it's just that they do handle differently to an O/U, the front end tends to be a lot more lively, the best advice is to try as many as you can and find one that suits your shooting style. Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 O/U simpler to use make safe and clean, better for newbie and browning semis aren't the best, beretta/winchester/benelli are thins to look at but would say stick to a double, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougall Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 Clayface, Hi. My opinion is semi-autos are great for recoil issues and ideal for hide shooting.Main issue with them for me,and especially for a new shooter is they are not easy to be seen to be safe.What I mean is you cannot open them to be seen to be empty,only an open gun is a safe gun.I think learning the safe way to gun handling is easier with an o/u for this reason.Also as it is clays you are going to shoot I cannot think of a top shot that would or does choose a semi. Cleaning wise they need stripping,can be temperamnetal in cycling clay cartridges etc.In my opinion start o/u,and perhaps later add a semi? I do not own a semi,so others may give different opinions,but at a clay ground I would certainly prefer new shooters to be with an o/u from the safety angle.This is not a dig at your gun handling/safety etc as clearly I do not know you,but the most important thing in shooting is to be thought of as a safe shot not a good shot and it is way easier to be so seen with a breakable gun. Best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clayface Posted May 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 Clayface, Hi. My opinion is semi-autos are great for recoil issues and ideal for hide shooting.Main issue with them for me,and especially for a new shooter is they are not easy to be seen to be safe.What I mean is you cannot open them to be seen to be empty,only an open gun is a safe gun.I think learning the safe way to gun handling is easier with an o/u for this reason.Also as it is clays you are going to shoot I cannot think of a top shot that would or does choose a semi. Cleaning wise they need stripping,can be temperamnetal in cycling clay cartridges etc.In my opinion start o/u,and perhaps later add a semi? I do not own a semi,so others may give different opinions,but at a clay ground I would certainly prefer new shooters to be with an o/u from the safety angle.This is not a dig at your gun handling/safety etc as clearly I do not know you,but the most important thing in shooting is to be thought of as a safe shot not a good shot and it is way easier to be so seen with a breakable gun. Best. brilliant answer thank you - I had not thought of that angle. I am very open to all ideas and wanted to explore semi autos - but I take your points on board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmsy Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 (edited) the front end tends to be a lot more lively, the best advice is to try as many as you can and find one that suits your shooting style. Cat. pah, i shoot mine when i want to shoot something steady! Edited May 19, 2011 by Emmsy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88b Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 I've been clay shooting for over 30 years and always used a semi auto until the last few years, but I will always have one. Yes cleaning takes a few minutes longer and many older ones only like 28g cartridges, but I love my old 301. A lot of grounds now make you put an orange saftey flag or plug in them until you are on the pad. Safety is no accident so I'm happy to comply with that when I use my auto. About the only down side to an auto is you only have one barel so on some sporting layouts you have to compromise on which choke to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfa taf Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 Clayface, Hi. My opinion is semi-autos are great for recoil issues and ideal for hide shooting.Main issue with them for me,and especially for a new shooter is they are not easy to be seen to be safe.What I mean is you cannot open them to be seen to be empty,only an open gun is a safe gun.I think learning the safe way to gun handling is easier with an o/u for this reason.Also as it is clays you are going to shoot I cannot think of a top shot that would or does choose a semi. Cleaning wise they need stripping,can be temperamnetal in cycling clay cartridges etc.In my opinion start o/u,and perhaps later add a semi? I do not own a semi,so others may give different opinions,but at a clay ground I would certainly prefer new shooters to be with an o/u from the safety angle.This is not a dig at your gun handling/safety etc as clearly I do not know you,but the most important thing in shooting is to be thought of as a safe shot not a good shot and it is way easier to be so seen with a breakable gun. Best. I do own a semi as well as a couple of O/U,but I do agree absolutely with you. Well said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerettaSV10 Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 My reason for a newbie getting a o/u rather than a s/a is the saftey aspect as others have stated. It can be hard to see if a semi is unloaded which is why some grounds prefer or insist you use a safety plug or flag (I prefer the plug to the flag). Some semi's can be fusy on which cartridge to use and may not cycle light loads like 21G cartridges. There are 2 types of cartridges cycling semis as well, gas and inertia with the gas ones requiring a bit more cleaning. What some people find distracting at first is the cycling action where you can see the cocking lever flying up and down out of the corner of your eye, or you can hear the cycling action. If you do go down the semi route, I would say be prepared to waste the first box of cartridges on getting used to the gun and its actions (ie poss not hittig many clays). After that you probally won't notice the cycling action. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmicblue Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 (edited) I had a Semi for a year (have just sold it - Browning Maxus) and I'm also relatively new to the sport too at a little over three years in now. I absolutely believed I needed to have one (because I didn't have one - its male logic isn't it??) I bought a 28" OU to replace it - around the same weight. 1) Other clay shooters regard you and the gun with suspicion - even with a bright orange Saftey-Plug sticking out of the breech, other grumble about all the spent carts that litter the ground - ok you can get a magnet stick and pick them up but its more faffing around and your mates are walking on the next stand. 2) It seems like they take marginally longer to load - drop one round into the open breech and release the catch, insert the second round into the magazine - its more fiddly. 3) Personally speaking - I found all the mechanical noise of the spent cart being ejected and the new one being chambered annoying and prefer the crispness of an O/U firing and that's it. Well I've done it now - and I'm glad I've been there even so. Edited May 19, 2011 by Cosmicblue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88b Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 Some interesting observations here, some of them I'd not really noticed ( nothing new there then ) . I'm left handed and only a few autos are made for lefties, both my Berettas ejected across my face. Now and again you do notice a flame as it ejects but it doesn't singe your eye brows. My 301 is more difficult to load the magazine because you have to press the button on the side to open the flap, the 391 you didn't have to. Recently a friend with back and neck problems bought an A400 Beretta, I shot that last week, I want one, a beautiful looking gun so easy to use and almost no recoil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickmep Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 dont be put off by the prejudice against semi auto's. i started with one, tried a o/u and didn't get on as well with it. have taken a few mates for their first time on clays and used semi auto's and even though they've never shot before they were safe and didn't have any problems with them. all this stuff with flags and unsafe guns is a load of rubbish, its down to the individual not the gun. i've seen some proper bellends waving closed o/u's around when not in the stands.........wheres there safety flags ? but it seems acceptable to do this with a o/u as a semi auto user i find a lot of this rubbish talk really gets my back up, if you couldn't tell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hardguy007 Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 dont be put off by the prejudice against semi auto's. i started with one, tried a o/u and didn't get on as well with it. have taken a few mates for their first time on clays and used semi auto's and even though they've never shot before they were safe and didn't have any problems with them. all this stuff with flags and unsafe guns is a load of rubbish, its down to the individual not the gun. i've seen some proper bellends waving closed o/u's around when not in the stands.........wheres there safety flags ? but it seems acceptable to do this with a o/u as a semi auto user i find a lot of this rubbish talk really gets my back up, if you couldn't tell Quote "all this stuff with flags and unsafe guns is a load of rubbish" Definitely dont agree with that - safety is priority. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 all this stuff with flags and unsafe guns is a load of rubbish, its down to the individual not the gun. i've seen some proper bellends waving closed o/u's around when not in the stands.........wheres there safety flags ? but it seems acceptable to do this with a o/u I do actually agree , it IS about the individual. I`ve had 3 semi`s and never bothered with flags and nobody ever uttered a word because they knew and could see they were being handled safely. It is true that O/U guns make more sense for beginners because apart from their inherent safe visiblility, they are just simpler to load and unload. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 If a semi was good enough for Duncan Lawton to win the World FITASC Championship twice, plus more competitions than you can point a stick at, it's good enough for mere mortals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjm Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 Some interesting observations here, some of them I'd not really noticed ( nothing new there then ) . I'm left handed and only a few autos are made for lefties, both my Berettas ejected across my face. Now and again you do notice a flame as it ejects but it doesn't singe your eye brows. My 301 is more difficult to load the magazine because you have to press the button on the side to open the flap, the 391 you didn't have to. Recently a friend with back and neck problems bought an A400 Beretta, I shot that last week, I want one, a beautiful looking gun so easy to use and almost no recoil. Buy a benelli left hander!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickmep Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 Quote "all this stuff with flags and unsafe guns is a load of rubbish" Definitely dont agree with that - safety is priority. i never said safety wasn't a priority, i'm pointing out the un necessary measures semi auto users are expected to take to 'prove' to others that they are safe. like the previous poster i dont use flags and i dont have a problem at grounds. friends that i have taken have been watched like hawks, but i wouldn't take anybody that i wasn't 100% happy that they were sensible enough to understand what they were doing, and the potential risks. gun safety is a lot more than just putting a flag in a semi auto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gemini52 Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 dont be put off by the prejudice against semi auto's. i started with one, tried a o/u and didn't get on as well with it. have taken a few mates for their first time on clays and used semi auto's and even though they've never shot before they were safe and didn't have any problems with them. all this stuff with flags and unsafe guns is a load of rubbish, its down to the individual not the gun. i've seen some proper bellends waving closed o/u's around when not in the stands.........wheres there safety flags ? but it seems acceptable to do this with a o/u as a semi auto user i find a lot of this rubbish talk really gets my back up, if you couldn't tell hi mate i agree with you on my tenth auto just bought a maxus hunter shoots like a dream, points well i love it had meny o/u but still go back to semis cleanings not a issue in fact i enjoy it all part of the sport and if you carry it showing the bolt back and clearly empty people dont have a problem with them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZ550Kevlar Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 Get both, there you go fixed your dilemma in one fell swoop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 Many many arguments as to the pros and cons, they've already been mentioned here. I did consider a semi for clays as I had a dodgy shoulder but as my gun mount was terrible I fixed that first, and now don't really feel a thing with my Beretta O/U using 28gm cartridges. As you can see by my sig I do have a semi auto (the Remi 1100) which I have used for a fun clay round but for me now it's the O/U all the way. As others have said, try both, try both again, try several, add up the scores and get the one that scores you the highest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clayface Posted May 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 Get both, there you go fixed your dilemma in one fell swoop. you know this is the conclusion I am coming to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerettaSV10 Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 Get both, there you go fixed your dilemma in one fell swoop. Its what I ended up doing, went for the o/u first then months later and getting experiance of gun handling and shooting got a benelli semi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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