We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn More \u203a<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n Sporting clays is the most challenging of the shotgun sports. It\u2019s also become one of the most popular because, well, it\u2019s fun. Also, every sporting clays course is unique, unlike American skeet and trap, which is the same at any range. Sporting clays gives you the opportunity to attempt a variety of difficult shots that require good form and shooting instincts as opposed to the muscle memory you need to excel at skeet or trap.<\/p>\n Although you will see many professionals shoot high-priced over\/unders on sporting clays, the casual shooter doesn\u2019t need to spend tens of thousands of dollars to find their own best shotgun for sporting clays. For instance, if you are a wingshooter, your duck or pheasant gun (properly choked) is likely ideal for sporting clays.<\/p>\n If you are thinking about getting into sporting clays, a hunter who wants to sharpen your shooting skills, or an advanced target shooter looking to upgrade, here are three shotguns designed specifically for sporting clays for beginners, intermediate, and experienced shooters.<\/p>\n If price were no option, the very best shotguns for sporting clays cost north of $10,000. But if you\u2019re a beginner to intermediate shooter who\u2019s looking to up your game, all of the guns on this list present a good value. Prices range from less than $400 to $7,500. Many of the guns on the list make for excellent crossover guns that will work well for sporting clays and hunting. All combined, the authors of this story have decades of shooting and hunting experience and we\u2019ve shot all of the guns included here.\u00a0<\/p>\n Since you will need a gun that holds at least two shells to shoot sporting clays, single-shot guns are out. That leaves over\/unders, side-by-sides, pumps, and auto-loaders as suitable sporting clays firearms.<\/p>\n Over\/unders are the most popular style of sporting clays shotgun among those who want to purchase a shotgun specifically dedicated to this pursuit. Over\/unders come in a wide range of price points. A serviceable double starts around $1,000 and the high-end break-actions will cost north of $30,000.<\/p>\n Over\/unders<\/a> generally break clays better if you buy one that has been built for clay shooting. This is because over\/under stocks are more likely to be cast dependent on what hand you shoot with. Right-handers will have more cast on the right side of the stock, and vice-versa for lefties. Most over\/unders have longer barrels\u2014from 28 inches up to 34 inches\u2014which makes for a smoother, balanced swing on clays. Some doubles will also have ported barrels to tame recoil and make it easier to get on the second clay bird.<\/p>\n Auto-loaders<\/a> remain a sporting clays favorite. Even some professionals shoot them as opposed to the more popular over\/unders. Beretta\u2019s gas-operated models are shooter favorites because they fit a variety of different body types and pattern evenly. Many women and youth shooters enjoy shooting the early 300 series Berettas, which is proof they have a remarkable fit as they were not designed for women or teenagers, but both generally shoot them well.<\/p>\n Gas-operated semi-autos have the added benefit of dampening recoil, making them extremely comfortable to shoot. They are not overly expensive, and if well maintained, will provide reliable service. The downside of gas-operated autoloaders<\/a> is that they get dirty, particularly with cheap ammo. This means a regimented gun cleaning is necessary to avoid a shell hanging up in the action when you\u2019re trying to break the second clay.<\/p>\n Pumps are reliable, but you also must work the action manually to load a second shell and then get the gun on a speeding clay. But in this shooting discipline, you often have the time to pump the gun and crush the second target. There will be some stations that are more demanding and require a quick second shot, but if you can break doubles on skeet with a pump gun, you can do the same on sporting clays.<\/p>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n I\u2019m a serious clays shooter, but if I were just starting out and wanted a mechanically reliable, yet relatively inexpensive shotgun, I would select a CZ-USA 612 Field. The 612 runs superbly on the sporting clays field. I\u2019ve shot one, and it\u2019s a fine-pointing clays gun. I wouldn\u2019t hesitate to carry it while tromping through pheasant fields or sitting in a duck boat blind. These guns look nice, shoot well, and are mechanically bulletproof. The simplicity of a pump-action gun means there\u2019s very little that can go wrong. It can get dirty and wet and still operate to its potential.<\/p>\n The 612 Field features a 28-inch barrel with ventilated rib, which along with the added action length of the pump gun receiver, brings the overall length to 49 inches, which is about as short of a sporting clays gun as you want to use if you\u2019re an adult male shooter. Available in 12-gauge, it features three removable choke tubes and a 3-inch chamber. This is a no-frills gun that should last several generations if properly cared for. It\u2019s a versatile gun as well. You can shoot clays and hunt any bird species with it. And it costs under $400. \u2014Dana Farrell<\/em><\/p>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n RemArms, the company that now owns Remington shotguns, rifles, and handguns, discontinued the 870 Express last year in favor of the 870 Fieldmaster. The Fieldmaster is an upgrade over the Express and has proved to be an incredibly reliable firearm too. I torture tested the Fieldmaster<\/a> in 2022, and the only way I was able to get the 3-inch gun to fail was by caking the inside of the action with a dirt clod and then completely submerging the gun in my family\u2019s fishing pond. But with a quick field strip and wipe down, I was back to shooting. <\/p>\n The Fieldmaster comes with three chokes (IC, M, and F), so you have more options when shooting clays\u2014the Express only came with a modified choke. Since the torture test, I have shot the Fieldmaster on skeet with no choke with fantastic results. Most shotgun manufacturers will warn against shooting chokeless, because it could damage the threads but I have never had an issue doing this with any of my shotguns. The action bars have a smooth metal finish to make pumping the 870 plenty slick, critical when you are shooting doubles. There is also a soft recoil pad affixed to the buttstock to dampen recoil. The stock and fore-end are American walnut and the steel receiver and barrel (26- or 28-inch options) are finished with a rust-resistant coating. \u2014Joe Genzel<\/em><\/p>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n In the last decade many gun manufacturers have been making clays guns lighter, specifically auto-loaders. The Browning BPS Field, however, weighs nearly 8 pounds. Though this may sound counterintuitive, heavier, well-balanced guns are easier to keep swinging through the target than light ones. It\u2019s harder to stop a gun that weighs 8 pounds versus one that weighs less than 7. The BPS Field is available in every gauge but 10 and 16 (there is a 10-gauge Field Composite variant) with blued 26- or 28-inch barrels. It has a tang-mounted safety, which is more convenient and accessible for lefties than a trigger group-mounted safety. <\/p>\n Reloaders (and your trap shooting partners) will love the bottom-eject feature of the BPS. Instead of sending a spent hull off the course, it falls at your feet. You don\u2019t have to go around searching for hulls to reload. Browning paired the Invector-Plus choke system (IC, M, and F) with the BPS. That reliable set of tubes that has been a mainstay of the Citiori. There is a thick recoil pad at the end of the buttstock, and the fore-end has grooves on either side of it to place your hand to make pumping the shotgun smooth. \u2014J.G.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n The Franchi Affinity 3 Sporting is probably the best shotgun for sporting clays you\u2019ll find at this price point. The Affinity 3 series is well-regarded as reliable, affordable, and sweet shooting, and their sporting version is no exception. The gun operates on an inertia driven action that\u2019s similar to those found in Benelli shotguns\u2014Franchi\u2019s sister company. The minimum recommended load for the 12 gauge version of this gun is 3 dram, 1 \u215b ounce loads, so you\u2019ll have to keep an eye on that when selecting target ammo. Otherwise, this gun has some nice adjustability options with shims for cast and drop so you can get the gun hitting where you want it. It also comes with a cushy TSA recoil pad. \u2014Alex Robinson<\/em><\/p>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n I\u2019m a long-time Beretta loyalist. Their shotguns are reliable, and most shooters shoot them well. Some of the best sporting clays shooters in the world rely on them, like Scott Robertson <\/a>or Joseph Fanizzi<\/a>.<\/p>\n Beretta has a long lineage of auto-loaders, the most recent of which is the A400. The A400 replaced the ever-popular 391 platform, which in turn replaced the 390.<\/p>\n Ask any reputable sporting clays instructor and he or she will tell you an auto is a good way to go when starting to get serious about the clays game. They\u2019re not too expensive, and customized parts are readily available, allowing you to balance and adjust the gun to your liking and shooting style.<\/p>\n The Beretta A400 comes in close to 20 model variations, but for the sake of this article we\u2019ll stick with the A400 Xcel Sporting. This latest model replaces the \u201cXcel\u201d which you\u2019ll still see on many clays courses. You can\u2019t miss it with its blue receiver.<\/p>\n The gas-operated A400 is available with either a 28-, 30-, or 32-inch barrel. The MSRP is $2,219 and the gun comes with all sorts of cool features like enlarged controls, Blink gas operating system, and Beretta\u2019s Kick-Off recoil reduction system. Altogether, these features make for a soft-shooting, fast-cycling semi-auto. If you\u2019re a hunter, the A400 Xtreme Plus is the best option for you. That gun won our review of the best duck hunting shotguns<\/a>, and it\u2019s plenty capable on a clays course. \u2014D.F.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n Weatherby\u2019s shotguns are often an afterthought because the company is most well-known for making bolt-action rifles. But the Orion has been a mainstay in the Wyoming gunmaker\u2019s lineup since the early 1980s. The Orion was first built to Weatherby\u2019s specifications by SKB in Japan, then Fausti, and now ATA, a Turkish manufacturer. It\u2019s not an ornate over\/under\u2014the metal finishes are blued and there is no scroll work on the receiver\u2014but the wood-to-steel transitions are seamless. A boxlock break-action, the Orion has automatic ejectors and a selectable safety. The checkered Prince of Wales stock is more rounded than a pistol grip or straight English-style stock. A stepped rib 26- or 28-inch barrel leads to a single brass bead at the muzzle. The sidewalls of the barrel are vented to take weight out of the gun (the 12-gauge is 7 pounds and the 20 weighs 6.2 pounds). <\/p>\n You get three chokes (IC, M, and F) with the Orion, though it would be nice to have a cylinder and light modified choke included. Because they have two barrels, over\/unders present the unique opportunity to shoot two different patterns from the same gun without the annoyance of removing and inserting different chokes. This is useful on a sporting clays range because you\u2019ll be dealing with different target presentations at a variety of ranges. However, you can\u2019t take full advantage of the Orion\u2019s patterning capabilities without a full range of choke tubes. But still, this is a gorgeous over\/under for less than $1,000 and there are plenty of aftermarket chokes at your disposal. \u2014J.G.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n The Browning Citori line celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2023 to the delight of gold trigger fans everywhere. There are a ton of different Citori models, and the CXS version is what Browning describes as a crossover clays-hunting gun (hence the \u201cX\u201d in the name). Here\u2019s the bad news first: The CXS is a little heavy for a dedicated upland bird hunting gun and it doesn\u2019t have all the features of a true competition gun. But as with any crossover, you have to give up a little specialization in order to gain versatility.<\/p>\n A few years ago, I wanted a gun that I could practice with seriously on the sporting clays course and then hunt with in the fall. For this purpose, the CXS is perfect. Sometimes I don\u2019t mind carrying a heavier shotgun when pheasant hunting, but I do mind missing roosters. The weight and balance of the CXS is perfect for my tastes; it\u2019s balanced right in the middle and weighs under eight pounds (I\u2019d stick with the 28-inch barrels if you intend to hunt with yours). The fact that I shoot it on clays during the summer helps me avoid making an awkward mount and bad shot on that first rooster of opening day. <\/p>\n The gun has some nice features, including: Invector-Plus Midas grade extended choke tubes, triple trigger system (which allows you to adjust length of pull by sliding the trigger forward or back), a mid bead, moderate palm swell, hammer ejectors, and Inflex recoil pad. The stock is a handsome Grade II American walnut (so not too fancy that you feel bad about abusing it in the field).\u00a0<\/p>\n There\u2019s not much in terms of adjustability, but the gun fit me well out of the box and comes to my shoulder quickly. That\u2019s helped me kill plenty of roosters, and crush clay targets, too. \u2014A.R.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n Published Mar 17, 2023 6:00 PM
\n <\/span>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\nHow We Picked the Best Shotguns for Sporting Clays<\/h2>\n
Shotgun Platforms for Sporting Clays<\/h2>\n
Over\/Unders for Sporting Clays<\/h3>\n
Semi-Auto Shotguns for Sporting Clays<\/h3>\n
Pump Shotguns for Sporting Clays<\/h3>\n
Best Pump Shotguns for Sporting Clays Beginners<\/h2>\n
CZ-USA 612 Field<\/a><\/h3>\n
\n <\/figure>\nKey Features<\/h4>\n
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Pros<\/h4>\n
Cons<\/h4>\n
Remington FieldMaster<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.outdoorlife.com\/uploads\/2023\/03\/17\/Remington-FieldMaster.jpg?auto=webp&width=800&crop=16:10,offset-x50\")
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Pros<\/h4>\n
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Cons<\/h4>\n
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Browning BPS Field<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.outdoorlife.com\/uploads\/2023\/03\/17\/Browning-BPS-Field.jpg?auto=webp&width=800&crop=16:10,offset-x50\")
\n <\/figure>\nKey Features<\/h4>\n
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Pros<\/h4>\n
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Cons<\/h4>\n
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Best Semi-Auto Shotguns for Sporting Clays\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Franchi Affinity 3 Sporting<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.outdoorlife.com\/uploads\/2023\/03\/17\/Franchi-Affinity-3-Sporting.jpg?auto=webp&width=800&crop=16:10,offset-x50\")
\n <\/figure>\nKey Features<\/h4>\n
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Pros<\/h4>\n
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Cons<\/h4>\n
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Beretta A400 Xcel Sporting<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.outdoorlife.com\/uploads\/2023\/03\/17\/Beretta-A400-Xcel-Sporting.jpg?auto=webp&width=800&crop=16:10,offset-x50\")
\n <\/figure>\nKey Features<\/h4>\n
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Pros<\/h4>\n
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Cons<\/h4>\n
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Best Over\/Under Shotguns for Sporting Clays\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Weatherby Orion<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.outdoorlife.com\/uploads\/2023\/03\/17\/Weatherby-Orion.jpg?auto=webp&width=800&crop=16:10,offset-x50\")
\n <\/figure>\nKey Features<\/h4>\n
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Pros<\/h4>\n
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Cons<\/h4>\n
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Browning Citori CXS<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.outdoorlife.com\/uploads\/2023\/03\/17\/Browning-Citori-CXS.jpg?auto=webp&width=800&crop=16:10,offset-x50\")
\n <\/figure>\nKey Features<\/h4>\n
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Pros<\/h4>\n
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Cons<\/h4>\n
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![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.outdoorlife.com\/uploads\/2023\/03\/17\/browning-cxs.jpg\")
Zoli Z-Sport<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.outdoorlife.com\/uploads\/2023\/03\/17\/Zoli-Z-Sport.jpg?auto=webp&width=800&crop=16:10,offset-x50\")