So who knows anything about trap & skeet?

[JohnP]

Many say that a good pump, used optimally, can be faster than an autoloader. I can't do that, but I believe it. It's the "optimally" part that eludes me.

This is true, and it is learned-Around 10 years ago I had joined the base ASF where I was stationed, and we had two full time Marine cadre, one of which was from Reconnaissance, who incidentally sang high praises of anything Benelli-anyway during the Shotgun practical weapons course (various barricades and obstacles, with loading in the middle, engaging multiple [paper] targets under stress) the guy was F-A-S-T. It sounded like an autoloader, boom-boom-boom-boom. FFWD 3 years later, and the new kids were looking at ME that way. Unfortunately, it was well before this that I tried skeet, and a moving clay pigeon is NOT as easy to his as a stationary man-size (standard FBI) paper target. I'm also not 24 anymore...
Still, WOW it was fun. You guys have me looking at shotguns again.
If I disappear it will be because my wife clubbed me to death with it in my sleep....

John P.

 

[sullivanpm]

If I disappear it will be because my wife clubbed me to death with it in my sleep....

My wife has threatened to do the same to me if I buy any more stripped lowers.
I have four sitting in the safe right now.
My dad just bought a new beretta silver pigeon V, guess who is getting his onyx pro?

 

[stobes21]

Not sure about how shotgun reloading works out. But regular reloading is very economical, especially once you've used the brass once or twice, or better yet pick up free brass at the range (with permission, of course). Seems like shotgun shell reloading would work out similarly. High initial cost, but slowly pays for its self.

When you start reloading special rounds the savings totally go away. High velocity low drag rounds can get insane.

There are a whole lot of variables in shotgun reloading that can drastically change your cost per load. Right now lead is by far the biggest cost per shell, so loading down your 12 ga shells from 1 1/8 oz to 7/8 oz will save you a ton of money, and is a lot easier on the shoulder without hurting performance at all. You can also save quite a bit of money getting away from name-brand wads and primers -- Downrange wads and Fiocchi/Nobel Sport primers work just as well as the winchester/remington offerings but are much cheaper.

And it is also important to compare apples to apples -- comparing high quality reloads with crappy promo factory loaded stuff isn't really fair, and most of the time there the savings are minimal. But comparing top-notch reloads with top-notch factory shells shows the real savings. Oh, and when you get into the sub-gauges, that's where reloading becomes almost a necessity of you shoot much.