My brother tried out my VR80 and so did a coworker, last thing both of them used was a pump action, both love it, both made note of the greatly reduced recoil…
Our team has a cache of Fiocchi and Estate target loads, but the last tournament I shot was issuing obscure shells from Russia, Turkey, or Easter Europe none of us had ever heard of before. They had the distinctive smell of shotgun shells produced in that region.
I don’t know what you may find in stock or where. One of the great benefits of stockpiling ammo is not having to shop for ammo during times like these.
The VR80 looks interesting for a SD and likely even 3gun option. I just don’t think the short barrel and sights would be conducive to skeet and trap. Though I obviously am not qualified to say either way.
Yeah. I have not had join the great ammo race for the calibers I had previously owned. Despite their obvious usefulness, a shot gun was on my want someday list as opposed to my need list. Wish the local range had set up for clays last winter instead of this one!
1 Like
P.S. Be aware of the shipping charges if you buy online. They tend to be very steep nowadays, as well! So this can make buying a case or three locally for an extra $20/case a cheaper proposition. Be sure to run the math both ways.
2 Likes
So I spent the past week trying to pick up a Remington or Mossberg pump. Not a single 12 gauge of any kind to be found at all the stores I checked in town aside from a used O/U for $2500. Couldn’t find anything in stock online either. But while looking I had 3 separate sales people recommend that I try finding a Girsan MC312 which is supposedly a Benelli m2 clone. The reviews seem surprisingly good for a semi that costs less than a decent pump. Checked out the last store in town I hadn’t been to and they had one in stock! So I figured what the heck. Hopefully it doesn’t turn into a frustration fest but the gun seems reasonably well built, the action is super smooth and the trigger is decent. Now just need to find something to feed it at a reasonable price!
2 Likes
Shotgun triggers are notoriously sloppy compared to rifles. EAA has a reputation for importing solid offerings from Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Girsan is one of the best mfgs of this entire class (reverse engineering “clone” plants in the Balkans/Turkey. EAA typically helps foster a US based line of accessories for the shotguns they import, but this takes time and is only moderately successful in normal times. These are not normal times. You did good under the circumstances.
1 Like
Parts are likely to be an issue though I read it can use some Benelli parts. Think the first thing I need to figure out is which limbsaver recoil pad will fit it. The pad that comes with it is very stiff and not likely to absorb recoil very well.
1 Like
The CZ 1012 is a nice alternative to Benelli that won’t break the bank. Not sure if they have magazine extensions or not, but it’s 4+1 after removing the limit plug. They also have shims for adjustment. It’s my sister’s and she’s probably put 2,000 rnds through it so far without a single issue. It’s pretty smooth shooting too. I feel only a tad more recoil compared to my Benelli, but both are very smooth. I really only feel the recoil after 4-5 rapid fire. 
But that’s also #7-1/2 or #8 shot. Not sure about using it for 3-gun or if they have shorter barrels. But the walnut stock is beautiful and it’s fun to bust clays with it.
2 Likes
The Girsan MC312 I picked up worked well on its first outing. The 20 3” turkey loads I put through it to break it in were a bit rough on my shoulder but I hardly noticed the #7-1/2 light target loads I tried immediately after.
1 Like
Finally got out on the sporting clay range today thanks to an invite from the volunteer who runs the local course. Had a rough start but think I was hitting more than I was missing towards the end. Fired almost 100 rounds total with 4 FTFs all from the three boxes of cheap Walmart Special Winchester Universal rounds I had recently picked up which seem to have a reputation for being dirty and unreliable. So I think the Girsan may be a winner.
Shamrock- I agree with Aaron on the Benelli. I got a supper 90 many years ago for goose hunting. I got it because it is recoil operated and is very easy to clean. No O rings to replace and no gas ports. It does kick a little more than a gas operated shot gun but less than a pump. I have other autoloaders that failed to operate on a very busy crow hunting day. You can shoot the Benelli till your blue in the face without a failure. The only cleaning I did was put a patch down the pipe to see how much I could shoot it without a failure and it never did fail. Taking
the bolt and rod out of it is 1 -2-3-. I wanted to get a little shorter barrel for hunting in a crow blind and it was over $500. Just for the barrel and that was quite a few years ago. GOOD LUCK. PS: 5 Stand is a blast.
1 Like
I can definitely see a growing addiction in my future. The Girsan is a Benelli M2 clone. Next time I will avoid the cheap poorly reviewed ammo and shoot some of the higher quality Winchester and Remington ammo I was also able to pick up. Hopefully that solves the couple of issues I had.
The interesting thing for me was the shots that I was focused on trying to acquire the proper sight picture on I missed every time. The shots that I just focused on the leading edge of the clay and pulled the trigger when I felt it was aligned properly I hit a lot more often than not. Some of the stations gave more more issues than others. Especially the ones with a lot of trees in the background. The ones with clear ski were much easier for me. I definitely need to work more on my follow through. After that I guess I just need to feed my mental computer a lot more info and let my subconscious take the lead in the future.
1 Like