| In the world of shotgun sports sporting clays has | | | | Krieghoff, and Perazzi, primarily due to their |
| grown exponentially. It is a great game that has | | | | reliability. You could easily spend up to $8000.00 |
| been likened to playing golf with a shotgun. Many | | | | for the high end models. However, you can |
| hunters like it because it is similar to the shooting | | | | purchase new good quality over and unders for |
| conditions and aspects of hunting. Most sporting | | | | between $1800.00 and $2200.00. Once a shooter |
| clays shooters use a 12 gauge in this game. When | | | | finds a 12 gauge over and under shotgun that fits |
| it comes to costs it is quite a bit more expensive. | | | | him or her well, the purchase of subgauge tubes |
| Part of this is due to the fact that most sporting | | | | comes next. If you are on a budget you should |
| clay courses field 100 targets which is same as | | | | consider purchasing a set of 28 gauge tubes first. |
| shooting 4 rounds of skeet or trap. If you cannot | | | | National Skeet Shooting Association rules allow a |
| afford to spend $50.00 to $75.00 for a round of | | | | shooter to use a 28 gauge shotgun in both the 28 |
| sporting clays and you want to simulate hunting | | | | and 20 gauge events. If you check out the NSSA |
| conditions you might consider shooting skeet. It | | | | scores for both gauges you will find that there is |
| will sharpen your eye for small game hunting and | | | | just a slim handicap. To shoot the 28 gauge you |
| is more reasonable in price. Any good field | | | | must become a reloader as 28 gauge ammo is |
| shotgun can be used to shoot this game. | | | | twice the cost of 20 gauge. However, shooting |
| Just prior to the hunting season you will see all | | | | ¾ oz of shot and not much powder you |
| sorts hunting guns that will never win a skeet | | | | can load for less than what you can buy 20 |
| tournament, but the shooters are having fun and | | | | gauge shells. Again saving money. The next set of |
| that's what is important. Turning clay birds to dust | | | | tubes you should purchase should be 36 gauge or |
| is great fun.After shooting a couple of rounds of | | | | 410. Again you will need to reload this gauge to |
| skeet some of these seasonal shooters become | | | | keep within your budget. You are only pushing |
| interested in becoming a regular or registered | | | | ½ oz in the 2 ½ inch hulls. The last |
| skeet shooter. One of the first questions they | | | | set of tubes you should pickup will be 20 gauge. If |
| have is "can I shoot skeet with just one gauge or | | | | you are on a budget you can purchase a set of |
| one gun". The answer is both yes and no. You | | | | tubes once a year without breaking the bank. |
| can shoot a one gauge event and that is what | | | | One piece of advice for tube shooters is to get a |
| most beginners do. The 12 gauge event is the | | | | good case for your tubes. Tube manufactures |
| most common event shot by these neophytes. | | | | provide a cheap plastic sleeve that does not |
| Soon the new shooter becomes interested in | | | | protect your investment. The simple mistake of |
| shooting all the skeet events but cannot afford 3 | | | | dropping or sitting on a tube will make it unusable. |
| more shotguns. An option is to buy a skeet | | | | A hard case is not just an accessory it is a |
| shotgun with a 4 barrel set. This is not an | | | | requirement to protect your investment.The |
| inexpensive option. It is not uncommon to layout | | | | most popular manufactures of tubes are Kolar |
| almost $4000.00 for a good used setup. During | | | | and Briley. You can get all the information you |
| the last 15 years more and more skeet shooters | | | | need by visiting their websites. Some models like |
| are shooting all skeet events with one gun | | | | Briley's companion tubes do not require that you |
| through the use of subgauge tubes. | | | | send the shotgun to the manufacture to be fitted. |
| At the next tournament check out what the top | | | | These are great tubes and have sold on eBay for |
| shooters are using and will find many are using | | | | less that $350.00. Most dedicated tube shooters |
| tubed guns. The most important part of this | | | | choose to send there guns to the manufacture to |
| process is finding a 12 gauge shotgun that fits the | | | | assure a good fit.Now that you have a good set |
| shooter very well. This is not a place to cut | | | | of tubes and shotgun that fits you it time to |
| corners or cost. The most popular shotguns found | | | | work on your game. Just remember shooting |
| on the skeet field are Browning, Beretta, | | | | skeet is supposed to be fun. |