Beretta Blog

When you’re planning a wingshooting trip, whether it’s out-of-the-country or just out-of-state, there are many details to consider. There are some adventurers who enjoy dotting all the “I”s and crossing all the “T”s. To these folks, it’s all part of the trip and a way to be deeply involved. Planning and covering details is a welcome facet of anticipation.

If you carry a defensive firearm or compete in practical pistol, you know consistent practice is the key to confidence and skill-building. We all need to practice more often, so we dry-fire at home to improve our skills without the time and expense of going to a range. Dry-fire is effective, and it’s something I do it on an almost daily basis, but at some point, the rubber has to meet the road and we need to put our plans into action and send rounds downrange. 

Clay target shooting can be incredibly informal. All it takes is a safe place to shoot, eye/ear protection, a way to launch the targets into the air, and a shotgun with a few shells to shoot at them. While this kind of “back forty” shooting is a wonderful, non-intimidating way to introduce shotgunning, it’s an opportunity that’s harder to find with each passing season.

The raindrops were huge and the sound of them pounding on the truck’s roof nearly drowned out the radio forecast of more to come – along with lightning, hail, and thunder. As I drove under the freeway overpass, there was that brief moment of silence as I was sheltered from the rain. It was long enough to think, “What the heck am I doing? Are sporting clays tournaments even ‘rain or shine’ events?”

The Beretta 92FS is one of the most iconic pistols in the world. The open-slide design gives the gun a distinct profile. The silhouette is even a popular choice for the “gun-free-zone” signs commonly posted by those who feel comforted by the protection offered by signage.

When I rounded the corner in front of my house, I could see into my backyard. The man was there, behind my garage. I had seen him earlier, when I’d left to pick up my son from school, just across the street. He looked out of place then, and I’d made a mental note of him. I even made eye-contact as I slowly drove by and gave him my best I-see-you look.

Two of the characteristics you look for in a home defense shotgun are simplicity and speed. Should you ever need the gun to perform its primary duty, you need it fast, and you need it easy.

The simplest possible sight for a shotgun is what most of them already wear – a single bead out on the end of the barrel. This is a fine choice – make that, the best choice – for wingshooting, which is more about instinct than it is precision. However, acquiring and honing the necessary skills for “instinctive” style shooting requires a great deal of training. For example, you need to drill and drill and drill on mounting the gun into the same position every single time.

What is the ultimate purpose of a hunting shotgun?

It’s not a trick question. Don’t overthink it.

The purpose of a hunting shotgun is to solidly hit the flying game at which you are shooting it.

So then … what is the purpose of a sporting clays shotgun?

Again, it’s to solidly hit the moving target at which you are shooting it.

When the International Defensive Pistol Association launched their Compact Carry Pistol division, I thought it was a great idea. Lots of people shot IDPA matches with guns that weren’t really designed for concealed carry even though the sport was created for real-world carry guns. There’s nothing wrong with shooting a single-stack pistol with a huge magazine well in IDPA because, after all, it is a game; however, the CCP and Backup Gun divisions make a little more sense if the goal is to shoot actual carry guns.

The season was a quarter century ago but I remember it like it was yesterday. The woods were thick, lush and green, and in the air was the smell of drying hay from the last cut of the year. I lit up the Opening Day woods like a house of fire. It didn't matter that the foliage was full or that the grouse and woodcock were dodgy. I hit most every bird at which I fired. I was unstoppable, or so I thought.