Beretta Blog

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.

My buddy laughed when I pulled out a can of a product that plumbers use called Nev-R-Seize. He watched me jack up my new boat trailer, remove the wheels, and coat the threads and lugs. "That's a waste of time," he said, "mine always pop off when I change a flat tire." Well, he got a flat on our way to launch his boat for a sea duck hunt. And guess what? He was right. We jacked up his trailer and with one strong torque with his lug wrench, and he snapped one cleanly off. "Next time I'll try your goo," he said.

When loading a fresh magazine or changing to a new one, there are two ways to “recharge” a semi-automatic pistol. You can push down on the slide lock lever using your firing or support hand thumb, or you can go through a partial slide racking motion. Some on the internet will insist that choosing the wrong method will get you killed and result in Justin Bieber lip-synching Milli Vanilli songs at your funeral.

The pointer was facing me, and I could see that he was locked up tighter than a tick. His head was high, his tail set was ramrod straight, and there was no question there was a covey of quail under his nose. The birds were between him and me, and since it was my turn to flush, and I whistled my pals on either side to get ready. When the big covey erupted, several on the edge flew straight away from my pal. He missed with both barrels.

Choosing a shotgun as the “tool of final resort” to defend yourself, your family, and home can be a wise decision. A light, short-barreled shotgun has a lot going for it as a defense weapon. We’ve looked at the pros and cons versus a handgun, and there are many reasons the shotgun can come out on top.

However, there’s one big question that must be answered: How are you going to store that shotgun securely and safely yet keep it accessible in a fraction of a second should you need it?

The search for a hunting dog is always a mixed bag. Of course, it's exciting, and the process requires a tremendous amount of research. When you're looking at 8-week old pups there is a dash of luck required when you make your pick. It's a big time commitment, for there is hunting to be done. But care and training take up a big chunk, too. The fact that you'll likely have your pup for over a decade puts a lot of pressure on your pick. No one wants to make a bad choice because when the pup comes home, you're committed.

In trap, skeet, and sporting clays breaking 100 out of 100 targets in a round is a perfect score. It’s an accomplishment any shooter (especially a new shooter) can be proud of. Heck, don’t even worry about 100 straight – 25 and 50 straights are pretty sweet, too. Gun club websites and bulletin boards are justly cluttered with pictures of shooters holding those 25, 50, and 100 straight patches. Each one is a memorable milestone in the development of a competitive clays shooter.

You’ve probably walked off the range with a shooter who just shot a straight. He or she will almost always wear a big smile, but despite the accomplishment might say in feigned humility, “Boy, that was ugly!”

Ugly!?! How can a perfect score be ugly?

The United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA for short) is a popular sport that combines the accuracy of a pistol shooting match with the speed and action of a foot race and mixes in a fair amount of strategy and planning as well. Once you’ve shot your first match and understand what it takes to compete in USPSA, and have taken the time to develop a smooth trigger press and a good sight picture, it’s time to learn how to shoot a USPSA stage quickly and efficiently, with no wasted movement.