When I first expressed interest in the shotgun shooting sports, I was completely confused. In their enthusiasm to share the sport, all my shotgun friends started right into detailed knowledge and tips and tricks. For example, they talked to me about how to aim a shotgun, how to get ‘classified’ and how to lead clay targets. All good intentions aside, no one stopped talking long enough to appreciate how little I knew. Without a basic understanding of the games, how was I to know what these things meant? Imagine a lifelong resident of, oh say, Gardone Val Trompia, Italy, asking about American F ..read more

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 ..read more

The choke tube wrench adapted to fit into the arbor of a cordless drill driver is apparently an urban legend – at least from the perspective of it being made commercially. Yet I’m sure a Frankenstein-ed version has shown up at the clays course on more than one occasion. Some shotgunners seem addicted to changing choke tubes. No one needs a powered choke tube wrench, but watching some shooters on the sporting clays course, it seems like it’s an invention that would speed up their play. The ability to conveniently change choke tubes is a good thing … I think … until it becomes a distraction … w ..read more

A new shooter can often wonder where to begin in hunting. First off they need to attend a hunter education course to learn safety, responsibility and ethics. After completing a certification course, they are free to hunt, but where do they start? Over the years, new hunters have gotten a start in hunting through a variety of means. I learned hunting practices from my father and his friends. Many of us get our start with the help of our family. It is great to have a family that hunts and passes its tradition down to children. Last winter I was at a convention where I spoke in a hunting forum ..read more

My favorite way to kick off the hunting season is a dove hunt. My very first wingshooting experience was a dove hunt with a 16 gauge single barrel and a tobacco field. I think I managed to put three doves on the ground with two boxes of shotgun shells. At the end of the afternoon, I had a sore shoulder and a love for the fast flying birds that fly so hard they squeak. Almost any shotgun can work as a dove gun. If I hunt several days, I shoot a different gun every day, just for the fun of shooting different guns. As a pure dove hunting gun, a twenty gauge works really well. 7/8 ounce loads of e ..read more

There are four rules of gun safety that should always be followed whether that is at the range or in your home. As we will take you through the 4 Fundamental Rules of Gun Safety, it is important to establish a knowledgeable foundation and respect whenever you’re handling a firearm. The following four rules for gun safety are intended as a baseline when you are using and storing your Beretta handguns or shotguns. If you are using firearms in the presence of new shooters, children, or those with no previous experience with firearms, gun safety must always be practiced with care, and safety is at ..read more

A properly cared for shotgun is imperative to the performance of your Beretta, whether you’re an upland hunter, waterfowl hunter, or if your target of choice is breaking clays on the range. Many hunters and clay shooters will shoot thousands of shells in some of the most diverse conditions before giving their shotgun a deep clean as they prepare for their next hunt, range session, or storing until they begin to prepare for their next season. But first, let’s talk about safety. Safety for many firearms owners is at the forefront of their minds when they operate and store their shotgun. Every ..read more