2025 Spring season registration will open at the end of February 2025.
Factors to Consider
Gauge
The most versatile choice for hunting and target shooting is 12-gauge. The range of ammunition available allows you to load it down with extremely light-kicking shells for doves and targets, and to load it up for waterfowl and turkeys.
A 20-gauge makes a good pick if you want a lighter, trimmer gun than a 12. Twenties are fine for upland hunting, skeet, sporting clays, and even turkey hunting with the right ammo, but they are not the equal of a 12 for trap shooting.
Recommendation: Go with a 12-gauge gun unless you plan to do a great deal of upland hunting and you’d prefer the lighter weight of a 20.
Chamber Length
Target shooting is generally limited to 2¾-inch shells. Three-inch loads provide extra punch for longer shots at turkeys, waterfowl, and (in a 20 gauge) upland birds. Many target guns have 2¾-inch chambers. Most hunting guns have 3-inch chambers that let you shoot 2¾- and 3-inch shells interchangeably.
3-inch, 12-gauge shells are more than enough for all but extremely long shots at waterfowl and turkeys.
Recommendation: A 3-inch chamber adds versatility. If you choose a 20 and plan to hunt waterfowl and turkeys, it should definitely have a 3-inch chamber. Some 3½-inch 12-gauge semiautos don’t cycle light target loads well, and the big shells are rarely, if ever, necessary.
Action Type
Over/Unders and semiautos are the most popular target guns by far. O/Us have the advantage of two chokes and unmatched reliability. It’s easy to catch their empty hulls, which is convenient if you reload. Semiautos hold a third (and fourth and fifth) shell, which has no utility in target shooting but can comes in handy when you’re hunting. Gas-operated semiautos reduce felt recoil noticeably, which is a valuable feature in a target gun.
Recommendation: An O/U is fine, but the extra firepower of semiautos, and the reduced recoil of gas guns, make them the more versatile pick, especially if you will be hunting waterfowl.
Barrel Length
Barrel length has only minimal effect on shotgun ballistics. It does affect a gun’s weight and balance. Target guns have longer barrels than hunting guns to help shooters swing smoothly. Fortunately, we’re only talking about a difference of a couple of inches. Twenty-eight-inch barrels are common on hunting guns and found on some target guns, while 30- and 32-inch barrels are popular among target shooters. Moreover, I think 30-inch barrels are great for doves and waterfowl. Choose longer barrels if your emphasis will be on targets, shorter barrels if you plan to spend more time shooting birds than clays.
Recommendation: Go with 30-inch barrels unless you plan to do lots of upland or turkey hunting. If you’ll hunt more than you shoot, you might prefer 28-inch barrels. The USA League does not allow a barrel length less than 24-inches.
Weight and Balance
Again, hunting guns are lighter, target guns are heavier. Heavy guns with a slightly muzzle-heavy balance are easier to shoot at targets, and at any bird that requires a smooth swing, and there’s the advantage of reduced recoil when you add weight. Many 12-gauge target guns weigh 8 or more pounds.
Recommendation: If you pick an O/U, it should be on the heavy side, say, 8 or more pounds for a 12-gauge, 7 plus for a 20. The recoil reduction of a gas gun allows you to shoot a lighter gun without paying the price in added kick, which makes it a more versatile crossover gun.