So, How About Those Stoegers and Other "Cheaper" Guns?

    As I promised in earlier posts, I wanted to talk about my experiences with different shotguns, especially the Stoeger brand.  Many discussion sites refer to the Stoeger as the "farmer's gun"; good enough to shoot an occasional rabbit or ground hog, but not a true sportsman's shotgun.  Is it true that the shotgun buyer gets more reliability and precision as the price of the gun increases?  Does an Audi make you a better driver than a Hyundi driver?  Humm....  Do Sporting Clays shooters shoot a very expensive gun for the same reasons that they live in too expensive homes, drive too expensive cars, or wear too expensive clothes?  The very people who complain about "throw-away" shotguns are the very ones who could most easily afford to replace cheaper, unusable shotguns.

    I have asked shooters why they shoot such an expensive shotgun in Ohio's unpredictable weather.  Here are some answers I received:

1. "You get what you pay for."
2. "This gun guarantees better precision in my shooting; I break more targets."
3. "Cheaper guns need more repair, or could fall apart, or explode."
4. "Because I can afford one."
5. "Because I didn't have one."
6. " I look good carrying it."
7. "I always wanted one."
8. "My wife told me I had to buy one." (Obviously tongue-in-cheek!)
9. "Serious shooters use serious equipment."
10. "This gun feels good when I hold it."

    Which of the above statements can you identify with?  Are any of the statements entirely true?  No, I suggest.  Has anyone on the  Internet or the nay-sayers on the Forum sites presented scientific data identifying the number of shots a Stoeger or other "off brand" can withstand before it falls apart or malfunctions?  Not that I have seen.  I think the shotgun a Sporting Clays shooter uses depends more on personal preference than quality or precision.  I am the first to admit that the small percentage of shooters that pull the trigger thousands of time a month at competitions must have better equipment.  Did I just say that or does that expensive gun make them feel more confident or more competent?  What do you think?  Has it been your observation that superior shooters can hit targets very well regardless of the brand of gun they use?

    I chose to use Stoegers because they are cheaper and I can afford to have a greater variety of gauges with different barrel lengths, etc.  (Maybe I have a hidden urge to collect guns?) I can testify that I have not had one problem with Stoegers. (Hear me knocking on wood?)  I have had to repair my 1187 and Browning Ultra XS.  I have endured teasing and friendly insults about my Stoegers.  "You hit both targets, the Condor has landed!  Squawaak!"  "You would have hit that target using a real shotgun."  Stoegers feel good, shoot well, and break targets...for me.  (I shoot 100 to 200 rounds a week.)

    I am not trying to convince readers to go out and buy a Stoeger solely on my say so.  I am trying to convince readers that they shoot their own preference in shotguns.  Why are shotgunning forums so over-run with "brand" bragging?  Some of the best strengths that attract people to Sporting Clays are the great availability of different guns, ammunition, courses, clothing, and the people who use them.  There is no perfect gun, no perfect ammunition, no perfect course, or no perfect clothing, let alone a perfect person.  Some shotgun owners remind me of the person who always has to "one up" all of your stories.  " Well now, my collector Birdbuster gun has......."  You fill in the blank. 
    Technique that comes from trial and error (Boy,  have I erred at times!), practice, and some good heart-felt advice can and will make for a better shooter.  (I'm too cheap for lessons.)  Worrying about others' opinions will not.
    Old Man Philosophy:  Shooters, like golfers, depend more on their equipment than themselves for success in breaking targets.
    Thank you for reading my posts.  I hope I have been able to provide you with "food for thought" and some reinforcement for your thoughts.

    "I have a very strict gun control policy: if there's a gun around, I want to be in control of it."- Clint Eastwood