Trap or Skeet Shotgun recommendations - The Firearms Forum

dkgva1 · 08-13-2009, 10:06 AM

Does anyone have any recommendations for an entry level shotgun for trap and skeet?

pinecone70 · 08-13-2009, 10:37 AM

Are you familiar with shotguns? How about types, 20 gauge or 12 gauge? Might be possible to borrow a couple of different kinds to try out clay shooting, there is a big difference in the types of shotguns. I prefer semi-automatics and did well on my first round of sporting clays with an old Sportsman 48. Pump shotguns are a bit much for me, but I am kind of a small gal. I did try a .410 lever and also hit clays with it.

Louisiana boy · 08-16-2009, 03:53 AM

Give some details on what you want. Gauge, action type, etc..

xwad · 08-16-2009, 11:05 AM

When I shoot clay targets I use different 12 gauge semi-automatic shotguns, and they all work great, but I prefer Remington or Winchester.

Louisiana boy · 08-16-2009, 06:56 PM

I fancy a Remington 1100 12ga or 20ga or my Benelli Nova when brushing up for duck season...
If you are just planing on using it for shooting skeet and trap, I would reccomend a Rem. 1100 or if you have the money a Beretta 391...

Hammerslagger · 08-16-2009, 11:27 PM

Which do you plan on shooting most? Most serious Trap and Skeet shooters have a Trap gun and another Skeet Gun. A competitive Trap gun is not well suited for Skeet; and a Skeet gun is not well suited for Trap.

Most shooters who try to shoot one gun for both are not very successful. Trap and Skeet are kind of like comparing American Football with Soccer or Pocket Billiards with Snooker. They have very little in common other than the same clay target.

Sandman · 08-17-2009, 10:05 AM

Strictly for skeet or trap, I would recommend a 20 ga. semi-auto. Probably a Remington 1100. If you were to use it for hunting as well, I would recommend something different altogether.

Islandboy · 08-17-2009, 12:28 PM

To add to the question, what barrel length on the 1100?
Also, give the differences between trap and skeet.
I think someone did that already but......

Also, what is the best position for the thrower in relation to the shooter,if your just getting into it, and what is the best shot to use?

Sandman · 08-17-2009, 01:32 PM

I would recommend a 26" barrel, as it swings faster.

Skeet, you shoot from a pre-determined set of stations and the clay pigeon is thrown the same way every time. In trap, you do not know which direction, high, low, etc. that the clay pigeon will be thrown. You know what is coming in skeet, and it is just about being consistent (that doesn't mean it is easy). In trap, you never know what kind of a shot you will get.

You want to use small shot (#8 or #9) to increase your odds of a hit (more pellets, and a single pellet will break the target).

In true skeet and trap, you don't get any choice in the position of the thrower. You shoot from established stations.

Islandboy · 08-17-2009, 06:10 PM

Sorry, I meant that I have a thrower, and want to know where to place it in relation to where I am standing.
In other words, is the thrower behind me throwing over my head from the rear, left or right or to the side throwing across my field of view, ect.
The thrower is one of those tire mounted types.
I have the 1100 in 12 ga, 24" barrel, i'd like to try it, and want to get it right.

Sandman · 08-18-2009, 09:16 AM

Don't stand in front of it, ever. The targets break on the way out fairly frequently, and I don't think that being peppered with clay fragments will be pleasant. Other than that, mix it up. Shoot some from each position, behind, varying distances to each side, etc. With a manual thrower like you have, you can't really reproduce competition skeet or trap. Skeet has a high house and a low house facing each other containing the throwers. The stations are oriented in a semicircle with the ends of the semicircle at each house. There are six stations if I remember right, and a round is 25 shots. IN trap, the house is at ground level, a few yards in front of the shooter, but the thrower tosses the target in a different direction, elevation, etc. every time, and you can't see it.

The portable, manual throwers like what you have are great for practice, but it is hard to duplicate true skeet or trap with them.

Louisiana boy · 08-18-2009, 03:15 PM

Try this article out http://www.coyoteclays.com/SkeetandTrap.htm

Tom Militano · 08-18-2009, 06:34 PM

I still prefer an o/u for skeet shooting. I have Winchester 101 skeet gun and it has taken a bunch of crows too. I've had some pretty serious neck surgery and I'm not supposed to shoot any high power or skeet, but being hardheaded I still do it once in a while. I shoot left handed and since the four bypasses it only took one shot from my 30/338 win mag to convince me not to do that again. I really enjoyed skeet shooting, it's addictive. You might want to consider reloading, it can get expensive.

Islandboy · 08-19-2009, 08:10 PM

Thanks kind sirs, I'll be trying this W.E.
Now I just need to find a vict sorry assistant to throw..........

08-13-2009, 10:06 AM	#1
dkgva1 Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 26	Trap or Skeet Shotgun recommendations Does anyone have any recommendations for an entry level shotgun for trap and skeet? -->

08-13-2009, 10:37 AM	#2
pinecone70 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Minnesota Gal! Posts: 4,730	Re: Trap or Skeet Shotgun recommendations Are you familiar with shotguns? How about types, 20 gauge or 12 gauge? Might be possible to borrow a couple of different kinds to try out clay shooting, there is a big difference in the types of shotguns. I prefer semi-automatics and did well on my first round of sporting clays with an old Sportsman 48. Pump shotguns are a bit much for me, but I am kind of a small gal. I did try a .410 lever and also hit clays with it. __________________ _____________________________________________ "Miss Scarlet, in the library...with a revolver...."

08-16-2009, 03:53 AM	#3
Louisiana boy Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Sulphur, LA Posts: 8	Re: Trap or Skeet Shotgun recommendations Give some details on what you want. Gauge, action type, etc..

08-16-2009, 11:05 AM	#4
xwad Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 17	Re: Trap or Skeet Shotgun recommendations When I shoot clay targets I use different 12 gauge semi-automatic shotguns, and they all work great, but I prefer Remington or Winchester. __________________ Born on the 4th of July, and proud of it. xwad

08-16-2009, 06:56 PM	#5
Louisiana boy Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Sulphur, LA Posts: 8	Re: Trap or Skeet Shotgun recommendations I fancy a Remington 1100 12ga or 20ga or my Benelli Nova when brushing up for duck season... If you are just planing on using it for shooting skeet and trap, I would reccomend a Rem. 1100 or if you have the money a Beretta 391...

08-16-2009, 11:27 PM	#6
Hammerslagger Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,099	Re: Trap or Skeet Shotgun recommendations Which do you plan on shooting most? Most serious Trap and Skeet shooters have a Trap gun and another Skeet Gun. A competitive Trap gun is not well suited for Skeet; and a Skeet gun is not well suited for Trap. Most shooters who try to shoot one gun for both are not very successful. Trap and Skeet are kind of like comparing American Football with Soccer or Pocket Billiards with Snooker. They have very little in common other than the same clay target.

08-17-2009, 10:05 AM	#7
Sandman Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Louisiana Posts: 556	Re: Trap or Skeet Shotgun recommendations Strictly for skeet or trap, I would recommend a 20 ga. semi-auto. Probably a Remington 1100. If you were to use it for hunting as well, I would recommend something different altogether.

08-17-2009, 12:28 PM	#8
Islandboy Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Off the right coast Posts: 676	Re: Trap or Skeet Shotgun recommendations To add to the question, what barrel length on the 1100? Also, give the differences between trap and skeet. I think someone did that already but...... Also, what is the best position for the thrower in relation to the shooter,if your just getting into it, and what is the best shot to use? __________________ A politician can do only that which the law provides,but, a private citizen can do anything that the law does not prohibit. -AR. When they came and got me, I went Peaceful.

08-17-2009, 01:32 PM	#9
Sandman Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Louisiana Posts: 556	Re: Trap or Skeet Shotgun recommendations I would recommend a 26" barrel, as it swings faster. Skeet, you shoot from a pre-determined set of stations and the clay pigeon is thrown the same way every time. In trap, you do not know which direction, high, low, etc. that the clay pigeon will be thrown. You know what is coming in skeet, and it is just about being consistent (that doesn't mean it is easy). In trap, you never know what kind of a shot you will get. You want to use small shot (#8 or #9) to increase your odds of a hit (more pellets, and a single pellet will break the target). In true skeet and trap, you don't get any choice in the position of the thrower. You shoot from established stations.

08-17-2009, 06:10 PM	#10
Islandboy Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Off the right coast Posts: 676	Re: Trap or Skeet Shotgun recommendations Sorry, I meant that I have a thrower, and want to know where to place it in relation to where I am standing. In other words, is the thrower behind me throwing over my head from the rear, left or right or to the side throwing across my field of view, ect. The thrower is one of those tire mounted types. I have the 1100 in 12 ga, 24" barrel, i'd like to try it, and want to get it right. __________________ A politician can do only that which the law provides,but, a private citizen can do anything that the law does not prohibit. -AR. When they came and got me, I went Peaceful.

08-18-2009, 09:16 AM	#11
Sandman Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Louisiana Posts: 556	Re: Trap or Skeet Shotgun recommendations Don't stand in front of it, ever. The targets break on the way out fairly frequently, and I don't think that being peppered with clay fragments will be pleasant. Other than that, mix it up. Shoot some from each position, behind, varying distances to each side, etc. With a manual thrower like you have, you can't really reproduce competition skeet or trap. Skeet has a high house and a low house facing each other containing the throwers. The stations are oriented in a semicircle with the ends of the semicircle at each house. There are six stations if I remember right, and a round is 25 shots. IN trap, the house is at ground level, a few yards in front of the shooter, but the thrower tosses the target in a different direction, elevation, etc. every time, and you can't see it. The portable, manual throwers like what you have are great for practice, but it is hard to duplicate true skeet or trap with them.

08-18-2009, 03:15 PM	#12
Louisiana boy Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Sulphur, LA Posts: 8	Re: Trap or Skeet Shotgun recommendations Try this article out http://www.coyoteclays.com/SkeetandTrap.htm

08-18-2009, 06:34 PM	#13
Tom Militano Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Jacksonville, AL Posts: 1,255	Re: Trap or Skeet Shotgun recommendations I still prefer an o/u for skeet shooting. I have Winchester 101 skeet gun and it has taken a bunch of crows too. I've had some pretty serious neck surgery and I'm not supposed to shoot any high power or skeet, but being hardheaded I still do it once in a while. I shoot left handed and since the four bypasses it only took one shot from my 30/338 win mag to convince me not to do that again. I really enjoyed skeet shooting, it's addictive. You might want to consider reloading, it can get expensive.

08-19-2009, 08:10 PM	#14
Islandboy Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Off the right coast Posts: 676	Re: Trap or Skeet Shotgun recommendations Thanks kind sirs, I'll be trying this W.E. Now I just need to find a vict sorry assistant to throw.......... __________________ A politician can do only that which the law provides,but, a private citizen can do anything that the law does not prohibit. -AR. When they came and got me, I went Peaceful.