Starter shotgun?

Hello Spank,

Yes, that's what I'm going to do when I'm a bit better. And maybe I'll just go to Silverdale next time and sit around to observe others shooting clays.

By the way, could you help me understand why all the more experienced shooters dislike polymer firearms? Thanks!


Amol

the spank said:
Sounds to me like you need to go shooting with someone who can teach you how to shoulder the gun, stand correctly, hold the gun correctly etc.There are lots of gun owners out there who still after years have little idea about how to shoot properly. I see them often out at the club trying clays for the first time and I cringe when I see the poor shooting habits they have causing them undue recoil issues and hitting the target capability. Go to a club that offers trap and skeet shooting, watch the shooters who are shooting good scores. Watch their gun mounting, handling and stances. Ask around about proper instruction. Explain you are very new to shooting. Most are willing to help out but may not step forward to if you do not ask because often when trying to help they get met with a pretty cool reception by someone who gets insulted thinking their skills as a shooter are being called into play.
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You asked why experienced shooters dislike polymer firearms? I think its more of a case of them preferring nice pieces of walnut and a blued finish. Typically, better quality over and unders are blued/walnut. However, there is nothing stopping someone from using a polymer gun - you can even get a Beretta semi in a "polymer" configuration.
 
amolkapoor said:
Hello Spank,

By the way, could you help me understand why all the more experienced shooters dislike polymer firearms? Thanks!


Amol
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Some, but not all of us, both enjoy the actual activity of shooting a shotgun (clays, hunting etc) but also value the work that went into creating the tool. Some people drive their car just because it gets them somewhere they are going. Others do the same but also love the experience of driving and have strong views about the car or truck they drive.

A modern gun with a polymer stock did not have someone spend several hundred hours carving that walnut to flow seamlessly into the metal of the receiver. A polymer stock got spit out of a mold machine and stuck onto the receiver. As a fellow poster on another site says "I prefer wood to plastic, leather to nylon, waxed cotton to Gore-Tex, and split bamboo to graphite.".

It's all about your own sensibilities. One is not better than another (yes it is! LOL) It's about what you value. Below are examples of what I value in guns and hunting. The fine gun, the dog, the day. Not so much the bag limit.


 
What if I start with an affordable 20gauge pump? Will it be okay for target and clay shooting? Or do clubs allow 12gauge only? I'm unsure as I've only seen 12gauge range shotguns so far on my day pass visits.


cosmic said:
You asked why experienced shooters dislike polymer firearms? I think its more of a case of them preferring nice pieces of walnut and a blued finish. Typically, better quality over and unders are blued/walnut. However, there is nothing stopping someone from using a polymer gun - you can even get a Beretta semi in a "polymer" configuration.
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If you want to use buckshot, try Remington Managed Recoil Buckshot.

Winchester and Federal also make low recoil ammo but the Winchester stuff is harder to find.
 
Thanks, I was just confused as most people only seem to talk about 12 gauge shotguns, whereas there's a lot of variety in discussions about handguns and rifles.

Grouse Man said:
20 gauge will do just fine. All gauges 12 and smaller are allowed; only 10 is sometimes banned from clubs.
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As a beginner shooter, it usually recommended to start with a 20 or 28ga when learning to shoot clay targets. The reason is lower recoil, lower recoil allows the beginner to focus on learning to hit a moving target rather than the pounding the gun gives them. Economically the 20ga is easier to find and ammo is considerably less expensive. Do not buy a .410 as your first gun. They are solely an experts gun, contrary to popular belief, whereas a .410 does have a lower recoil, it is much harder to hit a moving target with one.
 
Sure - A 20 g pump is a good all around platform. You can use it for both hunting and sporting purposes. Its only limitation is the ability to release a second shot quickly, such as needed in shooting doubles in skeet or sporting clays. Not the biggest consideration, as some shooters can manage this quite well with a pump.
 
Fit is paramount. You see it with bicyclists alot riding bikes that don't fit their body, or seats that are too low causing unneeded added effort and strain to their body.
 
EL34/6L6 said:
Fit is paramount. You see it with bicyclists alot riding bikes that don't fit their body, or seats that are too low causing unneeded added effort and strain to their body.
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In terms of fit, do you mean holding it in a store to see what sets in better with my shoulder/hands/arms?
 
cosmic said:
Sure - A 20 g pump is a good all around platform. You can use it for both hunting and sporting purposes. Its only limitation is the ability to release a second shot quickly, such as needed in shooting doubles in skeet or sporting clays. Not the biggest consideration, as some shooters can manage this quite well with a pump.
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I looked at over unders, they are going to be out of my budget for now. Any 20ga pumps you'd recommend? Something that is good on target and reliable, easy to maintain. Not too into camo or special looks/accessories.
 
Benelli Nova/Supernova, Browning BPS, Remington Wingmaster. Cosmic; some of us continue to shoot Skeet Doubles just fine with a slide action, afterall for the first 40-50years of this that's what most shooters used.
 
I shoot skeet, sporting, and 5stand with pumps all the time. Any issues with my score are invariably due to me and not the gun. I only own a 20ga 870 wingmaster & a 12a express. Wingmaster is much nicer. I shot a 12ga Bps and felt like my forearm was quite stretched out, a 20ga BPS I shot felt better. I'd like to try a browning mod12 and an Ithaca one day.
 
I sometimes start with a dozen or so magnum super hard hitting 3" Sabots in my 12" 12 gauge, slam the hell out of myself.

Everything else after that is easy to deal with !!

Humm, maybe I should get a 10 gauge with 3 1/2" rounds to make the warm up experience more productive.......

No joke, I often do that.

But to answer your question adding a Knoxx recoil reducing stock, swap the pad with a Limbsaver and low recoil rounds makes it a lot more fun.

After awhile though I tossed the Knoxx and don't bother with low recoil rounds. Limbsaver stays on though !
 
The answer to 12 ga. recoil is to gas operated semi auto I have been shooting 12 ga. for 40 years and that's the action that well give
you the lest amount of recoil (pain) even with the magnum loads.
 
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