18.5 for sport?

9ineMM

9ineMM

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Anyone use their 18.5" shottys for clay/trap/skeet? I know it sounds stupid, but I have to ask :)
 
I use both my 870 with an 18.5" barrel and a Stevens 320 (350? The Ithaca M37 clone) with 18" cylinder bore choke for informal clays shooting with a small thrower. The Stevens is really good for getting them close in and I find the sights far less intrusive than expected.


Mark
 
It doesn't fall within clays/skeet, but I run a 18.5 cyl bore 870 for 3-Gun, and while it busts clays no issue, knocking down steel anywhere past 20 yards is near impossible. I need to get a barrel with screw in chokes if I'm running bird shot.
 
It works but you gotta hit them quick when they are close to you, I hear 18 to 20 inch barrels are ideal for shooting slugs though. My supernova tactical gets nice groups at 100M
 
9ineMM said:
Anyone use their 18.5" shottys for clay/trap/skeet? I know it sounds stupid, but I have to ask :)
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Not stupid at all. They work just fine, but if it's a cylinder bore (most are) then they don't have the range that choked shotguns do. Not a huge issue unless you're "serious" about skeet, I think.
 
Would work well for skeet (albeit probably very loudly). For trap on the other hand, it would not be the best tool, or the second best, or even the third best tool to use. It may break some clays on a trap range, but my guess is it would be very frustrating to use.
 
Grouse Man said:
Would work well for skeet (albeit probably very loudly). For trap on the other hand, it would not be the best tool, or the second best, or even the third best tool to use. It may break some clays on a trap range, but my guess is it would be very frustrating to use.
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An 18.5" would work fine for trap if it had screw in chokes (as mine does). It wouldn't swing like a long barreled over/under but that is not the end of the world unless OP is looking at serious competition shooting. My 13 year old son carried my 870 with the 18.5" barrel this fall for waterfowl because it was short and light enough for him to handle properly.


Mark
 
Thanks for the responses guys! Ya I'm just looking to have some fun on the trap range and not looking to make 2 shotty purchases immediately (i dont have yet, only HGs). However, I think my closes range only accepts 21" or over. Looking an an SXP 28" but also looking at an 870 18.5"...choices choices lol
 
I use to use my Ithaca 18.5" 8 shot all the time for clay/trap, hunting and 3gun and it worked quite well.

It made a big difference once I got my longer barrel shotgun, however I never felt handicapped by the 18.5".
 
I have no trouble busting clays with my 870 tactical 18.5. I find it quicker to get the bead on target than with a 28", but if the clay gets too far out you're pretty much screwed.
 
carried my 18.5 mossberg maverick and once I sold that, I started carrying my 20" 590. both work good for sporting clays, but they garner me weird looks when the club house is full of guys with their over/unders.
 
Sporting clay is a little stretch, 5 stand can be done ( few go away shoots are a little problematic) but skeet and trap are no problem. Any time i do any of this with my Benelli M4 all the other participants are just in the WTF status......so YES it can be done.
 
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