First time shooting trap... am now hooked!

umdiddly

umdiddly

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I regret every penny I have spent so far on shooting, that is not trap or skeet related. I must now buy a shotgun and buckets of ammo.

Punching holes in paper is all good and fun, but its just not as viscerally satisfying as watching that rascally orange clay explode into glorious shattery bits. *PUUUUUULLLLLLLLL***
 
Yeah - first time I did it, i turned my shoulder almost black from the bruising, coz I just didn't wanna stop shooting......:D
 
I feel your pain. I tried Trap for the first time last week; fun. Then I tried Sporting Clays a couple of days later; what a challenge that was... and a total blast! My new favourite thing is blasting orange and yellow clays outta the sky.... if I can hit them.
 
It's sorta like golf - the Devil lets you hit the odd PERFECT shot just so you keep going for hours on end trying to do it again.....:rolleyes:
 
Got some time this weekend to shoulder some shotguns at various stores. I get like a variety of answers from different clerks regarding what's a good gun for someone just getting started... semi-auto/pump/over under.. 20ga/12ga...
I like the idea of a 12 ga over under... but someone told me to get a 20 ga because "if you can hit it with a 20, you can hit it with a 12"... what does that even mean?
 
umdiddly said:
Got some time this weekend to shoulder some shotguns at various stores. I get like a variety of answers from different clerks regarding what's a good gun for someone just getting started... semi-auto/pump/over under.. 20ga/12ga...
I like the idea of a 12 ga over under... but someone told me to get a 20 ga because "if you can hit it with a 20, you can hit it with a 12"... what does that even mean?
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If price has anything to do with it, go 12ga. Target rounds are much cheaper and plentiful
 
umdiddly said:
Got some time this weekend to shoulder some shotguns at various stores. I get like a variety of answers from different clerks regarding what's a good gun for someone just getting started... semi-auto/pump/over under.. 20ga/12ga...
I like the idea of a 12 ga over under... but someone told me to get a 20 ga because "if you can hit it with a 20, you can hit it with a 12"... what does that even mean?
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For someone just getting started definitely get a 12 gauge. It is by far the most popular gauge for all clay target shooting.

Which type or model of gun depends entirely on your budget. A Beretta A400 Target semi-auto, its predecessor the Beretta 391 or a Beretta 686 Sporting would both be good choices. Clay target shooting favours longer barrels so set a 28" minimum for a semi-auto and 30" for an o/u. There are also usually good used guns on the market as clay shooters can be quite fickle about their guns and change them often.

For a new shooter a gun that can shoot all the games is a good place to start. You can specialize your gun later if you want.
 
eager myself to give it a go gonna be one of those to start with my 18.5 black pump
but those over unders are already calling before the first round has been fired ....so screw^%&
 
just tried it for the first time today, shot a round of singles skeet and a round of trap, already lining up a 12 gauge o/u, but man does my shoulder hurt and had a good start to a head ache going on lol. is there anyway to mitigate some recoil on the 12? i know my shoulder position was a bit off but got it where it should be by the end of shooting.
 
just tried it for the first time today, shot a round of singles skeet and a round of trap, already lining up a 12 gauge o/u, but man does my shoulder hurt and had a good start to a head ache going on lol. is there anyway to mitigate some recoil on the 12? i know my shoulder position was a bit off but got it where it should be by the end of shooting.
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If you shoot 2-3/4 dram target loads, recoil isn't an issue. I have fired 200 rounds in a day on several occasions, with no issues at all. As well, trap/skeet guns tend to be heavier than field guns, so they produce less felt recoil.
 
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pei precision said:
just tried it for the first time today, shot a round of singles skeet and a round of trap, already lining up a 12 gauge o/u, but man does my shoulder hurt and had a good start to a head ache going on lol. is there anyway to mitigate some recoil on the 12? i know my shoulder position was a bit off but got it where it should be by the end of shooting.
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I use my Beretta A400 12ga... Awesome shotgun, good for anything I can think to put it through, and the kick off recoil reduction system is simply beautiful.
 
i myself just got started this summer. i upgraded from a 870 wingmaster field to a 870 trap (used) that i found. it has a Kick ezz recoil pad installed on it. i shoot remington target #8 about 1200fps. i can shoot 4 or 5 rounds of trap and not notice any pain in shoulder or cheek. i am not a natural shooting shotgun sports but i am getting better.
 
pei precision said:
just tried it for the first time today, shot a round of singles skeet and a round of trap, already lining up a 12 gauge o/u, but man does my shoulder hurt and had a good start to a head ache going on lol. is there anyway to mitigate some recoil on the 12? i know my shoulder position was a bit off but got it where it should be by the end of shooting.
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That sounds like a issue with shotgun fit. Field guns tend to be light, have stocks designed for quick mounts and a average fit for the average man. Hunters only tend to shoot a few rounds a few times a year so recoil isn't so much of an issue. For target shooting even a light-target load 2 3/4" 12 gauge round gives a solid kick and if the shotgun doesn't fit you properly it can hurt your shoulder, neck, jaw and give you a headache when you shoot a hundred rounds in an evening. You could also be holding the gun a little wrong and need to shift your position slightly.

The folks running the club will often have one or more experienced shooters hanging around that will be happy to help out and give advice. They'll often let you try a few shots with their guns to help figure out your needs. A couple small changes might make all the difference.
 
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