Is an 18inch barrel to short for trap and skeet?

Covey Ridge said:
I do not think -18 is any big deal, but wind sure is!
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X2. It wasn't all that cold today in my part of the world but that wind was a #####. On a still day I've shot in temperatures as low as -25. But it's the wind that makes it tough even if the air temperature isn't that low.
 
Ya shorter barrels are a handicap as well as cyl choke and a 7/8oz load. I didn't think I had much chance of winning as gwagon seems to be an experienced shooter. If he was honest he won fair there was no handicap set for me. I wish we could have been side by side but I can't afford the gas for the 13 trip
 
brybenn said:
Ya shorter barrels are a handicap as well as cyl choke and a 7/8oz load. I didn't think I had much chance of winning as gwagon seems to be an experienced shooter. If he was honest he won fair there was no handicap set for me. I wish we could have been side by side but I can't afford the gas for the 13 trip
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I think shorter barrels are a handicap for both games. I think that cyl choke is only a handicap for trap. I think that 7/8 oz. by itself is not much of a handicap until one gets to mid yardage. You shot well!
 
In all honesty you are right. I shoot better scores in trap with a 7/8oz load then I do with 1 1/8 factory shells when I use a more appropriate gun. My light loads are much faster at about 1325fsp and that's what I'm used to. It patterns well in all my guns. But they always beware of the man with only 1 gun. That aint me. I shoot 5 rounds of skeet chances are its with 5 different guns. I'm glad we had this challenge. It showed it can be done just not as good as longer barrels. Perhaps on another day I might have done better and gwagon might have done worse. There's a lot of factors involved but I believe both parties had fun and that's what matters
 
Yup, I had fun. I shot a lot better on the trap than I expected. Honestly I was using the factory shells for trap and that old SxS kicks like a freight train. I was really expecting my trap score to be in the 15's. But I guess luck was on my side. I could probably go out today and only manage a 15 on the trap line with the SxS.

But my average on the skeet field for a 12 or 20 ga. Gun is likely around 24. Not too many days I go out and shoot 4 rounds and don't at least run one 25
 
brybenn said:
I shoot better scores in trap with a 7/8oz load then I do with 1 1/8 factory shells
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If those international or bunker trap shooters can do it with less, it seems to be waste to use way more for 12 gauge skeet and 16 yard trap.
 
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brybenn said:
I use a 1917 ithaca 4e single barrel for trap and average 23 24. And about 22-23 for anything in sheet. What can we do for the next challenge?
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Well we could do wobble trap at 26 yards with .410, I'm sure that would be humbling, perhaps the highscore would be in the 3's:D

Oh and on a -25c day with 50 km/h winds to make it a little more challenging
 
My club don't have a wobble trap but I love shooting those lil over priced shells. It just feels wrong putting a 410 2.5" shell in the chamber on a trap line lol
 
Short answer? Yes. A 18 barrel is too short for trap and skeet. That has never stopped me from breaking clays with my door kicker. Like other said before, "both eyes open and shoot it early". 18.5" isn't much good out past 30 yards or so.
 
We have our own electric throwers that a group of us bought , so we go out to our own spot and shoot. I always use my 18.5 870 out there and I hit more with that them my 1100. For longer ranges I just use a lower # shot
 
Resurrecting an old thread because I am wondering about 590 too, sounds like the survey says just try it. Its my only shotgun. Obviously not ideal but sounds doable until I get a second?

Seems like the bayo would help by adding length and weight to smooth out the swing...
 
I use my 590A1 with 20" barrel for trap. Not ideal but if I'm on, I can get a decent string going. I might get the barrel threaded for chokes or just put that money towards a proper shotgun with 28" barrel.
 
I'm Selling my 30" gun to go to 32" gun for sporting clays... I would shoot a 18.5" gun if its all I had but if you get into it definitely get a 26"-28" for skeet, and a 32" for sporting or trap. it'll help a lot, Anyone who says otherwise hasn't shot a gun with a long barrel for more then one round, Do I think the 2" difference in a 30" to a 32" is going to make my scores any better, not really but its what I want so why not. The best was I had a guy ask me what I thought of a gun with ghost ring sights for skeet f:P:2:f:P:2:
 
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