Shotgun recommendation for girlfriend shooting clays

Exactly, that's why I said to let her shoot a bunch of times before making a purchase so that she knows if she will keep shooting or not! One other thing I'd like to point out is if you do buy a used Beretta or Browning and she doesn't shoot for very long then you will most likely get your money back out of the gun whereas you won't if you buy a cheap new gun.
Sounds like you're going about this the right way.
 
A reseasonably priced used but not abused Citori or SKB are tons safer handling for a novice shooter.
Versus the mechanics of any pump gun or semi auto.

And if they don't take to it, they are easy sales to move along to another happy owner.
 
swray1992 said:
Slowly but surely I'm getting my girlfriend into shooting and she's found an activity (shooting clays) she really likes. I want to buy her first gun for her birthday coming up. Looking for recommendations that would be a good starter for her to use. Only asking because I'm not experienced in shooting clays. I'd take her to a store to see what would suit her, but there's not much selection in stock where I am. Thanks!
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what was she using ?

Browning BT-99
 
Daughter is getting into clay, ( 23 yrs. 60kg) Likes the 12 ga. but is a bit much, absolutely love the .410.

If your girlfriend is not gonna compete, can't go wrong with an Cooey break barrel. Cheap, fun and very light. One shot very safe.

Daughter tried my Mossberg 12 & .410 bolt, Norinco 12 pump, Winchester SXP Pump, the Cooeys 12 & .410.

Then I found her a older Moss 500 .410 pump. She's happy.

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Hope that helps a bit.
 
Alot of new lady shooters have taken really well to my a400 xplor 20ga. Depending on her size and shape the mossberg bantams 20ga is a decent starting gun. We had one lady come out and nothing fit her. Shes built tiny. Long thin sharp features and found the only gun that didnt slap her jaw and cheek was the mossberg bantam
She must like the gun. Id suggest taking her to a skeet and trap field and just ask the regular shooters if she can shoulder theyre guns. Likely shell be able to try a dozen or so and see what she likes
 
HuskyDude said:
Daughter is getting into clay, ( 23 yrs. 60kg) Likes the 12 ga. but is a bit much, absolutely love the .410.

If your girlfriend is not gonna compete, can't go wrong with an Cooey break barrel. Cheap, fun and very light. One shot very safe.

Daughter tried my Mossberg 12 & .410 bolt, Norinco 12 pump, Winchester SXP Pump, the Cooeys 12 & .410.

Then I found her a older Moss 500 .410 pump. She's happy.

3EDBip5.jpg


Hope that helps a bit.
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I don't recommend a 410 for any new shooter for shooting clays. I have seen way too many new shooters come out with a 410, hit nothing, and perhaps come back once more, if at all, then get frustrated, and decide that they don't like clays. On the other hand, if they start with a 20 gauge semi auto , and they at least break a few targets, they often come back and actually enjoy themselves. The Mossberg 20 gauge semi auto is quite affordable, as are used 1100s.
 
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Interesting. I shot the best when we took out buddies 410. I think having the right choke equipped matters more.

My gf also hates shooting 12ga but is fine with lesser recoil guns.
 
Jahnj0584 said:
Interesting. I shot the best when we took out buddies 410. I think having the right choke equipped matters more.

My gf also hates shooting 12ga but is fine with lesser recoil guns.
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It's possible that your buddies 410 fit you better than whatever else you shot that day so you naturally did better with it, and choke is the least of your worries when starting out.
As far as recoil in a 12 guange goes, too many first time shooters go out and buy a box of hunting ammo and wonder why the gun recoils so much, you'd be better off getting light target loads for target shooting. Also, fit is very important to mitigating recoil and few first time shooters start out with a gun that actually fits them. One of the quickest ways to turn off a first time female shooter is to hand them a gun that will hurt them, you probably won't see them pick up a gun again!
 
.410 is a total waste shooting trap in fact ..410 is a great grouse gun .You shoot trap- with a .410 you are wasting your time.If recoil is problem then you should look at reduced recoil shells which they have many .in both 12 and 20g.I have witnessed many times people trying to make it easier for people to shoot better scores by going to a smaller gauge,does not work,, get your head around it trap is not an easy game and .410 are for people who know how to shoot not newbies ...
 
The 410 is affectionately known as the "idiot stick" at the local shotgun range. We had a challenge last year where folks were encouraged to bring out their 410's for a round of trap - one of our members offered free ammo for those that participated. Even the accomplished shooters shot poorly, with scores around 10. Lesser shooters were lucky to hit a few birds.
 
cosmic said:
The 410 is affectionately known as the "idiot stick" at the local shotgun range. We had a challenge last year where folks were encouraged to bring out their 410's for a round of trap - one of our members offered free ammo for those that participated. Even the accomplished shooters shot poorly, with scores around 10. Lesser shooters were lucky to hit a few birds.
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Never tried it, but that is a larger handicap than I would have guessed. I wonder would a heavy, tubed, tight choked O/U help ? Most of the 410s I encounter are little toy guns that would make trap a struggle.

Might have to borrow a Skeeters gun and give it a try.
 
HuskyDude said:
Showed my daughter the last few post this morning.... she just looked at me a smiled...made me smile too.
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So what kind of scores does your daughter normally shoot at actual, skeet, trap or sporting clays with the 410? At our club, there are two of us that shoot some clean rounds of skeet with the 410, but nobody shoots over 80%, shooting trap or sporting clays with a 410. Most people are lucky to shoot 50% at trap with a 410.
 
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Westward1 said:
Never tried it, but that is a larger handicap than I would have guessed. I wonder would a heavy, tubed, tight choked O/U help ? Most of the 410s I encounter are little toy guns that would make trap a struggle.

Might have to borrow a Skeeters gun and give it a try.
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I shoot a lot of skeet with the 410, 1/2 ounce of #9 does okay out to 25 yards or so, but at normal trap distances, 1/2 ounce of #8 doesn't do all that well. And trying to shoot a 50 yard sporting clays target with the 410, is just asking for disappointment.
 
stubblejumper;[URL="tel:18719595" said:
18719595[/URL]]So what kind of scores does your daughter normally shoot at actual, skeet, trap or sporting clays with the 410? At our club, there are two of us that shoot some clean rounds of skeet with the 410, but nobody shoots over 80%, shooting trap or sporting clays with a 410. Most people are lucky to shoot 50% at trap with a 410.
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We have a very accomplished skeet and sporting clays shooter at our club and likely you've met him at shoots. He shoots skeet twice a week all summer, 100 rounds per evening with nothing but his 410. He shoots 23-24 consistently and throws in a 25 straight on a regular basis and at 84 years of age! He decided to step up to the trap range last year with his 410 which is a 725 Sporting with 32" barrels and he shoots with his full chokes even on the skeet field as he likes to "see smoke" as he says, lol. He shot two rounds of 16 yard trap, his first round he broke 8/25 and his second 12/25...he was laughing afterward but he was serious when he said the 410 is not a trap gauge! I suspect the fellow smiling with his daughter is shooting "trap" from a manual launcher placed at their feet at targets inside of 20 yards and not actual trap. I consider myself an experienced trap and skeet shooter and have shot some good scores on the skeet field with a 410 years ago when I owned a 410 skeet gun but I've only tried it once on a trap field back when ATA trap settings were # 3 hole and not todays #2 hole and it went about the same as the fellow I just posted about. It is a humbling experience!
 
HuskyDude said:
Showed my daughter the last few post this morning.... she just looked at me a smiled...made me smile too.
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What scores does your daughter shoot on the 16 yard line?

.410 works fine for skeet, a handicap for sure but a good shooter can still go 25. On the trap field though? Your daughter is shooting 20+?
 
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I must apologized for anyone that took "Daughter is getting into clay, Likes the 12 ga. but is a bit much, absolutely love the .410.
As my Daughter competes and gets 25/25 all day long competing at 16, 20 and 50 yds with her .410

Wow!

OP original post
swray1992 said:
Slowly but surely I'm getting my girlfriend into shooting and she's found an activity (shooting clays) she really likes.
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At no time does he say she is going to competing either! Just likes shooting at clay pigeons.

You guys are reading way too much into his post.

:cheers:
 
HuskyDude said:
I must apologized for anyone that took "Daughter is getting into clay, Likes the 12 ga. but is a bit much, absolutely love the .410.
As my Daughter competes and gets 25/25 all day long competing at 16, 20 and 50 yds with her .410

Wow!

OP original post


At no time does he say she is going to competing either! Just likes shooting at clay pigeons.

You guys are reading way too much into his post.

:cheers:
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This is the Skeet/Trap/Sporting Clays forum, not the shooting at hand thrown clays, or thrown with a do it yourself thrower clays in the back 40. Skeet/Trap/Sporting clays are specific games, and the 410 is a poor choice to start a beginner in any of them.
 
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