Trap & Skeet Shotgun

[iron cat]

As a side note. Check with the club you plan on shooting at to see if there is a minimum barrel length restriction. The one club I used to belong to had a 26" min length on the trap, skeet and sporting fields. The club I am at now has a 26" min on the sporting clays field.

I find this interesting in the fact that neither the ATA nor NSSA have a minimum barrel length for trap or skeet and these two organizations are the governing body for each discipline. I haven't checked the Sporting clays website however.
The way I see it , is the problem with getting swept by a shooter using a short barreled gun is the same as if they were using a long barreled gun,it's a user issue NOT a gun barrel length issue. Safety is often stated as the main reason barrel minimums are made, but training should be stressed IMO not another rule put in place .
Cat

 

[Sniffer]

If you’ve already decided that shooters who don’t like getting hit by your shotgun hulls are “pissy” then possibly the sport isn’t for you.

Settle down.

The very fact I am conscious of such things and actively trying to prevent it should tell you all you need to know.

 

[Sniffer]

Wow That does seem extreme at 28" .We (Langley) have a 26" barrel requirement and I think that is extreme. They say it is to prevent the mod squad of Tactical guys but what the hay, if they want to beat themselves up imho feel free.

I kinda get it but my being so "selective" they might be stopping the sport growing (maybe thats what they want but I doubt it?)

As mentioned my plan was to "Run what I brung" until I got a feel for it all and picked up the right tool for the job but now I am back to buying blind if I want to proceed.

 

[JIMMY 808]

ATA has done a good job for the most part not allowing fish and game types to make rules.

 

[Falconflyer]

I don’t need any settling down, maybe you should just chose your words a bit more carefully.

It’s great that you’re aware of it and are trying to prevent a problem before it is one is great but judging others and calling them pissy in a sport you know nothing about isn’t exactly the best way to get started.

 

[Sniffer]

Yes the A400 multi target will work for trap, skeet and sporting, there are a few guys that seem to do alright with them, totally adjustable for fit and POI the one guy that shot one at our club didn't have a problem with spitting hulls at other shooters, not sure if he had a knock down pin in it but the hulls never made it to the shooter at the next station.

Appreciate the info. Sounds like the gun is a decent fit but is it a compromise across all the disciplines? Not sure I would want that. The main problem I have is that I dont know which discipline or disciplines I want to pursue and have to get something to proceed.

Yep, there are devices that can be fitted to the gun to prevent hull chucking. I only looked briefly but it seems there were a couple of types, one caught a single hull and the other did similar but it was engineered to ensure the next hull knocked the first out of the way and it simply dropped to the ground close to the shooter.

 

[stubblejumper]

I find this interesting in the fact that neither the ATA nor NSSA have a minimum barrel length for trap or skeet and these two organizations are the governing body for each discipline. I haven't checked the Sporting clays website however.
The way I see it , is the problem with getting swept by a shooter using a short barreled gun is the same as if they were using a long barreled gun,it's a user issue NOT a gun barrel length issue. Safety is often stated as the main reason barrel minimums are made, but training should be stressed IMO not another rule put in place .
Cat

Our local sporting clays range does have a minimum barrel length, one additional concern with sporting clays, is that the barrel must be through the safety frame at each station, a short barrel may result in the barrel swinging out of the safety frame., if the shooter leans the wrong way.

 

[Sniffer]

My vote between the two is the A400 multi only because I've shot one and was impressed, swing it well and no recoil.

I dont remember where it through the hulls, out front or to the right.
But she'll catcher or a heavy rubber band would work.

Last thing is I've seen its mostly in competition shoots some get annoyed with flying hulls.

Keep us posted on what you get , always interested in what new shooters pick and why.

The A400 would make the most sense in that I already have one and the feel / manual of arms would feel natural to me.

Using two A400s for both sports would be a nice side benefit.

As mentioned the Over / Under would be more compact / shorter (no action / bolt like the A400) with the same barrel length. I do suspect the Over / Under will have more recoil (no gas system to take the edge off things). If that is the case it isn't a terrible thing (dealing with recoil in this discipline would make the gun seem like a toy for the other discipline).

 

[Sniffer]

Our local sporting clays range does have a minimum barrel length, one additional concern with sporting clays, is that the barrel must be through the safety frame at each station, a short barrel may result in the barrel swinging out of the safety frame., if the shooter leans the wrong way.

From the limited amount I know I suspect that is the main reason for the minimum length.

 

[Sniffer]

Personally, I wouldn’t change barrels or guns, I would change clubs. Of course that’s easy for me to say as I can do all my shooting both rifle and shotgun in my own yard so I am not beholden to rules that I find unacceptable. The more I read here about other clubs the more I appreciate ours.

That may be an option. I think one of the clubs I used to be a member of (much more basic setup with regular Joes than the one I was thinking of joining which is pretty much a dedicated sporting shotgun club) could be an option.

I only left that one as I moved house and another club made more sense. The club I am currently with doesn't really do anything shotgun hence why I am looking to join a second. Both of the more shotgun orientated clubs are about the same distance apart so maybe I will look into that to see if I can try it with what I have to begin.

 

[Mark-II]

I plan to dabble in Trap & Skeet in 2026. At this point I am super green.

I have a good few shotguns but they are all semis and I sense that an over under is a better fit for this type of sport.

Can I start with a semi to see if it floats my boat? The barrels (~21") would be on the short side based on what seems typical (looks like most people are running 28" or 30") - is this a disadvantage?

What ammo is used for this? 7.5 birdshot? And what choke (guessing one of the tighter constrictions)?

Thanks in advance.

You can use any gun you want. The only possible problem with a semi automatic is if it ejects the hulls directly to the side where they might hit the guy standing to your right - it's considered bad form.

Still, I only have one semi that does that - most kick them forwards at an angle, or drop them short.

As to over/unders. You don't *need* one, especially not when starting out. I tell folks who are starting just to get a Mossberg 500, Remington 870, or Winchester SXP - just a cheap field gun. Or look for an old 2.75" pump at a gun show. It's best to have removable chokes, though. I still enjoy shooting pumps. I shoot skeet, trap doubles and 5 stand with an old 870 when the mood strikes me - you are at no disadvantage with one.

Reason being is that a *good* over/under costs money. Do not buy a bargain level O/U. Buy a "B" gun - even a good used one, before entertaining one of those Turkish guns. Yeah the turks CAN make some great guns and I know a guy who shoots a Yildiz clone of a Perazzi, but those aren't "cheap" guns. You're looking at more than $2k for a decent used O/U of quality make, and probably closer to 3 in this market. It's not a purchase to make Just Because.

Anyway, that's my experoence. I just bought a new Beretta on sale, mostly due to the fact that the Browning 725 that I bought site unseen from a friend many years ago Just Because the price was right never truly fit me. I'll be selling that one in the spring

 

[Sniffer]

I don’t need any settling down, maybe you should just chose your words a bit more carefully.

It’s great that you’re aware of it and are trying to prevent a problem before it is one is great but judging others and calling them pissy in a sport you know nothing about isn’t exactly the best way to get started.

I spend enough time competing every year in other disciplines to understand etiquette.

Anyways, thanks for your "advice" but I think I have had my quota, you can focus your energy on growing a thicker skin instead.

 

[Sniffer]

ATA has done a good job for the most part not allowing fish and game types to make rules.

Pardon my ignorance but who or what is ATA?

 

[Licensed to kill]

You can use any gun you want. The only possible problem with a semi automatic is if it ejects the hulls directly to the side where they might hit the guy standing to your right - it's considered bad form.

I can certainly see that in trap were 4 out of 5 stations put a shooter to you immediate right and not all that far away, especially with the consentrstion required to shot trap well however, in skeet, at least how we shoot it, you just have to be aware and ask any shooter to your right to move, no different than shooting flint.

 

[Sniffer]

You can use any gun you want. The only possible problem with a semi automatic is if it ejects the hulls directly to the side where they might hit the guy standing to your right - it's considered bad form.

Still, I only have one semi that does that - most kick them forwards at an angle, or drop them short.

As to over/unders. You don't *need* one, especially not when starting out. I tell folks who are starting just to get a Mossberg 500, Remington 870, or Winchester SXP - just a cheap field gun. Or look for an old 2.75" pump at a gun show. It's best to have removable chokes, though. I still enjoy shooting pumps. I shoot skeet, trap doubles and 5 stand with an old 870 when the mood strikes me - you are at no disadvantage with one.

Reason being is that a *good* over/under costs money. Do not buy a bargain level O/U. Buy a "B" gun - even a good used one, before entertaining one of those Turkish guns. Yeah the turks CAN make some great guns and I know a guy who shoots a Yildiz clone of a Perazzi, but those aren't "cheap" guns. You're looking at more than $2k for a decent used O/U of quality make, and probably closer to 3 in this market. It's not a purchase to make Just Because.

Anyway, that's my experoence. I just bought a new Beretta on sale, mostly due to the fact that the Browning 725 that I bought site unseen from a friend many years ago Just Because the price was right never truly fit me. I'll be selling that one in the spring

Kinda, so long as the barrel is longer than 28" (which I currently dont own).

It wont be a Turkish gun. Not knocking them but wont be going that direction.

Almost every time I got into a new firearm discipline I tried to go "basic" to start and to date it has never worked. Quite quickly it was sold on and I then moved to something I should have bought in the first place but initially perceived as"too much".

Luckily I am someone that looks after their gear and generally keeps stuff a long time so makes sense for me to get something that is a good fit.

 

[iron cat]

Pardon my ignorance but who or what is ATA?

The ATA is the Amateur Trap Association , NSSA is the National Skeet Shooting Asociation.
Cat

 

[Licensed to kill]

The ATA is the Amateur Trap Association , NSSA is the National Skeet Shooting Asociation.
Cat

LOL, my son and two grandsons participated in an “ATA” shoot last summer. I assumed it stood for “Alberta trap association.”

 

[Sniffer]

I can certainly see that in trap were 4 out of 5 stations put a shooter to you immediate right and not all that far away, especially with the consentrstion required to shot trap well however, in skeet, at least how we shoot it, you just have to be aware and ask any shooter to your right to move, no different than shooting flint.

Its not unlike some of the other disciplines I have competed in.

Getting a piece of hot pistol or rifle brass down your back (or worse still your ass crack) will make you look at such things in a whole new light.

It is mostly for this reason I ran brass catchers on my semis where possible in competition.

 

[Licensed to kill]

Its not unlike some of the other disciplines I have competed in.

Getting a piece of hot pistol or rifle brass down your back (or worse still your ass crack) will make you look at such things in a whole new light.

It is mostly for this reason I ran brass catchers on my semis where possible in competition.

Seen a video (I think it was on Brandon Herrerra’a channel) showing a woman in a tank top shooting handgun and a piece of brass went down her shirt. She was flailing around with a loaded pistol, not good. However, I am not convinced that she should have been allowed to shoot a pistol dressed like that for that exact reason. I often don’t think of things like that as I don’t own anything that ejects shell ither that a couple sxs’s with ejectors ( which I despise) but they rarely get used much for that reason. They will be going down the road as soon as as I find suitable replacements.

 

[Sniffer]

Seen a video (I think it was on Brandon Herrerra’a channel) showing a woman in a tank top shooting handgun and a piece of brass went down her shirt. She was flailing around with a loaded pistol, not good. However, I am not convinced that she should have been allowed to shoot a pistol dressed like that for that exact reason. I often don’t think of things like that as I don’t own anything that ejects shell ither that a couple sxs’s with ejectors ( which I despise) but they rarely get used much for that reason. They will be going down the road as soon as as I find suitable replacements.

Down the shirt isn't good but its better than the ass crack - best dance I ever did was when that happened

I still have a scar on my right arm from a piece of 223 brass coming to land on it after being ejected during a 3 gun match while in a tight position where I couldn't really move to shake it.

Gun handling is paramount and something you quickly develop a hard coded sense for given how important it is. I have seen people literally fall in competition and still put muzzle direction and gun safety above all else.