Wife and daughter liking trap/skeet.

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Petrock

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My Mrs tried on some trap and skeet shooting at this years POSC open house and she really liked it with a 20g.

I have no experience with this sport. I'd like to get them a 20g O/U but don't know a damn thing about them. We're looking for a seriously inexpensive gun and it would have to be suitable for both girls, and they're pretty small height wise.

What do I need to consider for chokes?

The other question is what kind of ammunition to use. I like the Walmart 100 rd packs for $32 but have no idea what kind of shot size to look at.

Thanks guys.
 
Go with a 12 gauge that does or can be made to fit them well. Fit is the key, for a number of reasons, but that will also minimize recoil. 12 gauge has a lot more options as far as shells go too. Don't buy a "cheap" O/U, they will not stand up to the rigors of clay target shooting for very long.

Skeet for skeet (although just about any open choke will work). Trap, modified or improved modified). The main thing about chokes is that they pattern well, in other words, they spread the shot evenly at the desired distance. You would be very surprised to see how poorly many chokes pattern.

Shot size is 7 1/2 or 8s or 9s. Wind and cold seem to affect smaller shot size sooner. Some guns like different shot better than others. Generally, 7 1/2 for trap and 8 for skeet, but in good weather you get more pellets with smaller shot sizes. JMHO
 
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Beretta687EELL said:
Go with a 12 gauge that does or can be made to fit them well. Fit is the key, for a number of reasons, but that will also minimize recoil. 12 gauge has a lot more options as far as shells go too. Don't buy a "cheap" O/U, they will not stand up to the rigors of clay target shooting for very long.

Skeet for skeet (although just about any open choke will work). Trap, modified or improved modified). The main thing about chokes is that they pattern well, in other words, they spread the shot evenly at the desired distance. You would be very surprised to see how poorly many chokes pattern.

Shot size is 7 1/2 or 8s or 9s. Wind and cold seem to affect smaller shot size sooner. Some guns like different shot better than others. Generally, 7 1/2 for trap and 8 for skeet, but in good weather you get more pellets with smaller shot sizes. JMHO
Click to expand...

I agree 100%.

A 20 g tends to thump harder, and the options for shells is quite limited, and often more expensive.

A good quality used B gun ( Browning, Beretta, Blazer, Benelli ) is a good choice. No sense buying something that will break and spend 6 months at the gunsmiths. I've been shooting actively for 12 years and only went to a gunsmiths once in all that time.
 
Save money by purchasing your shotshells by the flat,which is a case of 250 rounds. For shooting both trap and skeet, #8 works well.DO NOT purchase a cheap O/U if the intent is to shoot trap or skeet. As has been posted, a better quality used gun will stand up much better, and will last much longer.
 
Lots of options out there.

Many skeet fields insist that you use #9 for skeet. Buying flats is the best way.

Skeet choke is good, but imp, and cyl are ok too.

As for gun to buy. It depends. If it's going to be a weekend thing where you routinely shoot 2-3 rounds, then you may want to invest in a decent OU.

Until that time there are lots of reasonable options that won't break the bank, and get you out shooting. Sure, shoot the heck out of your Biakal. I currently am shooting an IGA Condor Competition that I picked up used for $550. (For the record, until hunting season I shot at least 3 rounds of skeet every Sunday). Before buying the Condor, I was shooting skeet with an old Winchester 1500 XTR semi, with a skeet choke, and thoroughly enjoyed shooting it, without any issues whatsoever.

Lots of elitists out there who think anything but the "B" guns aren't any good. They're nice, but not an absolute must if you want to get involved.

Oh, and it was funny. One of my clubs skeet guys shoots a Krieghof. One of the other members had an issue where his lower chamber was getting light pin strikes, the guy shooting the Kreighof said " yeah, those Brownings are always doing that".......I guess elitism about what brand you shoot knows no bounds......
 
You might want to consider a light 20 gauge semi for your girls... the stocks are easily cut down to fit them and with a gas operated gun the recoil is significantly tamed... don't buy that Walmart crap ammo... buying by the flat is cheaper anyway, Winchester standard target or Kent or Rem or Rio... whatever you can get in 20 gauge #8... there are a bunch of 20 gauge semi's in the EE for under $500... find one that takes choke tubes or comes as a skeet barrel set... there is a Rem 1100 20 gauge two barrel set right now for $400.
 
A 20ga semi really is a good way to go for getting ladies into it, and as mentioned there are a few on the EE now. A 20ga field gun will sometimes kick more than a 12ga, but it is all a function of weight and fit. My 12ga and 20ga sporting guns are both ~8lbs, the 20 kicks much less. A 20ga Browning Cynergy Featherlight is sub-6lbs and kicks like a mule in comparison, but apples to oranges.

I've used the misses's 20ga A390 to teach several women to shoot recently and it's worked very well. The stock can be shimmed to raise the comb (typically required for women), it's light enough to not fatiugue them, and being a semi it recoils like a pussy cat. It was also cut down to a ~13 1/4 LOP, which seems to work well for the 5'5"-5'9" range (very very generally).

As for ammo, buy by the flat, 20ga "should" be exactly the same as 12 cost wise, and 7/8oz @ 1200fps from a 20ga kills things just as well as 1oz @ 1200fps out of a 12ga, it just recoils less.

Ditto on instruction and gun fitting, both will save time and money, and the faster they are smashing clays the happier they will be.
 
I use a Remington wingmaster full choke bought at an auction for $125.00. I have never posted a 25 but 20,22, are common trap of course. As said before do not fall prey to the b crowd. find something that you can shoot and go from there. As to recoil I have a bad shoulder, my solution was to fill the hole in the buttstock with lead shot. Recoils like a pussycat and I will be drilling more holes to add more shot, the weight in the stock makes that thing point and swing like a dream. JMHO YMMV
Good shooting!
 
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