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Jag07

Skeet/trap shotgun

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While on a trip I went to a range with some friends to shoot the hell out of some clay pigeons. Now I think I caught a trap/skeet bug. Now, being new to firearms I know nothing about shotguns. Designed or intended for this use. I have heard they can run on expensive side.

 

Thanks for any tips.

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I would say get something inexpensive like a Remington 870 or a Mossberg 500 and see it clays is really your game. If it is once you get more into it you can choose a gun that fits your style. If not you always have a great field gun or a great platform to build a really kick ass HD gun.

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do you want a over/under, pump or semi?

  

 

I was thinking o/u or the semi. From what I read they should work well for skeet/trap ( or which ever I like best, still need to learn what exactly I need for each) from my limited understanding I guess those two types would let me keep my line of sight better than have to pump for the next round.

 

 

Should also note that if your using the gun for both skeet and trap, I stick with a barrel no longer than 32" unless you buy a gun that has two different barrel sets.

I guess at first it will have to play the part for both types of shooting for now until I learn which I like best or am better at, lol. Is there a possibility of a semi with multi barrel sets or can I change them?

I know very little of shotguns. Only know a little of handguns at the moment having owned one for only a few months.

 

 

Thanks again guys.

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I started with a pump and I would not recommend it. Not fast enough for doubles and has way too much recoil for extensive use.

 

I would suggest getting a used Beretta 391 sporting in 30  inch

should not be too expensive

 

it is a great all around clay gun.

If any thing is wrong with it or wears out, parts are very readily available.

 

It is soft, easy to use and is a great first clay gun.

 

BTW I used it for a year, then gave it to my son and bought a Beretta O/U

Good luck

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Ogfarmer is right...if you're near the Clinton WMA, coming out for one of the shoots is a great way to figure out what you like and what works for you.  There are also shotguns that pop-up for sale all the time...Your best bet (that I've found lately) is to keep looking here and on the NJ Hunter List. (www.newjerseyhunter.com).

 

There's nothing wrong with used; good-quality shotguns will outlast most of us and hold their value well.

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Jag you are in Mahwah?

 

Just go up to Thunder Mt several times and rent their pumps for trap.

 

After 5 or 6 times if you love it and want to shoot skeet or sporting then you can think about a semi or OU.

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I will be following this thread. I am in the same predicament as I went trap shooting with a friend and had a ball. Currently I suck, but am hoping to improve. I used my 19.5" Mossberg 500 which probably didn't help things. I am in a quandary as to whether I should get an O/U (in which case I would need to sell the 500) or just get a longer barrel. Good thread so far.

 

C

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I'd probably recommend a pump as well, especially if you are actually planning to shoot both Trap and Skeet.  A good pump gun is pretty versatile for just about anything in the shooting sports or home defense so its not like it has to go to waste, you can just buy additional barrels.  I know people who shoot Trap and Skeet and they have easily a half dozen shotguns (probably more at this point).  Most people I know only shoot singles anyway in which case it really doesn't matter what action you are using.  I have a nice O/U that I use for Trap and with 32" barrels it crushes clays, but for skeet it would be very difficult to use and I'd probably use my Mossberg 590 if I was going to try Skeet shooting.  Or if you want you can go all in and get a K-80.  ;)

 

So in my mind it's really a factor of your budget, how often you plan to shoot and what you plan to shoot.  Good luck.

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So in my mind it's really a factor of your budget, how often you plan to shoot and what you plan to shoot.  Good luck.

 

That is another issue. I am not sure which to go with, trap or skeet. I suppose trying it at thunder mountain would be my best bet at figuring that out.

And also what qualities belong with each type of clay target mass murder. ie longerbarrel, higher cheek rest height, shorter barrel.

 

Thanks a lot for all the help guys

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Cheek rest and stock fit should be the same, though If you are going to shoot a lot and you plan to spend decent money on a gun I'd recommend having the stock fitted to you as it will help your form and prevent you from getting beaten with the gun.  I lucked out and mine was basically a perfect fit right out of the gate but that is not always the case.  

 

With Trap you are normally looking at longer barrels and tighter chokes.  The clays are flying away from you and you want the shot to stay tightly together so that you can hit them further out.  The Trap house is 16 yards out to start with and unless you can smash them as soon as they leave the trap house they are only going to get farther away the longer you wait.  With Skeet they are coming across in front of you.  In this case a shorter barrel and/or a more open choke is going to serve you better.  I use a 12 gauge trap gun (I have never really had a chance to shoot skeet) but I know some people use a 20 gauge, especially with skeet.

 

I know people who shoot both Trap and Skeet but they tend to gravitate more towards one or the other but there is certainly no rule that says you can't do both  If you shoot a lot and choose to do both you'll probably end up with 2 guns (at least) anyway.  :)  Like you said, try them out and ask people what they shoot, luckily the gun community overall is pretty giving. 

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The following is strictly how I feel about the various disciplines. Don't beat me up, especially you Trap guys :-) They are all extremely great and fun sports especially if you get into competition shooting. They all have classes/levels and handicapping to even the field while you're moving up. That said...

 

Trap= good to learn basics. Gets real boring, real fast. If you DO decide to compete, unless you are shooting perfect scores...you can't compete.

 

Skeet= teaches you about the importance of the basics, and how to lead a bird at various angles. Angles, birds, speed, never change. Good fun but again, gets boring as you progress unless you decide to compete. If you DO decide to compete, unless you are shooting perfect scores...you can't compete.

 

Sporting Clays = different angles, different size birds, different speeds, a nice walk in the woods. Much more interesting and if you hunt, it adds a bit of realism to your clay target sport.

 

FITASC =kind of like Sporting Clays on steroids. Low gun only, stricter rules. It's awesome, and can be very difficult.

 

If casual is what your after I'd say shoot SC if possible. Most facilities have beginner to advanced courses and usually less squad pressure than trap/skeet. Any gun is fine as long as it fits you properly. Like many have said, try out as many as you can before you commit. Clay shooters in general are really good people and if you ask, they will gladly let you try their guns. Places like Lehigh Valley have nice rental guns but also have demo days where manufactures display their guns and usually let you shoot them. If you do get into it, it becomes monumentally expensive. But you already know that if you shoot anything these days. Back in the day, I used to shoot the local NJ competitive skeet circuit, shooting all four gauges. I had four MEC machines reloading thousands of rounds per month. Then my son was born...

 

HTH

 

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One thing we didn't discuss about a quality semi of OU vs an off the shelf Moss 500 with a longer barrel for the sport is wear and tear.

 

I'm no veteran but you think about one day in trap is at least 100 shells down the pipe. Do that a bunch of times in a summer and your round count is very high. I bet my used Beretta 391 won't need a repair before a new Moss 500 would at serious high round count.

 

I vote for used semi vs new pump

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Trap: One man game, just stand there, be quiet, don't move until it's your turn. People can get annoyed with your fidgeting, and if you have a semi throwing shells at their O/U's, you're gonna get the evil eye...................

 

Skeet: More of a group thing. Only one shooter on the line at a time. The rest of the squad is bs-ing and making fun of the shooter.............  ;)  But, if the shooter is too serious, better keep-quiet.

 

Sporting Clays: The most fun you can have with a shotgun except for Knockdown Steel. Again,a  group thing. Only one shooter at a time. Usually one person is throwing the clays for the shooter, and possibly riding him/her for the misses.  ;)  The rest of the squad sitting on the golf cart smoking stogies, eating cookies, just hanging-out and having fun.

 

A pump action 12 gauge can be used with any of the above. The gun is usually not the problem, the shooter is. Doubles can be tough with a pump, but certainly can be done. I have seen it with my own two eyes and had to bow-down to her after she pulled it off at Lehigh on a very tough station!

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Many suggestions are good here.

 

Putting the cart before the horse, my fast and simple answer to your question would be to get a nice used semi-auto with a 28" barrel or a nice used O/U with a 28" or 30" barrel, and you can shoot every discipline mentioned with either. You could buy a nice pump today, and shoot most events, progress your talents, and have fun; but when you get serious you will want a gun best suited for your game.

 

If you're in Mahwah, and shooting at Thunder Mountain, they are more than accomodating there and will help you. They have loaner guns and lots of folks who offer good advice.

 

 

When skeet got boring I went low-gun long ago, mounting the gun only when the bird emerges from the house window, and that's how I still shoot it today. If I go to Thunder Mountain with a group of like-minded individuals out for a day of ribbing, we will get a skeet field to ourselves and ask the puller to set the houses up for International speeds and he/she will launch birds accordingly. 

 

Trap can be boring, doubles-trap not so much. If you're really bored with trap, shoot trap low gun. :)

 

I've shot sporting clays on courses where you walk the course (which was how it was originally designed, since it was to duplicate hunting situations and presentations,) just haven't tried it with a golf cart yet. I suspect that like golf, the carts are meant to speed up the game. 

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Picking up an 1187 as my all arounder. For trap skeet, hunting, getting multiple barrels.

 

Only negative I've heard about semi for clay, they are heavy. At the end of the day you'll feel it.

 

I'll jus man up, I hope

 

A Krieghoff K-80 weighs anywhere from 8.5 to 9.5 lbs. They have weight for a reason.

 

An 11-87 is not a fun gun to carry all day afield, but it will be fine on the clay fields. 

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Picking up an 1187 as my all arounder. For trap skeet, hunting, getting multiple barrels.

 

Only negative I've heard about semi for clay, they are heavy. At the end of the day you'll feel it.

 

I'll jus man up, I hope

 

The 11-87 has been made in an array of models over the years, and were offered in skeet and trap models in their Premier line and there was also a special Sporting Clays model with shorter forend for better weight distribution and all included their light contour (LC) barrel, which shaved off some necessary ounces. The Sporting Clays was offered as one time with barrel lengths of 26", 28" and 30"; and the Premier Trap were offered with a factory over-bored 30" barrel and special choke tubes. They are around still on the used market and can be picked up for a good price. 

 

Remington has made the 11-87 their workhorse field gun now, and no longer offers them in target models. That role has gone back to the parent model, their 1100 series, although they have dropped many models and only a handful can be found in their 2014 catalog.

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My 11-87 has a 28" Barrel.  Works great for clays.  Soft shooter... a bit picky with ammo (Needs 3 Dram or 1200+ FPS ammo to cycle properly).

 

If you want a 11-87, I'm willing to part with mine, as I have a Mossberg 930 Semi auto and Silver Reserve II O/U...

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When shooting sporting clays I do two full rounds, the wife will shoot one round, so we have two full cases of ammo with us. Add-in the guns, snacks, etc.... we use a golf cart, and no, I can't stand playing golf! I tend to walk between a lot of the stations while she has the cart. She has bum knees anyway. I wouldn't want to carry 500 rounds of ammo around Lehigh all day long.

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