.410 Shotgun for close range skeet?

[Zero_DgZ]

Yeah, I have to start one of these "what am best gun for wife/girlfriend" sort of threads.

My girlfriend is interested in learning to shoot, especially clays. The caveat is that she's tiny. I don't mean tiny like most posters probably say their women are tiny. She's 4'6", I don't know exactly how much she weighs but if I pick her up it feels like not much more than 100, if at all.

As such, she's very recoil shy. She can't even pick up and shoulder my 12 guage properly, because it's too big and heavy for her. I'm leaning towards one of those silly small guages her, probably a .410 because I always thought a .410 levergun would be cool to have.

I'm thinking either a levergun or a break-open for her, for operation issues (easier to use a levergun with small hands and short arms) plus I already have a pump and if I can't use this as an excuse to diversify somehow it's no fun!

So what do you think of the effectiveness of a .410 for skeet? Does a .410 3" shell physically throw enough shot to make it worthwhile?

 

[kudu]

The .410 is an experts gun on the skeet range, yes they are fun to mess around with and do break birds pretty well, recoil is almost non-existant, but even with the skeet open choke they are a handicap.

Find a youth stock Remington 1100 20ga or preferably 28ga with light skeet loads. This should be the gun to start a beginner with.

 

[Oldnamvet]

I think a bigger issue would be getting a gun to fit her. The stock will have to be cut down a bit. I wasn't much bigger than that (age 10 and lighter) when I first got a shotgun. It was a .410 single shot with a shortened stock. But with that light gun, a single shot, the .3" 410 gave a substantial kick. Not long ago I compared it with a .20 gauge semi auto youth model (Charles Daly I think) and found the .20 gauge kicked a lot less. It was a friends 14 yr. old duaghters and she shot it fairly well. Before you invest in something, have her try a .20 gauge semi-auto with light loads (a youth model so the LOP is not too long).

 

[1KPerDay]

I'd definitely go with a 20 gauge. Target loads don't bother my 5'3" wife at all.

 

[akanotken]

Agree with the above ...

.410's have been put in kids hands for generations, when it really should have been a 28 ga. 28 throw's a decent pattern and has reduced recoil level.

But the corresponding problem is the gun size. The smaller it is (= ease of handling for little ones) the harder it will kick.

I'd get her the largest framed 28ga you can find that she can handle. And it HAS to be a gas gun (NO LEVER ACTIONS, PUMPS, SINGLE SHOTS, OU's, SXS's). The gas system is what really creates a soft shooter!!!!. I've got a charles daly (pretty affordable) that I think is easier to handle than an 1100 (but I don't remember if it's a gas gun or not). A lot of autoloaders aren't gas operated (benelli's, Browning A5's, and a bunch other that I don't remember now I'm sure).

Ideal setup would be a 1100 20 ga that is a youth model but you'd need to reload for that (there are recipe's for a load that mimics the 28ga, but you'll need to enlarge the gas ports to make it reliable semi).

Look, take all advice you get here in this thread VERY SERIOUSLY!!! You don't want to ruin this up front. Many years ago, I didn't know better and let my wife shoot a 20ga SXS. I had a pocketful of shells, we were in a field plinking at hand thrown birds and tin cans and such. I didn't think much difference between the field loads and high brass, we just fished them out of my pocket. One shot with a full power load and she was done. Many years have passed, with lots of kid's excuses, but she hasn't shot the shotgun since .... She's just barely agreed to try my 28ga.

 

[PJR]

Find a youth stock Remington 1100 20ga or preferably 28ga with light skeet loads. This should be the gun to start a beginner with.

The very best choice to start a new shooter.

It is tough to hit targets with a .410 and nothing discourages a new shooter faster regardless of age or sex than not hitting targets.

 

[Barr]

I routinely practice skeet with a 12 gauge but I am now starting to use a .410. I can usually score 15-17 hits but I have to work hard for that score. I have the same dilemma because my fiance is 5 foot even and weighs 95 lbs. I think for the time being shotguns are out for her. I am still introducing her to .22 rifles and .38 special revolvers with light target loads.

You might try an autoloading 20 gauge with light target loads.

 

[sm]

28 gauge and gun fit is the key here.

Skeet allows one to use a guage smaller than event. If she ever chooses to compete, even informally as NC [not classed] she can shoot the 28 gauge in the 12ga, 20ga, and of course 28 ga events, with the same gun.

Lots of seasoned shooters do this, I did it. 28 ga scores are most often the best scores on a Tote Board period.

I prefer to start a new student with a 28 ga. Some are too small for even a cut down 1100, or Youth model. I have some kids, learning on Single Shot 28 ga cut down even more.

I have no idea how many times a lady, just wanted to shoot an event with other ladies just for fun, and experience, not classed. Maybe just a fun club shoot. Grabbed a 28 ga, got on the range with the others using 12 or 20 ga, and shot.

Like I said I was not the only one shooting 28 ga in the first 3 events, then using .410 in the fourth. I had a Citori 3 bbl set, (20/28/.410) One fellow got Ruger 28 ga, and tubes for .410 and shot all 4 events. Another used a SKB set up with tube for .410 or same reasons.

MEC reloader, reload shells. Quality time making quality loads investing in a shooter learning correctly, and having fun doing so, is a great investment in them, and the future of shooting. Outweighs the price of ammo if one thinks about it.

 

[Broadbill]

I agree with the youth model 1100 but remember 28ga shells are much more expensive than 20ga.
You can burn up alot on a skeet field.

Alot of the recoil factor is just inexperience and fear. Both my young sons went from a single shot 410 through the 28 and into a 12ga semi in three trips. And I'm talking 12yrs old 4'6", 85lbs.

Broadbill

 

[Pearl's Dad]

I shoot with an 1100 20 gauge that was a gift from a friend of my wifes.

She's tiny to, maybe 5'2" and she used it for years.

make sure you get a semi-auto though.....will help tones with felt recoil.