Tell me about your trap/skeet gun

[Fuzzy]

I've been hunting birds for a while, but I'm just getting into the clay games. I haven't picked a favorite flavor of the sport yet but I'm researching different types of shotguns for a possible, but probably far off, new shotgun purchase. Right now I'm just using my hunting shotgun, a Remington 870, but at some point I may want to get a new shotgun that is more suited trap and/or skeet.

So, please educate me. What are the differences between a trap and a skeet gun? A buddy of mine is really into trap and he has aquired a collection of fancy double and single barrel shotguns with barrel lengths up to 34", which seems pretty long to me. He's got a beautiful Citori that he hates. All the rest are single barrels except his hunting shotgun.

Is there a shotgun out there that is good for both purposes, or are they generally different? I have a natural affinity for over/unders, but I see a lot of single barrels and autoloaders at the club. Autoloaders, to me at least, seem like they may be more prone to malfunction. They have more parts and some, I hear, are finicky about ammo. My pump-gun is very reliable, but too probably too slow for serious competition. I haven't seen anyone use a side-by-side yet.

Also, besides reliablilty and fit, is there any real differences between brands? It is just a scattergun after all, not a rifle. Besides adjusting it to an individualy body, I don't see that there is a whole lot one can do to affect the guns performance.

I'll stick with my 870 for now. I'm pretty good with it for my experience level and right now I'd rather spend my money on ammo and rounds of trap and skeet at the club.


Thanks,

 

[Dave McCracken]

Welcome to the exciting and fun filled world of clay busting,Fuzzy,

"I'll stick with my 870 for now"...

Wise words. Stick with the 870 for at least one year. Then, you'll have a better idea of what you want/need. Meanwhile, your chops with the pumpgun will be honed and polished.

I shoot trap with an 870 TB trap gun. Do fairtomiddlin' with it. I suck at skeet, but that's due in part to my newness at the game and part due to my lack of a skeet choked barrel. I've been shooting skeet with my TB, and the learning curve is steep.

Few folks shoot skeet and trap with the same shotgun, even those with choke tubes. Trap stocks are made to shoot high, or fast rising targets. Skeet targets have more horizontal movement and less vertical when launched, so a flatter shooting gun works better. It can be done, just takes more work. I suggest starting with trap, and only adding skeet and/or 5 stand and SC after gaining some expertise at one game.

A couple suggestions...

Read the threads on light loads. You may also want to go back to TFL, our ancestral forum, for threads on reducing felt recoil with a homemade setup.

Light loads work very well for clay games, and we shoot them at least as well as the barnburners.

Jerry Meyer's "Clay Target Handbook" gives a nice overview of all the games, and some good tips on stance, break and hold points, etc.

Now BA/UU/R and have fun...

 

[RM]

I am in the same boat as you. I have been shooting a Rem 870 for both trap and skeet. Now I would like to move up to a semi auto or O/U, and would like to get a gun for both sports. My plan is to find a gun that will pattern about 60/40. I hope this is a good compromise that will allow me to shoot both sports reasonably well. Please chime in anyone if you think this idea is not a good one.

 

[45auto]

If you can shoot both sports with the same stock, I think it's a fine idea.
As long as it works for you. If it doesn't, no harm in having two different guns or stocks, except for money of course.

I know a lot of people that shoot skeet with a trap stock. I don't know anyone that shoots trap, seriously, that uses a skeet stock.
60/40 should work. That would not be considered high for a trap gun.

Try skeet with a trap stock and see how you hit the targets. For me, if you can 'float' the target a bit and 'blot' it out and it breaks- that's fine.
When I say "breaks", I mean a good hit, not 2 or 3 pieces off the top of the target. You will run into trouble on dropping targets, windy days, etc, unless you have trained yourself to 'float' all your targets all the time.

You can add to the comb of your existing 870 and try the higher look at skeet and trap.

 

[riverdog]

I started out with an 870 at both Trap and Skeet. Like Dave, I sucked at Skeet, but got to a point where I could take both birds with the pump shotgun.

Then I went way over budget and bought a Browning O/U -- what a difference. The stock is designed for games. My scores in both Skeet and Trap improved. Most of the credit should go to the Browning's stock which is an excellent fit, keeping my head up and aligned; it gave me a solid cheek weld.

Lately I've been playing with a custom stock from Wenig. It resembles a Monte Carlo, but with an offset comb and the butt toes out to fit the shoulder better. It also has an asymettrical grip (from which I need to remove more wood). I really need to finish fitting that stock and then send it back to Wenig for checkering ... and then I found an 870TB.

Dave,
Should I keep that beautiful TB wood on the TB or move the Wenig over to the TB and put that beautiful wood on the field gun Remember, that beautiful TB wood has a QD sling mount drilled into it.

 

[ysr_racer]

Welcome aboard. After a few rounds step up to sporting clays. It's the most fun you can have with a shotgun.

here are some helpful web sites:

http://www.vaskeet.com/skeet101.htm

http://www.remington.com/whatsnew/skeet/skeet.htm
http://www.remington.com/whatsnew/trap/trap.htm

As for gun selection, get a sporting clays gun. It does it all just fine unless you're competing seriously.

 

[Fuzzy]

Thanks for the replies guys! I will stick with the 870 for a while. I'd like to build up some more skill before I put down a lot of money on a shotgun. Or two shotguns, if I get serious about both trap and skeet.

The Browning over/unders are absolutly beautiful guns, but it'll have to wait for another day. I can already hear my wife saying 'But, don't you already have a shotgun?".

Thanks,