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Old March 29, 2008, 06:37 AM   #1
IrvJr
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Pump action for skeet?

Hi All,

I have an over/under shotgun that I use for skeet. I'm interested in picking up a 20 gauge pump gun, and was wondering if a pump is OK for casual rounds of skeet. How is it shooting doubles with a pump gun? I am not a compeitive skeet shooter, mostly just a casual skeet shooter.

Thanks in advance.
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Old March 29, 2008, 07:09 AM   #2
SDC
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It's a lot of fun; my favourite skeet gun is an 870 done up "riot"-style, and as long as you do your part, there's nothing wrong with a pump in skeet.
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Old March 29, 2008, 02:34 PM   #3
dball01
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Pumps

I started shooting skeet at age 12 down at the Winchester range in East Alton, IL. They had a rack of Model 12's (pumps)to choose from, and a person could shoot them as fast, if not faster, than an automatic. Pumps are no problem!! And by the way, a round cost 75 cents, birds and shells included.
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Old March 29, 2008, 04:21 PM   #4
Tombstonejim
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My father was an avid skeet shooter he shot on the Fort Campbell skeet team back when the army had such things. I have watched him win a many a beer by firing two rounds out of his model 12 faster than a guy with an auto loader could. I still have a 12 ga and a 28 ga that he used to fire in the Pan American games around 1952 or so. The model 12 will fire the second round automatically if just keep the trigger pulled
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Old March 30, 2008, 09:12 PM   #5
Ruger4570
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There is nothing WRONG with a pump gun for skeet, I will say IMO that there are "better" choices. One of the guys at my Skeet club can shuck and shoot em just about as fast as the O/U guys. Shoot what give you pleasure.
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Old March 30, 2008, 09:42 PM   #6
Lavid2002
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Im pretty fast

Trust me man, after a month or so of shooting, you wont remember wether you racked the action or not. It took me a little time to get the doubles down. Thats why I hit em both weith one shot But really, I can smack doubles all day long with a pump even on sporting clays. I can even hit triples thrown form a do-all thrower, a single goes far but a triple is heavier on the thrower and goes about 10 yards, I drill em before they touch the ground. Ive only ever owned pumps. there awesome go with it you wont regret it!
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Old March 31, 2008, 09:06 AM   #7
sargenv
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I've used a 20 and 410 in an 870 for years. The 20 is easy to break a perfect round, the 410 is a bit more challenging since it's an express model with a full choke. There just isn't any wiggle room with a full choked 410.. though I can usually depend on getting about 18 on a good day and 13 on a bad one. If I picked up a more open choked barrel for it, I might improve by a few birds.
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Old March 31, 2008, 01:25 PM   #8
BigJimP
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A pump gun is ok - especially if you can leave it up at your shoulder and with your face on the comb - while you operate the action. If you can do that its almost as fast as a semi-auto. Are there better guns for skeet - yes, probably - but if you're just out there having some fun, it doesn't matter.

But what type action in a shotgun you use is not the issue - its really gun fit - and a gun fits if the pattern is centered where you are looking. If the drop at the comb and the heel fit you - then its good - if it doesn't, then its not good. If the gun shoots 6" high - then it doesn't fit - and some combination of the drop at the heel, comb, etc does not fit you. The only way to tell that is to go to the pattern board and see what your point of impact is with that gun - then we can really disuss whether its the right gun for you or not in skeet or anything else for that matter. Picking a shotgun is all about fit - not the action type.
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Old March 31, 2008, 02:55 PM   #9
RUT
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Yes, you can use a pump for skeet, but if you decide to get serious about it you'll soon tire of racking that slide. (no matter what anyone tells you)
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Old April 4, 2008, 12:43 AM   #10
olddrum1
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Why would you want to use something as large as a Twenty guage for skeet? I have a BPS 410 that I love to shoot skeet with especially if I am shooting a round where no one else is carrying anything but twelves. Its the challenge. I find that the 410 breaks a person of a lot of bad habits quick.
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Old April 4, 2008, 01:28 PM   #11
Zoomer
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Shot many great rounds with my 1st shotgun - an 870. I still use it to hunt deer in certain counties where I hunt (shotguns are required by law). I bought a nice O/U when I got serious about the skeet game and never regretted it. While I much prefer the O/U, the experience with the pump gun was invaluable. I can jack shells into and fire it as fast as my autoloaders. I still have friends walk up to me at deer camp, look at my gun and SWEAR it was an auto.

As long as you're not shooting "international" skeet, a pump is no problem at all. You have way more time than you think - even on doubles.
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