Clays Gun for Very Small Woman..A Report

Gary H · August 13, 2001, 07:51 PM

I tortured all of you with my many questions and madly researched all possible angles while looking to purchase a shotgun for Amy. I thought that my experience might serve to help some of you out there that want to go shooting with daughter, wife and girlfriend. First, a bit of advice: Do not to take the girlfriend

In review, Amy, my wife, stands 4'9 1/2" and not many pounds. She expressed an interest in the clay sports. Made me happy until I realized that I would need to find her a gun. Most advice and concern centered upon shotgun recoil. It turns out that this was a non-issue. Next was fit and balance. These were the issues that presented the real challenge. The Remington 1100 was a pussycat shooter, but heavy and could only be reduced to a bit over 12 1/2" LOP. Amy shot great, but really struggled with handling the gun. 20 Gauge O/U balanced well, but she had difficulty in closing the action. The Remington 870 Express 20 gauge with 26" barrel was cut to just shy of chopping off the stock bolt and the pad was shaped for her rather barrel chest. Amy is small, but rather nicely put together. She can handle the 870 without any difficulty. The recoil is a bit more than the 12 gauge 1100, but not a problem with 7/8 oz. target loads. So, we now have a new sport. Also, two of my young female employees and a friend's daughter have expressed an interest in shooting clays. Amy is one of those ever bouncy and happy people and her excitement regarding the shotgun has sparked an interest in other young women who were previously rather anti-gun. Should be interesting to see if they really do come along.

Oh, yes..One last benefit. Amy was rather positive when I made my move to put a rather large reloading bench in the house and then spent a small fortune on equipment. I'm now rather poor, but happy

Dave McC · August 13, 2001, 08:15 PM

You sound most fortunate, Gary. I've heard there's a super light 20 ga load out from Winchester, 3/4 oz at 950 FPS or so. Federal is supposed to have a CAS 20 ga, paper case shell of like ballistics, but I've not seen it.

A note on very short stocks, I added a Morgan adjustable pad to Son's little S/S, it seems to help with the toe out a bit.

Gary H · August 13, 2001, 08:22 PM

Dave:

The Morgan was my next step. Put this gun together fast. The problem with adjustable stock pads is that I would need to get a shorter stock bolt, further shorten the stock and provide a new hole for the stock bolt washer.

Just picked up reloader and once I get my consumables in line, I will be reloading 7/8 oz 20 gauge and should I find a great 3/4 oz load, then that will be feeding Amy's gun. Actually, I'm also preferring the 20 gauge, but still rather new at all of this.

Dave McC · August 13, 2001, 08:27 PM

OK, Gary, Son's NEF still has an inch or so left before bolt pruning's needed, and it's about right now. The couple extra ounces it weighs moves the balance point back a bit, needed with that short stock.

August 13, 2001, 07:51 PM	#1
Gary H Senior Member Join Date: April 26, 2000 Location: Texas Posts: 2,267	Clays Gun for Very Small Woman..A Report I tortured all of you with my many questions and madly researched all possible angles while looking to purchase a shotgun for Amy. I thought that my experience might serve to help some of you out there that want to go shooting with daughter, wife and girlfriend. First, a bit of advice: Do not to take the girlfriend In review, Amy, my wife, stands 4'9 1/2" and not many pounds. She expressed an interest in the clay sports. Made me happy until I realized that I would need to find her a gun. Most advice and concern centered upon shotgun recoil. It turns out that this was a non-issue. Next was fit and balance. These were the issues that presented the real challenge. The Remington 1100 was a pussycat shooter, but heavy and could only be reduced to a bit over 12 1/2" LOP. Amy shot great, but really struggled with handling the gun. 20 Gauge O/U balanced well, but she had difficulty in closing the action. The Remington 870 Express 20 gauge with 26" barrel was cut to just shy of chopping off the stock bolt and the pad was shaped for her rather barrel chest. Amy is small, but rather nicely put together. She can handle the 870 without any difficulty. The recoil is a bit more than the 12 gauge 1100, but not a problem with 7/8 oz. target loads. So, we now have a new sport. Also, two of my young female employees and a friend's daughter have expressed an interest in shooting clays. Amy is one of those ever bouncy and happy people and her excitement regarding the shotgun has sparked an interest in other young women who were previously rather anti-gun. Should be interesting to see if they really do come along. Oh, yes..One last benefit. Amy was rather positive when I made my move to put a rather large reloading bench in the house and then spent a small fortune on equipment. I'm now rather poor, but happy

August 13, 2001, 08:15 PM	#2
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	You sound most fortunate, Gary. I've heard there's a super light 20 ga load out from Winchester, 3/4 oz at 950 FPS or so. Federal is supposed to have a CAS 20 ga, paper case shell of like ballistics, but I've not seen it. A note on very short stocks, I added a Morgan adjustable pad to Son's little S/S, it seems to help with the toe out a bit.

August 13, 2001, 08:22 PM	#3
Gary H Senior Member Join Date: April 26, 2000 Location: Texas Posts: 2,267	Dave: The Morgan was my next step. Put this gun together fast. The problem with adjustable stock pads is that I would need to get a shorter stock bolt, further shorten the stock and provide a new hole for the stock bolt washer. Just picked up reloader and once I get my consumables in line, I will be reloading 7/8 oz 20 gauge and should I find a great 3/4 oz load, then that will be feeding Amy's gun. Actually, I'm also preferring the 20 gauge, but still rather new at all of this.

August 13, 2001, 08:27 PM	#4
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	OK, Gary, Son's NEF still has an inch or so left before bolt pruning's needed, and it's about right now. The couple extra ounces it weighs moves the balance point back a bit, needed with that short stock.