Considering a Shotgun...Newb Question

boddah4 · February 14, 2011, 08:58 AM

I currently have in the gun safe:

SKS
Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22
Marlin 795M
Winchester Model 70 030-06

I was thinking of adding a shotgun to the collection. I would use it for turkey and coyote hunting. I was also considering using it to shoot a little skeet in the summer. I shoot by myslef and was wondering if it is possible to shoot skeet by myself?

Thanks.

jmortimer · February 14, 2011, 09:18 AM

Mossberg 930 is a really good deal. They are gaining a reputation for what they are - the best semi-auto for the $$$.

Dave McC · February 14, 2011, 12:17 PM

Find your local clays range, make friends and ask questions. If you're polite, you probably get to try out a few shotguns to see what works for you. A pump shotgun works well for lots of stuff,check the archives for oodles of stuff.

Shooting clays in the south 40 is not skeet, which is a recognized sport with rules and criteria. However, shooting a few boxes of shells at some home thrown targets is possible and lots of fun. Oft it takes two people,so draft your SO or kids.

HTH....

TheKlawMan · February 14, 2011, 12:50 PM

The other day I watched this old guy with a big belly shooting skeet by himself with what looked like a camo Remington. don't recall if it was a semi or a pump. He had the controll hooked to this belt, which he gave a bump, pulled up his gun, and never missed. I think he is the exception and most shooters need someone to pull as they shootl

There are also clay throwers that run about $100. I don't recall the name, but they can be operated by the shooter who steps on a pedal. That isn't the game of skeet but it looks like trap and mighy be fun. Not recommended for New York City above Broadway., wxzcept Sundays after 10 a.m.

BigJimP · February 14, 2011, 01:29 PM

Many of us started shotgunning with a good pump gun ( Rem 870's, Browning BPS, whatever ...) ... but a good pump gun, or maybe a semi-auto are always good entry level choices for shotguns. Guns like the Browning BPS ( Browning Pump Shotgun) or the Browning Silver Hunter semi-auto ...are good starting guns in the $ 500 - $ 800 price range.

like others advised - Skeet is not a generic term, its a specific game, some sinlges, some doubles....etc ...... ( but at some clubs, it is possible, if they have voice operated pullers to shoot Skeet by yourself ...or Trap...or sporting clays ).

Most ( Home throwing machines ) ...are very different, speeds are different, angles are different ...but it can be fun to have a "clays" operation on your own property if you have enough room. Clay debris is a little unsightly ....and while they make "bio-degradeable" targets ...they still take many years to fully disintegrate....

To start with - I'd recommend you visit a "clays" club in your area ....and shoot a little Trap ....and maybe some Skeet ...see if they have some rental guns for you to try, etc ...before you invest in a shotgun. There are a lot of used guns around too / but you need to know what you're looking at before you purchase a used shotgun ....there are good deals out there / there is a lot of pure junk out there too ....

boddah4 · February 14, 2011, 01:44 PM

I didn't realize that skeet was a specific term

I was refering to throwing clay pigeons in the air and shooting them.

BigJimP · February 14, 2011, 01:54 PM

That's how you learn .....

Do a general internet search on "Skeet" and "TRAP" and "Sporting Clays" ....they are all very different games ....and different angles, and different targets, and different speeds ..... / find some clubs in your area that do some, or all of the above ....

BigJimP · February 14, 2011, 02:01 PM

The Browning BPS Hunter model, with a 28" barrel ...is my personal choice of a relatively inexpensive starter shotgun / that does a lot of things very well. I happen to have the same gun in 12ga and a 20ga ....but today, the 12ga gun is more versatile. You have a bigger variety of shells available for a 12ga ....and in today's shotguns .....you have screw in "chokes" in the end of the barrel, that changes the constriction, and the size of the pattern, to what you are trying to do ..... to hunt, shoot clays, etc .

http://www.browning.com/products/cat...unter-firearms

A Browning BPS isn't the cheapest pump shotgun on the market ...but its one of the best, in my opinion. Browning gives you a lot of gun for your money - on pumps, semi-autos and in Over Unders ...( not that a good Remington 870 is a bad gun either ...) ...but you could do a lot worse than a good solid Browning pump, in my opinion.

zippy13 · February 14, 2011, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TKM

He had the controll hooked to this belt, which he gave a bump, pulled up his gun, and never missed.

That's pretty old school. Years ago, I recall watching NSSA World Champion Alan B. Clark practicing Skeet by himself. The was wearing flip-flops and pushing the pickle with his toes. These days, many clubs have advanced technically and have traded the old yellow pickle in on a sound activated target release systems.

TheKlawMan · February 14, 2011, 06:45 PM

Prado has sound activation for Trap. I don't think it is on any skeet field. The ones for trap work pretty bad due to the flooding.

ekgandj · February 14, 2011, 06:50 PM

I personally have a benelli nova and absolutely l love it. If you want a pump or semi auto IMO you can not go wrong with a benelli.

Sent from iPhone using Tapatalk

halfmile · February 14, 2011, 10:49 PM

Remington's website has PDF's for "Fundamentals of Skeet", also the same for trap. It goes into many aspects of the games, and is a great way to get up to speed without spending any jing.

HM

zippy13 · February 15, 2011, 12:21 AM

+1 on Remington's Trap and Skeet "Fundamentals" -- a lot of info in a smallpackage -- they will save those new to the games a lot of initial trail and error and help sky rocket their learning curve.

jackpine · February 15, 2011, 08:54 PM

rem 870 or mossberg 835

ET. · February 19, 2011, 04:31 PM

The only Clay I'm going to shoot is if the Clay brothers break into my house. That is why I opted for a standard Remington 870 express 18" barrel & an extended mag tube. It works for me.

...Aren't turkey guns much shorter than Skeet/Clay/Trap shotguns anyway?

k511 · February 25, 2011, 11:31 AM

i own two remington 870 pumps one express and one wingmaster, both are great, never had any problems with eathier, might also consider the remington 1100 semi-auto which is my personal favorite.

bn12gg · February 25, 2011, 05:49 PM

Boddah-- A good recommendation was given to find a range with some
guys/gals who like to shoot clays. You will improve faster by being
coachable-- listen, correct your flaws. Nice people too!

Sometimes I shoot by myself. I use a Trius 1 Step clays thrower at
my club. They cost about $100. You push a peddle downward and
out comes the clay-- at a pretty good clip. You can adjust angles
to a certain degree. It will throw doubles. I've pounded thousands
of clays thru it not breaking the Trius yet. If I'm out with friends
then we use the club's clays thrower -- one guy shooting while the
other guy launches clays. The speed and angles are not that
different than using the Trius 1 Step.

Just my .02 David

February 14, 2011, 08:58 AM	#1
boddah4 Junior Member Join Date: September 4, 2010 Location: Melita, Michigan Posts: 14	Considering a Shotgun...Newb Question I currently have in the gun safe: SKS Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 Marlin 795M Winchester Model 70 030-06 I was thinking of adding a shotgun to the collection. I would use it for turkey and coyote hunting. I was also considering using it to shoot a little skeet in the summer. I shoot by myslef and was wondering if it is possible to shoot skeet by myself? Thanks.

February 14, 2011, 10:49 PM	#12
halfmile Member Join Date: April 5, 2009 Location: Green Bay, Wis Posts: 19	skeet....... Remington's website has PDF's for "Fundamentals of Skeet", also the same for trap. It goes into many aspects of the games, and is a great way to get up to speed without spending any jing. HM

February 19, 2011, 04:31 PM	#15
ET. Senior Member Join Date: June 8, 2010 Location: Savannah, Ga. Posts: 638	The only Clay I'm going to shoot is if the Clay brothers break into my house. That is why I opted for a standard Remington 870 express 18" barrel & an extended mag tube. It works for me. ...Aren't turkey guns much shorter than Skeet/Clay/Trap shotguns anyway? __________________ Soldiers are dying every day to protect our freedoms. The least we can do is vote.

February 14, 2011, 09:18 AM	#2
jmortimer Junior member Join Date: January 24, 2010 Location: South West Riverside County California Posts: 2,763	Mossberg 930 is a really good deal. They are gaining a reputation for what they are - the best semi-auto for the $$$.

February 14, 2011, 12:17 PM	#3
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Find your local clays range, make friends and ask questions. If you're polite, you probably get to try out a few shotguns to see what works for you. A pump shotgun works well for lots of stuff,check the archives for oodles of stuff. Shooting clays in the south 40 is not skeet, which is a recognized sport with rules and criteria. However, shooting a few boxes of shells at some home thrown targets is possible and lots of fun. Oft it takes two people,so draft your SO or kids. HTH....

February 14, 2011, 12:50 PM	#4
TheKlawMan Junior member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,149	The other day I watched this old guy with a big belly shooting skeet by himself with what looked like a camo Remington. don't recall if it was a semi or a pump. He had the controll hooked to this belt, which he gave a bump, pulled up his gun, and never missed. I think he is the exception and most shooters need someone to pull as they shootl There are also clay throwers that run about $100. I don't recall the name, but they can be operated by the shooter who steps on a pedal. That isn't the game of skeet but it looks like trap and mighy be fun. Not recommended for New York City above Broadway., wxzcept Sundays after 10 a.m.

February 14, 2011, 01:29 PM	#5
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Many of us started shotgunning with a good pump gun ( Rem 870's, Browning BPS, whatever ...) ... but a good pump gun, or maybe a semi-auto are always good entry level choices for shotguns. Guns like the Browning BPS ( Browning Pump Shotgun) or the Browning Silver Hunter semi-auto ...are good starting guns in the $ 500 - $ 800 price range. like others advised - Skeet is not a generic term, its a specific game, some sinlges, some doubles....etc ...... ( but at some clubs, it is possible, if they have voice operated pullers to shoot Skeet by yourself ...or Trap...or sporting clays ). Most ( Home throwing machines ) ...are very different, speeds are different, angles are different ...but it can be fun to have a "clays" operation on your own property if you have enough room. Clay debris is a little unsightly ....and while they make "bio-degradeable" targets ...they still take many years to fully disintegrate.... To start with - I'd recommend you visit a "clays" club in your area ....and shoot a little Trap ....and maybe some Skeet ...see if they have some rental guns for you to try, etc ...before you invest in a shotgun. There are a lot of used guns around too / but you need to know what you're looking at before you purchase a used shotgun ....there are good deals out there / there is a lot of pure junk out there too ....

February 14, 2011, 01:44 PM	#6
boddah4 Junior Member Join Date: September 4, 2010 Location: Melita, Michigan Posts: 14	I didn't realize that skeet was a specific term I was refering to throwing clay pigeons in the air and shooting them.

February 14, 2011, 01:54 PM	#7
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	That's how you learn ..... Do a general internet search on "Skeet" and "TRAP" and "Sporting Clays" ....they are all very different games ....and different angles, and different targets, and different speeds ..... / find some clubs in your area that do some, or all of the above ....

February 14, 2011, 02:01 PM	#8
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	The Browning BPS Hunter model, with a 28" barrel ...is my personal choice of a relatively inexpensive starter shotgun / that does a lot of things very well. I happen to have the same gun in 12ga and a 20ga ....but today, the 12ga gun is more versatile. You have a bigger variety of shells available for a 12ga ....and in today's shotguns .....you have screw in "chokes" in the end of the barrel, that changes the constriction, and the size of the pattern, to what you are trying to do ..... to hunt, shoot clays, etc . http://www.browning.com/products/cat...unter-firearms A Browning BPS isn't the cheapest pump shotgun on the market ...but its one of the best, in my opinion. Browning gives you a lot of gun for your money - on pumps, semi-autos and in Over Unders ...( not that a good Remington 870 is a bad gun either ...) ...but you could do a lot worse than a good solid Browning pump, in my opinion.

February 14, 2011, 06:45 PM	#10
TheKlawMan Junior member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,149	Prado has sound activation for Trap. I don't think it is on any skeet field. The ones for trap work pretty bad due to the flooding.

February 14, 2011, 06:50 PM	#11
ekgandj Member Join Date: February 6, 2011 Location: Royse City, TX Posts: 19	I personally have a benelli nova and absolutely l love it. If you want a pump or semi auto IMO you can not go wrong with a benelli. Sent from iPhone using Tapatalk

February 15, 2011, 12:21 AM	#13
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	+1 on Remington's Trap and Skeet "Fundamentals" -- a lot of info in a smallpackage -- they will save those new to the games a lot of initial trail and error and help sky rocket their learning curve.

February 15, 2011, 08:54 PM	#14
jackpine Senior Member Join Date: November 24, 2010 Posts: 351	rem 870 or mossberg 835

February 25, 2011, 11:31 AM	#16
k511 Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 461	i own two remington 870 pumps one express and one wingmaster, both are great, never had any problems with eathier, might also consider the remington 1100 semi-auto which is my personal favorite.

February 25, 2011, 05:49 PM	#17
bn12gg Senior Member Join Date: February 19, 2011 Location: Winter Park, Florida Posts: 470	Boddah-- A good recommendation was given to find a range with some guys/gals who like to shoot clays. You will improve faster by being coachable-- listen, correct your flaws. Nice people too! Sometimes I shoot by myself. I use a Trius 1 Step clays thrower at my club. They cost about $100. You push a peddle downward and out comes the clay-- at a pretty good clip. You can adjust angles to a certain degree. It will throw doubles. I've pounded thousands of clays thru it not breaking the Trius yet. If I'm out with friends then we use the club's clays thrower -- one guy shooting while the other guy launches clays. The speed and angles are not that different than using the Trius 1 Step. Just my .02 David