Skeet shooting advice.

[Jorenm]

Are there any big no-nos when it comes to using a shotgun for skeet? I'm looking at buying a mossberg 930 spx, and I'm wondering if will also function passably well for casual skeet shooting. Nothing fancy or professional by any means.

My main question is: Will I be able to hit skeet reliably or will the gun hold me back?

[randy]

Some ranges won't let you use that gun for skeet the barrel is shorter than they allow.

Can you hit skeet reliably now?

Lots of people shoot skeet with a 410.

[Jorenm]

Some ranges won't let you use that gun for skeet the barrel is shorter than they allow.

Can you hit skeet reliably now?

Lots of people shoot skeet with a 410.

I haven't been skeet shooting in over a decade. Mainly what I'm saying is given practice so that I can aim right, can the gun shoot straight enough?

[CSACANNONEER]

You would probably be laughed off a real skeet range or sporting clays range but, you might be able to use it at a few of the trap ranges that are open to the public. You'ld probably be better off getting one of those single shot shotguns for about $100 and using it for clays instead of the 930.

[Jorenm]

Hmm. Ok. What would you recommend for skeet?

[CSACANNONEER]

Are you really talking about skeet? Skeet shooting is basically shooting clay pigeons which are thrown from two different towers one on each side of the range. The birds fly from one side to the other.

Or, are you talking about trap shooting? That's where you are standing behind the traphouse (with a thrower in it) and you are shooting at clay birds as they are flying away from you.

To me, trap is much easier to learn and easier to shoot with a regular hunting shotgun. Although, I've been put down by regular trap shooters when I've pulled out a pump, if I pull out my nice Itallian single shot, they think I belong there.

I'm not a skeet shooter but, I'd have to say the first thing you want in a good skeet gun is one that fits you perfectly. An OU or a good SA with a skeet choke would be your best choices.

[Thefeeder]

I haven't been skeet shooting in over a decade. Mainly what I'm saying is given practice so that I can aim right, can the gun shoot straight enough?

You will do fine with any hunting style shotgun with a two shot capacity and 22" or more barrel...18's are not allowed on most ranges. Ckokes are inportant....Imp cylinder, skeet or cylinder are fine....if you want to make it real sporting Modified and Full.

You will not out shoot any shotgun at this stage.....go have some fun. Skill is far better than equipment.

"The less fish they catch, the more crap they buy"

[aplinker]

Here's my skeet advice. If you follow it, you will be the best shooter ever.

Always hit the clays before they hit the ground.

[ElToro]

i went to shoot some trap with my bird gun 11-87 and my buddy was all embarrased cuz all he owns his tacticool 870 with speedfeed pistol grip, 20 inch barrell and surefire foreend. he was struggling and some of the other jokers were laughing as they pulled out their nice O/Us etc.

i used the 870 the next round and i missed the first 2 and got adjusted for elevation, i popped the next 22 of 23. shut those jerks up.

now skeet would be more tough at least for me. i hate leading the birds

what you have is what you have. i also have a cut down stock and barrell auto 5 (whipit gun) and it has no front bead site at all. works good. just get to know your firearm and screw what others think.

[CSACANNONEER]

Here's my skeet advice. If you follow it, you will be the best shooter ever.

Always hit the clays before they hit the ground.

That's not as much fun as breaking them on the 1000 yard berm with my 50s!

[chrisdesoup]

I take my stock 870 expressmag to shoot sporting clays in Morgan Hill, CA.... I get some looks but nobody bothers me about it. Sometimes random folks will come over and let me shoot thier fancy shotty's and pass on some advice about stance, form, etc..

[Jorenm]

I'm not sure what I'm thinking of actually.

When I've done it before there were multiple shooting stations, each with a spring loaded catapult. You would load and fire your own clays and shoot at them. Pretty straightforward.

Would that be trap, skeet, sporting clays?

Thanks for all the advice. Very informative.

[mike100]

I think I was confused. I seem to be thinking of trap shooting. Thanks for all the advice. Very informative.

Put your tightest patterning choke in it then. A longer barrel seems to help one to follow targets easier in trap. The bird starts out 16 yards away from you and you may find yourself making 30 yard shots if your reflexes are bit slow.

but, yeah you can shoot trap with just about anything if you adjust your timing and aim according to your barrel type.

[Crusader]

While I was in Minnesota not too far back, I took my grandfather's Mossberg out to the local trap range. This thing originally had a 30" barrel with a full choke, but my grandfather cut the barrel down to just over 15", thus completely removing the choke.

I took it out anyways since I still thought it would be fun. I averaged about 15-18/25 clays using #7 1/2 shot at 25 (which ended up being 30-35 by the time I shot) meters, so overall I did a lot better than I expected. Especially since it was my first time shooting a shotgun.

Although the gun does matter, you could still manage using a "tactical" or short-barreled shotgun no problem.

[bohoki]

While I was in Minnesota not too far back, I took my grandfather's Mossberg out to the local trap range. This thing originally had a 30" barrel with a full choke, but my grandfather cut the barrel down to just over 15", thus completely removing the choke.

I took it out anyways since I still thought it would be fun. I averaged about 15-18/25 clays using #7 1/2 shot at 25 (which ended up being 30-35 by the time I shot) meters, so overall I did a lot better than I expected. Especially since it was my first time shooting a shotgun.

Although the gun does matter, you could still manage using a "tactical" or short-barreled shotgun no problem.

whoa 15 inches you say