are shotguns getting less popular than ar's and ak's?

[Merc1138]

LOL. Either you don't know how to properly should a long gun or your shotgun doesn't fit you properly. I've watched 11 and 12 year old girls shoot 200 round of 12g during an ATA match before. OK, I should add a third option. Maybe you are wimpier than a 12 year old girl.

LOL, I was trying to avoid being that blunt but yeah, it's the truth.

[bigbearbear]

The econ guy in me wanted to ask out of curiosity.. do you know the profit margin for an outdoor trap range vs an indoor gun range? The closest ones to me are Prado and Raahauges and comparatively, I never see that many folks there compared to how many are shooting in their pistol bays.

It is difficult to compare it like this. In an indoor range, you are typically charged based on how long you use the shooting lane for. When you shoot trap however, they charge you per round of trap (25 clay targets for singles, 50 for doubles).

Generally speaking, trap field operations would want to cycle as many squads (5 shooters per squad) as possible through a single trap field. The indoor ranges on the other hand, would want the shooters to stay as long as possible to run up the bill.

I suspect trap fields are more profitable but I don't have any statistic to back it up. I'm just going by the "fun" factor for me and my wife when we go shoot pistols at Reed's and when we go shoot trap at various trap fields. We enjoy trap more and spend a lot more money on it.

[bigbearbear]

From some of the posts in this thread, I think it is fairly easy to see why shotguns, especially 12 gauge caliber, isn't as popular as the AR or AK rifles. A shotgun is less forgiving due to its greater recoil, you have to have your mount correct (something that is alien to a lot AR/AK shooters) and the shotgun has to fit you well, or it'll be unpleasant.

However, if you find that shooting shotgun is unpleasant due to recoil, I would encourage that you take some lessons or seek help from someone who shoot shotguns a lot, we also have Skeet Clinics operated by members here in the shotgun forum.

You can learn how to mount and fit your shotgun so that it won't hurt you. It is not a matter of your physical attribute, age or gender etc. Everyone can do it.

Here's a picture I took of young shooters during the 2014 State Shoot at Kingsburg. Looks at how young they are.



Young and slender females can do it too. Look at these 2 young ladies, note also they are shooting Handicap, it means they are very experience shooters and have shot A LOT.





What if you're an older gentleman? No problem either, check out this guy and his "Old Guys Rule" T-shirt.

[CSACANNONEER]

It is difficult to compare it like this. In an indoor range, you are typically charged based on how long you use the shooting lane for. When you shoot trap however, they charge you per round of trap (25 clay targets for singles, 50 for doubles).

Generally speaking, trap field operations would want to cycle as many squads (5 shooters per squad) as possible through a single trap field. The indoor ranges on the other hand, would want the shooters to stay as long as possible to run up the bill.

I suspect trap fields are more profitable but I don't have any statistic to back it up. I'm just going by the "fun" factor for me and my wife when we go shoot pistols at Reed's and when we go shoot trap at various trap fields. We enjoy trap more and spend a lot more money on it.

I know that the indoor range I worked at charged by the day. You could leave and come back anytime that day at no additional cost just like most outdoor ranges I've been to or heard of.

[ArmedCMT]

I've only been to 3 or 4 indoor ranges but I've never been to a range that charges by the hour, they've all been "day use" charges.

[bigbearbear]

I know that the indoor range I worked at charged by the day. You could leave and come back anytime that day at no additional cost just like most outdoor ranges I've been to or heard of.

I've only been to 3 or 4 indoor ranges but I've never been to a range that charges by the hour, they've all been "day use" charges.

This is interesting. The 2 indoor ranges that I've been to before, Reed's and Target Masters, both charges by the hour.

[CSACANNONEER]

This is interesting. The 2 indoor ranges that I've been to before, Reed's and Target Masters, both charges by the hour.

I have seen both. I think Jackson Arms in South City charges by the hour. I know Island View in Ventura charges by the hour.

[w55]

The older side by sides are very graceful beautiful guns. Grew up a bit spoiled with Parkers, LC Smiths and Fox SxS.

Non of my other firearms match the style of them imho.

I also agree that holding your gun properly will make even a scary 12 gauge quite mild to shoot

[Gil_MKiii]

I think the simplicity of the shotgun makes it seem boring to most. I'm 3 days away from picking up my first gun and I opted for a shotgun (wingmaster). I was more attracted to it because cost of ownership seems to way cheaper than most rifles or handguns. Especially for those that love the forums. The Internet can make any hobby or lifestyle way more expensive than it needs to be


Sent from a pay phone in 1985

[Agent 0range]

I think the simplicity of the shotgun makes it seem boring to most. I'm 3 days away from picking up my first gun and I opted for a shotgun (wingmaster). I was more attracted to it because cost of ownership seems to way cheaper than most rifles or handguns. Especially for those that love the forums. The Internet can make any hobby or lifestyle way more expensive than it needs to be


Sent from a pay phone in 1985

Congrats on your first purchase. I started with a shotgun too, 870. Then a pistol was 2 months later, then a rifle 3 months later, then rifle, pistol, rifle, rifle, pistol, shotgun, etc... It's a slippery slope down that rabbit hole

[klewan]

I thought about all the 12 year old girls that you guys claim don't get bruised by 12g guns. What's different between a 100# girl and a 6'1" 200# guy like me; inertia. Recoil pushes her back and out of the way. My massive torso doesn't move that easily and I get the full power hit. It's like punching a balloon versus a brick wall.

So what I'm reading is all you guys that don't bruise must be 107# pencil neck geeks, like the girl. Only she doesn't have the pencil neck...

[nickrdz]

I'm 6ft 167lbs I shoot 45-70, 7.62x54r, 45acp,45 colt, and 12 gauge. I don't have a problem with recoil at all. Man up

[bk23103]

I'm not at all old enough to use the 'back in my day' quip - but when I turned 18, my first purchase was an 870 Express at the local Big 5. I took one of my buddies out and introduced him to the hobby, and he went and got himself a 500 within a week's time for his birthday. At that time, the 100 round value packs of shells were about $17. We'd go out at least two or three times a week with a case of shells each, shooting trap and jackrabbits. I'd had a .22 as a kid, but we didn't even get into rifles again for at least a year or two after that, and we eventually turned 21 and got handguns. I haven't brought my shotgun out in at least a year, but I think it was critical in getting me back into the sport as an adult.

[Jimi Jah]

Heavy recoil, a buck a round to shoot and noisy as hell.

I prefer .223 reloads.

[JackRydden224]

You can't shoot a shotgun at an indoor range unless you shoot slugs for $1/rd. For me it's a 2hr drive to go outdoors to shoot shotguns so I don't even own a shotgun. I can plink with my AR/AK at an indoor range, granted it's only 25 yards but I still get more practice with them.

If I live closer to an outdoor range then I would be shooting a lot more clays.