What gauge for trap shooting?
 

I'm interested in acquisition of a shotgun strictly for the purpose of skeet/trap/clay shooting.

Is a 12 gauge required? What about 20? or 410?

One of the reasons I'm asking is my wife is also interested in shooting, but she is a small lady (4'11") with a short 'wingspan' so she needs a relatively small gun with a soft recoil.

I know there are lots of makes/models/manufacturers, but I think if I can narrow it down to a particular gauge, then maybe I can find a gun that will fit.

Thanks guys.

Gordon

My wife and I just started shooting clays together and I got her a Browning Silver Hunter Micro Midas in 20ga. She is also a pretty small lady at about 5'2". Once she got comfortable (we took a lesson) she had no problem with the recoil at all and it is pretty light so she does not get tired after running a couple of boxes through.

A couple of other options are the Weatherby SA-08 and Mossberg SA-20 in their junior/bantam models. Apparently they are the exact same gun (manfactured in Turkey if I remember correctly) but the Mossberg is cheaper. Both of the these guns are cheaper (around half the price) than the Browning however. All of them come apart pretty easy and are easy to clean.

I considered the lesser expensive options at the beginning but I figured if she likes the sport alot then we dont need to upgrade, if she doesn't like it someone would probably pick it up to close to what I paid for it. Good thing she likes it...

Forgot to mention, hitting clays with a 20 is no problem at all.

Good luck in your search.

Depends
 

Skeet trap and sporting clays are 3 highly different and specialized sports.
Trap has most single birds going straight away from you so a full choke 12 gauge is often the ticket to reach the long ones (without even getting into handicap trap which moves you back from the original lines)

Skeet involves 9 shooting stations and two throwing houses (one high one low) so ideally you should never take a bird more than 22 yards from you (ideally almost never happens) so sub gauges (20, 28 or even 410 (for experts) are often fun since distance is not often a factor) Multiple birds are thrown (doubles) so automatics and over and unders are often used. Pumps handicap you but some do well with them.
Skeet is often shot with improved cylinder or even special skeet chokes designed to maximize the pellet spread for 22 yards.

Sporting clays utilizes both long and short, single and double targets coming at you, going away, crossing, rising and even rolling on ground bouncing like a rabbit. so shooters often have changeable choke tubes for specific stations.
If you are just planning on throwing clay from a hand or throwing machine you can suit the challenge to whatever gun you acquire.

Skeet/trap/sporting clays are three quite different games, and it helps to have an idea of which games you intend to shoot, before selecting a gun. For trap, just about any action will work fine, but for skeet and sporting clays, where a fast second shot is desired, a semi auto or O/U, is a better choice to learn the game, than a pump action. Either a 12 or 20 gauge will work fine for any of the three games. An experienced shooter can do reasonably well at skeet with a 410, but a 410 is a poor choice for trap, or sporting clays, or for a beginner at any of the three games. For a smaller person, where recoil is an issue, I would recommend a 20 gauge semi auto.

Seeing how you want to try all three games , a 12 gauge semi is likely the best
Bet. The problem of course is that one gun for both you and your wife is a bit of a stretch because of the gun fit issues .
Two inexpensive guns would work however and there are lots to choose from .
Cat

i have shot maybe 20000 rounds of trap with a 20 ga old winnie 101 that fit like a dream and out shot most everyone else running the big name stuff regulary

i now shoot a 28ga red label that fits like a dream as well but only 3-4000 rounds

fit is very \NB ...if it has broom stik wood and fits - fits - fits... then that is what you shooot

stay away from the 410 unless you can hit everything with a 10" pie plate pattern... shoot some skeet with a 12ga and full choke and that will help you understand a 410


20 ga is more than enough.... fit - fit fit

I love the 20- of course I love the 16, the 28, and of course the 12 and gage 410!
They Are great, even the mighty 10!:sHa_shakeshout:
Cat

The size of the person has little to do with how they handle recoil. That said, less recoil is better than more recoil because it tends to have a cumulative effect and most tournaments or clay shooting events are a couple hundred rounds per day.

Most 20 gauge guns are packaged in lighter frames than 12 gauges so the recoil is proportionately just as much as the 12's. In fact, I've owned a couple of 20's that kicked far worse than my 12's!
A gas operated semi will give lighter recoil than most other types but be aware that guns with light weight plastic stocks such as the Weatherby Sa-08 can still kick hard due to the lack of recoil absorbing weight.
Light target loads in 12 gauge with a 1 oz payload at 1150 fps are plentiful and even lighter loads can be purchased if these prove to be too much.

For an all around gun, I'd get one designed for Sporting Clays. They are very similar to a Skeet gun and can be used for Trap. Trap guns are specialized and pattern high for rising targets.

The 20 gauge guns may or may not recoil less than a twelve gauge, but the smaller, lighter frame, can be easier to swing for a very small person. Even the stocks may be smaller, where you grip the gun, which is often more comfortable for a person with smaller hands.

Thank you to everyone for you feedback. I didn't realize how much was involved. :)

I'm going to have to continue the investigations.

I think that maybe one of our best bets would be to find some place that will offer lessons as Ryan.M.Anderson and his wife did.

Gordon

If your looking for Sporting Clays lessons, check out Silver Willow in Carstairs, they have several instructors and a guy who is a very experienced stock fitter for the summer.

fit fit fit
 

Could you guys explain to the OP what good shotgun fit is, and whether the fit is different for trap, skeet or sporting clays.

My daughter just turned 13, and she's been shooting a 20ga, 870 "Youth" for well over a year. Trap mostly, but some long carries for ruffed grouse too. She's an athletic kid, but not overly tall...and can shoot 4-5 rounds of trap in an afternoon with no issues. (wearing a t-shirt) Yes, the gun has a little kick, but the Express guns are not overly light for their size, so I suspect it eats a little of it. We use Federal, Remington, but mostly Winchester white box #7-1/2 or #8s. The gun has a 21" barrel, and a shorter buttstock, and fits her great. If you decide to consider one of these, I should add that they make a youth "Compact" as well, but it's TOO small in my opinion. Our "youth" model has a laminated stock.

In it's most simplistic definition, a good stock fit is where the stock places your eye in the proper position relative to the bore when you mount the gun without having to scrunch your head down, hike your shoulders up or do any other unnatural thing to allow you shoot well and comfortably.

Gun manufacturers generally make their stocks to fit an average sized male so if you don't fit into this category, your stock probably doesn't fit you as well as it should.

Mount the gun so you are looking down the bead and the best fit is to have a solid cheek weld oriented with your cheek bone. The gun should be vertical and your eyes should be level or perpendicular to the guns vertical axis.

Mount the gun with your eyes closed, then open your eyes. If the bead is centered left to right, on the rib, and you are looking down a fairly flat rib, the gun is at least close to fitting you. If there is a mid bead, the two beads should form a figure 8 or overlap somewhat. If there is a significant gap between the beads, or if you can't see the front bead at all, the drop at comb isn't correct for you.

back to OP.

12 ga for sure.

Gun selection is better.
Gun price is more reasonable.
Ammo selection is better.

Go to your nearest Wholesale and pick up a box of their 12ga and their 20ga (if you can find them) target loads. Check out the dram eq., velocity & shot weight are. My bet is the 12ga loads on offer are the same if not lighter loads than the box of 20 ga in your other hand.

Now for an even more futile challenge - ask the guys at the hunting counter if they have any reasonably priced target loads in 28 ga or 410!

Finding light target loads for 20 ga is not an easy thing (at least where I live). Plus if you do find them be prepared for a major price shock when you buy them.

Another perk to having her shoot 12 is you and her can share ammunition when you are out for an afternoon trap shoot.

If recoil is a persistent problem even after having the stock fitted - federal and Winchester offer subsonic 12 ga target loads. I do not think these are available in any other gauges. With out a doubt they would be special order.

28 gauge and 410 target loads run me around $100 per flat, but I buy 20 gauge target loads for about the same price as 12 gauge target loads.

Thanks Bobinthesky, Bergerboy and elkhunter.
I couldn't have explained it any better and I wanted gordread and his daughter to have that crucial info before making the buys.

I shoot trap with a 12ga. Wingmaster with a 28" barrel and Remchokes. And also with a 20ga. Remington 1100 semi with a fixed mod. barrel. My 1100 is a large frame. I like both, but if given a choice and I'm having a good day, I prefer the 20 due to the lighter recoil.

Wow, so much to consider. Sounds to me like the best bet is 12 gauge, then look for fit.

It will be a while before I can afford to purchase any more guns (or my wife will let me. :) ) I expect it will be next year.

Thank you all for your feedback. It has certainly answered my original questions, and then a bunch I didn't even know enough to ask.

Gordon