Topic: Skeet skeet!

[Cheffish]

Anybody shoot skeet? I'm looking for an entry level shotgun and don't know what to look for. I'm thinking semi auto is the way to go. Any input is much appreciated. I only wanna kill clay targets, not animals. Not sure if that matters or not. Thanks again.

[Bob Wessner]

I haven't for many years, but did a fair amount back in the day, mostly for tune-up for grouse and woodcock hunting. How serious to do you plan to get and stay with it. A good semi-auto is fine, but make sure it is skeet choked. If you plan to reload, one drawback is the spent shells get flung quite a ways, perhaps at the next person.  If you are serious and plan to do it for a good long time, I would suggest a decent over and under double with extractors, not ejectors (also for possible reloading). Both suggestions assume you are not going to use this same gun for hunting. I wouldn't suggest anything smaller than 12 gauge for a starters. Later, if you are interested, you can try  a 20 gauge, it gets more challenging then.

[Cheffish]

Thanks for the quick reply. I don't know how long I'll stay with it but it's something I've always wanted to get into. Ill begin looking for a semi auto that is skeet choked. I think the over-under will be out of my price range. Thanks again.

[TwoTired]

I was in a Skeet league for 3-4 years.  At first I used rental shotguns from the facility.  Then I bought a 28" Remington 11-87 semi auto with a screw in choke set.  It was okay once I finally got the handloads for it sorted.  But, as they say, it was a Jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none type of gun.  I finally sprung for a slightly used 26" Beretta 686 onyx over and under.  It also has a screw in choke set.
I found that gun to fit me better, and my consistency improved to where getting 25s per round was no longer a surprise.  I was shooting at least twice a week at the time, as well as occasional sporting clays. (200-500 rnds/week)

I can't stress enough that you need to get a gun or gun stock to fit you properly.  The comb, reach, rise, and cast on/off make a huge difference in where the rear sight (your eye) goes comfortably/consistently onto the gun.  My wife was also a shooter, and shortly after I got my Beretta, we found a used Silver Snipe and had the stock shortened for her stature.  Not only did her shooting improve, so did her stamina/endurance, and demeanor shooting a gun that comfortably fit her.  I don't shoot her gun well at all.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CFPage?mode=article&objectID=32617&storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1

[Cheffish]

Thanks for the like twotired. I was just discussing that very topic with my friends father. He told me it was very important that a shotgun fits the shooter. I have some homework to do! Thanks

[Bob Wessner]

As TT points out, fit is very important. Most stocks are dimensioned for the mythical average shooter. Depending on your stature and how it translates to length of pull, you may have to shorten a stock, of if you are tall with long arms, you will have to add somehow. I'm 6'4" and always had to add. If you are lucky in having to add, a recoil pad of the right thickness might do the trick. I have a side-by-side LeFever from the 20's and had to add a spacer and a recoil pad. Sadly, it sees little use. It was/is a long barrel bored modified and full, and that was before they had plastic shot collars. I patterned it once with shot collared rounds, and the modified barrel shoots full and the full is a super full with such rounds. Good for duck or goose, but realistically, little else.

[Duke McDukiedook]

I would think if you plunked the money on a sweet over and under you would want it to be a modified barrel since you are using it for a pretty specific activity.

I have a modified barrel on my 1100 special and it does fine for dove or skeet.

[Cheffish]

Very late update. Popped on a used beretta 390 sporting. Looks and shoots very well so far. Thanks for the help.

[jamesb]

my father in law has a 28 gauge side by side double barrel i believe it's a ithica? the best gun i ever shot light weight held a very good pattern the only thing shells are a little higher than others.  when i took it hunting or blue rock shooting guys would make fun of me about it said it was a women's gun the correct term for it was a gentleman's gun. i also use my 22 marlin and my pre62 winchester 30.30 lever action.my wife has a benelli semiautomatic  shes never shot her dad gave her nobodys ever shot it just her dad 3 times it is a extremly nice gun one of these days i'll have to sneak it out and shoot it.they also make a 28 guage benelli

[CycleRanger]

I have a modified barrel on my 1100 special and it does fine for dove or skeet.

I use a 20 gauge Remington 870 for dove. 1100 for everything else.

[Duke McDukiedook]

That 1100 I have works great even on the shots when I know the dove is a little out of range on a slow day and I say what the hell, it's just a shell. And then it plucks it down and surprises me.