Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

ahhhh - the world of shotguns... I'm new to this, so bear with me here

I went to the range this past Sunday to shoot some clays, and one of the guys that was there asked me about my gun - what was I using. I was a bit embarrassed with the old 870 Express Super Magnum - it's a little ugly and it's the first shotgun I've ever owned that has a choke in it.

I'm not here at the skeet/trap range to impress anyone, I'm just out having fun. Now as I wander up with my old 870, I start getting schooled on chokes and the fact that the full choke that is on my shotgun currently is better for trap than skeet. I looked at the guy inquisitively, kept my mouth shut and just listened.

And, to muddy the waters a little more, I really didn't know the difference between trap and skeet until Sunday either! *sigh* How embarrassing, right? So, as I'm being schooled like a deer in the headlights - all I can say is "I just want to shoot something".

So, based on the information proffered by the Shotgun Instructor, I'll attempt to clear up the skeet vs. trap issue with regard to the "Full" choke on my shotgun:

Trap shots are usually a little longer range shots, whereas skeet shots are usually a little closer in range, comparatively speaking. So, a "Fuller" choke (i.e., a choke that compresses the shot pattern more) is better used for longer range shots so that over the length of range, the pattern has a chance to spread a little. Shooting a full choke in a shorter distance will result in a lot more misses due to the extra tight pattern that the shotgun is shooting.

So, for shooting skeet, I would be better off with a more open choke that will allow more dispersion of the shot pattern at the closer ranges that skeet shooting requires.

I still have a good bit of reading to do in order to get caught up and not feel like a fool the next time I go to the skeet/trap range. I also need to go buy a couple of chokes and work on patterning my old 870. That will probably clear up a lot of my lack of understanding.

Thanks to Bill at NVGC for opening my eyes to the world of shotguns

I never hunted trap, skeet, or turkey but quail and pheasant sure are tasty!

I'm with you on this one. I don't know jack about shotguns except 12ga home defence versions.

check this site for more info on shotgun chokes then you ever wanted to know.

http://www.wildfowlmag.com/tips_strateg ... un_062304/

graybeard321 wrote:check this site for more info on shotgun chokes then you ever wanted to know.

http://www.wildfowlmag.com/tips_strateg ... un_062304/

Yep - that's a keeper. Thank you, kind sir

got hooked on shooting those clay birds at the Culpepper meet and greet, did you Rick?

A Remington 870 is nothing to be embarrassed about. I have a 870 wingmaster I bought back when I was 15. They are about the best gun remington has going for them. Want to get more confused ? I dove hunt with a full choke. Most people use modified but I can't hit squat unless I have a full choke. I took Bill crow hunting once and was using the 870 with #6's. I shot 25 times and killed 19 crows. It was really 20 but I shot one that Bill shot, it was just hanging in one spot whirling like a helicopter.

graybeard321 wrote:got hooked on shooting those clay birds at the Culpepper meet and greet, did you Rick?

Yeah, it was good seeing the boy hit a couple that day. I took him out with me on Sunday and he hit 4 out of 40. We need to work on the way he holds and fires...I think we'll get that number up a bit over the next few months as we adjust his methods.

Vahunter wrote:A Remington 870 is nothing to be embarrassed about. I have a 870 wingmaster I bought back when I was 15. They are about the best gun remington has going for them. Want to get more confused ? I dove hunt with a full choke. Most people use modified but I can't hit squat unless I have a full choke. I took Bill crow hunting once and was using the 870 with #6's. I shot 25 times and killed 19 crows. It was really 20 but I shot one that Bill shot, it was just hanging in one spot whirling like a helicopter.

Don't get me wrong - an 870 is a good shotgun - just that this one has seen better days with the stock and forearm all faded and gouged up - about half the bluing is gone - etc.

Allingeneral, check out shotgunworld.com. They have sections for each of the shotgun areas you are talking about. One of the most informative sites for shotgunners that I know of. A wealth of info there.

Ok, time for my big mouth to chime in. Let us first start by telling you the diffrence between Trap and Skeet. Trap is thrown by hand or from a thrower that is ground mounted at a slower speed then Skeet travels. Skeet is thrown by automatic throwers from 2 houses, a low house and a high house at about 75 to 80 M.P.H. and at some point will put out 2 at a time that cross in a high arck and are a real pain to hit.
Many years ago I shot skeet with Bill Ruger and his son Tom at his Dad's house on his private Skeet range with the Proto type Red Label over and under 12 gauge shotgun that the company was getting ready to put out for sale. This was my first exp. in Skeet shooting and my last exp. at it.
Bill

sometimes you can see a big change in pattern size/placement by changing either brand of shells or size of the shot or the type of shell (low power or high power). I don't mean low brass or high brass, I mean a "field load" of 1 to 1&1/8 oz. shot with 3 to 3&1/4 drams of powder vs. a "magnum" load of 1&1/4 to 1&1/2 oz of shot with 3&3/4 to "max" drams of powder.

That's why they recommend you buy different sizes of buckshot to see what your shotgun shoots best.

I only have one shotgun with interchangeable chokes (11-87 SP) but I haven't used it much. The heavy use shotgun in my youth was my Ithaca M37 with a 28" barrel and modified choke. I hunted squirrels, rabbits (cotton tails and jack rabbits), quail, ring neck pheasants, ducks/teal, grouse, etc. Yeah, the modified choke isn't supposed to be good for pass shooting ducks but I got more than anybody else I hunted with and some of them were using full choke guns).

I'm not much a of a shotgun guy. I've used them for hunting but not for sport/play/fun (hunting was also plenty of fun when I was into hunting) and have all I need, but I know pattern size and placement is affected by the factors in the first paragraph.

Have a good one.