Shot gun games

[tombogan03884]

I have a Mossy 500 18 1/2 inch  2 3/4  12 Ga.,  I could possibly find a longer barrel which would make it usable for  Skeet , Trap, and Sporting Clays.
I know nothing about any of them, I've blown up some hand tossed clay pigeons in the Gravel pit over the years,
Why don't you explain the various games, what you prefer and what you prefer to shoot and why,
With things like the Saiga shotguns, and the Taurus judge, they would seem to have training potential.

[fightingquaker13]

I've always been a hunter (mostly duck, dove and quail), not a shooter. But I shot a hell of a lot skeet to practice. In Texas it was cheap. You could go to a public range and have someone follow you around triggering targets for $10-$12 a round of 25, plus ammo. Given that you were using #8s or #9s it was cheap if you bought shells by the case. Sporting clays was more, about $30 plus ammo. Here in Fl? It freaking insane! I'd have to pay $500 a year at the range for the priviliege of showing up, and the $15 a round. Survey says no, and hell no. I'll look for a cheaper option.  

Basically the shotgun games are these:

Trap. Here, you shoot at a target going up and away. Just one bird is in the air at a time. They don't present until you call for them. It simulates quail. Perfect scores are not uncommon if you're better at it than me and pursue it as a sport, not practice. Frankly, I think its a bit boring, but millions disagree and I'd always shoot several rounds before quail season.

Skeet. This is the one with the tall rectancular buildings. Its designed to simulate driven birds or doves or ducks. You call pull, and two clays are presented. Some high, some low. Its a two shot game. Again, if you're good, you can pop all 25. If you're me, you'll break less, but its still a lot of fun.

Sporting clays. This is my favorite, but its pricey. Basically, the idea is to simulate a mixed bag hunt. You walk along a trail and are confronted  with different targets. It might be a high incomer like a duck. A chest level flyer like a grouse, or one 1 foot off the ground like a rabbit. Its up to the course designer to figure out what you'll see. Still, at 2-3 times the price of a round of skeet, I figured that my practice dollars would go further on the skeet range. If you're in it for the game, not to practice for bird season though, its a blast.
FQ13

If you can find a reasonably priced range go for it. Buy a 28" improved cylinder barell for that mossy, a couple of cases of WWB #8s, a PAST shoulder pad and have fun. Just rember to tip the guy pulling your targets.  
FQ13

[tombogan03884]

"Just rember to tip the guy pulling your targets."

First couple times he may just be happy not getting shot  

[TAB]

Well guns set up for one of the two sports, don't always work well for the other.

[Timothy]

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=49004

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[billt]

Well guns set up for one of the two sports, don't always work well for the other.

True. If you're going to shoot Trap, do it with a Trap gun. Trap guns are set up to pattern high. The reason is that in Trap you are shooting the target on the rise. (Or at least should be). If you try this with a field or Skeet gun, you will have to cover the target with your bead to establish the proper vertical lead. Once the target is covered, you cannot see it, and you are guessing blindly at that point. The result will be a lot of missed targets.

In Trap the degree of difficulty is increased by increasing the distance you shoot the target from. This is called Handicap. This distance is established by your average score from the 16 yard line from where you shoot your singles from. The best shooters shoot their handicap from the 27 yard line. It is extremely difficult at that range, and the best Handicap shooters in the world must shoot 100 X 100 to even have a hope of winning major tournaments. The most shell you are allowed is 12 Ga. shooting no more than 1-1/8th ounces of shot that cannot be larger than 7 1/2 at 1,200 FPS. Trap guns usually have long barrels of at least 30". Some are as long as 34". The 32" and 34" guns are usually found in the O/U models because you do not have the extra length of the action like you do in a repeater model.

In Skeet the degree of difficulty is increased by shooting a smaller gauge gun. They shoot 12, 20, 28, and the experts shoot .410 Bore. It has been said that Trap is easier to learn, but tougher to master. The reason is you do not know where the bird is going when you call it. In Skeet you know where the bird is coming from, and where it is going to. All that remains is to establish your lead, and fire. Another thing about Skeet is it moves slower because everyone shoots from the same station at the same time. There is much more standing around waiting than in Trap with 5 people at 5 different stations at the same time. You can shoot a round of Trap with a really fast squad in under 10 minutes. Skeet takes much longer. Skeet guns have much shorter barrels than Trap guns, and are sometimes sold in multi gage sets, and are highly embellished. Skeet is also shot with a much more open choke, where as Trap is usually shot with full choked guns.

Sporting Clays is considered to be "Golf with a shotgun". There is a lot of walking involved when shooting it on a full course. 5 Stand is more popular because it involves much less property to set up a course, and out in the desert it is the only option simply because there are no "woods" to shoot in. Guys who are really into shooting full course Sporting Clays usually hate 5 Stand because it isn't as challenging. For someone with limited mobility, (older shooters, Arthritis patients, etc.), 5 Stand is more often than not, their only option. Sporting Clays guns are usually nothing more than "gussied up" field guns with a bushel basket of screw in chokes for every possible distance and type of shot that could possibly be encountered. Guys who shoot a lot of full course Sporting Clays would make good NASCAR tire changers because they can change out a screw in choke in a matter of seconds, usually with the aid of some type of fancy choke changing tool that costs more than the choke they're changing. Bill T.

[kmitch200]

I have a Mossy 500 18 1/2 inch  2 3/4  12 Ga.,  I could possibly find a longer barrel which would make it usable for  Skeet , Trap, and Sporting Clays.

You can shoot skeet with what you have. I've done it with my bedroom gun several times just for fun.
Without the forward barrel weight, you can really swing fast but it's a bitch to KEEP the gun moving. Have some fun with the shorty.
You should be able to pick up a 28" mod barrel for a song. My Mossy combo came with one and has never been installed except for the first day to see if it fit. I will sell it cheap if I can find it buried under God knows what. PM me if interested and we'll work out the details.

[/quote]

In Texas it was cheap. You could go to a public range and have someone follow you around triggering targets for $10-$12 a round of 25, plus ammo.
FQ13

I'm really spoiled and didn't even know it.

Ben Avery Clay Target Center charges $6 for trap/skeet. $6.50 for 5 Stand and $10, 20 & 30 for 25, 50 or 100 Sporting Clays.
Ammo cost is $6 for 12 g. (low end Fiocchi and Rem)

They have 17 lighted trap and skeet fields - 'overlays' with 18 trap and 13 skeet, including one field setup for 5-stand, and another for bunker trap - Olympic or International. (These can go as fast as 90 MPH). THREE sporting clay courses, a 6 station that's easy, a 15 station that is a little harder and a 12-15 station that can be real nasty.

TAB - the ammo restrictions for trap are: No larger than 12 gauge. Any load with copper or nickle plated shot or 'tracer' loads.
Any load with a velocity greater than 1290 FPS with maximum shot charge of 1 1/8 ounces, or 1325 FPS with a maximum shot charge of 1 ounce, or 1350 FPS with a maximum shot charge of 7/8 ounces or less.

[Timothy]

Shoot the games with whatever you bring Tom. 

It's about slapping the trigger and enjoying the company of like minded people.  As soon as you start trying to "Keep up with the Jones" and buy more expensive equipment, it sucks the fun right out of it.

I have a few friends that spent more on their guns than I spent on a new car and guess what?  They shoot like shit!

 

[tombogan03884]

Shoot the games with whatever you bring Tom.  

It's about slapping the trigger and enjoying the company of like minded people.  As soon as you start trying to "Keep up with the Jones" and buy more expensive equipment, it sucks the fun right out of it.

I have a few friends that spent more on their guns than I spent on a new car and guess what?  They shoot like shit!

 

That's kind of what I had in mind, but I don't want to "pee on my boots"  

[FSBARAK]

Shoot the games with whatever you bring Tom. 

It's about slapping the trigger and enjoying the company of like minded people.  As soon as you start trying to "Keep up with the Jones" and buy more expensive equipment, it sucks the fun right out of it.

I have a few friends that spent more on their guns than I spent on a new car and guess what?  They shoot like shit!

 

As a teenager, I worked at a trap/skeet range. I had a Mossy 600 with the adjustable choke. Brand new it was $99 at Gemco. I constantly out shot the guys that showed up with $2-5k guns. Guys would show up with everything from custom made o/u's to SPAS 12's to side by side .410's.

While I was working at the range, a gentleman by the name of Ken Robertson came out and made a trap training video. After working with him for one day, my scores improved to the point that trap wasn't much fun anymore.

The range on the other side of the Prado dam had an awesome sporting clays range that was truly fun.

Right across the road from the range I worked at, they built the olympic range for the 84 games in Los Angeles. Olympic trap is different enough to make it entertaining if you get bored with American trap.