When Sporting clays first started it was to simulate hunting and hunting conditions. You were not allowed to shoulder the gun till you saw the birds and the puller was allowed a few seconds to pull the bird for you. Places offered different types of birds to simulate size and flight of a bird. Three guns were allowed on the field for each shooter if wanted (Duck, upland and other?). This was the start of the screw in choke chokes and not many people had them, if they did they were either the poly dial a choke, or Cutts compensator type with very few Win Chokes there were a lot of guys that had multiple barrels (26" improved, 28 Modified, and 30" full). At this time Trap guns were single barreled and choked full or improved modified with long 28-34 inch barrels high ribs and Monte Carlo stocks. The sheet gun were usually short barreled 22-26 inch and open choked with thick recoils pads.
When the screw in chokes became popular the Skeet guns started to get longer tubes to aid in swing and trap guns have stayed trap guns.
As popularity went up and costs came down for the fields, the changes of allowing you to shoulder the shotgun to speed people through the course and get more people on the course. A plus if you ask me to the target shooting world a minus as a wing shooting prep course. Sporting Clays has grown into Golf with a shotgun. Sporting clays requires the fast handling of a skeet gun and the weight of a trap gun to make the gun pleasant to shoot for 100's of rounds. Mash the two together and you get a great general purpose target gun. Some of the over and under guns had the rib spacers between the barrels removed to increase air flow over the barrels and aid in cooling. Hard plastic was incorporated into the butt pads to aid in shouldering the gun and still be comfortable to shoot. Now back to the Golf with shotguns. Most sporting clays guns are pretty and polished for the course to stand out like a set of golf clubs. Most shots are at skeet ranges and full chokes are rarely needed.
I still like to look at sporting clays as a hunting prep or a whirlwind tour of wing shooting. When it says huns or quail on a stage I picture those birds rather than the big orange domes. Most places have gotten away from the swinging boats or the pit blinds and do not name the stages any more just number them. I use field grade guns, cause that is what I hunt with and yes my 7 pound Spanish side by side does beat me up a little with handicap loads.
If you think you need one of these to win or be better you really do not. I know I 'm going to get flack form some of the guys out there but a Remington 1100 is an 1100 and your basic field model can and will do everything that all the other specialized models will do.
I used to think it was great fun to drag out my latest project shotgun and shoot a $25- 75 single or side by side and shoot a 23 or 24 at my club shoot when guys there had $1-2 thousand dollar guns that they could not break 18 with. Look at your budget and spend money on shells and trips to the range rather than a fancy field gun. If money is not an object get what you want but get the same shells. The type and brand of shell is not really important but that you buy the same speed and weight shells is important. Shot to shot consistency is important. If you sped up or slow down your shells every time depending on what's on sale you will never really get good. Dram on the box is the speed related to the charge. 3 drams can be either 1200 with a 1 1/8oz load or faster with a 1oz load.
Sorry if I answered your question of what time is it with a dissertation on how a watch works.
