New to Trap / Skeet

[XD9]

I just bought a Benelli SuperNova 12ga and I'd like to shoot some Trap and maybe Skeet with it.  It came with a Full, Modified, and Improved Cylinder choke set.  Should I use the IC for shooting Trap / Skeet?  I've looked at getting a Skeet choke as well.  Would that be worth it on a pump gun?  I know it's not the best gun for Skeet but it's what I have and it's what I have to work with.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.  Also, what are the best loads to shoot?  Thanks.

[Countryboy]

Use the IC for skeet or a skeet choke would be better if you want to buy one. For trap use your full choke. It's not the best skeet gun but people do it.

Good Luck

[XD9]

Thanks for the input.  I'll be shooting WAY more trap than skeet anyway...just to have a good time.

Some guys at work are wanting to get a weekly skeet trip going though and I may be interested in joining that.  If so, I'll try out a skeet choke.  If I like it and want to get more serious about the skeet part of it, I'll just buy a new shotgun .

[Graybeard]

I'm gonna disagree with that advice a bit. I am some times a bit unconventional in what I do. I began my long skeet shooting career with a pump gun and shot one in competition rather successful for several years. My first 100 registered targets were shot at the beautiful LakeSide Gun Club in Covington, GA with a 12 ga Remington 870 skeet gun. For the record I broke 92 of them that bitterly cold day and learned I needed a proper cold weather shooting coat which I think got.

In 12 ga. I actually prefer to use a cylinder choke over even skeet and am prone to use same in at least one barrel of an O/U with a 20 gauge. For sure get a skeet or cylinder but the cylinder will buy you a few targets you'll have missed otherwise if you shoot long enough and it will NEVER cause you to lose one for having it rather than a skeet choke.

For trap at the 16 yard line which is where I'm sure you'll be for quite a long time you'll hit more with a modified than a full choke. Same reason as in the cylinder above. The pattern is a bit wider yet more than dense enough so more targets will break. The full is really only needed when you start backing up or if you are a really slow shooter and they are getting away from you. I prefer MOD to FULL all the way back to about the 21 yard line. Past that I use FULL. I've successfully used full and 1-1/8 oz of #8 when we used to shoot a money game at my skeet/trap range from the 37 yard line. Most like 7.5 shot that far back but the 8's worked well for me and I took a lot of other people's money to show for it.

The pump will serve you well at trap always and at skeet as long as you're good with it. I broke a lot of trophies home with me using one in competition and won a lot of money shooting one in money games.

[XD9]

Thanks for the advice Graybeard!  I've been busy this week but I'm looking forward to getting out Saturday and testing it on the Trap range.  Hopefully, I'll have a good report .

[Graybeard]

I finally managed to make it back to the range today after being too sick to go the last 2-3 weeks. I started with my 28 ga and shot two rounds. Shot 24-22. I then switched to my .410 and ran two 24s back to back missing the 25th shot both times. The first time I got a broken target when I called for the second low eight and missed. The last round the guy pulling gave me an early pull on high 8 and I held off and waited for a good pull. On the last low eight he fast pulled me again but I thought I was ready and shot. I was wrong. I wasn't ready. So I finished with 94/100 today missing 4 with the 28 gauge and two with the .410. I seem to shoot the .410 better these days than any other.

[Countryboy]

Unconventional Graybeard, you're just plain weird . Just kidding. You're probably right. But for me(as a beginner) I like my chokes a little tighter because newbies like myself seem to be slower shooters, but that's just me. As far as pumps go sounds like you have a heck of a track record, I just think they are harder to follow up. I suppose it doesn't matter what you shoot with as long as you shoot.

[1marty]

I think people get to hung up on equipment and put technique in a secondary role. I started shooting skeet with my Dad when I was 14 and am now 63. Due to work and raising a family-which is now behind me-I'm back to shooting skeet on a regular basis. I shoot a Beretta silver pigeon II with Briley ultralite 20 inserts. Although, I always averaged in the high teens or low 20's it was frustrating not to shoot consistently 23 to 25. About 5 years ago a fella at the range told me I was waiting too long to shoot and after forcing myself to concentrate on shooting earlier and keeping the swing going I have now been averaging 23 to 25. Oh yea, my heart still pounds when I am running 25 and am down to the last 2 shots.

[FourBee]

   Can I ask you guys a question here?  

Not being knowledgeable about shooting clays, I think I understand when one says he's shooting in the 20's.   That, I figure is the number of clays taken in a box of 25 shots.   But what gets me is when one says he's shooting in the 40's...?   What does that mean?
      

[Graybeard]

Prolly means it was a chilly day. 

Generally speaking when shooting trap or skeet you shoot rounds of 25 targets so your maximum score per round is 25. If you shoot two rounds a day then your possible max score is 50 so if you're shooting only two rounds and shoot in the 40s it means you're at least breaking 80% of what you shoot at. I'd hazard a guess that is what's meant.

On some sporting clays course they split it up to have rounds of 50 targets and have two course of this size to make the normal 100 rounds or at some you can stop after 50 targets so the same could be applied.

I generally only shoot two rounds of skeet when I go out and almost always shoot in the 40s somewhere as I darn seldom shoot less than 80% and most often average around 90%.

[jbmi]

I can't shoot skeet, vision won't pick up the fast crossing birds. I do shoot trap, (lots of trap) and find it much easier on the old eyes.
From the 16 yd line Modified is a good choke to start with, wife shoots it and does OK. I've found that some chokes are not what they say, if you really get into the sport you should check the true restriction on your barrel and choke. I've found a .025 to .027 works best for me. ( falls between a Modified (.020 and full .030) A good way to see your pattern and if your gun shoots high/low, left/right is buy using a patterning board. Most clubs have one and it will tell you a lot about your gun.
It's becoming a darn expensive sport lately, but I'm still find ways to shoot around 8000 registered birds this year.

[FourBee]

Graybeard wrote:  " so if you're shooting only two rounds and shoot in the 40s it means you're at least breaking 80% of what you shoot at.    

Thanks for clearing that up for me Graybeard.   I thought they were talking about one round, and it just didn't figure.   

4/B