Newbie trap shooting

[sodfather]

Recently I bought my 12 year old a 20 gauge Browning Silver hunter. The reason I went with the 20 is in fear of the recoil and didn’t want to ruin her with the recoil. Now she’s getting use to the gun and joined the school trap team. After 3 weeks she is struggling busting clays. I’ve tried different choke tubs but the coach says she’s a little handicapped with a 20 instead of a 12 gauge. Now I’m in a tough spot . She’s willing to try a 12 gauge but wondering if I should start looking into a smaller framed 12. I’m going to call my guy I buy all my guns from to see what he has and / or if he will allow me to trade in the 20 due to it’s practically brand new. Any advise would be helpful. Thanks 

[airedale]

No expert, I have just dabbled in the clay pigeon world, shooting for fun and to sharpen my skills for wing shooting. Trap, Skeet and Sporting Clays all involve clay pigeon shooting but like road racing, drag racing and oval racing while all are racing they are different from each other.

Skeet and Sporting Clays are the two that will most duplicate shots a hunter may see in the field hunting gamebirds and waterfowl. A major reason I like shooting on these two fields is I can use the same gun and gauge from 410 to 12 ga I use when hunting, I do not need a special gun to shoot in these two sports well.

Trap on the other hand in a different proposition, because of the distances shot and the way the stations are set up one needs a dedicated shotgun in 12 gauge to be competitive. The Trap shotguns are chambered in 12 gauge to send a dense pattern a long way, they are long and heavy, choked tight with a stock made to automatically make the shooter fire high to hit rising birds at long distance. Because of their design length and weight Trap Shotguns are pretty much limited to Trap shooting and not hunting,

All three disciplines are fun it just boils down to which one the shooter likes participating in best. Your Daughter will have to move to a Trap gun if she is set on competing and getting high scores. On the other hand if they offer skeet her Browning Sliver Hunter will suffice.

Al

 

Edited September 24, 2019 by airedale

[helmut in the bush]

My wife has a Benelli M2 12ga with a youth stock, in Leopard Print. She has never once said a word about recoil.

[2012_taco]

There has to be a member (possibly Academy member) that has a 12ga semi auto you could borrow for a test shoot and see how she handles it,  then you will know before you have to buy her another gun. 

Edited September 24, 2019 by 2012_taco
spelling

[sodfather]

7 hours ago, 2012_taco said:

There has to be a member (possibly Academy member) that has a 12ga semi auto you could borrow for a test shoot and see how she handles it,  then you will know before you have to buy her another gun. 

I have several auto loaders Tim and a break action all in 12 gauge that I’m going to let her try with light loads. The problem is fit. She’s 13 so I’m think I’m going to used market 12 if I can find a field or cut down version of a gun. 

[sodfather]

8 hours ago, airedale said:

No expert, I have just dabbled in the clay pigeon world, shooting for fun and to sharpen my skills for wing shooting. Trap, Skeet and Sporting Clays all involve clay pigeon shooting but like road racing, drag racing and oval racing while all are racing they are different from each other.

Skeet and Sporting Clays are the two that will most duplicate shots a hunter may see in the field hunting gamebirds and waterfowl. A major reason I like shooting on these two fields is I can use the same gun and gauge from 410 to 12 ga I use when hunting, I do not need a special gun to shoot in these two sports well.

Trap on the other hand in a different proposition, because of the distances shot and the way the stations are set up one needs a dedicated shotgun in 12 gauge to be competitive. The Trap shotguns are chambered in 12 gauge to send a dense pattern a long way, they are long and heavy, choked tight with a stock made to automatically make the shooter fire high to hit rising birds at long distance. Because of their design length and weight Trap Shotguns are pretty much limited to Trap shooting and not hunting,

All three disciplines are fun it just boils down to which one the shooter likes participating in best. Your Daughter will have to move to a Trap gun if she is set on competing and getting high scores. On the other hand if they offer skeet her Browning Sliver Hunter will suffice.

Al

 

Thanks Al your right. I think her 20 will be a nice bird hunting gun for her . She’s busting clay birds with the 20 but has to get on them quick and at night it’s taking a while . Thanks for your feedback 

[Moho81]

Remington and Mossberg both make youth 12ga guns but they are pump versions I don’t think they have an auto version.


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[sodfather]

A huge thanks to @TreeGuy and Kaiden for letting us play at the farm . Isabel handled the 12 gauge  just fine and is ready for her next shoot.  We even joined in on the fun 

[Lawdwaz]

Huh, I must have missed the invitation to shoot today.....

Glad your daughter handled it well!!