Clays with a 21" barrel

[Spiffy]

How handicapped would you be shooting clays or skeet, in competition, with a 21" barreled semi auto?

[Caster]

That would depend on how good you are and who you're shooting against.  If you were shooting against me.....you'd be at no disadvantage whatsoever. 

[peejman]

Sporting clays, maybe not so much.  Skeet/trap, probably somewhat.   But, I'm in the same boat as Caster... I stink at skeet/trap. 

[Spiffy]

I keep seeing people talking about clays and skeet and I do love the devil outta my 1301 Comp so I'm thinking I wanna try.

[nightrunner]

I read an article recently that 21" was the optimal barrel length for velocity. Any longer just gets you more sight radius and easier to swing.

[chances R]

significant disadvantage shooting any thrown target.  The longer the distance the more noticeable.  Especially in Sporting gun speed and momentum are factors.  That is why a lot of sporting guns have a minimum 30" bbl and a lot of 32s are seen.  Not as bad with skeet where 26 is fairly standard.  Trap guns again go for length.

[dlmeadows]

He's afraid of 3 gun now.....Well the cost of 3 gun I should say lol

[1madss]

I mostly know Trap, but my .02

 

It really depends on the game. The barrel length has more to do with the speed/smoothness of the swing as well as the balance of the gun. Trap seems to prefer a longer barreled heavier gun setup for rising targets. When I switch from a 8.5lb 30" Barrel gun to a 6.5lb 26" barreled gun I am always way ahead of the target as it swings so much faster than the longer/heavier gun. I've recently grown fond of a 34" barreled gun for singles. Such a smooth feeling gun. A lot of trap shooters also prefer a high rib. As a two eyed shooter, being able to see under the barrel is a big advantage.

 

Use a choke that fills a 30" circle at 20-25yds for skeet and 40yds for trap as a guideline. Being you already shoot it for competition I'm sure you've already patterned it for fit and POA vs POI.

 

Bottom line, give it a try. I'm sure everybody has heard the stories of the guy with the 870 pump out shooting the guy with the 12K P gun :) 

[GKar]

Fellar at our club routinely uses a Mossberg 500 for skeet, and typically shoots the lights out.  Calls it "drive-by skeet"...

[Spiffy]

He's afraid of 3 gun now.....Well the cost of 3 gun I should say lol

 

I've never seen people have to run in Clays and Skeet LOL

[shotgunshooter]

I would say pretty handicapped. Trap you could go ahead and count yourself out unless you would just want to shoot doubles. I'm sorry but you can't shoot singles or handicap with a gun that short. Skeet could be done and the same with sporting clays but you'd have to watch yourself to keep from blowing past the target. Shorter barrels on competition shotgun seem a little whippy to me. But I doubt you'd have a snowballs chance of shooting very good competitively because I doubt your gun has an adjustable comb, rib, stock, or screw in chokes. You've got to make the gun fit you and hit where you are looking. Trust me I've learned it the hard way. I don't mean anything by my comments it's just advice. If you want to shoot all three disciplines get an 1100 with an adjustable stock like a Jack West.

[Spiffy]

I would say pretty handicapped. Trap you could go ahead and count yourself out unless you would just want to shoot doubles. I'm sorry but you can't shoot singles or handicap with a gun that short. Skeet could be done and the same with sporting clays but you'd have to watch yourself to keep from blowing past the target. Shorter barrels on competition shotgun seem a little whippy to me. But I doubt you'd have a snowballs chance of shooting very good competitively because I doubt your gun has an adjustable comb, rib, stock, or screw in chokes. You've got to make the gun fit you and hit where you are looking. Trust me I've learned it the hard way. I don't mean anything by my comments it's just advice. If you want to shoot all three disciplines get an 1100 with an adjustable stock like a Jack West.

 

I wouldn't be looking to win anything if I shot some. I just like to shoot my shotgun :D

[bud]

. Edited August 8, 2015 by bud

[shotgunshooter]

I've been wanting to take my 18.5" SLP to the nashville gun club to get it broken-in to where it'll reliably cycle bird shot. They say it takes about 500 rounds so it'll take several visits.I have no great reason for it to reliably cycle birdshot, I just want it to be able to run with anything i feed it should I run out of buckshot.
They have a little sporting clay area that has some stands that are pretty close shots and you are free to bounce around just between the stands that suit you or your gun. That'd be a heck of a lot more fun and challenging than me standing out shooting 500 rounds into paper. I'd recommend giving it a try, but I'm no big time shotgunner, and my daughter and I run rem. 1100 and win. 1400 so I won't be ashamed to try out my 18.5" barrel as the good shooters are already making fun of my other guns anyway lol.

If you want to go some day shoot me a PM. I go up there about once a month. It would be nice to have someone else to shoot with if you'd be interested.

[shotgunshooter]

I wouldn't be looking to win anything if I shot some. I just like to shoot my shotgun :D

Then just shoot skeet and sporting clays. Frankly trap is quite boring and there really isn't a lot of use for it in hinting or the "real" world.

[bud]

. Edited August 8, 2015 by bud

[shotgunshooter]

I may take you up on that if i see that i have a good day to get away from work for an hour or so. My shooting partner (daughter) is away at college 10 months a year now, so we haven't been since her Christmas break. We still maintain our membership, but only get to go when she's here on break. I've been itching to go since she got home from school a month ago, but work has been slammed this spring/summer.

Do you shoot ATA? If you do I may know you but if you've been a member up there awhile you may know my family. I wish I could shoot more than I do but that'll change since I'm on scholarship to shoot.

[bud]

. Edited August 8, 2015 by bud

[shotgunshooter]

I don't shoot anything competitively but would lIke to at some point. My daughter's high school started a trap team her senior year so we learned the game together just a few years ago. We've been members since then, but for the last 2 years we've probably only been able to go 5 times a year

Who did she shoot for? I've shot SCTP for five years.

[bud]

. Edited August 8, 2015 by bud