Trap shooting: Is .410 a good choice for my wife?

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scuba_ed1911

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She's a petite sized woman, and was wondering if this would be an option for her as opposed to a 20 gauge. Thanks!
 
Only if you are worried that she is better than you!

Max load in a 3" shell is 11/16oz, ie less that 3/4 oz. That's 240 pellets in 11/16 oz vs 350 pellets in a 1oz load of 7.5. And, knowing this will infuriate the small bore fans, the .410 simply does not pattern as well as the 28 ga and larger.

See if she can manage a Remington 1100 in 20ga, or another 20ga gas gun. The 1100 is hefty but that limits recoil and 1 oz loads in a gas gun will be much lower recoil. Basically, the heavier the gun, the lighter the recoil transfer. And a gas gun (as opposed to a fixed breech or inertia operated gun) will further diminish felt recoil. The Rem 1100 is the go-to gun for this purpose with kids. Whether there is a better fit for your wife, I cannot say.
 
Or put more simply you cannot break targets without throwing any lead at them. A .410 shell is grossly undersized for the job. Not that an expert couldn’t do it. Your wife is not an expert, right? But you have to seek a compromise among gun weight, recoil and weight of lead being thrown that makes sense. The 20 ga is the sensible solution.
 
410 a rabbit, squirrel and problem varmit gun. 28 or 20. I say 20 because it's a standard gauge and ammo readily available. Don't remember the numbers but get the lowest dram equivalent to start.
 
The 28ga is the way to go in my opinion. You can shoot 3/4oz or 1oz loads. The gun is lighter and still easier on your shoulder. I have moved to 28ga almost exclusively now days. My scores have not suffered noticeably.
 
Petite... OK, I'm 5'6" and 115 pounds which puts me right on the lower line of the BMI scale. I have problems none with my SAIGA 20 gauge. The better option would be to see if she can handle a 20 gauge first then look for alternatives. Starting out shooting trap with a 410 is an invitation to frustration unless the skills have already been developed.
 
.410 is challenging. It’s fun for experienced shooters to mess around with. If recoil is your worry, a gas auto loader in 20ga or even 28 will be better. She won’t feel the recoil at all. I say especially gas over inertia because you can tune the gas to use low recoil loads if you really want, and gas is inherently lighter than inertia.
 
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There are a couple of very petite lady's that I have shot with that use 12 gauge and run 7/8oz or 3/4oz loads with a gun weighing in between 7-8 pounds. Virtually no recoil. I shoot mostly 7/8 oz and rarely feel like I have the need to use a heavier load. .410 is an experts gun for target shooting, a severe handicap for someone that is not a very good shooter.
 
No, no, no, no, no 410 times no. A 20 is the minimum. My granddaughter, 14, is not big but has transitioned to my 1100 12 gauge and 1 ounce loads. If anything, trap with a 410 is a stunt. The pattern may look good on the pattern board but it is many times longer in the shot string. Fewer pellets at the target at any given instant. They, WW, even make a reduced recoil load for the 20. Don't handicap her with a 410. A PAST shoulder pad will help also.
 
I used to shoot with some friends and their wives. Two of those wives were 5-4 and 5-5. Both shot 8.5# 12 gauges very well - one a Browning, the other a Kreighoff K-80. In both cases the guns were fitted to those ladies and they were very good shots, even though both were in their 70s. This internet BS that women can't shoot any gun is just that - BS. Get the gun PROPERLY FITTED and gauge, weight, barrel length, etc., does not matter.
 
We went out the other day and my friend had a new Winchester that shot very well, my wife could shoot it and I shot it with one hand, it was a lot softer shooting than my 1400. I don't know if it is available in 20ga but I was impressed with the 12ga.
 
My daughter was convinced she needed a 20 gauge because a 12 was just too big - until she found a Winchester 12 gauge Heavy Duck. It fit her marvelously. She’s shooting trap in the low 20’s. If no one has already said it, felt recoil may be greater in a 20 gauge because they are often lighter guns, but a 1 oz. load = a 1 oz. load. Get a good fit & practice mounting - we all do this - and a reasonable load will work in all gauges 12 - 28.
 
My daughter was convinced she needed a 20 gauge because a 12 was just too big - until she found a Winchester 12 gauge Heavy Duck. It fit her marvelously. She’s shooting trap in the low 20’s. If no one has already said it, felt recoil may be greater in a 20 gauge because they are often lighter guns, but a 1 oz. load = a 1 oz. load. Get a good fit & practice mounting - we all do this - and a reasonable load will work in all gauges 12 - 28.

Yep.
 
Are we talking real regulation ATA (or ISU) Trap or are you throwing clay pigeons in the pasture?

I have seen kids on the 4-H team shooting about everything imaginable, but the successful ones are usually shooting gas operated 12 ga autos.
WITH THE STOCKS CUT TO FIT and a nice squishy recoil pad.

A one ounce target load is best. The cheap 12 ga 7/8 oz promotional shells have a high velocity snap to the recoil and don't pattern very well.
 
She's a petite sized woman, and was wondering if this would be an option for her as opposed to a 20 gauge. Thanks!
Only if you want her to give up in disgust, or you're married to Kim Rhode, then it would make it fair.

Seriously, a gas operated 12 or 20 gauge is the usual recommendation for petite ladies, stock cut to fit. If she can manage the LOP, an 1100 Competition Synthetic has a recoil reducer already in the stock, and the recoil is next to nothing.

That said, I grew up shooting with a gal who was under 5 feet tall at 18, 90 lbs. soaking wet, and she shot a Winchester Model 12 Trap that was taller than she was, shooting Federal paper Trap shells 1 1/8 oz. at 1200, at least 4 boxes a day, more at competitive shoots; she shot the MN State Shoot and the Grand for several years.
 
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A .410 can be an extremely frustrating guage/caliber. At the old club I shot at, we used to occasionally put together a fun .410 trap round. I borrowed a high dollar skeet gun, forget the make, screwed in a "full" choke and joined in the "fun" one night. I was not unfamiliar with the gun, having fired several rounds of skeet with it. The round of trap was challenging to say the least. I managed 19/25 and was a AA handicap 24+ average shooter at the time.

As above, a 20 guage, or better yet a 12 with light loads 7/8 or lighter of #8 or 8 1/2 if the weight and fit of the gun are appropriate is the way to go. Know that these light loads will give many automatics fits, a well balanced and ported O/U may be a better option in a 12. If the gun will serve multi purpose for skeet, sporting clays and/or hunting, a 20 may be a better option.
 
A .410 can be an extremely frustrating guage/caliber. At the old club I shot at, we used to occasionally put together a fun .410 trap round. I borrowed a high dollar skeet gun, forget the make, screwed in a "full" choke and joined in the "fun" one night. I was not unfamiliar with the gun, having fired several rounds of skeet with it. The round of trap was challenging to say the least. I managed 19/25 and was a AA handicap 24+ average shooter at the time.

As above, a 20 guage, or better yet a 12 with light loads 7/8 or lighter of #8 or 8 1/2 if the weight and fit of the gun are appropriate is the way to go. Know that these light loads will give many automatics fits, a well balanced and ported O/U may be a better option in a 12. If the gun will serve multi purpose for skeet, sporting clays and/or hunting, a 20 may be a better option.
Not necessarily. I have 2 Beretta A400 gas guns and each will work with my 3/4oz reloads running 1275. They worked with the loads running 1210 as well, but left too much residue; bumping up a grain eliminated that issue.

Also, ports on a shotgun do nothing but increase noise for everyone on either side
 
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