Plinking and some skeet shooting...12 or 20?

[TFin04]

Sadly, I don't own my own shotgun. I've been shooting my grandfathers guns for so many years that I never needed to have my own.

A family friend of mine has set up a small skeet range in his back yard and I plan on shooting there quite often. I'm not a hunter and don't really plan to become one.

At first I went to the old standby of an 870. Then I thought maybe a Mossy 500 to save some money. Then I even went as far as thinking about a Rossi single shot w/ a .22 barrel so I could teach my girlfriend how to shoot. She likes shooting but is pretty recoil sensitive.

It seems like 20ga ammo is MUCH cheaper than 12ga, but maybe I'm just not seeing the deals.

How much harder is it to knock the birds down with a 20 compared to a 12? Also, what do you guys think of a single shot gun for skeet shooting and plinking? There is something about single shots that attract me, I just like them. I know the single shot 22 would be perfect for my girl to learn on.

Any input? Thanks!

 

[1911 Shooter]

tfin, you gotta have a repeater of some kind to shoot skeet. several positions on the skket field require a "pair", ( 2 targets thrown at the same time.).. a good 20 gauge autolader with skeet chokes would be a good start. a tafternoon well spent would be to go to a gun club and look, listen & ask questions.. tell them your learning- most will help. good luck

 

[AStone]

"Skeet": don't do it; no recommendation.

"Plinking": 20.

HD/SD: 12 (00).

To reduce recoil sensitivity,
pull that puppy tight into your shoulder.

Bigga bada boom.

 

[PITBULL]

12 gauge and 20 gauge ammo cost the same. at least the stuff i buy is, i like the 100 round bulk pack at walmart, shoot's skeet good for me.
i have a mossberg maverick 88 pump, 28 inch barrel with mod. choke, and i can bust double skeet with it, but if you trew three skeet you would prob. need a atomatic.
the single shot new englean 20 gauge i got will bust some skeet too.

 

[MCgunner]

I'd go with a 20, easier on the shoulder, and what you're talkin' is informal skeet/clays practice as I take it. I've owned mostly 12s in my life because I'm a waterfowler, but 20s offer some advantages to an aging old man who's tired of getting beaten up by a 12 gauge. Of course, Winchester AA doesn't exactly have the whack that 3" steel magnum does, but it still has more than a 20 and a 20 can dust birds just as well, just a little limited in range when pass shooting and such, not as full a pattern. Skeet is not a long range sport.

 

[sm]

I prefer to start new students with a gas operated 20 gauge.
Okay there is that "other" gauge I really really prefer

Skeet targets are easy to break using 12, 20, and 28 gauge.
The .410 is the most difficult to learn to shoot and shoot well due to pattern density and payload.
Highest scores are most often shot with a 28 gauge, the most efficient payload to bore diameter loading with short shot strings and less felt recoil.

20 gauge is what I recommend. I do not see a difference in the way the birds break and the availability and pricing is the same around here. I would recommend getting a single stage reloader and reloading shells. Not to save money as so much to have better quality shells for the money.
Reloading is something that enhances the shooting experience, therapeutic, and a great skill to know anyway.

Also if one were to shoot a skeet tourney - one can shoot a smaller gun in an event. So a 20 gauge will allow one to shoot both the 12 gauge and 20 gauge event. Two events with one gun.

I have been shooting a lot of 20 gauge. Never felt undergunned using one all my life, still don't. Felled clays, deer , ducks, geese and you name it with a 20 gauge.
Easy to tote, especially if one is toting more than shooting while hunting.

Best kept secret is a 1100 in 20 gauge for serious use.
Same can be said for other quality gas 20 gauge guns such as Beretta 303, 390/391, Winchester 1400.

1400 is THE softest shooting gas shotgun. I really like using this one to teach and used to have one as a loaner gun for new folks to hunt with and shoot skeet , trap and keep at home.

20 gauge has some other advantages. Now I am big into gun fit! So first I recommend actually shooting a variety of 20 ga guns and seeing what actually fits - then here are other best kept secrets:

Folks get rid of 20 gauge guns because they won't / don't want to Butcher them.
Some of these 20 gauge guns get traded/ sold to get a 12 gauge to bolt on all sorts of accessories. Iwannacoolgunvirus hits and that 1100, 1400, 303, 390/391 gets let loose "right" so they can get the newest , latest greatest thing since sliced bread and TEEM SEEL uses that gun.

Play dumb, act stupid, have cash and remember- "20 gauge guns are the pits, do not have all them buckshot loadings, "only" a 2 3/4" chamber, do not have as many pellets, no aftermarket stuff to bolt on and nobody in their right mind shoots anything but a 12 gauge".

Say it with a straight face, start to walk away and when the fella hollers back at you - reluctantly put less money on the table he wants for this 20 gauge gun and shrug. That is your best offer.
When he snags the cash and you get the gun - be cool, walk with a "yeah oh well I "guess it will do" and then once out of sight - run like hell to your vehicle and leave!

Folks have holiday bills due, some great buys to be had now. Many places are running sales to lessen inventory before tax season. Folks will be selling guns to pay taxes. Many folks buy a gun, hunt one season, sell it, and repeat next hunting season.
Divorce season starts soon as does marriage season - folks need cash. About August- September is baby season - guns get sold to get baby stuff.

Play the Game - he holds the money dictates the game. -Mentors

Smaller shooters (such as teenagers, smaller stature folks), physically limited folks, and older persons do better with a 20 ga or 28 gauge gun.

A bigger shooter can shoot a smaller gun - a smaller person ( or one of the others I mentioned) cannot effectively use a bigger heavier gun.

I can think of a dozen folks I know, some on this forum that have the Home gun set up for the smaller person in the home ( wife, GF, teenager, mom, dad, grandparent...etc) and many are 20 gauge gas guns.

Home guns do everything! Serious Situations, hunting, skeet, trap, 5 stand, sporting clays...

I know one lady that played stupid and dumb with cash in pocket. Her niece shoots a Winchester 1300 really well - it fits her.
Old boy got rid of his HS graduation gifts because Iwannacoolgunvirus.
hit.
LNIB 1300 with box, SK,IC,Mod, Full Winchokes for $135
LNIB model 94 30-30, box, sling swivels and sling, and two boxes of shells - $145.

Niece is estactic over her 1300 in 20 gauge and Aunt is estastic over her Model 94.


20 gauge is what I recommend.

 

[Starter52]

A 20 gauge shotgun would be perfect for you. The Mossberg 500 and the Remington 870 are both solid proven designs. Either one will do.

As sm said, this time of year you find many pump shotguns (new and used) on sale.