skeet gun questions

[Chris17404]

Hi all,

First let me say... I am officially addicted to skeet! I've shot about 10 rounds so far with my 870P, and absolutely love it. It's so much more fun than trap! I've found myself taking a few hours off from work on warm Friday afternoons to shoot.

Anyway... I was shooting skeet with a fellow club member last weekend, and he let me try is Beretta semi-auto. I'm not sure what model is was, but needless to say, it felt a lot smoother than my 870P.

His gun had a customized curved stock on it such that when it was mounted on your shoulder, your eyes were automatically aligned with the barrel. You didn't need to have your cheek squished against the stock to line up the barrel.

This made shooting much more comfortable and accurate. Is this something I can do to my 870, or does it require a new custom stock? Do some shotguns come like that from the factory? If so, which ones?

I really liked it because some days when I get home from shooting, my cheek is sore from the recoil. I think I'm holding the stock too close/firm to my cheek. One time I actually had a bruise. I tried not leaning into the stock so much, and it helped a lot.

I love my 870P, and I've surprised myself how good I've gotten at shucking on the doubles. I think I shoot the doubles better than some of the singles because I find myself thinking less and just firing, since there is less time to line up the shot.

After shooting a semi-auto, I am seriously considering a Remington 1100 Tournament Skeet gun, and keeping the 870P strickly for HD. Do/can the 1100's come with the angled stock?

Also... what have you guys done to customize your guns for skeet? Some fellow gun club members recommended I put some dummy shells on the magazine tube of my 870P for more weight. They also recommended putting a few rolls of quarters in the stock for more weight. Any other ideas or recommendations for customizing an 870 and/or 1100 (for future reference) for shooting skeet? My 870P does have a 28" vent rid barrel already.

Thanks!

Chris

 

[sm]

Can I get Co-signers?

-Gun Fit.
-Correct Basic Fundamentals.

These are necessary to be a good shooter.

Amongst many things - Lessens felt recoil, which allows one to NOT get a flinch, to NOT get fatigued which leads to flinching and or raising head off stock.

It is never the gun, it is always the shooter having a gun that fits and uses correct basic fundamentals.

The reason the Beretta felt better is : Semi-Autos change the recoil curve to a softer feel, and this gun fit you better allowing a more correct form.

Hence the reason I and others suggest: Getting out and taking training/ lessons/instructions BEFORE one buys a gun from a Good instructor, Qualified Shooter, Seasoned Shooter. Trying before you buy allows one to learn what gun fits THEM when using Correct Basic Fundamentals.

Also the reason why a wood stocked gun is suggested as a first gun; one can tweak the stock as need.

Back in the day before 7/8 oz, 1oz. loadings - the standard load was 1 1/8 oz of shot.

-Fred Misseldine a Skeet Champion used 1300s in all 4 gauges. Misseldine also used these guns for hunting and never felt undergunned in the event he had to protect his home.

-Rudy Etchen Trap Champion used a 870 and Fifty years later won again using the same old 870.

-Bob Brister used a variety as he was doing research. Known for his Perazzis, I know he also shot Win SX1s. He even shot my SX1.

-J. Michael Plaxco used Win. SX1 in Skeet, Trap, 5 Stand, Sporting Clays and 3 gun. Basically anything Plaxco picks up he can shoot...Period.

-Other folks run Berettas. Beretta 303s , then later 390/391.

- Others include Rem 3200 [still known for fastest lock time]

-Win 42, Model 12 in 12, 20 and 28 ga.

Guns fit shooters whom had correct basic fundamentals and never stopped learning / practicing the correct basic fundamentals.

Krieghoffs and Kolars...Well a buddy of mine for his 20th Wedding Anniversary received from his wife a Custom Kreighoff , He mostly shot Skeet, did shoot some Trap, 5 stand,Sporting Clay and later Live Pigeon. I mean a true custom set up from wood to barrels to...almost $90K worth of Custom Gun.
Yeah it was NICE! Great couple with a great attitude, one would not know they had money.
Oh - the 28 ga set was really nice, I enjoyed shooting it.

We ran into each other out of town and invited to shoot a local club tourney for fun. We used a 870 wingmaster and Model 42 borrowed from someone and ran 100 straight in all 4 gauges. I ran 398/400 with the same guns. I dropped low 7 twice *sigh* -my fault, I tend to shoot these too fast...like right out of the house...err...and maybe I should of had both hands on the guns those two times...we were having fun...lots of fun. *grin*.

Good shooters are made - not born. -Misseldine.

We take care of the Physical Stuff which is only 10% of shooting. Like guns, gun fit, shoes, shell pouch/ vest, glasses, ear protection...then we forget it. Once found for Us, we forget it. WE spend the other 90% on the Mental.

Once we free up all the Mental by NOT messing with the Physical stuff, we never stop with learning and practicing the correct basic fundamentals.

The best kept secret is a 1100 in 20 ga for learning skeet.

I also used Beretta 303, and later 390/391 , Browning Gold in 20 ga. NO adjustable stock except the few that came with shims later on. I/We found what fit a student best, tweaked the recoil pads and moleskin on comb...etc if need. For instance we had shorter stocks for some guns, even youth stocks.

THEN with knowledge gained and me and others watching them shoot with correct basics - these students were able to select a gun for them and have the measurements altered in gun fitting to them.

I strongly advise some BGs to NOT home invade some folks with 1100 20 ga guns with 26" bbls. Or similar 20ga guns as mentioned above. These students; if they can see it - they will fell it. Their guns are a natural extension of them.
These folks Earned shooting skills.

Stick a pc of Dr.Scholls moleskin on your 870P. Or even a pc of mousepad.
See what that does.

 

[BozemanMT]

co-signed.

SM, low 7?????????? twice???????

 

[TIMC]

I have a Beretta 391 with 28" barrel and synthetic furnature that I like really well, it is my primary bird hunting gun. I have done no modifications to this gun.
My primary clay games gun is a Browning Citori XS Sporting with 30" barrels. This gun is my sweatheart, I had the stock fitted and a Gracoil system put on it to reduce recoil, it's really nice. This is the gun that helped me get those extra couple of birds and get that perfect round once in a while.

 

[kudu]

Chris17404,

I love Remington 1100's, got 4, but if you go with the Beretta 391 system, it has shims where the stock attaches to the receiver that lets you adjust the drop and cant of the stock to fit your style and body type. Not a true custom fitted stock, but it means alot for the extra money the Berettas cost.

 

[sm]

BozemanMT,
Yeah I , missed Low 7 twice. I'm human, I make mistakes, and I do tend to shoot from low gun mount kinda fast.
You missed the parts about having fun and I took these shots one-handed. I was 4th man of 4 man squad. When I am 4th man, the way I go about it, it appears I am lead off...I set the pace. The other fellow I knew was 3rd and he and I shot lots of times before. So #3 and #4 are setting the pace for this squad. Heckuva deal - one has to see this in action.

Okay maybe I should have NOT pulled my own targets on Low 7 - I did hit them the other 2 times doing so. My buddy was shooting low 7 ( and others ) from the hip.

At this time of my life I had had all the 'registerd shoots' and 'sanctioned shoots' I ever wanted to see..I was having fun by golly!

--

kudu is correct - the shims do assist in gun fit. Just back before folks wore onions on belts to the skeet field, we didn't have guns from the factory like this...not that we didn't come up with our own stuff...
--

Yeah grab the target puller, punch low 7 for yourself and from low gun see if you can bust it...one -handed with a pump. Also practice doubles at low 7 using one hand...with a pump.

Never said I was a boring old fuddy duddy on a range now did I ?

 

[STiTkacik]

Can anyone reccoment a nice target load for the 1100 that will work well for shooting skeet in a 20 guage?

Anything in a #8?

 

[BozemanMT]

Try #9's on skeet
great fun, slight bit of extra spreading and when you hit it dead on
dust!!!! (low 8 esp.)

 

[riverdog]

This made shooting much more comfortable and accurate. Is this something I can do to my 870, or does it require a new custom stock?

I'm repeating myself but I put a Wenig New American style stock on my 870. It's a great fit.

Wenig New American Style - Throughout our years of working with our customers, we have noticed a "general trend" in the custom stocks we build. Most shooters--Trap, Sporting Clays, Skeet, or Field--need a Monte Carlo type stock with an offset parallel comb, closer grip, and toe out. This allows the shooter to keep his/her head upright and provides for more overall stability. So, we have designed a new stock, the Wenig New American Style, that combines these features to provide the shooter with the most comfortable stock ever made. Approximate dimensions for the New American Style are 1-3/8 x 1-3/8 x 2-1/2 x 14-1/4 with a 1/4" offset comb and a 3/8" toe out (no offset at heel). This style also features a palm swell and 3" grip length from back of trigger guard. The New American Style is available for any shotgun make/model.

The stocks come oversize in the rough. Remove wood as required to make the final fit and finich in your choice of wood finish (I used Tung Oil). I shot a few rounds without a buttpad and decided the LOP was real close, so for final LOP I had a local shotgunsmith remove enough wood to add a Pachmyer Decelerator and not change LOP.