Doublebarrels OK for informal clay pigeons?

Blindstitch said:
One guy that sneered at my Mossberg was supposedly an every day shooter. I watched him for a while before he saw me and he had 3-4 beautiful guns that got rotated in a roll out cabinet in the back of his truck. It was full of shooting stuff and I bet he had at least 2000 rounds of shells in the bed of the truck.

My friend who reloads said he was talking to him and he doesn't have any time for people who reload either. And my friend averages 23-24/25.
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For every person like that, there most likely is another person who enjoys beating people like that with a rat-gun, the shotgun version of the rat-rod. Think of a cheap shotgun that used to have a finish and looks like it spent it's whole life in the rear window of a rancher's truck.
 
If the guys with the 18 inch barreled guns are THAT good, why aren't they on the trap circuit making money?

There are vintage shoots around the country where only SxS doubles are used.

If you show up with a pump or one of those cut-down guns you can not shoot. By the way the doubles that are used are 75 to 100 years old.
 
The trap and skeet club I belonged to had an annual pump gun only sporting clays shoot where you couldn't shoot a semi-auto or double.

Unless it's a restricted shoot like that, nobody really cares what you use to shoot, as long as it's safe. Yea, sure, if you really want to win, you have to have equipment that cooperates.
But if you just want to do some informal trap shooting for bird hunting practice, bring that camo painted hunting gun and shoot with them. They might even give you some pointers on how to shoot.
 
I shoot a little trap and am now getting into skeet and most guys could care less if you shoot an inexpensive gun. Sure, there are super competitive guys that aren't going to be happy to shoot with a novice since they a new or nearly new shooter can throw the timing of the squad off, but most could care less it you shoot a $300 Mossberg or a $20,000 Krieghoff. Especially in skeet, which more easily lends itself to helping new shooters. I think a lot of what I hear is envy, although I agree that there are some shooting snobs out there.

We do cringe when a group of pocket shooters come on the field some places where the staff offers little supervision since groups of brand new shooters sometimes are oblivious to safety rules.
 
Every time one of these type threads comes up, there's always someone who beat everyone with high dollar guns with a Mossberg 500. Amazing the ranges aren't swamped with those.
 
we have a young man who is a very good shot and he uses a mossberg with great speed. i saw him shoot a 42-50 at sporting clays,in fact he was high score that day. and at the club resterant later every one was very happy with him and shaking his hand. there are some shooters who can run a pump gun like a auto loader, but i,m not one of them and as i,m 71 i,ve slowed down a bit. i do think if you have the skill set and a shotgun that fits you the better scores will come quicker than with a shotgun that does not. eastbank.
 
And I will say that I was shooting some months ago and I had an older gentleman who was very complimentary of my 5200.

It is in nice shape, with good (but plain) wood and much of the case hardening still visible. It had been well taken care of by the original owner, and equally well cared for by Sluggo (member here), from whom I bought it several years ago.

It was nice to hear from someone who was shooting an early 1900s LC Smith with some of the most gorgeous wood I've ever seen.
 
Recently purchased a CZ Ringneck 20ga. with 26" barrels. Had some trouble with it out of the starting gate, which was fixed on warranty. Bought the gun because I wanted a short fast handling gun for grouse hunting. Since it's warranty work I have fallen in love with it, everything I was hoping for.
Last week shooting trap with friends I shot a 23/25 and the two I missed I nailed with the second barrel. That was a first for me (usually shoot somewhere between 15/20 out of 25:( ) All my friends enjoyed trying her out and had nothing but good to say about it. I'm even thinking of trying it out on pheasants next time out. Always wanted a SxS but could never afford one.
 
Stover Uplander 20 guage------$450
Box of 20 ga. field loads---------$7.00
Fee for a round of trap-----------$8.00
Out shooting a gun snob with his expensive trap gun---PRICELESS!!!

If they look down their nose at you for your Uplander you don't want them as shooting pals anyway! :D
 
Brutus,
What kind of trap are you shooting? Load two shells at most any trap club I can think of and the RO will be having a chat with you.
 
We were shooting at a private club but we also shoot at a state run range where it is also acceptable, both places are throw your own and usually one guy shoots and two guys throw. There is no trap house or five station arrangement available and we bring our own throwers.
I have also shot at trap clubs where one round is standard but they also allowed two for a round of doubles, never three.
 
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there is atleast one guy on the world/olympic circuit who shoots with a sbs, a middle eastern guy

it has got one of those obnoxious high ribs to. IIRC it was Holland and Holland
 
Brutus, Loading two round is standard for trap doubles. Whatever you are shooting when throwing singles without a house and with your own machine, it doesn't sound as though it is American Trap. There may be poor supervision where you shoot, but try asking a range officer if it is alright to load more than one shell when shooting singles trap.
 
At our range, you may load two shells only when a double comes up and the range officer (who also controls the throwers) calls for the shooter to be "on report"
 
Don't wish to start an argument but I view a second shot at a clay as beneficial to my field experience. When hunting pheasant or grouse I always have both barrels loaded and when shooting trap I mount my gun after shouting pull as this better emulates field conditions. After all isn't the purpose of practice to enhance your field skills?
 
Brutus,
Your two ranges that you throw your own is an exception. Here we call that novice trap. And yes when I do it at my local novice trap range two shells are ready to go. But if you go into a real trap or skeet type tournament not at those ranges it will be a 1 shell maximum.

I'm not all familiar with how it works since i've only shot a few rounds with my friend but if 5 guys line up at the stage with a score guy and someone in the box throwing clays i'm sure they won't be happy when you shoot off your second shot at a clay.
 
Agree hole heartedly about the regulation game of trap, with five people on the firing line and with station to station movement occurring the rules make a great deal of common sense and while I enjoy the competition of regulation trap it fails to emulate real world hunting conditions which is why I also enjoy what you refer to as novice trap. Hey come on, I have a Springer that gives me disappointing glances when I miss a bird he's worked so hard to flush out.
 
Emulating real world hunting is what gave rise to the game of sporting clays, where you call for the birds with a low gun.
Some clubs have "wobble trap" where the trap oscillates vertically as well as horizontally using traps that throw the birds farther and faster than regulation trap, it's the closest you can get to international trap without having to invest in a international trap range setup with its 15 separate traps.
 
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