SKEET Shooters: Help with first skeet gun

[Bullzeye]

Hi all,

I want to get started into skeet shooting and I have the opportunity to purchase a used Remington 11-87 premier skeet shotgun in great condition for $550.00. I shot skeet years ago and I really enjoyed it. I was wondering if this is a good shotgun to get me started in the sport. I eventually may want to buy a pricier over/under shotgun but that will come with time.

Also, the place where I will be shooting skeet also has sporting clays and trap shootong. I know that I should really get a trap gun for trap shooting but can I use a skeet gun to effectively shoot sporting clays?

If I really wanted to use a skeet gun to shoot trap then could I adjust the chokes so that I caould still compete in trap or am I fooling myself?

Thanks in advance,
Paul

 

[TKL]

I also shoot skeet. I have a Beretta 682 Gold Sporting Clays . It is an over and under with 28" barrells. I have skeet chokes in it for skeet and use full choke for trap. I don't shoot trap seriously enought to have a seperate gun., but if you were serious about both I don't see why you couldn't get a trap barrell. As for suitability and price, I cannot speak to this, but I also have a Remington 1100 and it does fine as a skeet gun.
Hope this helps.
TKL

 

[PJR]

The 11-87 is a fine choice for skeet. If it has choke tubes, just drop in a modified or tighter for 16 yard trap. Either way it will be a fine gun for sporting. I generally use Skeet or IC chokes for sporting and whether fixed or with tubes your 11-87 will be good for sporting and skeet.

The suggestion of another barrel for trap is also worth considering but I would think about putting in choke tubes before buying another barrel.

 

[Dave McC]

I'm no local legend in either local skeet or trap circles, but I do have some experience with both,and with the shotguns used. A really nitpicking person will mention that skeet guns tend to be a little less muzzle heavy, while the balance point for a trap gun tends to be a bit more forward.

The big difference that matters here is that most trap guns put most of the pattern well above the bead. Skeet, clays and field guns tend towards shooting "flat". Fitting your stock so that you've a compromise is not that hard. My everything flying 870 puts about 2/3 of the pattern above the bead, and it works well by my standards.

If you like the 11-87, buy it, maybe with a couple tighter choke tubes for trap and use it for any clay game you want it to. After some time, you should have a better idea of what you're looking for in guns for the various games, and then you can specialize w/o squandering all the kids' college money or something(G)...