want to take girlfriend to shoot clays...

I

Inverness11

New member
I have a 12 gauge 870 and a single shot 20 gauge. I think I'll have her use the 20 because after handling them I found she had a hard time with the pump because of the weight. She's not very big, so I think recoil could be an issue. Do any of you know of some reduced recoil trap/skeet loads? I would load some up but I've run out of shot/powder for my 20 gauge loadall since I got the 870. Thanks everyone!
 
Find some AA or Rem STS target loads, that is about as light as you will finds in a 20 ga load. Where abouts in Indiana are you Inverness11? Might be able to hook you up if you were in the general neighborhood.
 
Thanks, but I'm in the south-central area. Though that's one thing I love about the firearms community is folks are generally willing to help each other out!
 
word of warning

Depending on the model of single shot, the bolt head that connects the forearm to the barrel may be exposed. If your girlfriend shoots a number of shells one right after the other, the bolt head will get REALLY hot. I had this happen to a youngster when he was learning. :eek:


As far as ammo goes, look for "light" target loads in the 20. The 28 gauge is becoming popular again, so there may be someone at your range who has one and will ket her shoot it. It usually has less recoil.

shoot straight
C
 
Unless there's a real nice pad on that singleshot, the recoil can be quite harsh; even if it's just a 20 ga. If you can find a place that rents semi's, that'd be a whole bunch gentler on a small, first-time shooter.
I bought Mrs. 9mmMike a 20 ga. 1100 that has no recoil pad; just a plastic butt plate. It is a real gentle shooting gun though.
Sometimes you only get one chance to take a person shooting so it is very important to make it as pleasant as possible, IMHO.
Mike
 
Do any of you know of some reduced recoil trap/skeet loads?
Click to expand...

Take her to a club and use a 20 guage beretta auto. I took a 90lb woman to the range and she had no problem with the recoil. Those single shots kick wayyyy more than a gas auto with a kick-EZ pad.
 
Take her lead...

Good for you...hope it goes well for both y'all. I am a lady shooter and I remember how intimidated I was just walking up to the club house for the first time. Take her around, introduce her to folks and help her feel comfortable in the environment before going out on the line. Let her know how jazzed shooters are to get a new person into the sport. Above all, take her lead with gentle support. Stand back and go slow. Don't blast her with information right away.
As far as guns go...well...I don't really feel that much difference in recoil between a 20 and a 12ga. I absolutely LOVE shooting my 870 12ga. VERY fun weapon and easy to get along with--simple. I found that when I was unfamilar with shotguns, the pump style was really easy. A killer recoil pad (I use a slip-on type) is key with the 870 and I can go shoot 200 without pain. Concentrate on her stance first and foremost. Show her how to get that great shoulder "pocket" and how to hold it in tight. Hope this helps.:p
 
just an update

Today at the gun club, after re-learning how to shoot skeet, I got her to shoot. I had her using the single 20 gauge. I considered the reccomendations about an auto but she could barely keep my 870 pointed up due to the weight. I had her shoot a couple of rounds without throwing birds to get her used to recoil. This scared and discouraged her. Fortunately, after just a few shots at targets, she started to break clays. Her shriek of "YES! I hit one!" was loud even with my earmuffs on. After that she was hitting them fairly consistently and having a great time. She's already looking forward to the next time we go! I had her use Remington Gun Club shells. I think this light load made a difference in the recoil. I even got her to fire my 870, but she didn't like it much. Thanks everyone for your advice. Thanks to you, we may have a new shooter on our hands!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top