caliber for clay shooting
 

Im new to clay 5 stand and clays all together. Ive been using a 12 ga Rem 870. It seems all the guys who are really into it and show up with $1500 guns all use 20Ga. Any reason for the smaller gauge? Whats recomended?

RE: caliber for clay shooting
 

I grew up skeetshooting with a 28 guage.. And today I have 2 of them.. My Dad shot a 410, then switched to 28 when he started shooting Annie Oakly and Trap.. Guage selection is a personal preference.. A #8 pellet traveling 1200 fps is a #8 pellet traveling 1200 fps no matter if if comes out of a 410, 28,20 or 12.. The 410 and 28 are sweet shooting guns.. but can get expensive if you don't reload.. That is why most of the other guys are shooting 20's they are cheaper..

RE: caliber for clay shooting
 

I've shot a lot of Sporting Clays and some 5 stand... I use a 12 gauge Browning O/U. The only reasons I can see to use a 20 gauge is (a) less recoil = more fun to shoot a lot; or (b) smaller shot loads = a little more of a challenge hitting the targets.

RE: caliber for clay shooting
 

I've got and shootthe 12,16, 20 & 28at clays. If you really want to do your very best, the 12 can throw more lead. That results in fewer holes in the shot pattern or you can shoot a more open choke and throw a bigger pattern or you can shootalarger size shot to carry more energy farther down range and still have a good densepattern. However, as said before, those extra pellets come with a price - recoil. If you shoot several hundred clays a day, even the recoil of a 12 with light loads can take it's toll. Therefore the 20 isa favorite of many. Less recoil and the shells are generally as cheap as a 12 and cheaper than the 16 or 28 or 410 - unless you reload. I like the 20 and I canalmost as good with it as with a 12. I have agas operated semi-autoin 20 that you can shoot all day long and hardly feel a thing.

RE: caliber for clay shooting
 

They most likely shoota 20 ga.because of the lack of recoil and the shells are cheaper so they can keep up on the payments for their $1500 O/U.

RE: caliber for clay shooting
 

Ditto.

RE: caliber for clay shooting
 

Must be different everywhere else. I don't know a single "serious" trap shooter that will shoot a 20 gauge, and the 20 gauge shells here cost just as much if not a dollar or two more a box.

RE: caliber for clay shooting
 

Ditto, I don't know anyone that shoots Skeet,Trap that doesn't use a 12 and I have seen some people(myself) use a 12,20,28 on Sporting clays

RE: caliber for clay shooting
 

I've been known to use my 20 gauges on sporting clays as well. Using a 20 on trap is a handicap.

RE: caliber for clay shooting
 

For shootin' clays..??

I'll take anything 6mm or above, beyond 500 yards................

RE: caliber for clay shooting
 

I prefer a 460 Weatherby...the muzzle blast usully shatters the clay...:D

RE: caliber for clay shooting
 

Another reason I believe a lot of shooters are using the 20 AND28 gauges for sporting clays is the gun itself. Most of the guns in these gauges are scaled down versions of the 12 ga and are lighter and quicker and less recoil for recovery for the second shot. This said, when I used to shoot clays, I used a Bwg. Citori O/U 12 ga with Invector chokes. For most stages I had skeet/skeet or skeet/IC chokes installed.

RE: caliber for clay shooting
 

Keep in mind.. Your not trying to down a bird.. Your just trying to break a piece of clay which a single bb can and will do.. There is no need for a shoulder pounding 12 guage. The gun will make more of a difference on how you shoot that the guage will..