skeet

-O/U, autoloader or pump.
-12 Ga best for beginners.. wider pattern more hits. 20 Ga okay too, just harder
26" barrels are most common, but any length will work.
Open chokes. Skeet or at least I/C - Doesn't mean you can shoot with others, it will just be harder
- Standard skeet loads for 12 ga are 2 3/4 dram 1 1/8 oz, #9. Just look for anything marked Skeet. Again, you can shoot heavier loads and bigger shot.. maybe up to 7 1/2. But all of that will work against you.

The idea with skeet is targets are relatively close, (30 yards at best), crossing shoots are moving pretty fast and it doesn't take much in the way of power to break one. A single pellet will knick the clay enough at 30 yards to count as a break. So you want a gun that opens up the pattern wide and fast, and swings fast.

 

If you will be hunting birds as well, I'd suggest something with interchangeable chokes. I shoot skeet with a full or modified one of the two i can't remember off the top of my head. But I also just shoot for Bird practice. I learned how to to shoot a single shot 20 ga at dove and got very good at it. My wife has seen me shoot doubles (skeet) with that old 20ga. It was all I had so I learned to make the most of it. A 12 ga is best for anything. I also shoot #8 or #71/2 out of a tight patterning choke. So IMHO it is all preference and what you can handle best. I think you should go with a 12 ga pump, O/U, auto loader, or (I'm going to make the skeeters mad) a S/S. <duck> Just stay away from the single shot or magazine fed shotguns for skeet.

 

So you all about shooting doubles with a brake open single then huh? And yes after that 20 the 12 was special Olympics easy.

 

Nothing wrong with a s/s for informal skeet, or to practice with that gun you if use it for bird hunting. I'd like to have one, and always peruse the used gun racks looking for a gem.

 

I use a simple Mossberg 88 Maverick as a skeet gun... 12 gauge with the dowel taken out so it holds 5 and 1... Combine that with one of those cheapo bricks of shot from walmart that run 20 bucks and a case of pigeons and its pretty cheap and easy fun

 

I know I know.

It will make your follow ups very quick with the 870. I have an 870 now but I still bust out the little 20 every now and then for a "back to basics" kind of thing.

 

O yeah for sure. My wife and my Cousin's wife were laughing when I stepped up to the doubles with the extra shell between the fingers on my support hand. They weren't laughing so hard when I did the reload and hit the second clay.

 

A Mossberg 500 (I think is the model) is cheaper and widely considered to be a better HD shotgun. The 870 is great. But there are those that dislike them. I love mine, and could buy the short barrel to make it HD worthy. Whatever you wind up with have fun with it.