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Clay target - youth shotgun choices?
- Thread starter 10thmountain
- Start date
Most of these kids run thru multiple guns before they find what works best for them. Skip the pump. Just returned from the Jr Blast. 200+ of the best kids in GA and not a pump in site. Not practical. You cant cycle it fast enough for a true pair and even some O/R. A great starter is an A300 or A400. Certain kids advance and the serious kids all shooting a higher end break action. There are exceptions to the rule like Joe Fanizzi who shoots a semi. Prepare to keep buying guns. Start with the 12 and stay with the 12.
If you are still just down the road, come get and try my daughters Beretta a400 xtreme with kickoff. She said it had less kick than her Beretta 391 20 guage. Youngest has the same with the blue receiver. Welcome to try it also.
We are shooting as a family in Mississippi on the 25th. Any other time you are welcome to try it out.
If you are still in the area there is only 1 school with a clay target team. I was a coach at the school while my daughters were there and loaned the guns out to new shooters often.
If it is the school I believe it is can mattel hit anything yet?
kids grow, something with an adjustable stock will be necessary, or plan on buying a number of guns over the years.
Great info everyone!!
I'd go with a semi auto or an over /under if the kid is interested in real competition, for score, where part of the game will require breaking "true doubles" that are launched at the same time. By the time the kid pumps the gun for shot #2, the clay will have gotten a bit further out than would be ideal.
Also, any single-barrel gun means you only have one choice for choke.
A double-barreled shotgun lets you have a wider choke for the barrel you expect to shoot first, and a tighter choke for the second (longer distance) shot. I know a good shooter can get all 25 clays broken with a single-barrel gun with a fixed imp cyl choke, but that's not the ideal set-up. A less-skilled person might lose a couple of points per round for lack of the right gun/ right choke.
BUT, if the kid is just out there to have fun and you or your trapper who pushes the buttons can choose to make "report pairs" out of all the pair presentations, that's fine for a pump-action gun. A "report pair" means target #2 doesn't get launched until the gun is fired at Target #1.
Also, any single-barrel gun means you only have one choice for choke.
A double-barreled shotgun lets you have a wider choke for the barrel you expect to shoot first, and a tighter choke for the second (longer distance) shot. I know a good shooter can get all 25 clays broken with a single-barrel gun with a fixed imp cyl choke, but that's not the ideal set-up. A less-skilled person might lose a couple of points per round for lack of the right gun/ right choke.
BUT, if the kid is just out there to have fun and you or your trapper who pushes the buttons can choose to make "report pairs" out of all the pair presentations, that's fine for a pump-action gun. A "report pair" means target #2 doesn't get launched until the gun is fired at Target #1.
