How do I know which size barrel and choke to use for skeet shooting?

Question

I'm interested in a 20 gauge semi auto but don't know what would be the most effective size barrel and choke for optimal success. Help.

Answer 1

I'm not a skeet shooting specialist, but shoot alot of American Trap. Depending on your size/build a 12 ga is a better choice. Skeet can have alot of long shots and 20ga may not cut it. The answer to your question 26-28" barrel some people like them up to 30" for a smoother swing. With a semi auto you're always going to have to compromise in the choke versus an over/under (really the best choice). I exclusively use Briley chokes, their nicely made about 40$ and are marked as to what they are for. They make skeet chokes in Skeet which is rather standard, and make them up and down in fine graduations. Choice comes down to individual gun, load, and how everything patterns at a particular distance. 12ga in a semiauto will shoot much softer more like a 20ga anyway, so I'd seriously suggest you look into it , go to a range and try out different models if you have one nearby. Also Hunting loads will always shoot harder than Standard Trap or Skeet loadings.

Answer 2

For Skeet= 26" barrel, Improved cylinder choke.*>> For Trap= 30" barrel, Full choke......

Answer 3

There are three basic games of clay bird shooting...Skeet, Sporting Clays, and Trap.....A lot of people call all clay bird shooting Skeet.....Skeet is actually a very quick game, with single birds, and doubles thrown from two houses....For this, you need a very short, quick swinging gun, with one of the Skeet chokes, or Cylinder, or Improved Cylinder....You will be shooting close, and fast....and long barrels and tight chokes will make it more difficult....12 ga is the standard, but you can shoot 20 ga, 28 ga, and if you are really good, the .410 ga....Sporting clays, are more like hunting, as you will have birds launched at you, away from you, and across at different angles. a slightly longer barrel, and tighter choke will work here, as in "springing teal", you may break your first bird at 25 to 30 yards, and the second will be 45 to 50. .....Trap is a longer range sport, and the 12 ga is nearly exclusive, as you are shooting at various angles, but the targets are basically always going away, some straight, some angled, but you may have to really stretch your range on some.....What we call "back yard" skeet, is when you really have no established competitive rules, and one is just launching and breaking targets for the fun of it.....Practically any shotgun gauge will work for this, but the 12 ga, will always have the advantage of more shot in the pattern......A 20 ga with a 26 or 28 in barrel with IC, M, IM, and even Full will work fine just shooting back yard skeet.....

Answer 4

For Skeet use a 26" barrel with Cylinder or Improved Cylinder chokes.

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Answer 5

can you shoot skeet with a choke 12 gauge