What's an easy way to practice with a shotgun?

[Spider-TW]

I figured this should be in a different thread.

As for the pattern on the target, keep this in mind: To keep all the buck on the target, you must still aim for the center of mass, same as with a pistol.

The most practice I get with a shotgun is dove hunting. It's quick and plentiful shooting, but not the same. Paper targets don't last long, but that seems to be about the only way to really get a feel for the home defense loads of #4 on down to #00.

Anyone got an interesting shotgun game? Is there a useful and safe distance for a steel target?

[mclaggan123]

i shoot at steel at 25 yards. i have put many rounds through mine and have yet to have ricochet. i found a place that disposes of construction waste and i get used doors from them that they throw away. they dont charge me for the doors and they last alot longer than paper.

[neppo1345]

I just put target clays on the top of fiberglass rods...

[Spider-TW]

i shoot at steel at 25 yards.

Slugs and/or buck?

[SCpoloRicker]

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Yeah, what he said.

[mclaggan123]

buck and birdshot. for slugs i shoot at 50-75 yards.

[MANN]

Yeah, what he said.

lol. they are too lazy to start their own thread it seems.

[MANN]

I just put target clays on the top of fiberglass rods...

I was going to say hang them from a tree/something. Thats what we use to do. Dont forget alum cans. They will let you know what you hit.

[p8ntbal4me]

I shoot trap to get preped for the season.

Spending a day to get some good muscle memory back is the best way (IMHO) to ready for the hunting season no matter what game your stalking.

~ P8nt

[shives007]

Practice mounting your shorgun. Do it 100 each day. The more consistant your mount the better off you will be.

Pick a target, close your eyes and mount the shotgun, then open your eyes. You should be lined up on the target.

Practice moving the gun. Mount it and quickly move along the line where the wall meets the ceiling. That will help you work on moving in a smooth line. If you have a laser bore sighter, it makes this easier.

Trap and skeet are fine, but sporting clays will give you more varried presentations. Make sure you are shooting realistic presentations. You are never going to shoot at a bird crossing at 5' above the ground.

Repetition is your best friend.

Shives

[kosmo]

The best and most sacred ritual of owning/practicing with a shotgun is the following:

Plant flowers in your front yard as close to the street/sidewalk as possible
Get a rocking chair
Sit on your porch in a bath robe and slippers in the rocking chair
Shoot kids with rock salt when they get too close

[Warwitch]

Kittens. Though Id spread 'em out a little.



And you can help out your local Human Society at the same time.

[93civiccpe]

Hey,
For anyone trying to get good with home defense / protection firearms I can't explain enough how much fun 3-gun shoots are. Now, the only downside to this may be the fact that you need a pistol, a shotgun, and a carbine. You run through a course where you run to one position, pull out your pistol, shoot the metal plates, then run to the next position which can be shotgun / carbine depending on the course layout.. etc. You have to run, shoot from different positions, and you learn a lot about moving & firing & cover. It is a great experience and a lot of fun. Typically it costs anywhere from $20-$50 and that's just to cover the setup & etc. You bring your 3 guns & ammo and you are trying for the best time in clearing the course. There is a time penalty for each target missed. It really does help with your situational awareness and learning how to position yourself and how to shoot when you have a lot of adrenaline flowing and your heart is trying to beat out of your chest. I'm not sure if they have any shotgun only type courses like this but you can check with your local shooting range / shooting clubs and find out. I'd advise going and watching a couple times to see how it all works. The good thing is that it is all about getting better. The experienced veterans typically will praise you for the things you did right and help steer you in the right direction in areas that you need work in. It's a great experience and a heck of a lot of fun.

I know they have a similar shoot for just pistols (IDPA) which is to train you to use your concealed carry pistol better. Similar idea to the above but only using a pistol. None-the-less, check it out and see if it is for you.

[Steelrat]

Well, steel is okay for pistols as long as you are using frangible rounds. But with a shotgun, I'd be loathe to engage one unless it was built to limit richochet potential (angled downwards or some other mechanism).

One question I'd have is what sort of choke you are running. Law enforcement shotguns have a modified choke that keeps the spread a bit tighter than a normal. If you are using a regular hunting shotgun, your spread will be larger, and you will have to decrease the ranges you shoot at.

For a moldified choke shotgun, with 00 buck, the max range is really 15 yards. This is the distance where, if you hit the center of the target, all the pellets should stay within the confines of the human silhouette. Beyond that, you should be thinking slug.

As for a useful game, I can't think of one. It's neat to run drills where you transition from a shotgun to a pistol, but for a home defense scenario I can't see that being very likely. I WOULD work on combat loading, where you keep the shotgun pointed in the direction of a threat while reloading, and reloading purely by feel, keeping your eyes on the target the whole time.

And I also agree with 93civic, 3 gun shoots are fun and educational. Anything that builds your confidence and muscle memory is always a good thing. Nothing beats time on the range.

[Spider-TW]

One question I'd have is what sort of choke you are running. Law enforcement shotguns have a modified choke that keeps the spread a bit tighter than a normal. If you are using a regular hunting shotgun, your spread will be larger, and you will have to decrease the ranges you shoot at.

I have the removable choke hunting barrel (short with sights) and the original modified choke barrel for my 870. When I dove hunt (not often enough) I try to reload by feel, for the practice and to keep my eye on the birds (down or not ).

I have the rifled and improved screw-in chokes. I'm skeptical of the short length of the rifled choke, but never had the chance to compare it to a full length rifled barrel.

I've seen some mention of alternating slugs and buck in the magazine, but what kind of choke would work with that?