20 gauge in Olympic Trap?

[sparky]

Is 12 gauge mandated by ISSF rules? Since the load is limited to 7/8, would it be permissible to shoot a 20 gauge instead? Just curious.

[mtncwru]

ISSF Rule 9.4.2.1: "...Guns of smaller than 12 gauge may be used."

Also, the maximum shot load is 24.5 grams, which is only 0.864 ounces.

[Guntrainer]

The 20 is allowed, but will not be competitive. Gun too light and whippy, out of gas for second barrel.

[SlartyBartFast]

The 20 is allowed, but will not be competitive. Gun too light and whippy, out of gas for second barrel.

Got stung by the shotgun bug last weekend after shooting shotgun and skeet for the very first time, so the equipment and rules really interest me.

Is the weight of all the different manufacturer's guns really that consistent that you can make the generalisation that all 20 gauge are "too light"?

And what do you mean by "out of gas for second barrel"?

Interestingly the ISSF page only lists 12 guage for the Olympic shotgun events.
http://www.issf-sports.org/theissf/cham ... games.ashx

[jhmartin]

In "Bunker" (Olympic Trap) the birds are so fast that a light charge in a 20 ga would have a tough time catching up and doing any damage to them on the 2nd shot (if you took it). You'd have to shoot a super tight choke and be REALLY-REALLLY good to get them.

You can "play" with a 20 ga until you really get the big or get frustrated and break down and buy a 12 ga. It does not have to be a super expensive gun to have fun ... any decent sporting clays gun will get you to the "having lots of fun" point. After that the price step is pretty big. I play with it with a 28" gun and if I practice a lot I can usually get 17-18 in bunker. American Trap bores me.
International Skeet ... I only wish I had the reflexes for that ... American Skeet keeps me happy there (usually 22-24).

In summary, yeah, save up and get a 12ga. The recoil is not at all bad with international loads ... you really can shoot a long time with those. When I buy some of the 1-1/8oz loads going to the range (have not reloaded enough) I take a pounding and really feel the difference. I shoot the intl loads with American Skeet just fine.

[SlartyBartFast]

In "Bunker" (Olympic Trap) the birds are so fast that a light charge in a 20 ga would have a tough time catching up and doing any damage to them on the 2nd shot (if you took it). You'd have to shoot a super tight choke and be REALLY-REALLLY good to get them.

I would have thought similar charges with similar loads wouldn't make such a difference in shot performance.

Obviously I don't understand shotguns enough to get the point. Thanks for trying. I'll have to look for a resource to read up on the basics.

[Jon Math]

The real problem would be finding a 20 gauge trap shotgun. You are not going to find one ready made and by the time you get finished having one built you might as well just buy a 12 gauge K-80 or the like and be done with it.

[Snowy86]

The 20 is allowed, but will not be competitive. Gun too light and whippy, out of gas for second barrel.

I am going to disagree with you on this. A fast gun is important to shooting bunker, and lighter one is not going to be an issue for a shooter. Familiarity with the gun that the shooter is using along with the proper chokes is more important. I have broken many 22-23 on bunker with an old sxs 20g with fixed chokes. The gun was bought from a k-mart in the 70s, and made field and streams list of worst guns ever made.