Can I do some skeet shooting with my .410?
The .410 is the smallest shotgun size. It has the least amount of shot and the smallest pattern. It is the most difficult shotgun to use for shooting skeet. But to go out and have fun with it, it’ll work fine and give you the opportunity to go to the local skeet / trap range and try some other guns before buying. My wife still enjoys shooting trap with the .410. In trap, the clay pigeons are thrown out and way from you from one of five positions and you shoot from one of five shooting stations for five shots each for a total of 25 rounds. If she hesitates too long she will often hit, but not break the clays. When you watch carefully you can just see the dust of the clays. Don’ take any bets that the old guys offer you!
I have taught people to shoot for the last 20 years. A .410 is exactly the opposite what people think. It is an experts gun, rather than a beginner’s gun. You have to really be a good shot to consistently break targets with a .410 due to the small amount of shot in the shells. I think you are talking about breaking clay targets rather than shooting Skeet which is a discipline shoot on a Skeet field with two traps and 8 different shooting positions. If you are serious about shooting get something along the line of a semi-automatic 20 guage. With light target loads, the recoil with be very minimal, probably in the .410 range. Also, find someone in your area to teach you the proper way to mount your gun and place your feet. If you have the proper instruction and have success in the beginning, you will enjoy this type of shooting for years to come! Good Luck!
