# How hard/fun is skeet shooting for total gun novices? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 16, 2015, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-fun-is-skeet-shooting-for-total-gun-novices/712845 "2015-02-16T19:56:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2015, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-fun-is-skeet-shooting-for-total-gun-novices/712845/21 "2015-02-19T20:40:40Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > I’d say your greatest risk is having to endure a bunch of lame “shotgun wedding” jokes. That, or someone accidentally getting shot in the face. Both are pretty bad. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2015, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-fun-is-skeet-shooting-for-total-gun-novices/712845/22 "2015-02-19T21:48:01Z")
Yeah, that’s a toss-up. Christ, now I’m doing it… ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2015, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-fun-is-skeet-shooting-for-total-gun-novices/712845/23 "2015-02-19T22:36:51Z")
I wouldn’t want someone’s first experience with guns to be in a group party sort of setting where it’s being treated by a novelty. Learning to use guns safely is serious business. It can be fun, obviously, but it should be done in an environment where someone is taking it seriously and not goofing around. Maybe they’ll be well behaved, but a bachelorette party is not the sort of group I’d want to teach proper gun handling and safety to. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2015, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-fun-is-skeet-shooting-for-total-gun-novices/712845/24 "2015-02-19T22:42:50Z")
> [@](#): > > How hard/fun is skeet shooting for total gun novices? I don’t think that Nuns in training would be very interested in trap shooting. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2015, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-fun-is-skeet-shooting-for-total-gun-novices/712845/25 "2015-02-19T23:06:21Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > and halfway through your shoulder is really starting to get sore. This bears repeating. I’m not a gun novice, but repeatedly firing shotguns (especially a 10 gauge) is hell on the shoulder. Expect it to be red and sore the next day. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-fun-is-skeet-shooting-for-total-gun-novices/712845/26 "2015-02-20T00:28:54Z")
I’m a total novice, and thoroughly enjoy the annual clay bird shoot my wife’s god-parents put on every year. But I doubt I’d enjoy a proper skeet set-up with two traps and lots of lateral movement anywhere near as much. And being a largish guy I still feel a bit sore after 20 odd shots. Not sure how much fun it would be for smaller ladies. ---
**Author:** ![FasterThanMeerkats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/278dde/32.png) [@FasterThanMeerkats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FasterThanMeerkats)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-fun-is-skeet-shooting-for-total-gun-novices/712845/27 "2015-02-20T01:03:16Z")
To reiterate and add to what others have said: - 20 gauge, a 410 if you have one is perfect for total beginners - Trap not skeet, skeet is very hard, lots of lateral movement, not a lot of hits for beginners - Ask if they have a beginner’s range (maybe 1 thrower with a straight-away shot) for people that have never shot before -If there’s a rifle or pistol range you might also look into shooting a .22 and plinking cans or potatoes or other such responsive targets - Also anticipate lots of cooperative help, folks at ranges love to help ladies learn how to shoot (not in a sleazy way, there just aren’t a lot of women shooters) Have fun and good luck! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-fun-is-skeet-shooting-for-total-gun-novices/712845.md?page=1)