Shotguns are available in numerous sizes, calibres and types. In the main there are 3 types of shotguns used in Clay Target shooting:

The Over / Under and the Semi Automatic are the most popular shotguns, with the Over / Under predominantly used.
The Over / Under – is a double barrel shotgun but with the barrels one above (or below) the other.
The Semi Automatic – is so named because all you do is pull the trigger and the gun takes care of ejecting the spent cartridge and chambering the new one all on its own.
The Side x Side – again a double barrel shotgun but with the barrels along side each other, instead of one above the other.
At Otterburn Sporting Clays we use only the O/U shotgun in both 12 & 20 bore calibres, the later is generally for the smaller framed person as it is fairly light in weight, both calibres when used in conjunction with a lighter loaded cartridge produce a reduced recoil. However recoil can not be removed altogether and it must be noted that all shotguns may appear ‘heavy’ to some at first when used by novices with untrained muscles.