Dockside Chat - Went skeet/trap shooting for the first time and . . .

. . . it was fun. A lot more fun that poking holes in paper targets or shooting at stuff that is sitting still. The clays going here-there and everywhere is a bit more challenging and for my first time, I was doing good.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a184/thundra04struck/P1010721.jpg


I got to use the Browning Citori over-under, while my buddy used his new Ithaca.

From what I have read, it is easy getting good at what we were doing, it is not until we either start shooting sporting clays and doing "doubles" where the clays come out 2 at a time and from all different directions that it gets harder and harder to master.

It sure was fun though and I'll look forward to blowing away some more clays and even birds this fall.

When you get skeet and trap down try sporting clays. Be careful though, it's as addicting as crack and probably just as expensive. :grin:

What exactly are sporting clays?, do they wobble or is it how they are timed to come out of the machine?

We had a mechanical/spring operated thrower, step on the lever and the clay got tossed out there.

It is addicting.

At least my buddy says a case of clays is like $12 and a box of shells is about the same so that ain't too bad.

Sporting clays is where you travel around a course shooting a variety of different presentations as opposed to skeet and trap where you shoot from a few positions on the same field.

Ah-ha.

I did read something about it then, sporting clays that is. Where they come from different angles, different/random heights. One will go out and the other won't until one fires a shot . . . makes it a lot more challenging than one going out and knowing pretty much where it is going to fly.

I think all my time spent playing duck-hunt on Nintendo 64 and all the gun video games and bb-gun bowling helped. Plus, I can't help but to think that based on the nature of shotguns and the pattern of pellets in the air that it can be sort of easy to do if one has some coordination.

I have been trying to find a spot with this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hScLd2Yb5v4

Sporting Clays is referred to often as 'golf with a shotgun'. Basically, you walk (or ride a cart) around a course (usually wooded) set up with around 15-20 stations. Each station will have 2 target throwers set up in various ways and you generally would shoot at 3 pairs of targets, for a possible 6 points / station. The different courses and individual stations within each give the game alot of variety over trap / skeet. Most of the time they're not too strict on the rules, and you basically pay per target (like frames in bowling). Loads of fun!

Depending on the course, $ not too bad. A flat (10 boxes of 25) of shells at Dicks's will set you back around $50, and should be enough shells for you and a buddy to go twice. The targets can be ~$.35 ea, with a round usually costing around $35, though I recently heard about a place up in NY that just doubled thier prices and is now charging something like $.58 / bird.

I have been trying to find a spot with this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hScLd2Yb5v4

Cool video! I love the remote control plane buzzing around, flippin' brilliant!

^^^

It's "sort of easy" to break a few. But hard to break em all. Once you start keeping score it's all over. You will be hooked and will not be happy till you shoot a 25 and then you will want to shoot a 25 every time.

Sporting Clays is referred to often as 'golf with a shotgun'. Basically, you walk (or ride a cart) around a course (usually wooded) set up with around 15-20 stations. Each station will have 2 target throwers set up in various ways and you generally would shoot at 3 pairs of targets, for a possible 6 points / station. The different courses and individual stations within each give the game alot of variety over trap / skeet. Most of the time they're not too strict on the rules, and you basically pay per target (like frames in bowling). Loads of fun!

Depending on the course, $ not too bad. A flat (10 boxes of 25) of shells at Dicks's will set you back around $50, and should be enough shells for you and a buddy to go twice. The targets can be ~$.35 ea, with a round usually costing around $35, though I recently heard about a place up in NY that just doubled thier prices and is now charging something like $.58 / bird.

I like this! I like it a lot. Hopefully my buddy can find us a course somewhere, sometime. I think they might have something like this 2 nights a week at this club. I can imagine it must be cool to do it at night under the lights.

Shooting clays is a ton of fun. Skeet and trap are a good place to start and are also fun if you just want to shoot a quick round or 2. Sporting clays courses involve different stations on a course and a variety of clays made to mimic differnet hunting scenarios. You can choose whether to do a 50 clay or 100 clay round. The round takes about an hour.

Awesome!

Took my 16yr old son last Wed with his new Remington 870 I got him for his 16th b day a few weeks back! It was his first time at the range.
I was proud of him...

He hit the first 4 and then went 15 for 25....!

Awesome!

Took my 16yr old son last Wed with his new Remington 870 I got him for his 16th b day a few weeks back! It was his first time at the range.
I was proud of him...

He hit the first 4 and then went 15 for 25....!

That is the tops. My boy is only 2 years 3 months so I have a way to go with him before he can shoot.

You'll do well and improve until you hit a plateau you won't seem to be able to break for a bit. It won't be any specific number, mine was 22, but its frustrating until you finally break through. If your realy going to get into it make sure the gun you use fits you correctly and you'll be ahead of the game.
The easiest way to find out about the fit is stand with the gun down and focus on an object about 20 feet away. Close your eyes and bring the gun up to your sholder aiming where you think the target is and then open your eyes. You'll see if your shooting hi, low, right or left. Then you can figure out how to adjust the stock of the gun if your serious about shooting.

When you get skeet and trap down try sporting clays. Be careful though, it's as addicting as crack and probably just as expensive. :grin:

X2 - the speed of the birds seems to slow down with practice.

As a side note sporting clays used to require that you call for the bird with an unmounted gun, much the same as Olympic skeet. Only when you saw the target could you shoulder the gun. This lead to a technique called, "move, mount, shoot". They changed the rules a few years ago but most of your sporting clays shooters still call for the bird with an unmounted gun. As GerryRM3 said, make sure your gun is pointed at the target when you shoulder it. If you are serious about the sport you may want to spend a few $$ and get a good smith to "fit" your stock to you. Just a thought.

There is a shotgun discipline called FITASC where they still require an unmounted gun but that's a whole nother animal.

Then you join a team and travel around to other area clubs. Our league requires that the host team provide dinner and drinks.

Last match of the season is Tuesday and I have the meal.

3 Apple wood smoked butts off the BGE with slaw and my wife is making her famous baked beans along with chocolate chip cookies.

I also recently got into clay shooting. Im lucky to have a sporting clays course 15min from my house. After determining that it's something I will do often enough, I went out and purchased a new over under browning and 5 cases of ammo. It's now too hot here in fl but cooler weather should be here soon.

beware it is addicting....

beware it is addicting....

It's getting like crack to a whore...
We have more fun with the food. The competitive teams are not nice people most days.

We shot again yesterday, went through a box of 135 clays/4 boxes of shells.

We mixed up all our shooting positions as well as how the clay thrower would toss. I would even walk as if a real bird might come out at anytime and then track the clay and shoot(attempt) to shoot it so that was fun. When we had the thrower going low and fast, I'd drop to a knee to help with aim and that helped.

I have been finding that a little past 1/2 way through all the shells, I start to get fatigued and start missing a lot more than when I was fresh. I'm sure I stop following through or it is just simple fatigue of the body and the eye/brain/arm/finger-connections.

I'm lucky too in that I got to use my buddies new Cynergy as well as his Citori.

We shot again yesterday, went through a box of 135 clays/4 boxes of shells.

We mixed up all our shooting positions as well as how the clay thrower would toss. I would even walk as if a real bird might come out at anytime and then track the clay and shoot(attempt) to shoot it so that was fun. When we had the thrower going low and fast, I'd drop to a knee to help with aim and that helped.

I have been finding that a little past 1/2 way through all the shells, I start to get fatigued and start missing a lot more than when I was fresh. I'm sure I stop following through or it is just simple fatigue of the body and the eye/brain/arm/finger-connections.

I'm lucky too in that I got to use my buddies new Cynergy as well as his Citori.

I bet you still broke every one you hit. :thumbsup:

Just got back from trap shot a 23 24 and 24 this year went straight 8 times and missed one going for 50. 5 times it is addicting as hell. I must have shot over 10 cases shooting twice a week maybe more lost count after 10 went 50 once now have to gear up to go 100 straight!

I bet you still broke every one you hit. :thumbsup:

Shag...I still quote you everytime I get to go in SFL.....

Shag...I still quote you everytime I get to go in SFL.....

Shot some skeets with Bailey Boat today. He brought his boss and their dog and I did the same. They walked while we shot. I tried out the new Citori .20 guage micro-gun and thought it was defective until he pointed out very nicely that it might not be the gun. :grin:

Give me a hollar if you are ever up this way. :thumbsup: