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shotgunning sports
Warbirds
Member Posts: 16,937 ✭✭✭✭
The Snobs thread really got me thinking, and I have to say the one post on there that really turned the little gears in my head was by Rosie. Rosie brought up a good point when he said:
1. Most those guys worked hard all thier lives to be able to afford those guns, this doesn't make them snobs.
I must admit if I could afford a five to ten thousand dollar shotgun, I would probably have one.
2. They're real serious about thier shooting.
I am generally a very serious shooter, safety first, my best effort for a good score second.
Anyway the original thread was in reguards to skeet shooting. I've never done it, because the range I've been going to the last six years doesn't offer it. How hard is it to catch onto the other shotgunning sports, like skeet, or sporting clays. Maybe even Olympic doubles, or whatever it's called. I've noticed lots of the high dollar guns have inserts to allow them to shoot, 12, 20 and .410. How important is it to have a skeet gun vs. a trap gun? I have a Remington 3200 that I use for trap, and I can't say I've ever been able to blame a missed clay on the shotgun. (I shoot the same handicap, almost all the time) The base has a skeet range that's only open two days a week and I stoped by there today, (they were closed) and read the rules, which specifically stated nothing but number 7 1/2 shot was to be used. I also can't imagine standing in line to shoot trap. Am I in for a rude awakening when I leave here, we just bring our own clays, load the machine ourselves, and you either have someone pull for you, or use the voice command set up. And I pay $50 a year membership. Any suggestions on the basics of any of the shotgun sports would be apprciated, I'm more than happy to accept tips on trap shooting, there's always room for improvement.
R/
Dave
How different the world would be if we could consult the veteran instead of the politician. - Henry Miller
1. Most those guys worked hard all thier lives to be able to afford those guns, this doesn't make them snobs.
I must admit if I could afford a five to ten thousand dollar shotgun, I would probably have one.
2. They're real serious about thier shooting.
I am generally a very serious shooter, safety first, my best effort for a good score second.
Anyway the original thread was in reguards to skeet shooting. I've never done it, because the range I've been going to the last six years doesn't offer it. How hard is it to catch onto the other shotgunning sports, like skeet, or sporting clays. Maybe even Olympic doubles, or whatever it's called. I've noticed lots of the high dollar guns have inserts to allow them to shoot, 12, 20 and .410. How important is it to have a skeet gun vs. a trap gun? I have a Remington 3200 that I use for trap, and I can't say I've ever been able to blame a missed clay on the shotgun. (I shoot the same handicap, almost all the time) The base has a skeet range that's only open two days a week and I stoped by there today, (they were closed) and read the rules, which specifically stated nothing but number 7 1/2 shot was to be used. I also can't imagine standing in line to shoot trap. Am I in for a rude awakening when I leave here, we just bring our own clays, load the machine ourselves, and you either have someone pull for you, or use the voice command set up. And I pay $50 a year membership. Any suggestions on the basics of any of the shotgun sports would be apprciated, I'm more than happy to accept tips on trap shooting, there's always room for improvement.
R/
Dave
How different the world would be if we could consult the veteran instead of the politician. - Henry Miller
Comments
Thanks for starting this post Dave.
If you must burn our flag, please wrap yourself in it first.
I ain't into specialized shotguns nor do I do all the different types of clay shooting. I do shoot a lot of clay's each year. I do some sporting clays, some wobble-trap, but mostly a combination of hand thrower and a pair of mechanical throwers.
Scuta, for just starting out, I'd get a hand thrower. My brother-in-law and I both have mechanical throwers yet every time we shoot we always grab the hand thrower to add some different looks to our shooting. Another nice trick is to put a quick clip on the pull lanyard and hook that clip to your shoestrings and have the ammo, box of clays and a gun case. Doing this allows you to set your gun down, pull back the thrower, drop a clay or two on it. Reload your gun, then "pull" to yourself by simply sliding your foot rearward a few inches. When I did this, it was pretty much the only way. I figured it'd be hard on the equipment, but 10 years later it's still going strong - and it was cheap stuff to start with...
For regulation skeet (esp. starting out) use either a 12ga or a 20ga. 1oz #9 and a cylinder or IC choke ("skeet" chokeing is actualy inbetween those 2). 28 and especialy 410 is more difficult to score well with.
A field stocked gun works well for begining skeet (trap guns shoot high because the birds are shot on the rise, field and skeet guns shoot flat, clays guns shoot low because most birds are falling when shot)
IMHO it is easier, for a begineer, to shoot mid level scores at trap, but they will go master skeet sooner. Skeet targets always fly the same path, you just need to learn the swing and timing of them. Clays is the most like field shooting, but is probably some of the most furstrating (and fun) shotgun sport around.
Some guys like a mag full of lead, I still prefer one round to the head.
Clays is the most like field shooting, but is probably some of the most furstrating (and fun) shotgun sport around.
Except maybe sporting clays...
When I said clays, that was/is my personal shorthand for Sporting Clays. In my checkered past, I've done SC course layout/setup along with having run a couple of SC leagues.
BTW The easiest way to get experanced SC shooters to miss is to give them a loonnngggg look at the target, they will start thinking about the shot and talk themselves into a miss. Give the same shooter a quick glimpse of the bird and they'll smoke it. (A mind is a terrable thing to waste on a shotgunner)
Scuta
I failed to address your question, sorry. Either a hand trap or a simple launcher for the boys. Stay with light loads as your going to be putting a fair number of shells thru the gun in a single session (no sense in beating up there shoulders). Standard field grade shotguns are all you need, and will even work well up to the intermeadiate levels of the regulation games should you decide to try them.
Some guys like a mag full of lead, I still prefer one round to the head.
Be careful with the auto throwers around the kids, those spring loaded arms are strong and they can whack you real good if you get in the way!!!
My kids love to go out on a warm afternoon and shoot up a couple cases of the clay birds!
LIFES MOSTLY SCARS AND SOUVENIRS - Max Stalling
To Ride, shoot straight,and speak the truth
This was the Ancient law of Youth
Old times are past, old times are done:
But the Law runs true, O little son!
The Snob thing has more to do with the person looking from the outside in....than the other way around. Most times observers don't understand, thinking a high dollar gun is what made this person good.
Shotgunning has been called the "sport of kings" because it is expensive to be competitive. Specialty guns are a small part of the cost, good shooting is nothing more than putting vast quantities of lead down the barrel repeatedly.
To be competitive, be prepared to shoot 40,000-60,000 rounds a year....average about 5-6 rounds per day at a cost of about $40 per day for shells and targets....that's about $15,000 a year. That's what a couple of shooters I know spend. A $10,000 shotgun is pretty cheap compared to what goes down the barrel.
=
People go to the speciality guns to break that extra clay or two in a hundred. It does make a differance.
"If you ain't got pictures, I wasn't there."
Margaret Thatcher
"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
Mark Twain
which thrower are you considering?If it's the yellow one,don't overtighten the spring or you will break every bird.Just take up the slack and stop there. Trust me.
Some Wallys carry the larger do-alls that you sit on,those are more powerful....and take more strength to cock.
I like my Trius foot traap.zero cocking effort as your foot does all the work and it allows me to go shoot by myself if need be.If placed on hardtop it's easy to change the flight path by moving the tail of the machine with your foot.
Thos red plastic throwers work much better in warm wether then cold,IMHO.
Have you and your sons visited a real trap range.? I was stunned the first time I went...those suckers MOVE compared to home-grown throwers.
If you decede to get a thrower get LOTS of birds and shells. Again....trust me.
Throckmortons' the alias,cas is the game.
Tailgunner gave you some good words on the sports. There are some books out there which will get you aquainted with the differences in the sports and the basics of shooting them, along with differences in the guns. If you don't like bruises, light loads are the answer.
My heros have always killed cowboys.
DAVEW, I always considered the 3200 TO BE the snob gun!
You can get into all these games fairly reasonable until the very upper levels. But you do need a serviceable, well fitting gun. I shot a standard 1100 for many years for skeet, international skeet, international trap, and American trap. And was quite successful. Shot about 400 birds per day 5 days per week back then. Then moved to a base model Winchester 101 skeet and 101 trap, until the hinge was replaced twice from 20 years of use. Although there were MANY more expensive weapons I never lost a match due to the gun.
With all the new screw in chokes a reasonable priced 1100 or 686 bretta sporting clays gun can be used for all the games. Different gages do require a set of inserts or a 3 barrel set.
I've never had the money to buy all the guns I wanted (who does) and I had to save for three years for my SKB505 set. But as stated, I worked hard to get them, and there WAS satisfaction in beating most of the high price guns.
As in any sport, it depends on the level you wish to compete. I'm just starting Bullseye/PPC and a few pistol sports, and I'm stunned by the cost of a custom pistol. (I'll have to learn to gunsmith my own 1911's to keep up with the high priced custom guns)
Practice is the key. There are many clubs that are inexpensive.
When shooting skeet, when you are standing by the house on the right.
Make sure to watch the clays, even when you are not shooting.
Many times the bird coming out of the other house will not be "dusted"
and chunks can (and will) hit you. Sometimes in a VERY tinder spot. [:0]
Speaking from experience here. [xx(]
The gene pool needs chlorine.
SCUTA...Or any one else getting the young ones out there for the first time. armusa-performance.com sells a great high speed/low recoil trap load. My boy's love 'em, but don't have that bruise to show off at school anymore!
R/
Dave
How different the world would be if we could consult the veteran instead of the politician. - Henry Miller
Geeguy- You probably paid just as much for your standard 1100 as I paid for my 3200, my gundealer new I was considering an O/U but hadn't picked one out yet, This one came in, he called me, and I walked out with it for $700.00, and it's in 98% condition I'd say. I own plenty of handguns that cost as much or more than that so I wouldn't consider myself a snob, just a bargain shopper.
R/
Dave
How different the world would be if we could consult the veteran instead of the politician. - Henry Miller