Electronic skeet thrower
- Thread starter EliteIndustrial
- Start date
What is it going to be used for, casual shooting on the odd weekend or steady club use? Prices will vary greatly from under $1000 to $5000+ depending on the model. More info would be a big help.
To start with, you probably want a cheap personal target thrower, rather than a skeet machine. Unless you are building an actual skeet field, you won't be shooting skeet, and you won't want to pay the cost to buy skeet machines.The cheap target throwers that many people use in a field start at $400-$500. Some have electric remotes, so you can start to one side and throw broadside targets. Adding a wobble feature so every target isn't exactly the same adds $200 or so. Actual skeet machines start at around $5000, and are built much more heavy duty, and throw targets farther and faster than most cheap throwers. And you need two skeet machines to shoot skeet, for a cost of over $10,000 in machines alone, never mind the other costs involved to build a skeet field.
I did the math for someone, and adding up the cost of a thrower, and targets, it was actually cheaper for him to purchase a membership, and shoot skeet with us. Our membership was $150, so the cost of a thrower and wobble feature was $750, or five years of memberships. As well, at $7 per round, he would be paying less than buying his own targets, at local prices. And of course there is no comparison between shooting actual skeet, vs standing behind his own thrower, and shooting targets that are all going away at similar angles, and only changing trajectory. While it may seem like a challenge initially, as your skills increase after a couple of thousand targets , the challenge disappears , and the novelty wears off.
Redneck Hippy
Regular
I agree 100%.
You have to do the math.
Closest skeet field to me is $850/year.
I will still likely get a membership this year.
That is expensive, even our sporting clays membership includes 1000 targets for $650.
I've only been around here a few years, but I have noticed that as sure fire as a bear defense thread, if someone goes asking about a clay thrower you are going to get a bunch of know-betters talking instead about how superior their decision was to join a club.
I've got nothing against clubs. I shoot at our club. It's fine.
But there is a world of difference between shooting at the club and taking your own thrower out and shooting with your buddies.
They are entirely different experiences, and scratch entirely different itches. It's like the girl you'd date in college versus the one you'd bring home and introduce to your mom.
At the club you are going to follow rules. Things are going to be orderly. There are often requirements about which gun you can use. You are going to go at a certain time and certain speed. The entire experience has a different tone and feel to it. It's all proper, like church on a sunday morning.
Shooting with your buddies and your own thrower, on the other hand, is like the party the night before. It's every man for himself. You'll shoot whatever the hell you want to shoot. Someones got a bbq going. who brought those fizzy pops?! There's music playing. Stories are being told, laughter is happening.
Are the targets higher and faster at the club? Probably. But you can't pretend that's the only difference. They are entirely different experiences, and sometimes you need one, sometimes you need the other.
This OP is looking for a thrower, not a lecture on how his decision sucks.
I've got nothing against clubs. I shoot at our club. It's fine.
But there is a world of difference between shooting at the club and taking your own thrower out and shooting with your buddies.
They are entirely different experiences, and scratch entirely different itches. It's like the girl you'd date in college versus the one you'd bring home and introduce to your mom.
At the club you are going to follow rules. Things are going to be orderly. There are often requirements about which gun you can use. You are going to go at a certain time and certain speed. The entire experience has a different tone and feel to it. It's all proper, like church on a sunday morning.
Shooting with your buddies and your own thrower, on the other hand, is like the party the night before. It's every man for himself. You'll shoot whatever the hell you want to shoot. Someones got a bbq going. who brought those fizzy pops?! There's music playing. Stories are being told, laughter is happening.
Are the targets higher and faster at the club? Probably. But you can't pretend that's the only difference. They are entirely different experiences, and sometimes you need one, sometimes you need the other.
This OP is looking for a thrower, not a lecture on how his decision sucks.
I bought atlas machines for my skeet club. They've been flawless and much better than the promatics we replaced.
Not sure if they make a lower grade still but im pretty sure they did. I bought the actual club level skeet pair.
I cant thinknif the brand right now but they offer a tow behind system that can take 3 throwers. I think that'd be alot of fun.
If buying for personal farm use look for one woth a wireless remote which will allow you more freedom in how you use it and at what ranges its used. Its nice to be able to shoot incomers
Another thing to consider is capacity. Ones with 25 target limits get tiring fast. Ones that hold 100 or more are better. Or im just getting old
As for actual brands and models I cant say as I cant recall the brands my buddies use.
Lawry shooting sports sells machines. They maybe able to help you figure out what could be best for your needs. They're great to deal with.
Not sure if they make a lower grade still but im pretty sure they did. I bought the actual club level skeet pair.
I cant thinknif the brand right now but they offer a tow behind system that can take 3 throwers. I think that'd be alot of fun.
If buying for personal farm use look for one woth a wireless remote which will allow you more freedom in how you use it and at what ranges its used. Its nice to be able to shoot incomers
Another thing to consider is capacity. Ones with 25 target limits get tiring fast. Ones that hold 100 or more are better. Or im just getting old
As for actual brands and models I cant say as I cant recall the brands my buddies use.
Lawry shooting sports sells machines. They maybe able to help you figure out what could be best for your needs. They're great to deal with.
Pointing out the financial aspects of joining a club vs buying a personal thrower, is not giving a lecture, it is simply pointing out facts that some people may not have considered. And when I pointed out the costs of each, tbe person was actually surprised, that he could shoot at a club for less cost. As far as the reasons for wanting your own thrower goes, some people do not live anywhere near a skeet field, so yes it makes sense to buy a thrower. Some people want to start out on their own, where they can go at their own pace, and not have to follow a schedule. Some people get embarrassed if they don't do well, so they avoid crowds. Some people are just out to blow off steam, they don't care about shooting challenging targets, or if their shooting improves or not. And yes, being able to drink alcohol while shooting isn't smart, but it is a reason why some people want to shoot on their own, or with friends. So by all means, choose a club, or choose to purchase your own thrower, and get out and shoot, for whatever reason you choose.
Licensed to kill
CGN Regular
- Location
- Peace Country Alberta
I started with a Tryus (just like most guys) thst I bought off eBay for $10. Works well for occasional clay plinking but requires an operator. I then bought a champion wheelybird off kijiji for $200. Works fine but will kill the last couple birds so hsve to reload the thrower before farting to the last two birds. Added a wobble box and have had a lot of fun with that. A year ago, I bought a superstar off ####### and thst thing is awesome. It’s the same thrower our club uses in the skeet towers except mine runs on electric where the club ones are hydraulic over electric. Fortunately for me, I bought a skid of clays when they were $13CAD box so im good in that regard. The superstar has back and forth and/or up and down so I can set it up to throw whatever I want. As far as recommendations go, the eheelybird has been a decent machine especially for the price. I took mine off the wheels and mounted it to a pallet. Slid it into the box of the sxs and go wherever I want to shoot. Have a plug wired to the sxs battery so I can just plug the thrower in to the sxs.
This was more my point to be honest. All my best memories on all my hobbies have never been in a super structured setting. It’s always the random last minute call “bring your gun lets hit some skeet of the back 40!!” Im just looking to upgrade that experience to something thats not a repetitive spring thrower, or having to have one buddy miss the fun and throw with a manual thrower. I was looking at the MEC throwers but i am unsure of which one would fit my liking most. I do know however that the wobble option is a must in my opinion
The wooble makes for lots of laughs. Workhorse with the wooble add on worth every penny. Structured trap and skeet can get repeatative sporting clays not so much if they mix up the coarse once in a while. Booze is good after the guns are put away but doesn't mix with firearms.
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Just to clarify one thing, you aren't shooting skeet in the back 40, skeet is a specific game, involving two machines, and eight shooting positions. And the clay targets are not skeets, just like the rubber disc used in the game of hockey is not a hockey.
Wow you’re one of those helpfully unhelpful people. Thank you for informing me and providing nothing helpful to my original question. I hope you feel better about yourself
You originally asked for a skeet thrower, but since you aren't going to be shooting skeet, that isn't what you want at all. And since your question doesn't pertain to skeet, trap or sporting clays, it really doesn't even belong i tbe skeet/trap/sporting clays forum.
Licensed to kill
CGN Regular
- Location
- Peace Country Alberta
Most people here are adept enough with English language to understand what the OP meant.
Yet the OP wasn't adept enough with the English language to say what he meant. And now he is all testy because he didn't like being informed of the proper terminology.
You must be fun at parties. This is why clubs and forums get a bad name. Instead of being helpful you turn people off having discussions. Next time you think you should respond don’t. Your making yourself look like a fool.
