wow this is so much easier then shooting pigeons at the farm i used to live by. great fun i'll deffinatly be goin again. i was using my bakail sxs and my shoulder is really beat up after 5 rounds of trap i'll deffinatly be getting a decent recoil pad aqnd will be putting it on tomorrow. i really don't know how i lived without this hobby before. i'll be trying sporting clays on thursday i cant wait!!!
First Time Trap Shooting
- Thread starter Hawkeye
- Start date
sledman8002002
CGN Regular
- Location
- Hastings Highlands, Ont. 613 area
The bug has bitten another! Right on Hawkeye, good shooting to you!
- Location
- Ottawa origanally Muskoka
I actually placed 3rd last Sunday @ Capitol city Trap & skeet competition. I had only just begun shooting but was very pleasantly surprised. I know about beat up shoulder! I have a Rem870 with a rather hard recoil pad and an old collarbone injury! Not cool. Looking to put a softer pad on and maybe a padded vest.
my sxs doesn't ahve any recoul pad its a hard plastic butt plate and due to a previous job i have quite a but of meat on my upper body so bones arnt affected at all. i haven't had a range mebership in years due to having a farm with pigeons and gophers to shot at and my range has been very disapointing for big bore rifles its bench rest only and only 200 yards but now i'm very happy to be goin bustin clays way is too much fun
ps what chokes do you experianced folks use for the clay breaking sports? my sxs is full and modified with modified being the front trigger and full being the back this set up worked well on live pigeons as my fist shot at one would usaly be closer then the second shot but how would this work on sproting clays report doubles
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for me i was out with my 20 ga bolt action mossberg with poly choke and i hit good with a full choke and that was my first time out then got myself a winchester 2400 and has a improved cyl. and didnt do as good ordered a full winchoke just waiting now on if it dont come i will probably get a friend to go to walmart and pick one up for me state side.
hey Hawkeye your chokes will vary in Sporting clays, but for the most part IC and LM will work for you or if you want to open up a bit IC and C. I have been shooting Clays here in Alberta for little over three years and just love it, If you do get into it seriously think about reloading you'll save your self a ton of cash.
Hey also you might want to think of getting an auto or an O/U not to many S/S used in the sport guys that I have seen use them say their finger gets pretty raw at a shoot good luck hope you find the passion in these games as I have
Glad to hear you've fallen for this, I am a recent addict as well.
I personally shoot an 870 pump with a modified choke, on a skeet range.
What I have found, is a general rule of thumb is people shoot with Cylinder, or Improved Cylinder, and a #8 or #9 shot. Gives you a super wide pattern, with tonnes of shot to hit the target. The tightest most go is Skeet choke, but I do see the odd O/U shooter with an Improved Cylinder and Full choke.
I personally enjoy the challenge of shooting Modified on the lowest number allowed at my range, #7.5 shot at 1oz load. I do this for 3 reasons...
1. I like letting the clay get way out there, and shooting under it. Good challenge, and requires a lot of calculation.
2. When the target is close to medium range, a direct hit OBLITERATES it! I love watching the clay turn is dust in the air, that's when I know i hit it smack on. Cylinder and Improved cylinder shooters get that effect, but mine feels like it is epic!
3. #7.5 has less pellets at the same weight load #8 & #9, so it poses for more of a challenge. When you do decide to open up your choke, and drop your shot size, you'll find it is easier to hit the targets. Kind of like running laps with training weights on. Take em off after training, and you'll soar for the competition. Simply because with the tighter choke and less pellets, you're forced to be a lot more accurate, and in the competitions all you need is for the clay to deflect. However, some will say to shoot with the same setup that you practice with, for consistency's sake and whatnot.
All that, and on top of it, my shotgun came with the modified choke and I've been busting them since day 1, so why not.
Oh and about busted up shoulders... I have a light weight 300winmag rifle that i shoot off, before blowing through 100+ clays, and I feel like tenderized meat for 3 days after =D Limb savers, yeah, they do the body good. Cant imagine how that plastic butt plate feels.
Anyways, welcome to the dark side. May the Clay Busting Force, be with you...
I personally shoot an 870 pump with a modified choke, on a skeet range.
What I have found, is a general rule of thumb is people shoot with Cylinder, or Improved Cylinder, and a #8 or #9 shot. Gives you a super wide pattern, with tonnes of shot to hit the target. The tightest most go is Skeet choke, but I do see the odd O/U shooter with an Improved Cylinder and Full choke.
I personally enjoy the challenge of shooting Modified on the lowest number allowed at my range, #7.5 shot at 1oz load. I do this for 3 reasons...
1. I like letting the clay get way out there, and shooting under it. Good challenge, and requires a lot of calculation.
2. When the target is close to medium range, a direct hit OBLITERATES it! I love watching the clay turn is dust in the air, that's when I know i hit it smack on. Cylinder and Improved cylinder shooters get that effect, but mine feels like it is epic!
3. #7.5 has less pellets at the same weight load #8 & #9, so it poses for more of a challenge. When you do decide to open up your choke, and drop your shot size, you'll find it is easier to hit the targets. Kind of like running laps with training weights on. Take em off after training, and you'll soar for the competition. Simply because with the tighter choke and less pellets, you're forced to be a lot more accurate, and in the competitions all you need is for the clay to deflect. However, some will say to shoot with the same setup that you practice with, for consistency's sake and whatnot.
All that, and on top of it, my shotgun came with the modified choke and I've been busting them since day 1, so why not.
Oh and about busted up shoulders... I have a light weight 300winmag rifle that i shoot off, before blowing through 100+ clays, and I feel like tenderized meat for 3 days after =D Limb savers, yeah, they do the body good. Cant imagine how that plastic butt plate feels.
Anyways, welcome to the dark side. May the Clay Busting Force, be with you...
He's talking about trap and sporting clay, you're talking about skeet, it totally different except you are still shooting at a flying clay.
Generally, trap is shot with full choke.
Sporting clay varies depending on the course. Some you can get by most of the course with a IC, but others demands M/IM. Just look at each station and decide how you want to shoot it.
Generally, trap is shot with full choke.
Sporting clay varies depending on the course. Some you can get by most of the course with a IC, but others demands M/IM. Just look at each station and decide how you want to shoot it.
Ahsan Ahmed
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Out of curiosity, what are you shooting with that Mod choke? Trap or Skeet? What kind of calculations do you do in the process?
To the OP.....
The SxS isn't generally the regular/appropriate tool for busting clays although one may find that being used on occasions even in international level shoots. Here's an example - although personally, I would much rather prefer such "rails" on iron bridges rather than on top of a pair of steel barrels.
Nevertheless, one could still have fun with a SxS configuration....for Trap, may I suggest the use of tighter chokes (assuming you have screw-ins?) IM preferably or Full whichever patterns the best in that shotgun.
For SC, it varies, however, you may wish to go with a combo of IC/Mod if those are all you may have got at this time. Depending on how your SC course is laid out, here is a chart that may offer a quick, high level reference in terms of choke selection......
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i'm using my sxs for 2 reasons 1 i really like being unique and sxs's 2 my pump with a poly choke is stored in my safe at my folks house about 1500 km from me. my chokes are fixed so i am stock with them for now. i know my set up would work well for double where both clays are launched at the same time in trap for the same reason they work well on live pigeons witgh the first shot being closer but i've never even seen report doubles or the sporting clays range here am i goin to be really handicapped with my full and modified chokes or will i get by? and yeah a limb saver is goin on today i'm not putting myself through that again
Ahsan Ahmed
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Shooting tighter chokes only during an end-to-end SC session will be a challenge.
However, with sufficient practise (provided that shotgun patterns really well with the loads used) one could gradually improve on the number of hits.
This actually reminds me about a shriveled old guide we employed....he used an old external hammer, 30in bbl'd Manton choked F/F that my GrandPa gave him. That old bugger was a wizard with that SxS and could drop a partiridge or duck that had the misfortune to venture at a range of 40 yards at any angle. He would usually wait for a bird to get out far once the other guns had already taken a crack at it and missed. Come to think of it, I had never seen him miss a bird - it was a matter of plain experience and practise.
However, with sufficient practise (provided that shotgun patterns really well with the loads used) one could gradually improve on the number of hits.
This actually reminds me about a shriveled old guide we employed....he used an old external hammer, 30in bbl'd Manton choked F/F that my GrandPa gave him. That old bugger was a wizard with that SxS and could drop a partiridge or duck that had the misfortune to venture at a range of 40 yards at any angle. He would usually wait for a bird to get out far once the other guns had already taken a crack at it and missed. Come to think of it, I had never seen him miss a bird - it was a matter of plain experience and practise.
- Location
- Ottawa origanally Muskoka
In general trap is shot with a full or mod choke and a 28-30" barrel.
Skeet is usually shot with a skeet choke or a cyl, imp cyl and from a barrel of 24-26".
Sporting clays will depend on what the individual setup dictates. Going with a middle of the road 26" barrel and a mod choke would be a safe bet.
A short barrel will ease effort to overcome the inertia of a fast swing as in skeet. By the same tolken the added weight of a long barrel will steady the swing and favors a more accurate point for longer range. Because sporting clays is a mixture of both fast crossing targets and fast fleeing (long range) targets and middle of the road barrel is best.
With regards to chokes and shot, a fast crossing target will have a better chance of breaking with a minimally choked barrel. And a dense #8-9 shot.
While a longer shot will fare with a tighter choke and heavier shot to maintain kinetic energy at yardage (mod/full,#7 1/2-8)
My guess is that your sxs would be best suited to a game of trap or sporting clays. Unless you have a coach gun in which case its best suited for home defense, possibly skeet with a choke boring job.
Skeet is usually shot with a skeet choke or a cyl, imp cyl and from a barrel of 24-26".
Sporting clays will depend on what the individual setup dictates. Going with a middle of the road 26" barrel and a mod choke would be a safe bet.
A short barrel will ease effort to overcome the inertia of a fast swing as in skeet. By the same tolken the added weight of a long barrel will steady the swing and favors a more accurate point for longer range. Because sporting clays is a mixture of both fast crossing targets and fast fleeing (long range) targets and middle of the road barrel is best.
With regards to chokes and shot, a fast crossing target will have a better chance of breaking with a minimally choked barrel. And a dense #8-9 shot.
While a longer shot will fare with a tighter choke and heavier shot to maintain kinetic energy at yardage (mod/full,#7 1/2-8)
My guess is that your sxs would be best suited to a game of trap or sporting clays. Unless you have a coach gun in which case its best suited for home defense, possibly skeet with a choke boring job.
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- Location
- Ft. Mac. Alberta
Hawkeye, you Baikal is a field gun, and the set up of the barrels is typical of SXS shotgun = the right hand /front trigger being the more open choke.
The gun will be fine for trap , but you may want to ge the stock cut anda recoil pad installed if you are going to continue using it ooften.
I shoot SXS guns at trap with no problem, and unless I am going to start competing again, will likely shoot them far more than my trap guns, simply because it's so much fun!
If you are going to shoot skeet with that gun, on your singles , use the modified barrel, and on the doubles, shoot your "away" bird with the full choke first, then shoot the "incomer" with your modified.
Most field guns re either F/M chokes or IC/M chokes, depending if the gun was built for waterfowl or upland hunting.
I'm sure a person could do quite well ( and I know several that do) with ic/mod chokes on a sporting clays course, or even full/mod chokes.
After all, the whole idea is to have fun, and unless you are going to seriously compete, that SXS will be fine.....
Cat
The gun will be fine for trap , but you may want to ge the stock cut anda recoil pad installed if you are going to continue using it ooften.
I shoot SXS guns at trap with no problem, and unless I am going to start competing again, will likely shoot them far more than my trap guns, simply because it's so much fun!
If you are going to shoot skeet with that gun, on your singles , use the modified barrel, and on the doubles, shoot your "away" bird with the full choke first, then shoot the "incomer" with your modified.
Most field guns re either F/M chokes or IC/M chokes, depending if the gun was built for waterfowl or upland hunting.
I'm sure a person could do quite well ( and I know several that do) with ic/mod chokes on a sporting clays course, or even full/mod chokes.
After all, the whole idea is to have fun, and unless you are going to seriously compete, that SXS will be fine.....
Cat
My range calls them "Trap 1" and "Trap 2" so I'm assuming it is trap shooting. 5 Stalls, all side by side, with a few different launch angles.
By calculating, I mean: When a target is dropping, the farther it gets away, the faster it drops, means you need to aim lower and lower as time passes. The lead increases, as it "escapes." I dont use formulas, just an accurate eyeball =)
- Location
- Ft. Mac. Alberta
The key is to shoot the bird in the same rhythm pattern all the time, so that you hit the bird at its apex or just before.
Once the bird is falling it is very difficult for your subconscious to calculate the exact drop and lead you need.
Sooooo, call for the bird and swing on it, squeezing when your gun barrel passes in front , and keep swinging at the same speed .
Simple - NOT easy sometimes, but simple......
Cat
Hrm, I actually found it too easy to just shoot it early, hence letting it go out for fun. I'm pretty confident that I can hit 9/10 on the early side, if not all of them.
But yes, you are correct in this.
The key is to shoot the bird in the same rhythm pattern all the time, so that you hit the bird at its apex or just before.
Once the bird is falling it is very difficult for your subconscious to calculate the exact drop and lead you need.
Sooooo, call for the bird and swing on it, squeezing when your gun barrel passes in front , and keep swinging at the same speed .
Simple - NOT easy sometimes, but simple......
Cat
But yes, you are correct in this.
