so, when I was a minor 10 years ago I was a member at a trap club (Iagoo in Thorold) and shot trap competitively for a couple years. fast forward 10 years and now have a decent shotgun up and running a Beretta 391 gold sporting. I know how to shoot trap but know absolutely nothing about skeet and sporting clays. What shot size, choke etc. I am joining my local Fish and Game club this weekend and will shoot my first sporting clays round. How bad should I expect to be?? Any help is greatly appreciated, I am really stoked about getting back into breaking clay. I can remember my first 25/25 in trap, it was pretty cool at 16 years old.
sporting clays/skeet
- Thread starter coyote1664
- Start date
I ues #8's or #9's for skeet but find I enjoy shooting them more with a 20 ga. lately. #8's in 12 ga. for the few times I have shot Sporting Clays. I am not a great skeet shooter but do ok. I used to think I was a pretty good wing shooter until I shot Sporting Clays. Very humbling experience, but really fun.
Most people use #9 and Skeet choke for Skeet. Sporting can be a bit daunting for the beginner. While Trap and Skeet are shot at known distances and target speed is constant, Sporting layouts are never the same. Also target speed and distance varies from stand to stand. To make things even more interesting there are different size targets to contend with. Starting off it's best to keep things simple. Screw in your improved cylinder choke and use #9 for Skeet and #8 for Sporting. As in any sport there are a lot of shooting aides out there that you may want to acquire eventually. For now just shoot and shoot and shoot...you get the picture.
I use a sxs for skeet and sporting clays or a pump. I shoot for fun not scores but I'm not bad. I use #8 with a full or mod choke. Ic or skeet will help but I like a challenge. Lead will be your biggest problem. Try to watch the birds flight lines before its your turn. Even though they are close to you you may need a 4' lead on them depending on the angles. Follow thru is important to keep you consistent
I used to think I was a pretty good wing shooter until I shot Sporting Clays. Very humbling experience, but really fun.
Lol I remember the look on your face after a few stations. Its ok ducks are a lot bigger target. That's what I tell myself anyway. We need to go out again soon
Lol I remember the look on your face after a few stations. Its ok ducks are a lot bigger target. That's what I tell myself anyway. We need to go out again soon
Where did you shoot? If it was at Galt the targets are very tough. Probably the toughest in the province.
FOR SPORTING , I always go out with MOD. when I see the target (the shooter a head of me ) or you can ask to see one, then, I make a decision to shoot with MOD or if its to far I put in FULL , it's in close I use IC or really close SKEET ,you can also use differant shells if it's coming at you use 7 1/2 for you first shot and #9 for your second shot or vice-verca , Your score is very respectable and you will get better BUT with sporting clays you will have bad days, try to shoot whitout moving your feet just move your hips, like a robot,,, and follow through
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if I had to use one choke for sporting clay it would likely be IC. this depends on the course Our sporting clay is more "hunters clay" most targets in side 40 yards. Gault is a course set up fo very advaced shooters and there are long targets, that are fulll choke for sure. I shot trap for years then started skeet and finally sporting clay. Sporting clay is my passion. If your a hunter with your shotgun you will love it
I checked out their site (galt) it says sporting clays on sundays but had no events listed? Does that mean its open every sunday and just no special events or do I have to wait till something is posted before I can try it out? Not being from the area would I be allowed to show up some sunday and shoot a round of clays?
Yes it is open every Sunday. Non-members can shoot however they are supposed to be accompanied by a member.
beretta boy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Orillia, Ontario
Your first effort at 66% wasn't to bad at all ! I'd be tempted to stick with the same choke/shot size combo ... and expend your efforts in the sporting clays "learning curve" by improving on your mechanics, (especially consistant gun mounting if you're shooting "gun down" ) learning to better read the targets,( for line, speed, & variatiuon... are they dropping or rising, crossing or quartering, fading from one side to the other, etc.) establishing more effective "hold points" to allow you to get on target more efficiently and smoothing-out your swing. At first the targets may seem incredibly fast (just like a High 2 Skeet target does to a right-hander) but in reality, most are quite hittable once you learn a bit of technique to do so.
Just like 1H, 2H, 6L and both 8's in Skeet, quite a few sporting presentations are more akin to "learned" shots than simply the techniques most often encountered in field shooting. Incoming droppers, springing teal, rabbits, battues/chondelles and various high tower targets can give first-timers (and many experianced shooters) the fits until they "learn how". Once you've developed sound mechanics and a repetoir of target types and presentations, scores will improve. Station-to-Station and week-to-week with frequent course changes, and from Club to Club, sporting targets vary considerably, and are far from the more defined target lines of standard Trap and Skeet layouts.
Don't get discouraged, don't be afraind to try & adapt to new techniques if your not getting results, and by all means, shoot lots. Initially, a round of 50 will highlight some problems, but rounds of 100 will at least let you work a little more on these problem target presentations. ( For example, 2 hits on a Station of only 4 shots doesn't really let you learn much [and even less for a single hit or " straight gooseggs"], but the ability to try 10 shots on the same station will at least confirm where and when you need to adapt. Once you're averaging 7's and 8's on each station, you'll be well on your way.)
Good shooting ... the fun seems to happen by itself !
all the stations at the club I joined are 10 shots. I found the hardest birds to hit was on the 3rd station, 1st bird was left to right going away and pretty high up (easy one) and the second was low and fast moving away from right to left, just found it hard to pick up the second bird quickly as it was moving at a pretty good pace. and on the last station,go figure, my firing pin froze up with 8 shots left, smoked the first two and missed the next 8 with my buddies browning o/u, having never shot it, i did not like the feel of it and I believe that is why I missed, I think if my beretta did not malfunction i could have shot a 40.
beretta boy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Orillia, Ontario
Sounds like your Club has a 5 station set-up ... if every station is 10 shots.
Many target setters will do just what you describe for your difficulties on Station 3,
i.e., a pair with the first bird "putting you to sleep" with a "screamer" for the second
shot ! Is this a true pair (both birds in the air at once) a following pair ( one launced right after the other, before the first is shot) or a report pair ( second bird launced on the report of the first shot) ? If a true pair, did anyone try the "hard bird" first. If a following or report pair, a lot has to do with getting your muzzle back smoothly and efficiently to a good hold point that will allow you to get in front and stay in front of the second bird. All too often this second shot becomes overly hurried with a jerky swing or the bird is never caught-up-to, causing a miss behind. Just the niceties of the game ! If what your doing for the second shot isn't working, try a different approach. Sometimes watching a good shooter to see how they set-up for that particular station and how they go about breaking the bird - and where - can tip you off to a better method.
Keep at it, you'll get it !
Many target setters will do just what you describe for your difficulties on Station 3,
i.e., a pair with the first bird "putting you to sleep" with a "screamer" for the second
shot ! Is this a true pair (both birds in the air at once) a following pair ( one launced right after the other, before the first is shot) or a report pair ( second bird launced on the report of the first shot) ? If a true pair, did anyone try the "hard bird" first. If a following or report pair, a lot has to do with getting your muzzle back smoothly and efficiently to a good hold point that will allow you to get in front and stay in front of the second bird. All too often this second shot becomes overly hurried with a jerky swing or the bird is never caught-up-to, causing a miss behind. Just the niceties of the game ! If what your doing for the second shot isn't working, try a different approach. Sometimes watching a good shooter to see how they set-up for that particular station and how they go about breaking the bird - and where - can tip you off to a better method.
Keep at it, you'll get it !
