Hello everyone.I was treated to my birthday surprise today, which was a lesson in shooting clay pigeons.I really enjoyed it, it was the first time that I'd shot a gun properly, or handled one at all.Always wanting to know if I carry the family trait on, I don't think Im actually that bad. Certainly hit more than I missed!Now, time permitting, I am playing with the idea of taking it up as a hobby, nothing else at this stage other than shooting some clays on a free (!) afternoon etc.But, I am as green as green gets, although lots of questions were answered by my instructor today, so I thought I'd ask the knowledgeable ones on here.So, does anyone care to give me an idiots guide to clay pigeon shooting? Used to do a bit when younger. It's an expensive hobby, but fun none the less. About a dozen of us get together once a month to bust clays. I'm just getting back into shotgun shooting after 35yrs, last month managed to find an old, cheap, SxS I could hit a barn door with so managed to hit some. One of the guys is an instructor and told me I was coming onto the bird beautifully then stopping as I pulled the trigger, I know this has arisen from my days competition shooting rifle when I used to practice a drill for hours of keeping everything else absolutely still except my trigger finger, so back to the drawing board drilling to pull the trigger and keep the gun moving.Barrel length and chokes are something I want to look into, not sure what the choke is on the gun I'm using just now ( guessing 1/2 & 3/4) but it has a barrel length of 30' which is longer than I've used in the past.
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If I do take up clays seriously I'll invest in a decent OU with changeable chokes etc. And have it fitted. About a dozen of us get together once a month to bust clays. I'm just getting back into shotgun shooting after 35yrs, last month managed to find an old, cheap, SxS I could hit a barn door with so managed to hit some. One of the guys is an instructor and told me I was coming onto the bird beautifully then stopping as I pulled the trigger, I know this has arisen from my days competition shooting rifle when I used to practice a drill for hours of keeping everything else absolutely still except my trigger finger, so back to the drawing board drilling to pull the trigger and keep the gun moving.Barrel length and chokes are something I want to look into, not sure what the choke is on the gun I'm using just now ( guessing 1/2 & 3/4) but it has a barrel length of 30' which is longer than I've used in the past. If I do take up clays seriously I'll invest in a decent OU with changeable chokes etc. And have it fitted.
I'm not yet good enough to be able to tell, though I did notice a couple of the serious clay shooters change guns or chokes depending on the discipline.I borrowed guns the first couple of times and couldn't hit a bull in the arse with a shovel, one of them was actually taking lumps out of my index finger. Called in to the shop for something else and had a lift of 3 v.cheap guns he had in stock and this one just felt right (feels very similar to dad's Dickson) and is in superb nick for its age/price and I can (when I keep the gun moving ) powder the clays with it, so now its just a case of putting some shot through it until it becomes instinctive, which is the used I used shotguns before match riflery messed it all up. I'd generally agree that if you're on it, you're on it especially with game except maybe geese. The reason I got the cheap gun is so I can go rough shooting to train my Springer pup as there's no way I'd take the Dickson out unless it was to a driven day which isn't likely to happen any time soon. Have been thinking of getting a second set of barrels (28' 1/4 & 1/2) made for the cheapo gun but my guess is more than the thing is worth. Shoot a fair lot of clays even though I'm never going to be particularly good at it, but it's always enjoyable I find. We run a shoot in the summer evenings, skeet range an compak sporting.
Doing a 100 bird sporting next Sunday. Main thing when you start is not to buy an expensive gun, buy from where you can try it first and ask advice as to gun fit etc, have you got a friend who could help you with this?
It's easy for a novice to be sold the wrong one. Then have a few lessons if you can afford it. Then it's just practice, there are probably gun clubs or small shoots near to you, most clay busters are helpful and friendly types who will be free with plenty of advice!PS The majority of shooters prefer over and under rather than siide by sides for clays, get a multichoke as if not you may regret it in future.
I shoot sporting clays 90% of the time now. Last year I went through a little over 9000 shells. That said I love trap and shot it for years.
At heart, I am a trap shooter but there are NO trap shooting ranges that don’t require a 2.5 hour drive each way where I live now. I make that trip every so often but time is always a problem. So I am stuck with sporting clays and 5 stand.not a bad thing but I do miss my trap fix.
I am also a big fan of high rib guns, not the railroad trestle type but something within reason, if you know what I mean.So to the question. Nothing wrong with using a trap style gun for sporting clays as long as it can be adjusted to shoot 60/40 or lower. I shoot a higher rib Perazzi that’s set to 55/45 for sporting and for trap I still use my 90/10 KS-5. As mentioned by another poster, clays has lots of dropping targets. With a gun that shoots higher that 60/40 it’s very difficult, if not impossible to have a successful day at the sporting gamebelieve me I have tried.
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I won’t bore you with the geometry, you can figure it out. I know a few high gun trap shooters that picked up used Beretta 391’s for when they shoot sportingit’s a great sporting gun for relatively little money. Long story shortit’s not the so called type of gun it’s that it must shoot fairly flat for sporting.
It seems to be the latest craze. I tried it with disasterous results being that I have my 391 Trap gun set up strictly for Trap.
It's got a longer LOP, higher POI and is overall much heavier than the 391 Sporting that I was used to shooting. Also, the 32' Trap barrel was like swinging an 8' 2x4 and had similar handling characteristics. Now, I'm putting together a couple of 303's that I'm setting up JUST for Sporting Clays.The one pictured was a beat up basket case that I got from a local All American for $200. It needed a lot of work, but there was nothing seriously wrong with it.
I dropped the LOP down to 14 1/4' (Trap gun is at 14 3/4'), added an adjustable comb and butt plate, worked the trigger, added an extended cocking handle (I like those for Sporting Clays), installed a DeVault bolt closure, replaced every spring (I had all of the parts) added weight to the front area of receiver tube for a more forward weight distribution (not that important with Trap, but I feel much more important for the 'swinging' games like Sporting Clays). This is a MUCH less lethargic handling gun.very lively.Here's where I'm at so far. Funny you should ask! I shoot a browning Broadway for sporting clays. It's a 32 inch gun and it works just great.
I also have a spare 32 incher for sale. It's got a 32 inch barrel with the chokes opened to.015 and.025 ( light mod and Imp. Briley porting, long forcing cones, and a kick Eez pad. The receiver and forend iron are hard chromed. I use it for a back up for my other one, but since the Corvette just ate the transmission, I am forced to sell it. I am asking $2200 and will send pictures on request. This is a nice tight gun at about 95% overall condition.
It is a great sporting gun as I use it occasionally just to keep sharp on my back up gun.E-mail at [email protected] or call 786-348-6369Steve.
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