shred Posted September 25, 2002 Share Posted September 25, 2002 The sum total of my (limited) shotgunning experience is at bowling pins or steel. I have an 11-87 set up for that and whenever 3-gun comes back to town. But, a while ago a friend needed money and I ended up with a nice Browning Sporting Clays O/U. It's been languishing in the safe so I've decided it's time I learn to shoot those flying frisbee-things, and that sporting-clays stuff looks like fun. What's a good way to do that? Grab a case of clays and visit the nearest vacant lot? Pop down to the local range and say "Pull"? or is some sort of personal instruction called-for at this point? Skeets? Traps? Clays? Do I need to specify what I want? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted September 25, 2002 Share Posted September 25, 2002 [Anything but an expert mode ON] According to some of the better shooters, skeet is probably your best starting point. (That's why I'm stuck on the skeet range right now. Hopefully it's good advice.) You really get your best variety of targets there, but don't spend a fortune on each round, like with sporting clays. I'm slowly working my way around the pattern right now. My goal is to dial in every type of shot perfectly. I want to shoot 10 in a row, then I'll switch stations. Fortunately, the range I go to is run by very nice folks who will let me monopolize a trapper for my foolishness. I'll do the same thing when I go shoot sporting clays. I'll go by myself, and focus on getting a shot until it's perfect. (I've got a LOOOONNG ways to go.) Fortunately, I'm starting to have little epiphanies as I go along, so things are looking up. Shooting trap isn't bad. It does get monotonous though. You're basically shooting one shot all day long. If all you're going to do is hunt pheasant, it's great practice. Using a hand thrower or a hand trap is...well...OK. It's a cheap way to start, but you just can't get as challenging targets as with a professional thrower. Virtually none of them have decent speed - they just sort of lob the target out there. (There are some higher end manual traps that are the exception to this rule...) There are some targets you cannot safely duplicate with the usual manual equipment at the shooting pit, so you're pretty much committed to going to a proper range to learn some of it. FWIW, E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted September 25, 2002 Share Posted September 25, 2002 What is the best way to learn you asked. The answer is all of them, Just go out and shoot whenever you can and try it all; sandpit, skeet, trap, clays, stick birds, country doubles, whirly birds, zz birds, crazy quail, 5 stand, shoot it all. have a great time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree Rat Posted October 1, 2002 Share Posted October 1, 2002 I use "fun skeet" to tune up for Sporting. 1. Shoot all your singles as trappers choice following pairs. 2. Shoot doubles only any order on 3, 4, 5.......... 3. Shoot reverse doubles on 1, 2, 6, 7............. 4. Doubles on 8.......... TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted October 1, 2002 Share Posted October 1, 2002 TR If you are shooting doubles at 8, you are standing where? At 5 or 6 cause yu can't shoot them from 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree Rat Posted October 1, 2002 Share Posted October 1, 2002 Why not? TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted October 1, 2002 Share Posted October 1, 2002 Maybe I am not understanding what you are doing at station 8. If you stand at station 8 in the middleof the skeet field, between the two houses, how do you shoot both of them B4 they pass overhead? Anyone can shoot one on the way in and one on the way out, no trick to that. Help me understand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree Rat Posted October 1, 2002 Share Posted October 1, 2002 We don't need no stinking stake.......wouldn't be safe on the pivot besides.....Face up on the high house and take the overhead incoming screamer, then shift to the quartering away sinker. Repeat facing the low house, both thrown as doubles. Let the quartering away bird get past the low house before taking the shot for added difficulty. No trick for anyone..huh? TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted October 1, 2002 Share Posted October 1, 2002 Not for the folks I shoot with... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree Rat Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 Well good for you.........Shooting with talent always raises my scores. TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 We are lucky in this area to have both the Ladies and Mens former National clays champs living here. You can really learn a bunch just by watching and shooting with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree Rat Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 Who are you refering to? TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 We have Bobby Fowler mens National Champ for 2000 and Vicky Ash ladies champ about 1997/98. Also have one of the most knowledgable guys about shotguns ever to shoot one or put a pen to paper, Bob Brister. Not to mention one of the nicest guys you would ever like to meet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree Rat Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 Ah.....very good. I gotta a big match this weekend.......as long as you guys beat that huricaine down and not let it up the coast. TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 Houston has a great tradition of guys with shotguns. I have already mentioned Fowler, Ash, and Brister, but lets go way back to the 30's and talk about Rudy Etchen. He worked for Gulf Oil here in town and his hobby was shotguns. won the Nat'l Live Bird Championships in 34 or 35 when they shot wild birds. He shot 7, repeat 7 quail on the covey rise with a pump gun in 34. We also had Grant Ilseng, who was one of Bristers mentors, say him at age 73 shoot doubles over the shoulder from #6 with a mirror and a 20 ga 1100. He won I don't remember how many hand thrown live pigeon shoots world wide in his life. He was TGO of live pigeon shoots. I have shot with all I mentioned except Etchen, he was B4 my time, but think of shooting 7 birds on the covey rise with a pump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j1b Posted December 14, 2002 Share Posted December 14, 2002 I've been dabbling in sporting clays and am having a lot of fun with it! I have nothing to contribute beyond that so to quote my idol "That's all I got to say about that" (Forrest Gump) JB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted December 14, 2002 Share Posted December 14, 2002 Ya know, golf would be a lot more interesting if you could bring your shotgun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted December 15, 2002 Share Posted December 15, 2002 EricW My shotgun is not allowed on the golf course, But I always have my .45 in my bag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted December 15, 2002 Share Posted December 15, 2002 TL, So what club do you take out? I would think the .45 would help out in the short game? Maybe...leave the SW behind? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted December 15, 2002 Share Posted December 15, 2002 If it is a short course, I leave out the .308, and go with the .223. Honestly, you never know what kind of "trouble" you might encounter, be it the golf course of elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted December 15, 2002 Share Posted December 15, 2002 I generally leave the shooting irons home on the golf course. I'm not sure I could resist the temptation to start picking off arrogant, power-businessmen in plaid pants. "Playing through!! Playing through!!!" Which reminds me of that great line in Falling Down where the idiot golfer is having a heart attack and Michael Douglas says, "Now you're gonna die wearing that stupid hat. How does it feel?" (Edited by EricW at 10:02 am on Dec. 15, 2002) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted December 16, 2002 Author Share Posted December 16, 2002 Barring the various half-price hit-man jokes (none of which are suitable for the kiddos), and venturing dangerously close to the T-word, I saw an Al-Quada training tape the other day in which they practiced (role-players and live ammo, eek) golf-course assassinations-- Open with an RPG to the protective-detail, then the bystanders open up with AK's from their golf bags, and the caddy fishes a Makarov from somewhere. Lob a few grenades about for the big finish. Should you golf in close proximity to VIPs or in Afghanistan, you might be wise tucking a .223 into the bag... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now