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Old December 10, 2004, 10:33 PM   #1
38splfan
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Question for Skeet/Clays shooters

I hope I'll find some answers here for something that really disturbs me. I know that most shooters are responsible, outgoing, and pretty freindly. I've been shooting for several years and just recently had an experience that makes me want to sell my guns. I was at the Skeet range this week and was shooting my third round. I'm still in the learning phase for skeet. I found myself not only being looked at funny, but LAUGHED AT for using a pump. Openly ridiculed and joked upon for not using a double!
Now I know that the vast majority of us are professional and courteous, so I have to ask. Is this a skeet attitude as far as the double gun? And is it always so open?
This is not trolling, but a sincere topic from a very confused shooter.
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Old December 10, 2004, 10:57 PM   #2
scottys1
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I've never shot skeet, but at my trap range nobody cares what you shoot or what your score is as long as you do it safely. This goes the same for the pistol matches I shoot regularly.
It's too bad you ran across such narrow minded idiots. I say shrug it off and go for it! But then I rather enjoy being an underdog. They'll stop laughing long before you top their scores.
My experience has been the same as yours in that most shooters are professional and courteous as well as helpful to new shooters. I have witnessed some prima donna-ish behavior but never anything openly critical toward another competitor.
The best of luck to you and good shooting!
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Old December 10, 2004, 11:26 PM   #3
John Ringo
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I used to shoot trap down at the Athens Sportman's Club. We used 12-gauge semi-autos for the most part. I never encountered anyone acting stupid on the range with the exception of my ex-girlfriend who showed-up one day to make a ruckus:-)

You will encounter all types of people out on the range I suppose. Even going to an indoor shooting range you will encounter morons who come in and try to turn it into a social event by walking around and getting in everyone's business. You just have to ignore them when it happens maybe 1 in 20 instances.

I had something similar happen to me the last time I took my .44 Mag to the range. Some guy got really upset at me while he was giving a lesson to his wife on his handgun prowness. He stood there and kept laughing at me and making stupid comments.

Just try to ignore the morons and have a good time.
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Old December 11, 2004, 12:50 AM   #4
38splfan
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Thanks guys

Thanks for the encouragement. It's guys like you who remind me that good folks outweigh idiots. And you're right about the scores. I broke the same double my "coach" missed, so I guess it can't be too bad. There's other ranges around and I am certainly as safe as I can be. Hopefully I'll run into some guys like you. Thanks a bunch to both.
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Old December 11, 2004, 03:27 AM   #5
gxi.llc
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I'm glad to hear you're shooting well. I started shooting skeet with a pump, like you, mainly because I didn't want to invest in another shotgun when I wasn't even sure if I would enjoy skeet. I broke a few doubles, missed a few because of the pump, but missed a lot because of me, too. I shot with a guy who had some German over/under he'd had custom built, really ugly gun, said it cost $16,000. I broke more than him by two and then four in the two rounds we shot together with my old 870. Funny--he didn't say much about the pump...

I see guys at the range with all the expensive gadgets, the latest gear, most expensive guns, even special clothes they wear to go shooting, and most of them can't hit sh**. I wouldn't worry about those guys. They usually quit after a month or two anyway. Go shoot and have fun, keep using your pump, and because you love the sport, you will always shoot "better" than those guys.
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Old December 11, 2004, 07:06 AM   #6
Irish
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Gun Snobs

I wouldn't worry about them. Unfortunately they are out there. If you can get the doubles with a pump you're the heat. It is a lot harder to jack the slide, get on the second clay, and pull the trigger than just getting on the second clay and pulling the trigger.

Stay positive!!
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Old December 12, 2004, 02:47 AM   #7
mikikanazawa
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LOL, something similar happened to me the first time I went out with some guys my dad works with. (Lots of them are trapshooters.) First time I met up with them for shooting they all brought out the O/Us. I had my Mossberg 500 pump. We weren't "friends," but not really strangers either, and even then I received a fair bit of heckling.

It all stopped when I shot a perfect game. :-)
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Old December 12, 2004, 05:31 AM   #8
Chiram2003
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I went out one time and had a similar "problem" but not shooting clays or using a pump.

My uncle took me pheasant hunting in '98. We went with about four other guys and I had to borrow my neighbor's Remington 1100 12ga. Everyone thought I was crazy for bringing that large a shotgun out, since they were all using 20 and 28 gauges. They kept telling me, "You're not going to have anything to eat! It's just going to be holes!" Unfortunately for them, it was a bit warm that day. Anytime we got within 20 yards of the pheasants, they were taking off. The guys would each take a shot or two before the birds were out of range for them. I would yell out "You guys done?" right as I drew a bead on the birds around 45 yards away. Dropped 'em every time. I limited out in just over an hour. Between the four other guys, they had 3 birds.

Don't worry. You get good with that pump gun and you'll be twice the shooter those guys are because you have an added step for doubles.
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Old December 13, 2004, 09:33 PM   #9
cukrus
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I was having so much fun with my 870 at skeet that some of the other guys brought their pumps out the next week. Great practice for Chuckar. It's all for fun unless you're hungry. If you want to meet snobs try a horse show!
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Old December 13, 2004, 10:36 PM   #10
Doerdie
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If it was me, next time I saw them, I'd give 'em a card with the web address of this forum, including this post. Maybe they would learn some manners.
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Old December 14, 2004, 12:49 AM   #11
38splfan
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Thanks for all the good info guys.

I knew it couldn't be everyone
Must be 'cause I live on the expensilve end of the liberal coast
Good to know there are so many good, freindly shooters out there. If you are ever at Ft. Lewis I'll buy you a frosty cold adult beverage
Thanks guys.
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Old December 14, 2004, 08:20 AM   #12
Jim Watson
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Anybody debates the usefulness of a pump for Skeet is just plain young.
In the good old days, pumps were pretty much standard equipment for skeet. O/Us were scarce and expensive and autoloaders were not considered reliable and were not made in all gauges. So the pump was it and shucking it for doubles was taken for granted; you just learned how.
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Old December 29, 2004, 12:47 PM   #13
cowboy1
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Go For it

I have been shooting Skeet for going on 35 years, about every Sunday morning, except for a few years during college, and as of late Tuesday after work. I have used high priced doubles and everything in between. I like the O&U and have a few of them, I also like the SXS's and have several of them. For the last two years the shotgun I have been taking to the Skeet or Trap field has been, A Winchester reproduction of the model 12 in 20 gage and a Winchester model 97 with a poly chock, for trap I use a Winchester modle 97 with a 30" barrel. I have others but I like these. To answer your question about those peoples coments, it is just a fact of life that there are A** Hol** everywhere. Just keep shooting your own game and have fun and let them figure out that they are bone heads, they will in time. It is a fun game. By the way I am still not that good but I know withh practice I will get there, if I can do it for another 30 years I will make it.
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Old December 29, 2004, 01:22 PM   #14
Striker
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38splfan

My home club is located in NE Ohio. We have a retired gent there, who runs the skeet fields. Ken is 75 or so and shots a .410 Remington 870, because its economical for him to reload on a fixed income.

He routinely runs the round, and the last time I saw him shoot, he was involved in a shoot off with two other guys, as they all tied for the highgun for our skeet shoot. This was a hit or out shoot off consisting of doubles on stations 3,4,& 5. He won the shootout, beating the other guys (SxS, O/U shooters).

Point is, he is deadly with a pump gun, and shoots that .410 in 12, 20, and 28 GA events as well. So I say go ahead use that pump.

(BTW, this is the guy that got me going in the skeet game, maybe one day I'll be half as good as he is)
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Old December 29, 2004, 07:11 PM   #15
HunterTRW
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38splfan:

Unfortunately our sport is open to all participants including those who are neither professional or courteous. On their behalf please allow me to apologize for their inexcusable and boorish behavior. I assure you, they do NOT represent our majority.

I urge you to continue shooting Skeet with your pump-gun. According to the National Skeet Shooting Association Rules, Skeet may be shot with: automatics, pump-guns, or double-barreled guns.

Remember this, too: At the end of the round it does not matter with what you shot, but how well you shot.

Good luck, and good shooting!
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Old December 29, 2004, 08:02 PM   #16
38splfan
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Thanks a lot guys, I really appreciate it.

No apologies are necessary, and I really appreciate the encouragement. As an update, I shot a 21 last week with my ugly pump.

Not the winner, but not the worst by far. In fact the loser ( I hate using that term) was using a double and shot a 16.

Thanks y'all, I'll see you at the range.
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