First Time shooting Clays

new_camper · March 29, 2012, 03:12 PM

I might try shooting clays for the first time this weekend, any tips. I know that I will be terrible at it, but I guess you got to start somewhere.

Pirelli · March 29, 2012, 03:40 PM

don't get discouraged with misses.

ripnbst · March 29, 2012, 03:49 PM

Don't look at the sight EVER! Just look at the target and pull the trigger. This is what I have done when I have had the best luck. It's difficult because in basically every shooting discipline you use the sights except for skeet.

zippy13 · March 29, 2012, 04:37 PM

Quote:

any tips

Head down and follow through.

Check the Remington site (or Google) for downloads of their pamphlets Fundamentals of Trap and Fundamentals of Skeet. They will give you basic pointers that will save you from a lot of trial and error shooting.

dalecooper51 · March 29, 2012, 05:28 PM

Keep your head down, keep the gun moving, be safe, and have fun.

BigJimP · March 29, 2012, 05:57 PM

make sure you know and understand the clubs rules for safety... typically:

a. alll guns have to be unloaded ..unless you are on the shooting station in the trap, skeet or sporting clays field. That means no shells in the magazine of a pump or semi-auto either.../ no shells in a side by side or over under, even if its broken open as you move around the club.

Games like Trap singles...mean you can never have more than 1 shell in your gun at any time.../ and never when you move between stations.

Some games ( on some stations of Skeet ...and in sporting clays ) you can often load 2 shells...but never more than 2...it doesn't matter how many shells your gun will hold in a magazine.....

b. from the time you uncase a gun ...open the action.../ break it open if its an Over Under....open and lock the bolt open if its a semi-auto ...and open the pump if its a pump gun...and keep it open .../ and no shells in it ...as you leave your vehicle and move around the club.

c. check your shells....most clubs limit you to shells with shot no bigger than 7 1/2's ( no 6's, 4's, etc...) ....only 7 1/2's, 8's or 9's....some clubs are restrictive on velocity as well ...but you're usually ok, if your shells are no faster than 1200 fps...

d. make sure you know how to operate your gun .. especially if it has a safety that automatically engages as you close the gun ....so you don't waste targets ( they may charge you for extras). Make sure your gun is well lubed...so it operates with no problems. Guys that bring out grandpa's 1950's semi-auto that hasn't been cleaned or lubed in 19 yrs ...hold up the squads in the field....

e. many clubs limit shotguns ...to guns that have barrels no less than 24" long...so call ahead if that's an issue.

f. be friendly ...and ask for help .../ see if they have a member or someone that will help you out ...give you some tips / etc...

Be Safe ....and Have Fun !! ...and welcome to our side of the hobby ! Its addicting...

Most of this is Courtesy and Common Sense...

lambertsteeth · March 29, 2012, 06:50 PM

Just have fun.

Nobody cares if you miss. Just be friendly, and open to advice (sometimes, too much advice.).

If you miss, you will usually be behind the bird.

Relax! Have fun.

Irish B · March 30, 2012, 11:53 AM

Make sure you have enough clay tags

olddrum1 · March 30, 2012, 03:19 PM

What BJP said and the shiney part of the shell goes to the back.

new_camper · March 30, 2012, 03:32 PM

I know which way the shinny part goes

, guess I should have let yall know that I have shot at stationary targets before.

Couzin · March 30, 2012, 06:09 PM

What kind of clays game will you be shootin'?

scottycoyote · March 30, 2012, 06:17 PM

i have some friends who are really good shooters, took me this year and gave me pointers and i went from hitting about 20% of the time to hitting about 99% of the time in just a few stations, even true pairs. The biggest change for me was not to try and start with the gun to my face and aiming, instead start with the gun down a bit and just looking.........the clay comes out and you start tracking it with your eyes and head and just bring the gun up and shoot, never really aiming the gun, it just becomes part of the process of watching the target go thru the air.

Salmoneye · March 30, 2012, 07:49 PM

My best advice?

Ignore all advice...

Do what comes naturally...

Salmoneye · March 30, 2012, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Don't look at the sight EVER! Just look at the target and pull the trigger. This is what I have done when I have had the best luck. It's difficult because in basically every shooting discipline you use the sights except for skeet.

We shoot a lot of informal hand tossed clays in the summer...

Last year, my Kid asked me how I could hit so many birds with no bead...

I had no idea the bead was gone off my SxS, and have no idea how long it had been gone...I have never 'seen' the end of a shotgun...

Both eye's open, head up...

Our OP will be fine...

new_camper · March 30, 2012, 11:06 PM

@Couzin

I am going with a friend and we are both using his shotgun (at college and I cant have one, but he lives near by) so I was thinking that we would try skeet shooting

oneounceload · March 31, 2012, 11:25 AM

Skeet shooting as in the actual game Skeet, or skeet shooting as in some backyard clays and a hand thrower?

There's a difference - if you are actually shooting on a skeet field, and you have it to yourselves, start at station 7 and master that one, then move back to station 1 and master that - those are the two easiest stations. Then start moving towards the center where the targets become more quartering to crossing

Head on the stock, eye on the rock, keep the gun moving

anonymousFolk · March 31, 2012, 03:06 PM

Have fun! I was horrible at first. You'll get better!

Might not hurt to pay for 1:1 or 1:2 (one instructor two people) instruction at the start, worked for me.

.50cal packer · April 3, 2012, 09:08 PM

First of all, Just keep at it. Never let a low score discourage you. I found that you will fail and fail and fail. Then one day, you'll be busting 25's left and right. As if you had been doing this for years. Also, don't be surprised if you do well at first, then your score starts to fall. It happens. Just keep at it.

.50cal packer · April 4, 2012, 08:47 AM

Just one more suggestion, with whatever hand is your lead, try pointing down the forearm with you index finger and gripping the forearm normally with the rest. That way you're always pointing at the bird.

chadio · April 4, 2012, 11:56 AM

Like oneounce said, head on the stock, eye on the rock...

... and watch some Gil Ash NSSF videos on utoob. Gil is a good instructor and covers many aspects of clay shooting.

TheKlawMan · April 5, 2012, 02:05 PM

Ii don't believe anyone covered a couple of other safety tips.

MISFIRES: A misfire is if nothing happens like when the primer fails to fire. You may hear a click but that is all. I may not have this right and jump in all if I don't, but keep your barrle pointed down range and DO NOT immediately open the action to eject the misfire. It may still "cook off"; meaning it may fire.

Wait at least 30 seconds and then, with the gun still pointed downrange, eject the bad round. At that point, I think it best to try to discharge it downrange. Sometimes a second firing pin strike will do the trick and sometimes it helps to try the second barrel if you have one.

BLOOPERS: A Blooper is when nothing but the primer ignites. You hear a funny little bloop sound and see your shot shoot a few feet ahead of you. DO NOT attempt to fire another round until your barrel is cleared, as the plastic wad may be stuck in the barrel. There are different ways to check to see if the barrel is clear and to clear a wad if it is present. Learn how to do so for your type of action. If you do not know, ask somebody on the line and they will be glad to help. If no one knows, as a range staff member. Firing down a barrel with a wad stuck in it is what I believe oneounceload calls bad juju.
I may have this all wrong

I thought to add how some people clear bloopers. Some clear a semi or a pump by blowing down the muzzle and blowing the wad into the open breech. I do not recommend this. My friend BigJimP told me about dropping a brass weight down the barrel to clear it. Much safer. If now one has a weight, there are ones sold just gor this purpose but I do not remember what they are called, you might try a clenaing rod or a fuzzy stick. You can even remove a barrel, clear it, and replace it in a couple of minues or less. It is even easier to clear a barrel on a break open action. Just open it and look down the barrel from the breach end.

oneounceload · April 5, 2012, 02:26 PM

Klaw - a blooper is any round that is underpowered - not just a primer only - a short stroke on the MEC can drop a partial powder charge and the result is a soft-sounding blooper

As to the light strike - I get them now and again from Nobel primers and only in the lower barrel of my Browning - a common issue with Brownings in general. IF you know your gun then waiting can be a non-issue - I know I can open the action and move the shell top the top barrel where it will work fine next time I pull the trigger

TheKlawMan · April 5, 2012, 02:26 PM

Do not talk when the microphones are on less you accidentally set off clays. The mikes can sometimes be triggered by the sound of ejecting a pump gun. Especially if you are standing very close to a mike or if it is sensitive. When I shoot my pump, I try not to stand to near the mike.

BigJimP · April 5, 2012, 02:29 PM

wad popper is one ....wad knocker is another....there are lots of them out there... the one I carry / has a quick disconnect from a D ring on it / that stays on my vest.

Similar to this one ...

http://www.ballisticproducts.com/bpi...wadknocker.htm

TheKlawMan · April 5, 2012, 02:30 PM

Oneounce. I was thinking that a blooper could also be a poor powder burn, but just yesterday a guy told me that was unlikely, when I said I thought it possible. He is a nice guy but you probably have 20 times the experience so I will defer to you and to what I told him, which was that I had heard that insufficient powder packing pressure can cause a blooper. I think I learned that here and perhaps from you.

As for moving the FTF to the top barrel, I have had to FTF with the Browning. One fired fine when moved to the top barrel. The other didn't and was just a dud. Mu buddy had one yesterday in his Beretta. It was a Remington primer and both strikes looked sound, but it wouldn't fire from either lower or top barrels.

I tried to differentiate between a FTF when the primer doesn't fire and a blooper when it fires but the powder doesn't burn. You are aboslutely right that a primer may fire but for some reason you only get a partial powder burn. It could be that the primer fires, but weakly, not enough powder dropped, no powder dropped, insufficient wad pressure, . . . .

March 29, 2012, 03:12 PM	#1
new_camper Senior Member Join Date: April 16, 2011 Posts: 128	First Time shooting Clays I might try shooting clays for the first time this weekend, any tips. I know that I will be terrible at it, but I guess you got to start somewhere.

March 29, 2012, 06:50 PM	#7
lambertsteeth Senior Member Join Date: January 18, 2010 Location: steel city Posts: 272	Just have fun. Nobody cares if you miss. Just be friendly, and open to advice (sometimes, too much advice.). If you miss, you will usually be behind the bird. Relax! Have fun. __________________ One of God's greastest gifts to man is Dog.

March 30, 2012, 11:53 AM	#8
Irish B Senior Member Join Date: October 10, 2010 Location: Colorado Posts: 359	Make sure you have enough clay tags __________________ If a man hasn't found something worth dying for, he isn't fit to live

March 30, 2012, 03:32 PM	#10
new_camper Senior Member Join Date: April 16, 2011 Posts: 128	I know which way the shinny part goes, guess I should have let yall know that I have shot at stationary targets before.

March 30, 2012, 06:17 PM	#12
scottycoyote Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2005 Location: southwestern va Posts: 830	i have some friends who are really good shooters, took me this year and gave me pointers and i went from hitting about 20% of the time to hitting about 99% of the time in just a few stations, even true pairs. The biggest change for me was not to try and start with the gun to my face and aiming, instead start with the gun down a bit and just looking.........the clay comes out and you start tracking it with your eyes and head and just bring the gun up and shoot, never really aiming the gun, it just becomes part of the process of watching the target go thru the air. __________________ "i got the most powerful gun in the world........an .88 magnum. It shoots thru schools......"

March 29, 2012, 03:40 PM	#2
Pirelli Junior Member Join Date: November 25, 2011 Posts: 7	don't get discouraged with misses.

March 29, 2012, 03:49 PM	#3
ripnbst Senior Member Join Date: November 24, 2010 Location: Spring, TX Posts: 1,552	Don't look at the sight EVER! Just look at the target and pull the trigger. This is what I have done when I have had the best luck. It's difficult because in basically every shooting discipline you use the sights except for skeet.

March 29, 2012, 05:28 PM	#5
dalecooper51 Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2007 Location: Eastern PA Posts: 318	Keep your head down, keep the gun moving, be safe, and have fun.

March 29, 2012, 05:57 PM	#6
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	make sure you know and understand the clubs rules for safety... typically: a. alll guns have to be unloaded ..unless you are on the shooting station in the trap, skeet or sporting clays field. That means no shells in the magazine of a pump or semi-auto either.../ no shells in a side by side or over under, even if its broken open as you move around the club. Games like Trap singles...mean you can never have more than 1 shell in your gun at any time.../ and never when you move between stations. Some games ( on some stations of Skeet ...and in sporting clays ) you can often load 2 shells...but never more than 2...it doesn't matter how many shells your gun will hold in a magazine..... b. from the time you uncase a gun ...open the action.../ break it open if its an Over Under....open and lock the bolt open if its a semi-auto ...and open the pump if its a pump gun...and keep it open .../ and no shells in it ...as you leave your vehicle and move around the club. c. check your shells....most clubs limit you to shells with shot no bigger than 7 1/2's ( no 6's, 4's, etc...) ....only 7 1/2's, 8's or 9's....some clubs are restrictive on velocity as well ...but you're usually ok, if your shells are no faster than 1200 fps... d. make sure you know how to operate your gun .. especially if it has a safety that automatically engages as you close the gun ....so you don't waste targets ( they may charge you for extras). Make sure your gun is well lubed...so it operates with no problems. Guys that bring out grandpa's 1950's semi-auto that hasn't been cleaned or lubed in 19 yrs ...hold up the squads in the field.... e. many clubs limit shotguns ...to guns that have barrels no less than 24" long...so call ahead if that's an issue. f. be friendly ...and ask for help .../ see if they have a member or someone that will help you out ...give you some tips / etc... Be Safe ....and Have Fun !! ...and welcome to our side of the hobby ! Its addicting... Most of this is Courtesy and Common Sense...

March 30, 2012, 03:19 PM	#9
olddrum1 Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Location: Mid Missouri Posts: 807	What BJP said and the shiney part of the shell goes to the back.

March 30, 2012, 06:09 PM	#11
Couzin Senior Member Join Date: August 27, 2006 Location: Terrell, Texas Posts: 240	What kind of clays game will you be shootin'?

March 30, 2012, 07:49 PM	#13
Salmoneye Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 2,076	My best advice? Ignore all advice... Do what comes naturally...

March 30, 2012, 11:06 PM	#15
new_camper Senior Member Join Date: April 16, 2011 Posts: 128	@Couzin I am going with a friend and we are both using his shotgun (at college and I cant have one, but he lives near by) so I was thinking that we would try skeet shooting

March 31, 2012, 11:25 AM	#16
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	Skeet shooting as in the actual game Skeet, or skeet shooting as in some backyard clays and a hand thrower? There's a difference - if you are actually shooting on a skeet field, and you have it to yourselves, start at station 7 and master that one, then move back to station 1 and master that - those are the two easiest stations. Then start moving towards the center where the targets become more quartering to crossing Head on the stock, eye on the rock, keep the gun moving Last edited by oneounceload; March 31, 2012 at 11:34 AM.

March 31, 2012, 03:06 PM	#17
anonymousFolk Member Join Date: March 24, 2011 Posts: 63	Have fun! I was horrible at first. You'll get better! Might not hurt to pay for 1:1 or 1:2 (one instructor two people) instruction at the start, worked for me.

April 3, 2012, 09:08 PM	#18
.50cal packer Senior Member Join Date: January 11, 2006 Posts: 154	First of all, Just keep at it. Never let a low score discourage you. I found that you will fail and fail and fail. Then one day, you'll be busting 25's left and right. As if you had been doing this for years. Also, don't be surprised if you do well at first, then your score starts to fall. It happens. Just keep at it.

April 4, 2012, 08:47 AM	#19
.50cal packer Senior Member Join Date: January 11, 2006 Posts: 154	Just one more suggestion, with whatever hand is your lead, try pointing down the forearm with you index finger and gripping the forearm normally with the rest. That way you're always pointing at the bird.

April 4, 2012, 11:56 AM	#20
chadio Senior Member Join Date: June 29, 2011 Posts: 931	Like oneounce said, head on the stock, eye on the rock... ... and watch some Gil Ash NSSF videos on utoob. Gil is a good instructor and covers many aspects of clay shooting. __________________ Ex - Navy, Persian Gulf Veteran. Loved shooting the M14, 1911, M60, M2

April 5, 2012, 02:05 PM	#21
TheKlawMan Junior member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,149	Misfires and Bloopers Ii don't believe anyone covered a couple of other safety tips. MISFIRES: A misfire is if nothing happens like when the primer fails to fire. You may hear a click but that is all. I may not have this right and jump in all if I don't, but keep your barrle pointed down range and DO NOT immediately open the action to eject the misfire. It may still "cook off"; meaning it may fire. Wait at least 30 seconds and then, with the gun still pointed downrange, eject the bad round. At that point, I think it best to try to discharge it downrange. Sometimes a second firing pin strike will do the trick and sometimes it helps to try the second barrel if you have one. BLOOPERS: A Blooper is when nothing but the primer ignites. You hear a funny little bloop sound and see your shot shoot a few feet ahead of you. DO NOT attempt to fire another round until your barrel is cleared, as the plastic wad may be stuck in the barrel. There are different ways to check to see if the barrel is clear and to clear a wad if it is present. Learn how to do so for your type of action. If you do not know, ask somebody on the line and they will be glad to help. If no one knows, as a range staff member. Firing down a barrel with a wad stuck in it is what I believe oneounceload calls bad juju. I may have this all wrong I thought to add how some people clear bloopers. Some clear a semi or a pump by blowing down the muzzle and blowing the wad into the open breech. I do not recommend this. My friend BigJimP told me about dropping a brass weight down the barrel to clear it. Much safer. If now one has a weight, there are ones sold just gor this purpose but I do not remember what they are called, you might try a clenaing rod or a fuzzy stick. You can even remove a barrel, clear it, and replace it in a couple of minues or less. It is even easier to clear a barrel on a break open action. Just open it and look down the barrel from the breach end. Last edited by TheKlawMan; April 5, 2012 at 02:19 PM.

April 5, 2012, 02:26 PM	#22
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	Klaw - a blooper is any round that is underpowered - not just a primer only - a short stroke on the MEC can drop a partial powder charge and the result is a soft-sounding blooper As to the light strike - I get them now and again from Nobel primers and only in the lower barrel of my Browning - a common issue with Brownings in general. IF you know your gun then waiting can be a non-issue - I know I can open the action and move the shell top the top barrel where it will work fine next time I pull the trigger

April 5, 2012, 02:26 PM	#23
TheKlawMan Junior member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,149	Trap Microphones Do not talk when the microphones are on less you accidentally set off clays. The mikes can sometimes be triggered by the sound of ejecting a pump gun. Especially if you are standing very close to a mike or if it is sensitive. When I shoot my pump, I try not to stand to near the mike.

April 5, 2012, 02:29 PM	#24
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	wad popper is one ....wad knocker is another....there are lots of them out there... the one I carry / has a quick disconnect from a D ring on it / that stays on my vest. Similar to this one ... http://www.ballisticproducts.com/bpi...wadknocker.htm

April 5, 2012, 02:30 PM	#25
TheKlawMan Junior member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,149	Bloopers Oneounce. I was thinking that a blooper could also be a poor powder burn, but just yesterday a guy told me that was unlikely, when I said I thought it possible. He is a nice guy but you probably have 20 times the experience so I will defer to you and to what I told him, which was that I had heard that insufficient powder packing pressure can cause a blooper. I think I learned that here and perhaps from you. As for moving the FTF to the top barrel, I have had to FTF with the Browning. One fired fine when moved to the top barrel. The other didn't and was just a dud. Mu buddy had one yesterday in his Beretta. It was a Remington primer and both strikes looked sound, but it wouldn't fire from either lower or top barrels. I tried to differentiate between a FTF when the primer doesn't fire and a blooper when it fires but the powder doesn't burn. You are aboslutely right that a primer may fire but for some reason you only get a partial powder burn. It could be that the primer fires, but weakly, not enough powder dropped, no powder dropped, insufficient wad pressure, . . . . Last edited by TheKlawMan; April 5, 2012 at 02:39 PM.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search