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Old May 26, 2012, 05:52 AM   #1
1911Alaska
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Tips for clay shooting?

So I went clay shooting today for the first time. And I was terrible lol. I did have a lot of fun though, and am planning on going next paycheck and buying some more clay pigeons and a thrower thing.

I was using my Weatherby SA-459 TR, which only has an 18in barrel. I am assuming this is not the best gun for clay shooting but right now its my only option.

I was wondering if any one has any tips for a noob lol
Thanks
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Old May 26, 2012, 06:02 AM   #2
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Have fun!

Does the 459 series have a barrel accessory program? If so try to get a 26-28" barrel for it. Remove any extras like extended mag, lights etc if it has them to get as close to a neutral balance as possible. Don't be afraid to ask questions or for critique. We can't see your form or how you shoot. Best three things I can tell you is look at the target, keep your head down and follow thru, do this the rest will come around.

The purpose is to have fun, don't make work out of it.
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Old May 26, 2012, 06:38 AM   #3
1911Alaska
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Nope. It does not have a barrel accesory program, atleast not that I am aware of.
Thanks for the advice
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Old May 26, 2012, 06:51 AM   #4
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When I was learning to shoot trap and missing almost every shot, one of the old timers at the gun club gave me a couple of 12 gauge tracers. In 2 shots I earned what my mistakes were. I don't know if they are available any longer but I think they'd be worth a look.
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Old May 26, 2012, 11:48 AM   #5
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Be agressive, cover the bird with the muzzle, and shoot quickly before it gets far from you. HAVE FUN.
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Old May 26, 2012, 02:16 PM   #6
Peter M. Eick
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The best advice I received was focus on the bird and focus on the leading edge of the bird. Never let it leave your eyes and the instinctively mount the gun and shoot. It works well for me.
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Old May 26, 2012, 06:18 PM   #7
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WHAT clay target game?

There is a lot of difference between trap, skeet, 5-stand, and sporting clays, and even a bigger difference compared to backyard pasture clays.

Remington has good training brochures for trap and skeet:

http://www.remington.com/pages/news-...downloads.aspx

The old adage "head on the stock, eye on the rock" does apply across the board, but since each game has different presentations and rules, it needs to be taken into context of what you are facing.
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Old May 27, 2012, 02:39 PM   #8
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The reason I say to shoot quickly is not so much that you have a short self defense barrel, but I assume it has a fixed open choke. That means that your shot pattern will open up so quickly that the pattern is blown; the shot is spread so much that the target can pass through a whole in the shot column. With an open cylinder, I think it will be hard to break anything further than 25 yards out.

That is lilkely why oneounceload asks exactly what you intend to shoot. In formal trap, the targets are going away from you as they come flying out of a machine, kept in an a house, that is already 16 yards out. Hence you have to shoot it really quick with an open cyllinder choke. A common choke used for 16 yard trap is a modified choke.

In regulation skeet many of the targets are shot when they are much closer. some are going away from you, some come at you, and some pass in front of you. That is why many use a "skeet" choke. Skeet targets are often so close when broken that the shooter is showered with target fragments. I believe some shoot targets going away with a slighly tighter choke thqan a skeet but I am not that sophisticated. A skeet choke isn't much tighter than an open cyllinder and if you intend to set your back yard machine up to somewhat emulate a skeet machine my guess is that you may find it easier to break clay with your gun.

Whatever you do just be sure to set things up to be safe.

Experienced shooters please feel free to correct me as needed.
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Old May 27, 2012, 11:06 PM   #9
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"thrower thing" sounds like maybe a hand thrower. Those targets are not nearly as fast as a machine thrown targets. It still takes the shot some time to get to the bird from the time you pull the trigger. Shoot where the bird is going to be when the shot arrives, not where it is when you fire. Keep tryin' & have fun!
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Old May 28, 2012, 04:27 AM   #10
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IMHO, the best advice to a noob is to match the speed of the target, stay in front, and keep the barrels moving. Don't stop and spot shoot, the target will be long gone...
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Old May 28, 2012, 08:18 AM   #11
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just some newbie advice

I'm somewhat a newbie. I shoot with my daughters and their friends. good advice above. I picked up a white wing auto thrower "thingy" at www.ohya.com they had the cheapest price. we've had loads of fun. well worth the "investment". haha. remington 870 at big 5 sporting goods and the white wing thrower will give you years of fun. JT
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Old May 28, 2012, 11:41 AM   #12
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Still waiting for the OP to respond to my friend, 1-oz's pertinent question:
Quote:
WHAT clay target game?
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Old May 31, 2012, 03:38 AM   #13
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Thanks for the advice guys!

Code:
Still waiting for the OP to respond to my friend, 1-oz's pertinent question:
I couldn't tell you honestly because I am not sure. All I know is we had some clay pigeons and a thrower.
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Old May 31, 2012, 05:08 AM   #14
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the most important aspect of clay target shooting is having fun!!
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Old May 31, 2012, 09:20 AM   #15
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Quote:
I couldn't tell you honestly because I am not sure. All I know is we had some clay pigeons and a thrower.
That is euphemistically called "backyard" or "pasture" clays, and while a lot of fun and a great way to get started into clay shooting, it is worlds apart from the machine-thrown targets you'll find on a regulation trap, skeet, 5-stand, or sporting clays layout - those move faster and further than a any thrower. Get some basics down, find a local club, get some help from the veterans that shoot there and, as mentioned, make sure you are having some fun!
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Old May 31, 2012, 12:14 PM   #16
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Quote:
Get some basics down
Amen.

I was at the club one day when the trap fields were closed, but you could shoot hand tossed. I was giving my neighbor, a newby to shotguns, some basic pointers and we noticed two young shooters on the adjacent field. One would toss and the other shoot, then they would swap the thrower and the gun.

I mentioned to my neighbor, "Watch this guy, he's going to miss." Sure enough the guy missed and my neighbor was amazed, "How'd you know he'd miss?" I told him it was because of the shooter's abominable stance and gun mount. He was obviously self-taught and didn't have a very good teacher.

Cornfield clays can be a tons-O-fun, but they can be very frustrating for newbies when it's a case of the blind leading the blind. As my friend, 1-oz recommended, work on your basics.
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Old May 31, 2012, 12:44 PM   #17
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http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/c...utm_medium=cse

12ga Tracers.
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Old May 31, 2012, 02:07 PM   #18
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BoogieMan, thanks for the Fiocchi link. I haven't seen tracers since the late '60s. They were a great way to learn where you're shooting (why missing). But, like messing with fireworks, there's a hazard. I thought they'd been universally prohibited, but it seems they're available in some jurisdictions. As recommended, please check your State, County and local laws for restrictions before ordering any tracers.
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Old August 9, 2012, 03:22 PM   #19
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Weatherby SA-459 for skeet and bird hunting?

W respect to the original question of using the SA-459 for Skeet and for bird hunting, If you are like me, you have a shotgun for home defense, and occasionally you might get together with friends and go on hunt. Since I don't have the $ for more guns right now, I plan to make my SA-459 perform multiple duties.

I have an SA-459 Turkey. It came from the factory with the front AR-type sight, and the picatinny rail over the receiver along with a rear ghost ring sight. In fact it is identical to the TR models but has camo stocks and a 22 inch barrel with a removable full choke (Beretta mobilechoke system thread pattern).

I have not tried it at skeet yet, however I will be this weekend. The front sight removes easily, leaving a small mounting block on the barrel, which when painted with tru-glo paint, will be about as quick to acquire as a bead, and will not limit visibility of the bird as much.

The rear sight comes off by QD knob, and the picatinny rail dismounts with 4 screws. I will have to go to the specialty hardware store to get 4 machine screws of the same thread pattern and pitch but a bit shorter length to plug those 4 holes, but I'm confident that they'll have them.

So for the cost of a little gunsight paint, 4 short machine screws for the receiver, some blue locktight 252, and maybe a couple different inexpensive chokes from Cabela's, my tactical turkey gun will easily convert for skeet and dove. Not saying its ideal - just food for thought.

BTW, the other 51 weeks of the year, the SA 459 wears its front sight, picatinny rail, ghost ring sight, a vortex red dot sight, and ... (on order) a Choate +2 mag exension. With no plug, this will give me 7 + 1 rouds of 2.75" for home defense.
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Old August 9, 2012, 04:33 PM   #20
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http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shoot...3Bcat104269680

We use this out on my place, gets them high and fast. Throws a long way too. Can use 2 clays for doubles when you get that good
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Old August 9, 2012, 11:10 PM   #21
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Head on the gun. Eye the bird. It sounds simple, but it takes some time to really understand and internalize it. Part of it is also practice. I just started skeet shooting a few months back. I'm doing quite well for myself now, but that's because I've been focusing on practice. I'll typically go out on a weekend and shoot a minimum of 4 rounds (100 targets) and up to 6 (150 targets). Like most skill based activities, practice helps.
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Old August 10, 2012, 01:00 AM   #22
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I just started myself. Some of the tips I've gotten that have helped...

Get a smooth motion mounting the gun to your shoulder. Get your cheek on the stock so your eye is over the barrel. Make sure your dominant eye matches your dominant hand, or adjust by shooting offhanded, or with one of the mechanical options available...cross over stocks, sight blinders and so on.

When you get to the gun club and they'll have trap houses- Point your front foot at the trap house, have your back for about 45 degrees. Point your muzzel just above the roof of the trap house and cheated just a smidge to the side of the house you're on. Swing through. Once you get your bead on the bird, don't stop and try and refine your aim... shoot and follow.

Most of it probably is being new. I was and still am new. Most people who have given my pointers talk about an Aha! moment, where it clicks and you'll see what people are talking about with pointing-not-aiming, and follow through and what not. I recently had my first moment in that one. So keep going, grit your teeth at your 8's and 9's. Fix one thing at a time. My Aha! moment came from bying one of those rare-earth-magnet hi-viz lightpipe sight things. All of a sudden I could see both, focusing on the bird and still see the "sight bead" of the light pipe in my peripheral vision

Use the right tool for the job. I wouldn't hang shingles with a 3 pound sledge. One of te last times I was out, there was a guy taking his first round of trap with a Saiga home defense. He sufferd through as well. Part of that, and I just realized noone has asked you this, what size shot were you using? For clay shooting, the Walmart specials, 7 1/2 or 8 are good practice rounds.

My uncle got me started on this hobby. He's got a trap range and pheasant preserve on his farm, and on a visit he took my brother and I out to the trap range, loaned us an over-under and had us go to town. When I got back I started watching the local used gunstores-maskquerading-as-pawn-shops and Cabelas Gun library. I found a really nice Citori field grade 30 inch for an acceptable price tag. I plan on picking up a new Browning BPS soon as well.

You may want to pick up a BPS for a (relatively) cheap longer barrel shotgun. Though, depending on your inteded uses, your "ideal" gun could be different as well. Over/Under are extremely popular. And usually priced to reflect that. I would liken them to BMWs and Mercedes. Pumps(and Semi-auto's, in this analogy, would be Toyotas. Side By Sides would closer to the classic cars. Model T's, or 1929 Chevrolet Roadsters. Very popular a while ago, still a fine working machine, fully capable of being souped up, but they look different, feel different, and have to some extent (at least the shotguns) fallen out of favor.

If you have an interest in hunting, I'd take different guns to different hunts-

Ducks/Waterfowl, or Turkey, I'd go with a pump or SA. Sythetic stocks/finishes can come in a camo pattern, have fewer issues with the water involved in waterfowl, and are just plain cheaper if you drop it in the lake.

Uplands Bird hunting your pump/SA will work, but I'd also start looking at O/U or Side by Side. I wouldn't get a SxS myself for continuity reasons, but your mileage may vary.


If all you want to do is shoot clays, I'd start with a cheap but still quality Pump or Semi-Auto first to decide if you really really enjoy the hobby, then I'd look into getting an Over/Under. Some of those are almost a trophy in and of themselves and can run thousands and thousands.

The brands/Models I've heard the best of are the Browning BPS, the Remington 870 Wingmaster(Not the express), and Weatherby's.
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Old August 14, 2012, 11:28 PM   #23
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first of all have FUN! Second of all, if you don't know if a shotgun fits you well, find someone who knows how to properly fit you to a gun. Other than that, there is one achievement with dove hunting or skeet shooting that has changed my game ten fold that I taught myself. This particular subject is..... POINT THE SHOTGUN. Do not aim it like a rifle. Teach yourself to focus only and ONLY on the object (flying or fixed) with BOTH eyes open. Do not look at the bead of the gun, but keep it in your peripheral vision. If your are indeed aiming the shotgun I hope this helps. But if you are pointing the gun and focusing on the target as I have mentioned, then at least your are doing a huge favor to yourself already. If you are aiming, tell yourself before you raised the gun to your shoulder to not aim with the bead and to focus, focus, focus, on the target. Get that down and you will be popping them out of the sky with ease. One more thing..... Follow through with your shot. If you shoot a clay and it busts in half and you still have an eye on one of the pieces, stay swinging with the gun as if you were going to shoot at it like you did before the first shot. It will help you.... I PROMISE!!!! Good luck and keep shooting. You will get better.
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Old August 14, 2012, 11:34 PM   #24
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I didn't read JimDandy's post above until after I posted my reply. But he is absolutely correct and basically shed the same information I posted with more detail.
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