Hints on shooting clays

[Jack Cronkhite]

Whenever I have pulled the trigger, there has been game in range or I have been pistol or rifle target shooting. I have never shot at clay birds but am going to give that a go next month after an invite to a Pheasants Forever shoot. I will be taking along recently (since joining this forum) accumulated Parkers.

I admit up front that when dropping roosters, I'm not sure what I do. I cannot say if both eyes are open or not and how I lead or whether I shoot over or under on a straight away. What I do know is there is a reasonable chance of a dead rooster after the shot. I also know if I try to analyze in the field and not fire instinctively, there is a real good chance the bird keeps flying.

I don't want to over-think the clays and it may or may not come along like game birds but any instructions from those who have been there with their double guns will be appreciated. (I shoot the 870 better than a SxS. I wonder why that is.)

Cheers,
Jack

[todd allen]

Best advice I can give, is have fun with it. If you want to get serious about clay targets, seek out a shooting coach, or just shoot with SC shooters that shoot at least A Class, preferably AA or Master Class. Watch, learn, and listen. Do what they do.

[Mark Vollinger]

I googled this for myself and found it helpful. It appears as no copyrighted material.

Tip #1 - In all shooting, practice safety first. Always wear hearing and eye protection. Keep your gun unloaded and the action visibly open until you're ready to shoot. Once you are finished shooting, make sure the gun is once again empty and the action is open. Always keep the gun's muzzle pointed down range. Never point a gun muzzle backward over your shoulder.
Tip #2 - Practice swinging and mounting an unloaded gun to your face in front of a mirror. Make sure you stand erect. Do not lower your face to the gun or tilt your head. Lift the gun straight up using a short concise motion. Be sure to use both hands equally, as though they were connected by a steel rod. Mount the gun precisely from the same starting position each time. Always mount to the same place on your face each time. Mount the gun to the face not the shoulder. Do ten swing/mounts each day. (The best shots make this part of their daily routine.)
Tip #3 - When shooting (or practicing your swing/mounts), position your feet so that a line extending from your rear heel to your leading foot points to where you will break the target. Keep your stance relatively narrow. This position encourages a smooth swing and a good follow through.
Tip #4 - Learn to first swing the gun and then mount it. If we mount the gun as we swing to the target, the mount takes no time. Allow your pointing instincts to take over your swing. As your eyes become sharply focused on the target, finish the gun mount and shoot the instant the target is in sharp focus.
Tip #5 - When pointing your gun, focus on the target and not the gun barrel or bead. Point, don't aim. Aiming slows your swing and causes you to shoot behind. Since a shot string is 10-14' long, use it to your advantage by pointing slightly more in front of a target. If you miss crossing targets, you are probably shooting behind. Try to "miss" in front by doubling your lead, and if still missing, try doubling the lead again.
Tip #6 - Gun fit is important. Have your gun fitted so it shoots where you look. This test requires that you first have a consistent, well practiced gun mount. To test for gun fit, set up a pattern board at 16 yards. Fire several consecutive shots by mounting and shooting at a center dot without aiming, but by merely pointing at the target. If the highest pattern density is off center, take the target and your gun to a competent gun fitter for adjustment.
Tip #7 - When shooting simultaneous (true) pairs, decide ahead of time which target you will break. Generally, shoot the behind or lower target first, unless one target is quick to disappear behind cover or is decidedly more difficult. Shooting the lower target first allows gun recoil to bring you automatically to the upper target. Shooting the back target first allows your swing to continue smoothly to the front target.
Tip #8 - When you're experiencing a missing streak, change something. Change one of your postures. Double your lead. Or, give yourself less think time by moving your gun hold point and target view point closer to the break point. Pull the trigger the instant the gun is mounted to your face and the target is in focus.
Tip #9 - Use low recoil target loads for practice. Shotshells containing 7/8-1 oz shot are adequate for practice. The lessened amount of shot with more powder gives these shells high velocity, low recoil, and excellent pattern integrity. Many tournament shooters prefer these light loads even under tough tournament shooting conditions.
Tip #10 - Regular practice improves scores. However, when practice no longer improves your hitting ability, take a lesson from a certified NSCA instructor. A competent instructor can diagnose specific shooting problems and improve your proficiency. The dollars paid to a competent instructor are quickly returned in better scores and saved ammunition.

[Dean Romig]

Jack, you're going to have a lot of fun. The whole idea of these shooting events is to get together with friends and acquaintances. You might do very well and you might not but the best advice is to get a copy of Chris Batha & Bruce Scott's DVD "Mastering the Double Gun". I borrowed it from Larry Frey quite a while back and I'm sending it to another member this morning. I believe it has helped me somewhat, especially in the technical aspects of various shooting styles and how to establish lead on any given target presentation.

Above all, have fun!!

[Harry Collins]

Jack,

Don't rush your shot.

Know what bird you will break first on true pair.

Watch where others are breaking the clay.

You have more time than you think.

Most important of all:

Just pull the trigger!

You will have alot of fun and as in the field, some stations will require back trigger first. I will most always shoot a going away with the left barrel and the crosser with the right.

Have fun!

Harry

[calvin humburg]

Harry,
So phesant hunting you would shoot the left mostly? The birds are usually going away with a little left or right. How come the left?
Jack,
don't know why you shoot your 870 better I thougth I shot my parker as good or better than my 870 and I snap shoot also, funny like you if I start thinking then it really gets bad, I shoot pretty fair but if I go with new people seems like i miss more. ch

[Harry Collins]

Calvin,

I was just talking about sporting clays, but it does work for me in the field. On the crosser I want a more open choke to make up the difference on my poor shooting with a bigger pattern. Going away birds are for the most part you can shoot right at it or if it is drifting left or right I will shoot that edge. Even with a full choke I can break those shots (most of the time).

Harry

[Pete Lester]

Keep your head tight to the stock, avoid peeking at the bird and lifting your head.

Do not stop your swing.

Establish what you think is the right amount of lead, then give it some more lead and pull the trigger.

When I shot a lot of registered trap years ago the joke was a championship trapshooter needs two things, no neck and a frontal lobotomy. The result would be a shooter who couldn't lift his head off the stock and had nothing else on his mind. This would apply to any shotgun game. Funny but probably some truth to it.

[Richard Flanders]

Jack: Sorry but I am only qualified to instruct shooters on how to MISS clays.... I seem to be able to do that all day long.

[C Roger Giles]

People say shooting sporting clays is close to bird or rabbit hunting,, WRONG , it is altogather different.

Rog

[Dave Suponski]

I like to call it"Golf with a shotgun"....:rolleyes:

[Dean Romig]

Yup, 'golf cart' and everything. It's quite a sport.... (hmmm, if it's a sport then we must be athletes, right?)

[calvin humburg]

So the left barrel is usually the one with less choke. Been thinking it might be easyer to shoot the left barrel first. Be easyer to find the second trigger where i'm usted to a single trigger right or wrong Whats u think. ch I'm going to make sure i keep my head down Pete

[Dave Suponski]

Dean..."Athletes"? well I guess we can call it anything we want.Danny is an athlete...I'm just an ol guy who likes to wander around in the woods with a 100 year old shotgun....:)

Actually so does "Da kid" so I guess your right we are "Athletes".....

[Dean Romig]

Dean..."Athletes"? well I guess we can call it anything we want.Danny is an athlete...I'm just an ol guy who likes to wander around in the woods aimlessly with a 100 year old shotgun....:)

Actually so does "Da kid" so I guess your right we are "Athletes".....


Dave, you left out a very important word so I fixed it for you.... :bigbye:

[Dave Suponski]

Thank You....:bowdown:

[Jack Cronkhite]

Thanks gents for all the replies. Just got back from a day's drive and have added to the arsenal. Of the additions, a well experienced and well maintained GHE will be my gun of choice to bust clays. It is hefty so I know I'm carrying a gun with this one. It swings and mounts nicely. The damascus is nice. Barrels were sent to England years ago and came back on the brown side not black. It was also proofed and stamped BNP 3 1/4 ton/sq.in. I think I will also give it the honors for opening day roosters. Previous owner kept a game diary for this gun and there were a lot of meals provided.

I will enjoy the clay day. I'll be going over your replies a few times before the shoot (June 5)

Thanks again,
Jack

[Dean Romig]

Above all Jack - Have fun!!

[Jack Cronkhite]

Jack: Sorry but I am only qualified to instruct shooters on how to MISS clays.... I seem to be able to do that all day long.

I have a feeling we could become international consultants on the fine art of missing.
Cheers,
Jack

[Mike McKinney]

Jack,
I'm real glad you posted this thread. I have shot at a good amount of grouse and woodcock, some doves and hit a pretty fair number of them. Shot a little skeet years ago. After watching everybody shoot and hearing so much talk I took a road trip to a sporting clays course a couple of weeks ago. Went with a good shooter and he helped (tried) me a lot. I sure did enjoy it and hope to hit more.
Thanks,
Mike

[Richard Flanders]

The only valid advice I can give you Jack is based on why I think I miss so many skeet targets. I think my problem is that I jerk the trigger, pulling the gun down, and close my eyes momentarily and shoot under many. Classic flinching that becomes painfully obvious when I have a shell not go off for some reason. Last time out in the woods I decided to work on that issue. I made it a goal to see the clay at the microsecond that it broke and for some reason, having that as a goal, I did notice a big difference. I never closed my eyes and broke 61/63 clays that I threw. These were easy straightaway climbing clays from a step thrower, but still that's far better than I usually do. The ones I missed were ones that I intentionally let get out to 50+ yds. Anyway it worked for me and I intend to work on that further. This is the same advice found in any good shooting book really when they tell you to concentrate not on the pheasant but on the pheasants eye. I also highly recommend the books by Bob Brister, either edition of Robert Churchill's shotgun book and the DVD mentioned earlier, which is very good. I loan mine out to friends who are teaching their kids to shoot.

[Harry Collins]

Calvin,

The left barrel is most often the tighter barrel fired with the rear trigger. The front trigger most often fires the right barrel and it has less choke and a more open pattern. If I'm shooting at a going away target or a long target I will shoot the left barrel at it. Often you will have a crosser as first target and a going away or quartering taget as the second. In this case I will shoot front trigger (right barrel) rear trigger (left barrel). If the first bird is a long one or going away and the second is a crosser I will pull the rear trigger first. One of the main points of shooting a SXS is you have an option in what pattern you want to send up to hopfully meet with a target.

This I've picked this up over a lifetime of shootins SXS's and is second nature to me. It's best not to confuse the issue and "Just Pull The Trigger"!

You don't look at your hands when you are catching a ball. Look at the ball.

Don't look at the gun. Look at the target.

Don't measure or second guess yourself on a target. Be smooth, keep swinging and just pull the trigger!

Harry

[todd allen]

Sporting Clays will prepare you for shooting rabbits and birds. If nothing else, the structured safety discipline is a huge plus for field shooters. I wish everyone would spend a year at an organized gun club, before venturing forth in the field. There would be a lot less accidents, and an overall better shooting experience for all.

[calvin humburg]

Thanks Harry I understand. Makes good sense.

[Jim Williams]

Jack,

One of the most important thing championship SC shooters share in common is the ability to "read" the targets. They are good at analyzing the target's path and determining the best point to break the bird. Trap setters can be sneaky and know how to make the path of the bird look deceiving. Each group of shooters will be given two "show birds" at each stand so they will know the targets' paths before they attempt to shoot. If you are the first gun on the stand PAY ATTENTION to the show birds because you only get one look. If someone is shooting ahead of you, continue to study the target paths as they shoot.

Most targets on most SC courses can be broken with IC chokes, but some are a little farther out. If you are shooting a double gun, of course you will often have different chokes in each barrel. Once you determine where you will break each target, do as Harry suggested and let that be your guide as to which barrel to use on which target. I always shoot the closer target with the more open-choked barrel, even if that means firing the left barrel first (sometimes the first target is farther than the second). Also, determining where you will break the target allows you to pre-position your stance so that as you swing to the firing point you will be optimally positioned when it comes time to fire. Once you position your feet to be optimal for the breaking point, if the target is a hard crosser from the extreme left or right, you can "pre-wind" your swing a little by rotating at the waist towards the point where the target will first appear without disturbing the positioning of your feet.

Most (but not all) targets are missed behind. This may be because of not enough lead, but more common is a stopped swing with no follow-through. If you are used to snap-shooting roosters this may be a habit that you have unknowingly developed (not saying you have, but just to watch out for it). Keep the barrels swinging after the shot. I try to remind myself to continue the swing on the pieces of a broken bird, or the remaining path of a missed bird. This may not be possible on the first bird of a pair because of the need to get on the second one quickly.

Rabbits are ??? just different every time. The only tip I have for them is a personal thing I picked up on my own. If they are thrown briskly over rough ground there will often be a point where they tend to make a big hop. I always look for the big hop and take them in the air (even if it isn't at the point I planned for). The reason is that when they make a big hop, for a brief moment their path becomes predictable as long as they are airborne. When they are on the ground they are completely unpredictable and always seem to know how to hop over your pattern just as you pull the trigger. One good thing is that you can usually see your shot and tell if your lead was right or wrong.

Battues are the thin flat targets. They will eventually curve and roll over on their side as they fly. Usually you should wait for that to happen before taking them because they present a much bigger target at that point. They are razor thin and difficult to break from the side, so wait till they show you at least some of their top or bottom as they roll over.

Minis are the ones that look like little orange nickels shot out of a cannon. They are usually not as fast as they appear because 1) they appear faster because they are small, and 2) they lose velocity quickly because of their lack of mass. It's just an illusion to be aware of.

You're going to have a ball, by the way, whether you shoot well or not. Good luck!

Jim

[Jack Cronkhite]

Jim: Thanks for the essay. I will be studying all the responses. I think "snap shooting" does describe the rooster hunts. I will have fun and hope to learn a bit more at my tender age. I intend to shoot only a couple Parkers out of the recent accumulations so that I get my eye back for the SxS. I'll be doing the mirror trick for a while to, among other things, find the gun I feel is best fit. I found after several years of hunting "Parkerless" that when I finally did get another, I had a heck of a time connecting again, so I hope to overcome that with these inedible birds.

Cheers
Jack

[Dave Suponski]

"Tender age" Jack? Come on your among friends here....:rolleyes:

[Jack Cronkhite]

Aww shucks Dave

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:uWXYAjDjmETIwM:http://asg.homelinux.org/albums/classicdisney/Goofy_shy.sized.gif

[Dave Suponski]

Thanks for the morning belly laugh Jack. There are some great sugestions here. And now for the final lesson.....Don,t over think...Let your instincts take over and above all have fun.Something I have to keep telling myself at times....:)

[calvin humburg]

Dave, u like grits make some thick grits put em in somthing let them set up in fridge slice off an 1/4 inch fry up in hot bacon grease serve with bacon eggs little butter and suryp. I'm suddenly hungry. ch

[John Dallas]

Sounds like what I call corn meal mush. Scrapple is just corm meal mush with a bit of animal protein thown in for good measure