Sporting clays with a repro 20ga.

[Kenny Graft]

I have been shooting sporting clays for several weeks now with my DHE 20 repro...PG-DT-SF 28" M/F Our club has registerd shoots and offers a difficult set of stations with several birds at 35-40 yards crossing fast, with a couple mini-s and a double thrown in for good measure. We shoot even stations one week and odd stations the following week. I can do well at better than half the stations and fail badly at a couple that drag my score down. I know my worst offence is shooting behind the birds and will work at that flaw. My average is arround 30 of 50 I also shoot low gun like you would in a hunting situation. I have a great time and the scores are of no merit as we are lone shooters. I would like to get into the 45 of 50 range by summers end if that is possible with my 20ga. The parker repro is working like a clock and the receiver is turning a very nice shade of antique silver. It realy looks nice on the rack! Next year Ill try a 12 or 16 for the summer and compair scores. The big test will be in Michigan on wild grouse this october.....(-: Thats why I realy shoot this game. thanks all Kenny from Ohio...

[hugh rather]

Those 45-50 yarders eat me alive, so do springing teal .There's no substitute for regular practice ;it really pays off in hunting season.Good luck and good shooting.

[Dave Miles]

Kenny, There are No Grouse in Michigan. :)

[Kenny Graft]

Last year had 10 flushes per hunt and 25 on a great day?? The state bioligist claims grouse are on the up swing. I have had reports of good numbers in PA mountains? May look into that as well. Less than five months till october...(-:

[Gregory Miller]

Typical winning scores at a SxS match are usually around 80%, so if you can get to 40 you should be pretty close to the top at even championship events. I know Olympians who routinely shoot 90% with o/u race guns, but...

1. Mod/Full chokes are pretty tight for the fast short crossers and rabbits. Do you carry some 9s to open the pattern when you get a 20 yards shot. And, do you know the trick to shoot a little low on rabbits and let the debris kicked up supplement the pattern. Some of the guys in the club mix their own special spreader loads for the fast short crossers.


2. Competitive clays courses tend to combine shots where you need a lot gun of speed, and recoil is not your friend. If you are playing to win, you might want to speak to the guys at RST about some of their loads. Light recoil for fast recovery and top grade components.

3. As to shooting behind, join the club. :banghead:

4. As to Teal, if they are straight up, it is just a parlor trick. You visualize where they stop, and just move your gun very slightly and pop them. If they are doubles take the lower one first then move up as the second higher target hits the top of its arc. If they are compound curving away, leads can tough to judge.

If you do start hitting 90%, come help us get our $50 back from the Fox Gang!:crying: We was hussled.

[Kenny Graft]

That was sound advice...thank You. And the score thing will help build confidence....(-: I am getting better at it...and its still fun!!!

[allen newell]

When we lived in Minford, Ohio on Rase's mountain, I could walk out back and hunt grouse all day long. God, those were the days!

[allen newell]

There are no grouse in Massachusetts. just some Quail and woodcock

[Gerry Addison]

Ken, those are tight chokes for sporting clays and especially for Grouse. Open up the chokes or have Briley put in thin walls and your scores will improve.

[Dean Romig]

Very few shooters miss in front of the bird…

When shooting low gun, gun fit is CRITICAL.





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[allen newell]

Amen to that Dean

[bob lyons]

Kenny
I’m not an expert in sporting clays but did do a lot of partridge hunting years ago.
I would use 9 or 8 in the right barrel and 7-1/2 or 6’s in the left barrel for the longer shots. It worked really well.
It may work on sporting clays as well.
Bob

[RonKiska]

There are no grouse in Massachusetts. just some Quail and woodcock

Scattered grouse in NW MA. Personally I haven't had much success but guys I know will put up 6-10 on a given day hunting their special spots which never gets disclosed.

Pheasant hunting in state WMAs is pretty good. Lots of nice areas and for the most part the pheasant wise up quickly and are t pushovers. Some areas with heavy growth support holdovers with some possible breeding and wild born birds. I personally have seen both live roosters and hens as well as fresh remains in late winter and springtime.

[Kenny Graft]

Well; its been awhile.....ware did the time go. My sporting clays score have not improved much over my original post. I have not been shooting all that much but will say that my wild bird scores are above average so practice on fast targets do help...a lot! I will be hunting over a new pup this October in the upper peninsula. Sweet Miss Charlie Rae, Feild bred Gordon setter. I have been spending everyday working or running that pup and it's paying off...(-: See pics of my pup learning her craft.

[Kenny Graft]

Some pics got lost?

[Kenny Graft]

Well; its been awhile.....ware did the time go. My sporting clays score have not improved much over my original post. I have not been shooting all that much but will say that my wild bird scores are above average so practice on fast targets do help...a lot! I will be hunting over a new pup this October in the upper peninsula. Sweet Miss Charlie Rae, Feild bred Gordon setter. I have been spending everyday working or running that pup and it's paying off...(-: See pics of my pup learning her craft. My pics are not loading ...will try later???

[Daryl Corona]

Kenny, tell us a little bit about that gun.

[Kenny Graft]

The first picture is a CSMC Fox DE special .410 I bought several years ago. The 2nd is my CSMC Fox XE special 16 two-barrel set that I ordered new, I think 2015. Both guns were engraved by Richard Roy.

[Daryl Corona]

Thanks Kenny. Beautiful guns.