Hints on shooting clays
 

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

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.

10 tips
 

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.

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!!

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

Rog