Sporting Clays - first time

[T.R.]

This afternoon was an all expense paid outing for two of us to represent our employer at an informal shooting event. I was a bit nervous before the event since I've NEVER shot sporting clays before and I do not own a 12 gauge automatic nor over and under shotgun. I brought my older Western Field pump action and two choke tubes: MOD and IMP CYL.

The course of fire was 100 shots at 17 stations. Of the hundred or so shooters, I was the only guy with a pump action shotgun! Yet I shot a 42 score which was better than my co-workers score of 27 and he had a spendy Browning over and under with special choke tubes. So I feel pretty good about my score. The pump action is fast and reliable but slows pointing for the second shot. So it goes.

My shotgun has a slip on LimbSaver recoil pad that made the shooting quite comfortable, indeed.

One of the guys had a really ugly shotgun: a square backed Browning automatic with huge poly-choke on the muzzle end. But he shot quite well with it. Just goes to show that looks are not everything! Some of the guys had really fancy guns with gold line engraving and select walnut stocks. Not my choice in guns but somebody likes 'em.

I'll probably shoot another round of this sport before the summer's end with my Western Field (Mossberg). I had a great time today!

Anybody else ever try sporting clays?

TR

 

[cat_IT_guy]

Yes, not often enough though. I had great fun, though I usually shoot skeet because its closer to home, and cheaper.

 

[GarySTL]

I was shooting today. A local place in Pevely Mo. They have ten stations with five pairs at each. Most are true pairs with some report pairs. Shot 56 today with my best score there being 63. Shot 10 at two stations, but not as well on the others. Beautiful day though.
I shoot a Browning Citori in 12 ga.

 

[maxyedor]

I shoot S/C about every other weekend. It's, IMHO, the most fun clay sport out there.

I do shoot a gold engraved O/U with a fancy walnut stock, and another with a Maple stock and high end choke tubes, but I shoot with a friend who has a Remington Model 11 he got for less than the price of 1 of my choke tubes. Both of us shoot just fine, it's not the bow or the arrow, it's the Indian, and this Indian just likes O/Us.

There are a couple stations at my local club that I've never seen anybody hit the 2nd bird with a pump at, but otherwise, there's nothing wrong with a pump. Shoot what you're familiar with, it'll always be better than a new gun.

Depending on the course, I'd add an IM or full choke to the collection, around here they always throw in a long-shot or two just to mess with you.

What course did you shoot? I'm in Pa on business every so often and need to bring my gun next trip, heard there's some great S/C courses out that way.

 

[Whole Hog]

I shoot lots of sporting clays and 5 Stand, and think they're the best of the clay target sports. For several years after I started all I had was an 870 with a fixed skeet choke barrel and I did well enough. Now I have a couple Wenig stocked Citoris and a Beretta DT 10, but I still haul out the 870, just for fun.

 

[UnderTheGun]

Love sporting clays. I've only been about 5 times and each time I get a little better. My best is 39/50 on the "easy" course and 30/50 on the "hard" course. I shoot a Beretta A400 Xtreme that I also use for ducks. Now that tax season (CPA) is over I plan to get out again. Can't get enough of sporting clays although I do enjoy skeet as well.

 

[oneounceload]

Just shot my state's sporting cays championship this last weekend, should be shooting a registered event this coming weekend and another one the following weekend. Shoot practice two times a week. Have over 250,000 rounds through my sporting clays O/U over the last 18 years, so yeah, I like to shoot sporting clays. Along that game's lines are also Super Sporting, Compak, aka 5-stand, and FITASC.

As to fancy guns, two of my friends shoot some nice ones - a $12,000 Kolar and a Kreighoff case-colored Super Scroll (current replacement cost is about $24,000, though he got his in a helluva great deal) Me?, I shoot the same Browning O/U I bought new 18 years ago.
Read my sig line - it holds true when you want to buy a shotgun for high-volume shooting

 

[SeekHer]

Your prowess proves the point of it's the man not the gun.

Although, there is a very valid reason why O/U and semi autos dominate the sport and it's simply a matter of physics...They both shoot softer due to the added weight and/or the recoil buffers in the gas action.

Shooting a 100 course is fun--try shooting eight or ten courses over a weekend meet or up to fifteen over a long weekend...You'd be switching your pump to one of the other guns very quickly if you wanted to pursue more active competitive shooting.

The square backed Browning Mark or Auto 5 with the Cutts compensator and/or adjustable choke is a very desirable and reliable (probably from the 1950s) gun that got discontinued in the 1980s and has been finally been re-introduced with a new recoil system a few years ago...Mine will be here next week.

 

[Snarlingiron]

I love sporting clays. It is something I wanted to do for much of my life, but life is messy as they say. Family, finances, job (requiring constant travel), etc. prevented my getting into it for many years. However, in my mid 50's things came together and I found myself with the time and the money to pursue it. Fortunately, my business partner and good friend was also interested. For about a year we shot a course of sporting clays almost every weekend. We also attended a workshop with Mike McAlpine and learned some of the finer points. One of the things that attracted me to the sport is that as Oneounceload pointed out, it is not restricted by your age.

We still shoot about once a month and hope to increase that soon. I started with a Remington 11-87. I traded it in on a Beretta A390 that I still love. A great opportunity came about to obtain a Browning Cynergy with adjustable cheek piece and I jumped on it. That is now my go to sporting clays gun.

We used to rent golf carts, but have decided we prefer to walk the course now. More time for conversation and the walk is good for you.

Welcome to the addiction. It is a challenging and fun sport.

 

[oneounceload]

Had a bad day today, but it was still fun.....for some reason I have gone from never can miss a rabbit to never can hit one - and today there were TWO stations with rabbits - and they kicked my butt, keeping me out of a chance for first place

And so it goes - this is why I love sporting though - it isn't about being perfect to get into a shootoff - it is about doing your best on any given day and trying to hit as many as you can - one time a 72 might be good enough for first place in class, the next you might be at the bottom......

There is always NEXT weekend.............