Sporting clays

[Hotshot10]

I'm headed out next weekend to shoot sporting clays. Although I have shot trap and skeet for some time now, I've never shot sporting clays. What chokes should I be using? I have F, M, IC, and SK, and I shoot an over/under.

 

[Capstick1]

I'm mainly a trapshooter but most sporting clay shooters I know usually use an over/under with one barrel choked modified for the far targets and the other barrel choked improved cylinder for the close range targets.

 

[esheato]

I've never gone with only two chokes in the gun.

I take the assortment in my range bag. I evaluate the targets during the presentation, and adjust accordingly.

With that in mind, I don't think you would be wrong to start with IC or SK and MOD in the gun. You should be shooting bottom barrel first, so at the least you might be swapping which barrel holds the IC and which barrel holds the MOD. This is where extended and knurled tubes or speed wrenches come in handy.

 

[oneounceload]

Where are you shooting? Each club is built like a golf course - so while a trap or skeet field is exactly the same everywhere, the OPPOSITE is true when it comes to sporting clays courses.

If targets are close, under 25 yards - SK and IC is all you need

Check out the chart from Briley - it will give you some good ideas - don't worry about changing chokes from one station to the next - done all the time. I carry in my bag:2SK, 2IC, 1LM, 1M, 1IM, and 1F

http://www.briley.com/2009/sportingclays.html

As you can see from Briley's chart, most target presentations are using a recommendation of fairly open chokes. I typically start with IC/IC and loosen or tighten as I think I need to be. Since I shoot light 7/8oz loads, I want my chokes to be one .005 constriction tighter than what folks using 1oz or 1-1/8 oz use

All you need is 1oz or less at around 1200 fps - heavier and faster loads, especially the promos, can beat up over the long haul, leading to fatigue towards the end

Good Luck, welcome to an addiction that makes crack cocaine looks like sugar pills

P.S. - if you are using a semi, start with an IC - should be good for 80% of the typical targets at a typical course (not a registered shoot with the big boys).

Remember also sporting is about trying to hit as many as you can - 80-90 is an excellent score for the big boys, so do not despair if it doesn't not match your typical trap or skeet score - it isn't supposed to

 

[Dave McCracken]

The chokes I use most at my home course are IC and LM. I do have a Cylinder Mod and IM along,but most opps call for IC and LM with my loads.

And that's the crux. I might need more choke if I used cheapo shells, but my reloads pattern tightly.

I oft carry shells with both 7.5 and 8.5 shot. The smaller shot gets paired with the most open chokes more than not.As the range lengthens, I go to the larger shot before I reach for the tube box. Few shots at any shooting range call for Full choke.

 

[RUT]

The majority of time I find an IC choke fits the bill. On occasion I'll carry a LM choke "just in case", but it's rare that anything other than IC is needed. Don't get hung up on changing chokes at every other station, as in most cases it's a waste of time.

 

[Hotshot10]

Thanks for the advice.

I don't know much about the course yet, since it's at a shooting club that I have not visited. I'm going to start with something open and bring along the others in case.

@oneounceload: a worker at one of my local gun shops told me that I wouldn't want to shoot anything else once I started sporting clays.

 

[oneounceload]

well, there IS one thing more addictive (and affordable) - it's called FITASC, but you'll get there after a while.

As to changing chokes all the time - I don't, most don't, but if it makes YOU feel more confident, then do so - just remember to focus on the target, "eye on the rock, head on the stock", keep the gun moving and MOST IMPORTANT

HAVE FUN and don't worry about your score!

 

[RUT]

>>told me that I wouldn't want to shoot anything else once I started sporting clays.<<

And you'll find he's pretty much right!

 

[PJR]

If you've never shot the game before put skeet in the bottom, IC choke in the top and leave them there. Chokes give you inches but we miss in feet. Instead of fussing over chokes watch the targets and relate them to what you are used to seeing from skeet and trap. You'll have a blast.

 

[Kingcreek]

I shoot about 90% of the targets with IC and switch to Mod for the remaining 10% on the 3 different courses I frequent. (shooting a Beretta 390)

 

[Snarlingiron]

Interesting. I shoot a fair amount of sporting clays. At the courses I shoot, I mostly use skeet and skeet. Probably 80% of the time. The rest of the time I am usually shooting IC / skeet, and rarely IC / MOD. I am not a competition shooter, but have had the opportunity to shoot the competition courses after the competitions a few times, and I have gone to IM a time or two. That's just me. I don't swap chokes around a great deal. As others have said, I don't think it is the choke when I miss. I shoot a lot with a buddy, and he likes to change chokes a lot. He often tells me, you should have used a this or that choke, to which I always reply, "I don't think the choke would have made the difference."

In fact, I think this Sunday I will set up IC / IC and shoot the entire course. I'm betting my score won't show much difference if any.

I too carry 7 1/2's, 8's and 9's and change according to the target, the wind or sometimes what I have left in my pouch.

I think a good round of sporting clays is about as much fun as you can have. Hope you have a similar experience.

 

[esheato]

but if it makes YOU feel more confident, then do so

I fall in this camp a lot...so I change them. I wholeheartedly agree with the "if it makes your brain feel right, then do it" mentality. Does it really make a difference? Probably not as much as I'd think.

I carry mostly 9s with a box of 7.5s for the rabbits and other thick or far targets.

 

[PJR]

I shoot a lot with a buddy, and he likes to change chokes a lot. He often tells me, you should have used a this or that choke, to which I always reply, "I don't think the choke would have made the difference."

I agree with you. When the guys who are fascinated with chokes are switching their's I'm looking at targets to see where they emerge, what they are doing in flight and figuring out my plan of attack. Once that is done I might think about chokes. The only thing I care about is that I have enough pattern for a given target. Most often I shoot with IC or Light Mod in both barrels. The Light Mod gets out a surprising distance but isn't so tight that the close-in targets can't be handled effectively.

 

[mps111]

Chokes give you inches but we miss in feet

.

IMO PJR hit it perfectly.

I practice with full chokes and open it up when I am keeping score

 

[OldCavSoldier]

I am an NSCA level I instructor, and I recommend you putting in IC over Skeet choke tubes and use 3-dram 1 1/8 ounce #8 loads. Unless you are competing in a tournament for $$, that will set you for most target pairs. Personally, I put in IC over Cyl (or Diffusion tube) and use cheap Win or Remington dove loads (3 dram 1 1/8 ounces of #8)...and I have won some rather nice prizes and checks.

 

[gaweidert]

I shoot them mostly with my Wal-Mart special Remington 870 pump. It as an improved cylinder choke installed. I just enjoy using the pump action 870 and when I shoot with a group of guy you would be amazed how many of them want to try it out. I have gotten to shoot some pretty amazing, out of my price range, shotguns as they reciprocate the offer.

Many of them are thrilled to find out that they can still handle a pump action properly after not having shot one in years.

BTW, when I shoot sporting clays I have the gun at rest, release he clay and then bring it to bear and then shoot. Good practice.

 

[Hotshot10]

Thanks for the advice, all. I'm going to bring SK, IC and LM along and switch if I need to do so.

I'm looking forward to this Sunday. I hope my arm doesn't fall off after carrying my Citori and shooting 100 rounds.

 

[Hotshot10]

My buddy canceled on me a few weeks ago (high 90s heat combined with 60 percent humidity), so I didn't get to a sporting clays range until today. I had a great time. It was really challenging - one station featured a 70-yard shot headed left to right - but not so difficult as to be frustrating. I'm hooked.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Glad you had a good time. Clays are as addicting as crack but a lot healthier.

 

[stepup]

Welcome to the addiction that keeps me up at night and drives me to get up in the mornings. I have been doing it about 8 months now and I love it. I shoot a Beretta AL 390 and the first time I went I put in a Improved Cylinder choke. It is the same one I have used since I started. I went out the other day with some guys who I had never shot with before. At the 2nd station they all started changing chokes. I kept mine the same and didn't say a word. On the 13th station which is the next to last one of them asked me why I had not changed chokes and I told him that I had a hard enough time trying to disect the stations without trying to figure out which choke to use. When we got back to the clubhouse we looked at our scores and I had shot a 77. The other guys all shot 65-75 and couldn't figure out how I beat them using the same choke the whole time. I think people put way to much emphasis on chokes and should just watch the view pair and worry about shooting them rather than trying to figure out distances so they can change there chokes. I may have missed 1 or 2 because I wouldn't change chokes but heck we were just there to have fun. I am getting comfortable with my scoring now though so I will probably start trying to swap some stuff up and see if I can get into the 80's.

 

[Hotshot10]

just watch the view pair and worry about shooting them

That was what I found. I used a LM and an IC for most of the shots. One of the stations had a 65-yard shot (I'm not exaggerating; I asked the owner), so I switched out the IC for a full. It didn't matter - I missed all four of them.