Went Skeet Shooting for the First Time Wednesday Night

[Jeff White]

My youngest son came home from work Wednesday night and asked me to go skeet shooting with him and his friend. Now I've shot at a couple clay bnirds in the past just playing around but never really tried the sport.

We packed up a couple of shotguns, I only own one that isn't a defensive type weapon, my son took it. I packed my Benelli M121 M1.

Got to the range and signed up to shoot a round. I missed more then I hit but did break some birds with the short barreled Benelli. When it came time to shoot the second round, I was loaned a very nice custom Beretta by a man I'd never met before and had him standing next to me coaching. I did much better although it was strange being reminded not to aim.

I've got a bit of experience with combat type shooting (the basic police training and Louis Awerbuck's course) but this was totally different. All in all a very enjoyable evening. Time spent with my 19 year old son, made new friends (contrary to what get's posted I didn't find skeet shooters elitist at all, just as friendly and helpful as any other member of the shooting community) and it was an inexpensive night. $12.00 for the two of us to shoot two rounds, about $15.00 for Wal-Mart special #7 shotshells. I can think of many times I spent a lot more then that on an evening's entertainment and didn't have near the fun.

Of course a bad day at the range is better then a good day doing most other things. :D

Jeff

[HSMITH]

Glad you had a great night out with your son Jeff. Skeet can be addictive, so be careful. Skeet is like crack, you'll get hooked before you know it. Some of us are a little weaker than others and get hooked right away, thousands of dollars and thousands of hours later our wives suggest an intervention and....... Did I type that out loud? DANG IT!!!

Anyway, skeet shooters are probably the most relaxed bunch of shotgunners to be found. The camaraderie and willingness to help one another in skeet shooters is probably only matched in high power match shooters in my experience. Most skeet shooters are fine gentlemen.

The next time you guys go out watch for a hotshot. Watch what he does, the way he does it, and when he does it. If you want to really see what is happening walk out on the field when the squad is changing stations and ask if you can watch, no one will mind. Really good skeet shooters didn't get that way by accident, and we can learn from them.

Skeet is a great game, and I dream of the day my son and I can shoot together. I bought him a skeet gun when he was 6 weeks old (did NOT impress the wife BTW LOL) and in a couple years he will be able to use it. I am envious but God willing my turn will come.

[TrapperReady]

Jeff - Where'd you shoot? A couple years ago, I spent a very enjoyable day shooting clays at the Rend Lake facility, which IIRC is close to where you are located.

[SDC]

It IS a lot of fun, isn't it? (Even with the strange looks I get when I shoot skeet with my "combat" 870; 20" rifle-sighted barrel, sidesaddle, and 10-shot mag tube :D )

[Dave McCracken]

Glad you had a good time, Jeff. All the clay games are instant gratification. All are fun in major amounts.

Besides skeet, try trap, wobble and Sporting Clays.

[Jeff White]

TrapperReady,
It's on (the very appropriately named) Range Road between Odin and Sandoval. A nice set up there.

I'm going back. It was a lot of fun, now if I can just get my brain to learn an entirely new set of shooting reflexes ;)

Jeff

[sm]

:cool:

I'm glad you had some quality time with your son. You made my day a bit brighter by sharing this.

[Skirmisher]

Some of our best times are spent on the skeet range with our kids and grandkids.:D