Anyone shoot clay at home?

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WC15

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Can anyone recommend to me a good launcher thrower for the round clay targets? Sorry I don’t know all the proper terms. I’m wanting one that I could use by myself and still shoot alone. Specific brands and models would be helpful and links would be wonderful as well. Looking at new shotguns and I want to be able to get the thing good and broken in and don’t really wanna shot a couple hundred shells at a piece of paper. Any advice or knowledge you could pass on would be most helpful. This will be for me, at home, with no competition or anything like that in mind. Just for some out of hunting season fun and nothing more. I don’t want a junky thrower but I don’t need top of the line either.

I did see this one today in a search. I like the price. I assume I can launch a target and shoot said target all by myself without needing someone to launch for me?

https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/1...MI6ebUnaPo2AIVxbXACh2XjgJOEAQYBCABEgLzXvD_BwE

Again clueless newbie here! Had someone rec0mmend a Champion Wheelybird but that thing was like $300 and you have to keep up with bringing a battery with you. If something good, well made, useful, and fun can be had for less money I’m all ears and where I don’t have to pull my truck battery out every time.
 
I think the one I have is an old Champion that I bought about 15 years ago for about $300. Battery operated, turrent and would hold about 100 targets. It would break about one in four throwing, was pretty disappointing. It has been buried under a tarp for about 14 years. Figured it was easier to go to a skeet and trap range rather than mess with the thrower. Manual throwers like the one you referenced from Midway are fine as long as all you want is to shoot targets going away from you and don't mind putting your gun down after every shot to put a new clay on the thrower

Unfortunately you have to spend some pretty big $$ to get a decent auto thrower. Do you have any ranges near you? Most skeet and trap ranges are just guys going out and breaking birds so they can get better, there are times that, yes, competition is going on, but it is mostly practice. Most places will go out of their way to show a new shooter the ropes, it is in their best interest to get new shooters involved and active. I try to introduce myself to new people at the club I belong to, and offer any help or answer any questions they have. I have met some good people this way and we have both benefited. I pretty much have a standing invitation to anyone on the internet that lives near me to introduce them to the gun club I belong to, and show them the ropes. Met several people that way.
 
Sbout any of the spring operated throwers will throw decent targets. I think mine is an Outers brand. I attached a string to the trigger so i can throw my own, but you have to lay your gun down and cock the spring.

If you have a permanent place to shoot, like on your own property, the post mounted throwers are nice because you can get the thrower up at waist height so your no constantly bent down to the ground cocking the spring.
I have one that slides into the hitch receiver on a pickup, then you sit on it, and use the tailgate as a table for the target boxes. It works good, and came from Cabelas.


If you really want wingshooting practice, you can throw your own targets with the cheap handthrowers too for about ten bucks, no cocking the spring. It takes about a dozen throws to get the knack of it. After that you can sail them out there easily.

All that said.....one of the new electric throwers with the self loading target stack would sure be nice.
 
I got a deal on a Do-All Raven last fall, or at least I hope I did.
About $275 with a remote.
I read some good reviews on it so I took a chance. At first every 2 or 3 throws the chain would come off. Called customer support, described the issue and they sent a replacement part. Apparently the gear was welded in the wrong place on the shaft or not straight. I have not had a chance to really use it since replacing the part but I did throw a couple dozen targets and it worked fine.
 
I have an Allen Xcelerator manual thrower. It works good for one person because it has a foot pedal release. They are 40 bucks at Walmart.
 
I used to throw my own with the hand throwers you can buy at walmart. Hold the shotgun at high port with the left hand, throw with your right, tossing the thrower to the ground as your right hand goes to the grip.
It works fine, though it is a bit slower.
 
I had a el cheapo spring throw way back, I seem to remember it breaking at least a couple targets out of ten or so.

We also used to do as AF says, throw your own using the $10 plastic to throwing stick. I like them better overall for a couple reasons... No messing with a big contraption that may or may not work well today, friends could throw with out worry of losing a hand (those springers can give you a heck of a whack if you're not careful) and probably most importantly- your clay does not go the same way each time.
 
What appeals to me about the manual ones with the foot pedal launcher is of course the price for one, especially since this is just for use for a fun afternoon when I don’t wanna just stand there and blow throw paper to break the gun in, and the manual foot pedal ones also won’t require me going and buying a battery and trying to keep it charged when I may use a thrower 3 or 4 times a year or so I won’t have to take a battery off if something and then have to turn around and put it back on after an hour
 
My manual works great as far as releasing and throwing goes. It stays planted in the ground and doesn't jump around like some...The only downside is shooting and loading by yourself is a workout.
 
I have 2 throwers, one is similar to the one in your link. I got it as a present years ago and my family has had lots of fun with it so it was definitely worth the money. The biggest down side is that it occasionally will come up out of the ground when released. Drilling a small hole in each leg for a short steel stake to go through helps. The second thrower is still a manual spring thrower but is larger and you can either have the person throwing the targets sit on it or slide it in a trailer hitch receiver. It works better and throws targets farther. The down sides to this one are; you need a truck with a hitch or a second person and you need a truck to take it anywhere. I use this one in my back yard the most often. Also it takes up a lot more space in the garage or barn.

On a side note I've also had several hand throwers and out of them all the (usually) red plastic one is by far the best I've used. It will trow a target surprisingly fast/far and with the optional extension handle it REALLY gets them out there with a little practice.
 
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I love how that wheelybird looks and ease of operation for me being alone and using it, but it’s double the cost of the other one and I mean 3-4 times a year using it I’m gonna have to either pull a battery out of my truck or lawn mower or go buy a battery and then hope it stays charged just sitting in the shed unhooked for those 3-4 times I want to use that launcher
 
I love how that wheelybird looks and ease of operation for me being alone and using it, but it’s double the cost of the other one and I mean 3-4 times a year using it I’m gonna have to either pull a battery out of my truck or lawn mower or go buy a battery and then hope it stays charged just sitting in the shed unhooked for those 3-4 times I want to use that launcher
Why pull the battery from you mower or truck?
Put the clamps on the posts and start trowing.
 
Can’t get anything other than my old four wheeler where I plan on using it.
 
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/187843/trius-clay-target-thrower-full-cock-trap

This is the one I have. Less than a year old... Works well for me. I extended the string for trigger. I considered the foot triggered model but glad I went with string. Nice to be able to have flexibility on how far from the launcher I am and at what angle (I use leftover SRW blocks (country bumpkin style) to allow me to be near 90* to launcher. I bet foot model could be tweaked to operate from string.

Do consider the range of your shot. While it will rain down softly and be harmless (opinion likely to vary on this!) I wouldn't want someone else's shot raining on my property... But I don't mind raining my own shot on my own property. Lol.
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Good news is #9 shot from 2.5" .410 has served me very well with the thrower linked above.

Don't be embarrassed if you use half a box or more of targets before hitting the targets consistently.

Also, I suggest a hand thrower too. The spring throwers are purdy consistent in throw... So after awhile you hit them 100%. You'll be back to square one with unpredictable flights band thrown targets offer for the dollar.. After awhile missing again becomes strangely enjoyable because you now have a new skill set to work toward that you thought you had. Requires a willing friend for hand throwing. Be mindful of your friend and muzzle. Those two don't mix. Lol
 
We bought the whirlybird double thrower since we wanted to shoot two at a time. It wasn't cheap but it has worked perfectly since it came out of the box. We ended up buying the cart for it to make it easier to move around. The thrower works all day on a riding lawnmower battery which saves a lot of weight.
 
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