concerning farm yard claybird shooting

[JohnhenrySTL]

In the last couple of years I prioritize hand throwing and spring fed claybird shooting. It started off as training for ducks and geese. I have recently taken a noticeable liking to it.

I recently put a modified choke in my 870 12 gauge and did horrible after a 2 year break. Granted, my friend throwing them that day was brand new and never had thrown birds. I ended up putting my improved cylinder choke back in and had better results than before. At the end of the day I picked up my recently acquired 20 with a modified choke and was hitting roughly 50 percent.

My question is, should I practice with a modified until I get good or just except I am a improved cylinder dude?

Also, is shooting 25 rounds through a standard 870, with ten minutes breaks between rounds going to wear out my seemingly hot barrel?

 

[rcmodel]

If you are hitting more with IC then MOD, you aren't quit on on birds.
Or your fried throws really slow.
Or you are awful fast and shooting them really close.

Try starting from a rest or carry position with the mod choke to let them get out a little further.

Then progress to a FULL tube and smoke them 25 straight at 35 yards.
Only then will you know you are shooting where you 'think' you are pointing.

No, it is physically impossible to load & shoot a shotgun fast enough to over-heat and harm the barrel.

rc

 

[btg3]

I recall a record setting effort for most clays broken in one hour. Loaded shotguns were continually passed to the shooter, dunked in a 55-gal drum of water to cool the gun, quickly wiped with a towel, reloaded, passed to the shooter...

Cooling the gun was for the shooter, wearing gloves, to be able to handle the gun -- rather than for the gun itself.

 

[Virginian]

How far are you from the birds? The amount of lead required depends to an extent on distance because shot does slow down. I bought an electric machine and a wireless remote, and it's the berries. I can back off and shoot at any distance and angle. Great practice. Shooting a tighter choke than needed for the distance will sharpen your skills.
I doubt you will ever hurt an 870 shooting like that.

 

[oneounceload]

To prepare for ducks, you might want to visit a local shotgun club and shoot targets that are thrown further and faster. Sporting clays would be great practice.
The most shot I have ever read about was a gent from Ireland shooting doves in Argentina using 4 Benellis with loaders. Almost 11,000 rounds in one day and a success rate of around 77%. The guns went bang every time.

 

[MCgunner]

I have a cheap trap, spring type, but way cheap. I have to pull it AND shoot it as the wife always seems busy in the house when I'm outside goofing off. I won't spend the kind of money an auto trap demands, but was thinking of setting up a series of pullies or eyes tree to tree to get crossing shots. Call it a redneck skeet range if you will. I'm decent on the away shots, but need more crossing shots.

And if you think hitting is hard when someone else pulls the trap, try doing it all yourself! Of course, would be neigh on impossible with a hand tosser.

 

[MCgunner]

Almost 11,000 rounds in one day and a success rate of around 77%.

Ouch, that hurts just thinkin' about it. Did he have to go to rehab after that? LOL! Man, can you imagine the ammo bill, especially if he were using a 28 gauge?! I think THAT would hurt ME even worse!

 

[oneounceload]

I stand corrected, he killed over 10,000 in one day over ten hours. Search YouTube for Steve Marsden from Ireland.

 

[MCgunner]

Wondering if it's the same dude that was on Tom Knapp's show on Outdoor channel some years back that set some sort of record?

 

[JohnhenrySTL]

Thank you all. I will go modified for now and quit worrying about my warm barrel.

 

[oneounceload]

There ya go. Now go get some dinner, ( and post pics and recipes)

 

[*Kemosabe*]

Just wondering... how long do you think it took Mr. Marsden to eat the 7,314 ducks he killed?

Last time I checked, that many "big" ducks would equal over 1,800 hunting days on Lake Okeechobee... providing you made your bag limit every day.

 

[oneounceload]

Doubt he ate any of them unless they served threat the lodge, but the local folks sure got a lot of free protein and more importantly, no poisons were used on the crops