First time out with shotgun

[Saluki]

Well, I bought a Mossberg 500 youth 12 ga this past summer and finally got to take it out. (Having a little 4mo old girl kinda sucks up your time)

Anyway, went to the range to shoot skeet. Great group of guys, one guy actually walked me through the stations. I had my own private round! I shot up maybe 7 the first time through. Watching that first one explode was awesome. Heck, the first shot through the gun was exhilirating. I went through another round and shot up 10-12. I was quite happy with that. I learned a few more tips from some veteran shooters. One guy had a O/U .410. I think he missed one that round. I shot mostly singles till the 2nd to last stand. I hit the first 2 singles so the guy told me to take the next two as a double. Hit the first one, shucked with plenty of time and was in front of the clay coming at me.

Overall, a fantastic experience. My shoulder is a bit sore so I need to work on fitting the gun a bit. Either some spacers or upgrade to the big boy stock which is ok since Mossberg gives you a coupon for that. I learned a lot and have many things to improve upon.

Chuck

 

[Dave McCracken]

Great! Thanks for posting that, it may encourage others to do likewise and shoot more.

A couple things...

Get some 7/8 loads of 9s. You'll break as many or more as the heavier stuff and it won't beat you up while your form is developing.

Pattern your shotgun. Ideally, your want the center of the pattern dead on for right and left and centered or a little high for elevation.

On days when you can't make to to the range, and those will be often with an infant to tend, practice your mount.

HTH, and enjoy...

 

[PJR]

Watching that first one explode was awesome.

You're hooked. Welcome to the club.

Now get professional help. Not the kind with a couch but an instructor who can help you learn how to play the games. Skeet is a game of foot position, gun position and eye position. Once you know where your feet, eyes and gun should be at each station the birds start breaking more regularly providing you keep swinging your gun. Getting ad hoc advice from squadmates can often be condtradictory and confusing to new shooters

You might also throw in a tighter choke tube (modified at least) and try some trap if it's offered at your club. It's a different game than skeet but just as much fun.

Keep us up to date on your progress at the game and pay very close attention to the guy with the .410 o/u. As someone who recently started dabbling in the subgauges, it's becoming very clear to me that the .410 is what separates the best from the rest.

Paul

 

[kudu]

Welcome to the board Saluki.

Get the light loads like Dave said and

Skeet is a game of foot position, gun position and eye position.

like PJR said.
Go back through some posts on 'how tos' to get some better feel for the games and burn up a lot of ammo.

 

[Saluki]

Thanks for all of the input guys. Excellant advice. What a fun sport. Now I have to go back and read some posts that I probably read before but now will be able to relate to better. Time to soak up info and apply at the range.

Chuck