First time shooting clays

[philpost]

So I went to the outdoor shotgun range with my wife and my Wingmaster the other day. and tried clays for the first time. There was a crowd of older shooters finishing up (2 had throwers mounted to their trucks) and we started setting up. They then sat down and started eating lunch, watching us the whole time. Eventually, one gent came over and gave us some helpful pointers, which I was happy to listen to. Then came time for my first shot eek My wife pulled the cord, a clay flew out, I shot....and missed. But I quickly racked the shotgun, aimed, squeezed off another shot...AND SCORED!!!!
The rest of the morning I probably missed as many as I hit, but at least I came through while being watched by a bunch of experienced guys.

 

[oneounceload]

You are in DEEP trouble now.............you and your wife are about to become addicted to one of the most powerful drugs on the planet - it's a mix of smoking shotgun shells and the sights and sounds of breaking clays.............

Welcome to the addiction - BTW - there is NO cure.......

I just went and busted the hell out of the clouds this morning on the sporting clays course - had a hard time hitting the side of the barn from the inside.........

but there is always tomorrow...........

 

[Arkansas Paul]

That's fun stuff.
You're defiantely hooked now. The guys in our church get together once or twice a year and shoot. There are quiet a few of us, so they get trophies, and usually have a drawing for a gun. All around great time. Reading your post is making me look forward to the one coming up.

 

[The Captain]

FUN! I've shot sporting clays a handfull of times and talk about it al the time.

Whenever we're at my buddy's farm we take his thrower and make up our own games.

What a blast.

 

[Sauer Grapes]

The journey is just beginning......

 

[rtpzwms]

Sorry its like cocaine for shooters.... BTW how many shotguns do you own today? I'm betting that will change soon....

 

[Sunray]

"...one gent came over and gave us some helpful pointers..." Most shooters are just like that. Helping the new guy, in any shooting discipline, is just something that is done.
"...at least I came through while..." Don't worry about that. Everybody was new at one time.
Your lady do any shooting? Don't get PO'd when you find that she might shoot better than you. Women are inherently better shots than men are.
"...sporting clays..." Different thing. Philpost was shooting skeet/trap, but close enough.

 

[6x6pinz]

There might be a cure but there is an alternative, waterfowl hunting! Where the birds can actually change direction in mid flight and you get rewarded for a good day at the "range"

 

[Mudinyeri]

Clays are addictive. Birds will not substitute. I spent half the day yesterday working on throwing multiple clays myself and trying to shoot all of them with my Mossberg 930 SPX.

 

[blackops]

You will become addicted. It's a great sport with usually great people. My range has over 20 stations that throw an asortment of different clays/angles. One even throws a ground clay that rolls. Good times always. Especially with a little cash on the line!

 

[6x6pinz]

quail season right now and no way you will see me shooting clays when there are real birds to shoot

 

[oneounceload]

Clays are addictive. Birds will not substitute. I spent half the day yesterday working on throwing multiple clays myself and trying to shoot all of them with my Mossberg 930 SPX.

Now, now - feathered birds, as targets, beat everything else - especially box pigeons, doves in places like Argentina, etc. Even the mechanical pigeon game - Helice (aka ZZ bird) - makes clay targets look boring.......that said, I do love my sporting, but only because those others aren't as readily available

 

[Pete D.]

if only

"not readily available"
If only.
There sure is a big difference between twenty-eight dollars for 100 clays and flying to Argentina for doves. Maybe some day.
Even waterfowl......nice but can't shoot them 52 weeks a year.

Pete

 

[Mudinyeri]

quail season right now and no way you will see me shooting clays when there are real birds to shoot

Don't get me wrong. I love to hunt birds. However, out of season I can still shoot clays and keep my bird-shooting skills in fine shape. The two are different though. It's like saying ice cream is a substitute for steak. I like both and have no desire to substitute one for the other.