Good Day at the Skeet Range

[kudu]

Over the years I have shot lots of clay birds, mostly skeet, with a good number of trap and sporting thrown in, mostly in the 1990's when I would shoot about 30 thousand birds per year. The last five or so years I have hardly shot more than a couple hundred birds a year because of disinterest, most of my shooting buddies have moved on or passed away.

A couple weeks ago a guy I work around and talk to on occasion asked to go skeet shooting, he had done the informal backyard clays and a couple of trips to a sporting clays course with some friends but didn't do well. We set up a time on Wednesday of last week after work and met at the local shotgun club.

I dropped a couple of birds on my first round, and he took instruction really well as he had never shot regular regulation skeet before. He broke about 15 the first round. We watched another squad of shooters as we waited for the field to open back up. I kept pointing out how the better shooters would set up at each station and had smooth swings and good follow through. He was rally soaking in the information.

Second round he breaks a 19 and is thrilled, rain rolls in and we are done for that day.

We set up another time for the next Wednesday which is yesterday after work as he is hooked. Also have two more friends that show up that haven't shot much shotguns in many years. Everyone has a good time and break most of the birds, and everyone wants to start making this a weekly deal. We are all in our late forties to late fifties and shoot all different shooting sports. I think I found a reason to start shooting clays more regular again with a group of new friends.

 

[markpcola]

I've got to get back out there myself. Former coworkers have hinted at it, and with it being fall and all, the jackets are actually starting to feel good.

 

[oneounceload]

Awesome job!

Here is a brochure out out by Remington that might help your new skeet shooter:

http://www.remington.com/pages/news-and-resources/downloads/brochure-downloads.aspx

Click on the skeet one - good advice about stance, hold points, leads, etc.

 

[ljnowell]

Over the years I have shot lots of clay birds, mostly skeet, with a good number of trap and sporting thrown in, mostly in the 1990's when I would shoot about 30 thousand birds per year. The last five or so years I have hardly shot more than a couple hundred birds a year because of disinterest, most of my shooting buddies have moved on or passed away.



A couple weeks ago a guy I work around and talk to on occasion asked to go skeet shooting, he had done the informal backyard clays and a couple of trips to a sporting clays course with some friends but didn't do well. We set up a time on Wednesday of last week after work and met at the local shotgun club.



I dropped a couple of birds on my first round, and he took instruction really well as he had never shot regular regulation skeet before. He broke about 15 the first round. We watched another squad of shooters as we waited for the field to open back up. I kept pointing out how the better shooters would set up at each station and had smooth swings and good follow through. He was rally soaking in the information.



Second round he breaks a 19 and is thrilled, rain rolls in and we are done for that day.



We set up another time for the next Wednesday which is yesterday after work as he is hooked. Also have two more friends that show up that haven't shot much shotguns in many years. Everyone has a good time and break most of the birds, and everyone wants to start making this a weekly deal. We are all in our late forties to late fifties and shoot all different shooting sports. I think I found a reason to start shooting clays more regular again with a group of new friends.

That is fantastic! I'm truly happy for you finding some like minded guys. I've spent many the morning by myself at the range, but I never got I to competition until someone urged me and we did it together.

I'm lucky that person is my uncle. We pretty much shoot together every weekend.

 

[PapaG]

30,000 rounds a year. Wow, that's 575 birds a week. I thought shooting a case (real case, not that ripoff flat they sell now) was big stuff for a summer run. I salute you. You are an iron man of shotgunning.
I'm lucky to get in 500 per month now.

 

[kudu]

The 30k a week was when I was in my twenties, I had a decent job and shot Registered Skeet. 500 birds was a Registered skeet weekend, plus practice, another 2-3 hundred. Had to keep practicing to get good and stay there. I was once upon a time ranked in the top 5 in the state for a couple years running. I have a silver state team belt buckle stored somewhere.

Then I got married and had kids. Love my family, but I voluntarily set aside my fun time for them. Daughters are teenagers now and I figure I can get back to playing clay games once in a while again.

 

[eastbank]

good on you, the first time on a skeet range for a noobi can be kind of over whelming. i know it was for me not knowing to rules, its a lot different then trap-sporting clays ect. eastbank.

 

[oneounceload]

After a while, skeet becomes a game of muscle memory as every targets is always the same from Maine to Miami and Seattle to San Diego. The challenge then becomes to not miss so you can get into the shootoff at the end.

That takes lots or practice and some good coaching.

But in the end, it's all good

 

[PapaG]

Same thing happened to us with black powder. In the 60s when it was big we'd go to a shoot about every weekend. Burn two 25 pound kegs a year along with a couple hundred pounds of lead. Had kids, built a house and began a career. Got MLs downstairs that haven't been fired in 30 years.

 

[Beveaux]

My gun club just installed a 13 position sporting clay set up this fall.

I have never shot clays. Just dove and not very often.

I joined a league that started just before Thanksgiving. We have about 14 guys shooting. The two guys heading it up are a Level 2 instructor and a Level 3 instructor. I've only shot with the Level 3 instructor.

He is unbelievably knowledgeable. And, he spends the whole time giving instructions to whoever is shooting. Plus, he's averaging 48 out of 50 clays per round.

But, I know that I'm overthinking every shot trying to remember what he's told me. I just need to get out there either by myself or without him to see what I can do.

 

[kudu]

I just need to get out there either by myself or without him to see what I can do.

Beveaux, such is often the case. Shotgunning is more instinct than rote form and set rules, you point, not aim a shotgun. Gun fit is more the holy grail when it comes to shooting shotguns, if the gun don't fit, you will struggle. I am not a "certified" instructor, but have helped many shooters become better that have paid money to instructors that have all their certifications that say they know what they are doing. I don't help these guys for anything other than knowing I'm probably helping them.

I have found that it is a good idea when shooting with others to ask them first if they want any advice or tips on how they are shooting. Some guys get worse or downright mad if you show them errors in how they shoot, and never give advice during a competition event unless specifically asked for.

Going to meet up with a couple of the guys today about noon to shoot some more skeet, supposed to be almost 50 degrees today, should be nice. Wasn't able to shoot the last Wednesday. These guys originally wanted help on sporting clays games, but I talked them into skeet so they could get the basics down of target lead. If you can master skeet, very few sporting clay targets will get away. Rabbit targets and springing teal are the exception, you have to practice them individually. Once these guys get the basics of skeet I'll get them on some trap targets and then to sporting targets.

 

[kudu]

Was another good day for my 'student'. We usually only shoot two rounds for each session. He started off with a 16 with instruction, most of his missed targets were at the beginning of the round. Second round I told him to quit thinking and just shoot the targets, concentrate on the bird and keep the gun moving. He broke his best at a 20. As this was only his sixth round of skeet I foresee him breaking a straight in a couple dozen more rounds.

I shot a 23, 24, and a third round another 23, didn't put a straight together today but was extremely happy for my friend and his milestone of a 20. I am going to have to get him to start wearing a hat so when he gets his first straight we can blast it.

 

[oneounceload]

But, I know that I'm overthinking every shot trying to remember what he's told me. I just need to get out there either by myself or without him to see what I can do.

I'll disagree - if you do not how to shoot a particular target (and three different ones had my number today) then just going out and shooting them incorrectly can implant bad habits that can be hard to unlearn.

Gun MUST fit, make sure your instructor checks your dominant eye if he hasn't already and when you are shooting with him, ASK QUESTIONS if something doesn't make sense to you. Not everyone learns at the same speed or in the same manner.

 

[kudu]

Update on my shooting buddy. Winter kept us from being out every week, and then work got in the way for me, but we still got out at least every third week. He upgraded to a Beretta 686 Sporting with 32" barrels, shoots it well, more centered on clays, he was shooting the top half of the targets with his other gun. He has been usually getting at least a 20 on one of his rounds each session and his high score so far has been 22, that was with missing a gimme bird at station seven low, then he starts thinking.

He is slowly getting better one target at a time, I figure he has shot about 30-35 rounds of skeet so far and is getting to feel comfortable at it. One of these days he will have a 25 sneak up on him before he knows it.

 

[Skeet 25]

Any day at the skeet range is a good day

 

[Saw-Bones]

@kudu - I was following this thread and it was nice of you to share an update. What you are doing is so important. Bringing new blood into the shooting sports, any shooting sport, helps to grow our numbers and makes for a very cohesive group.

I’ve been instructing my wife in handguns and rifles and she is doing a very credible job. Shotgunning is going to be a bit more challenging for her because of her diminutive size, frailty and recoil sensitivity. I will be keeping a history of handling these problems and I will share how we get to our goal.

@Skeet 25 - Welcome to The High Road… you are in a great place.

Some days are not always the best, especially missing the easy ones that comes from thinking they are the “easy ones”. I don’t expect to be perfect by centering the bird in my shot every time, so smoking one and chipping twenty-four is still very satisfying these days!

 

[kudu]

Thanks Saw-Bones, this past year the youth members have really picked up. Friends of the NRA organization gave the youth league $3000 of free ammo and paid for several thousand targets to help boost the youth shooting league. Got some really good up and comers shooting at our range right now, and a couple kids that are Olympic hopefuls thanks to our international skeet range. One girl got an internship at Colorado Springs next year, takes care of the ranges and as much skeet as she can shoot between times, she started here, her younger brother is pretty good too.

Going to shoot again Wednesday after work, got another friend that plans to join us for his first time shooting skeet also. It's nice to get enthusiastic about shooting again with guys that get so excited about getting that next better score.

This is my home club: http://www.koskoshotgunsports.com/

I can remember when the club had just 2 skeet fields and an overlay trap field, we have come a long way.

 

[Saw-Bones]

@ Jenrick - Very nice facility; I’m envious. Our club was on an Air Force Base. It was closed down when a new sports facility was built within the shot fall zone from our fields. We coexisted for a while, but failure of the sports facility members to obey the safety rules ended with a few of those folks getting peppered lightly with falling shot and we were ultimately gone. I heard a cover story for the improper distance planning by blaming it on the Base EPA officer who said the lead contamination of the shot was the problem.

I’ve shot at several nice clubs since then, but none of them had a dedicated international skeet field like yours and my old club. Maybe that’s a good thing since my reflexes have slowed down a bit. I still shoot low gun with the puller trying to mix up it up with guestimating 0-3 second delays. Even so, like you said, it still is a good day at the skeet range.

 

[Sniper66]

Glad to hear these stories. My brother moved 600 miles away so lost my shooting buddy. But, met a another guy who shoots at about my level and is a pleasure to shoot with. My brother is much better than I am (he used to shoot competition skeet) so he always beat me. It is amazing how much fun shooting and hunting can be with the right companion. I'm 69 and my brother is 79. Sadly, we have outlived many of our former shooting/hunting buds.

 

[figment]

Thanks for posting this. I can relate. My brother and I go often to shoot skeet at Elm Fork here in the Dallas area. We're both learning and they have some good instructors.

 

[kudu]

We shot today, beautiful weather, thought for sure my buddy was going to add another target to his high score, didn't happen, but did better another way. He was consistent, 22, 22, 21. He usually shoots a very good score and drops off into the teens for the rest of his scores. Our third friend that shot with us did fairly well for not having shot skeet, mid teens for his 3 rounds, picked up a couple extra birds each round. I guess I might have another trainee if he is so inclined. He was quite impressed with everything.

I am kinda known at our club for shooting from the hip and breaking most of the birds, he wanted to see this. I shot the first round from the hip and broke a 20. Followed by a 50 straight regular shooting, a good day for me and really impressed the heck out of him.

 

[kudu]

The next milestone for my friend, shot his 3rd round today and broke a 24. Thought he was gonna make a straight but dropped low house on station 6 doubles. He started off rough with a 20, an 18 and then the 24. He was concentrating enough that he didn't realize he was still straight when he dropped his first target.

Had 2 more people join us today, an old friend that I used to shoot with 20 years ago and his 16 year old son who had never shot a round of skeet. His boy shot an 17 first round ever, then a 15 and an 18. Out shot his Dad on the 3rd round. He was just shaking his head and mumbling about maybe getting a 8 or 9 the first time he shot. Might have another shooter to work with if his Dad wants me to.

 

[sappyg]

What a neat thread!
I just got back from my 4th round of skeet in my life. Seems like I'm always dropping that easy shot and I know it's from lack of concentration:banghead:

Yesterday I was in the high teens but today I went 18, 21, 21, 21. The biggest thing I learned today was how to relax. It made a world of difference for me. Now I really need to work on the high 2 and the low 8. Those give me fits.

Here's a pic after my round. It's dang hot here in South Carolina these days but as Skeet 25 says 'any day on the skeet range is a good day.

 

[kudu]

Sappy, a trick I have new shooters do on station 8 if they are having trouble blotting that target out is to back up 6-10 feet further from the house, gives them an extra half second to find the target and home in on it. Once you find it walk forward another half step at a time until you are back on the station pad. Also when on the station 8 pad stand at the extreme farthest corner away from the house, gives just a little bit more angle on the bird and usually will help get them into breaking them regularly.

 

[kudu]

Thought I might update this a bit, my friend still hasn't shot a straight round of skeet and he is getting a bit upset at himself. We usually shoot about once a week 3-4 rounds of skeet at a time, he shoots a really good round of 22-23, with an occasional 24, and then starts thinking. The more he thinks about breaking birds the worse he ends up. I have to talk him down and start him back to basics when he gets this way and usually he will come back with a least a 20. His weakest target is the easiest one on the field, low house 7 flying straight away, he has been straight to that target at least 3 times and just watches it fly away unscathed. He knows and understands that he can hit every target out there, just can't string them all together at once. He is pretty stubborn, and really wants to run a straight round, it will come to him in time.

He has gotten a Mec Grabber reloader for 12 gauge and has reloaded about 2000 shells already. He is also seriously looking at another Beretta 686 sporting in 20 gauge, so he is hooked on shotgunning.