Shot my first rounds of skeet today

[distra]

I finally was able to get to the skeet field today with my 870 + 28" ribbed barrel. I had a great instructor, but it was tough going. I hit several of the clays that traveled away from me, but the cross field shots were ugly. I even switch to the instructors 20ga and did a little better, but still quite miserable. It was fun, but does anyone have some pointers on how to practice the cross field shots? The sight picture for skeet is something totally different from pistol and rifle shooting. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Dave McCracken]

I've done more shooting than most, but not much skeet. My skeet scores reek.

So do all folks' at first. Have fun, work on the moves and things will fall into place.

Do forget sight picture, just focus on the bird.

 

[Big Az Al]

Skeet is said to be harder learn easier to master!

One truth that I sometimes have trouble with is TRUST YOUR GUN!

And Quoting from a book by Fred Missildine, "Every person has a sweet spot (the place where everything is really all together) Center this on where you are reasonably comfortable breaking the target!"

I will argue that a NEW skeet shooter needs to be centered on breaking the bird at about 3/4's of the field. Only one instructor I have ever watched seems to agree with this, the others teach to line up on the center stake. But this makes a shooter that is having trouble getting on the bird run out of swing before the shooter is ready to shoot. So start lined up past the spot that an experrinced shooter lines up to break the clay and as you get confidence in your ability bring it back to the center!

Stations 3,4 and 5 seem to give most new shooters fits, There are to many ways, to put on one post that have been tried, or suggested, to overcome these. The one that seems to gets most people going, is practice doubles on these stations, because with doubles here can't be slow and careful, you just have go for it fast and furious, and this is what is needed to get past the "I have to see the clay really good", seeing the clay really good is more of a problem then most admit to!

MY 2 cents

 

[GeezerwithGuns]

For all intents and purposes, I "started" shooting skeet this year also. After a season where I've shot, on average, three rounds per week, I'm now breaking about 22 birds pretty regularly (although I've not run a round - yet). I was completely pitiful when I started - maybe 10 breaks on a "good" day. What helped me most, was, believe it or not, reading a book - there are many good ones out there.

Reading got me focused on the basics: Proper stance, consistent gun mount, getting a good cheek plant (like golf, if you look up - you become a spectator) and establishing point of aim. The biggest change for me was changing from a point shooter to a "swing through" shooter. I was shooting consistently behind the birds on crossing shots. An older gentleman who is very good at skeet suggested that if I miss a bird to "double" my lead. While this advice sounded on the surface to be excessive to me, I tried it anyway with success. I don't think that I really doubled my lead, but something happened in my brain that drastically increased my percentage of hits. I finally got to a point (now) that I pretty much know what I've done wrong when I miss.

My biggest challenge now is to maintain the consistency in the set up "drill" I go through before each shot.

I hope this makes sense to you.

 

[Gary G23]

I got into skeet after several years of being a pistol and rifle competitor. It is totally different so forget everything you know about R&P shooting when you are on the skeet field. The biggest thing I had to learn was that the gun needs to be moving when I break the shot. That is hard to get used to.

I would recommend getting the Todd Bender skeet video. That is what I used to eventually get a 100 straight in registered competition.

 

[AndyC]

There's a nice PDF file here which you may find quite useful

 

[1911 Shooter]

Todd Bender's skeet DVD is what all new guys should look at. Best, cheapest instruction you can get.

 

[joesolo]

I struggled with skeet a long time til I finally found my groove. Here is what worked for me: when instructed to put 2 feet or 3 feet of lead on a bird (which is subjective) I finally just tried adding about a foot to what the folks trying to teach me said. Viola! When they saw or said 2 feet, for me it was more like 3 feet. I have found this to be true in sporting clays with a friend....i see way more lead than he does. Anyway, try stretching out that lead. See what happens.

 

[TFin04]

I'm nowhere near an expert at Skeet but I do average about a 22 on the field so maybe I can at least help.

My biggest thing was realizing and trusting how much lead you need to give some of those middle shots. We're talking 4 feet or more sometimes.

Shoot with both eyes open, focus on the bird, follow through and trust your leads.

Spend some time watching a good skeet shooter, you can learn a ton from them. You'll notice they have the same stance, warm up swing, hold position, etc for EVERY station. Similar to a basketball player taking a free throw shot, they do the SAME THING every time.

Get in a habit of a good stance and be sure to be consistant. The birds will begin to break.

Skeet is addicting, good luck!

 

[joesolo]

One more time - I bet ya one dollar if you stretch that lead you'll break more targets. I can't wait for you to give this a try and see if it works for you like it did me. Let us know how the tips help.

 

[distra]

Thanks for the advice! I'll take a look at the Bender video and give the skeet field another shot. We have an active group that shoots pretty much all day Saturday, so I'll try to get some practive in this weekend. Thanks again for the helpful replies. I think the lead is probably my issue as well. The person instructing me said I was behind most of the time on the crossing shots.

 

[Grey54956]

There are a number of good books and videos that will help you get the leads right.

Other than that, concentrate and keep your head down.

Do not lift your head to look at the bird. Keep your head down.

 

[distra]

Do not lift your head to look at the bird. Keep your head down.

That's one of my difficulties. I tend to think of the shotgun as big bore rifle and pull my head up. I'll read, watch the video and watch other shooters, but I think this one skill I will need a lot of practice to get right. It is definately tougher than it looks!

 

[romeo212000]

I am no self proclaimed crackshot with a shot gun but I do shot respectable scores consistently (usually 22 or 23) only because I have shot around about a hundred rounds of it. I will tell you the things that most rifle and pistol shots do that takes forever to correct. One is focusing on the barrel, and not the bord, therfore trying to aim rather than point, which in turn usually results in shot that are way behind. You will always start behind the bird. Make sure you have your gun shouldered and cheeked well and swing through the bird with your barrell. Remember you should not be focusing on your barrel, it should really only be a long blur in the corner of your vision. as you swing through the bird and develop a lead on it pull the trigger (you will be surprised how far in fron you will need to be to hit the bird) but DO NOT stop swinging. This is where most people miss. If you pull the trigger and stop you will always be behind it. Instead continue your swing even if you miss (practice for follow up shots in hunting scenarios). There is an excellent book called The Art of Shotgunning that would really help you. Thats kind of how it all clicked for me was when I realized that rifle and pistol shooting is more of a precise science. Whereas shotgunning is an art that is felt out throughout the process. Hope this helps.

 

[Scoupe]

I shoot lots of skeet. Lots and lots of skeet. 3-4 times a week, 4-6 boxes a trip.

Bender is a good place to get the basics. However, to improve quickly it's a good idea to have an instructor watch you and make the corrections you'll need. It's hard to evaluate oneself correctly and honestly.

As mentioned, more lead is most beginners' answer to 3,4,5. When you first start out some of those leads look impossibly long to work. They do.

Consistent mount. Someone mentioned trusting the gun, I'd modify that to read "Trust your mount". Get a consistent mount, check your bead once, then DO NOT LOOK at the end of the gun when the target flies - look soley at the target. Don't aim, don't try to figure lead. Just see it. Both eyes open is also best, if you can do it. I know very successful one-eyed shooters, but two is an advantage if you can do it.

Another good bit of advice already mentioned is keep the durn gun moving. Dead gun equals lost target. Keep your cheek down until you see the bird break. "Finish" the shot they call that.

There are different methods, and no one way is the "right" way. The previous poster gives a good run down on pass-through shooting and many are successful with it and it mimicks a lot of hunting shots. Most "modern" instructors teach sustained lead where one never lets the target get in front of the gun. This is what Bender advocates and then hold points and eye points become pretty important so that bird doesn't get in front of your barrel.

Skeet is a game of seeing. See the birds. Look for the spin. Try to get the edges into focus. Try to see the texture. Right now it probably feels "fast". Once you start concentrating on targets rather than lead, the birds look a lot slower.

Have fun and burn lots of lead.

 

[sm]

Big Az Al,

Misseldine is whom I suggest today as well.

I was taught, early on, as Middledine taught, instructed, and shot, to win championships and fell game.

Naturally I was real tickled when his Books, and Brister's were written.

Middeldine not only shares how to hit stations, also goes back to share why one missed those Stations.

Score Better at Skeet, and Score Better at Trap both by Misseldine are still the books I recommend.

For folks just into shotguns for hunting, I recommend the Skeet Book, I also recommend the Skeet Book for defensive shooting, some serious transitions of lessons of Skeet apply to Defensive use of Shotgun.

I am not knocking any other Shooters, such as Bender.
I've seen Bender shoot, up close and personal like "wink*

One cannot shoot what they cannot see - Misseldine

Now I just watched you shoot Steve, let me share why you did not break that bird at the stake like you normally do - Misseldine

I am not so sure, video tapes are best for new shooters.
My reasoning is, new shooters do not have the trigger time and correct basics instilled as the videos are being shot by those with more experience and trigger time.

Most show Sustained Lead.

Each of us perceives the bird different, and as we gain experience, our perceptions change too.

Self Esteem is a huge part of learning to shoot as well.

"Seeing" a shotgun mounted video and NOT being able to replicate lessens self esteem.
One is simply not going to be able to pick up the bird the same , be consistent with "sustain" and the lead is going to differ for each person.
Same "lead" will be perceived as different distance by different shooters, even experienced ones.

This is where a seasoned shooter, one that can access a student from gun fit, to correct basics, to reading the student when they hit, and when they miss is so valuable.

Misseldine said I was ahead of the bird I missed, swinging so fast as I am a swing through shooter.
His distance was shared to me.
Two other folks, really top shooters, differed a bit, on me being how far ahead.

My "suggestion" was to quit breaking Station 4, High or Low, before they hit the center stake.
"Let the bird get to the stake".

At that time, I was where I was guilty, from low gun, of picking up the bird, coming from behind, matching speed, angle, and flight, and breaking before the stake .

My "excuse" was, shooting in inclement weather, with rain, sleet, snow, and wind, and "busting, before weather got to messin' with the bird".

I stayed with Pass Through/Swing Through method, when Everybody else was going Sustained.
My reasons are simple:

-Targets are NOT always going to be tossed the Regulation Same, Weather will mess with them.
-Hunting and Field conditions, why I stayed with low gun too
-Sporting Clays and 5 Stand, and again I never never wanted to be a Programmed Shooter.
-Serious Use of Shotgunning.


Will Fennell is whom I'd contact to see if he knows of any seasoned shooters that can assist.

He is young.

I am just some old fart that shoots old guns the old ways.

 

[Big Az Al]

Making adjustments

The summer league I all of the sudden could not hit high 8 at all.

The hold that had for almost three years made it an almost automatic score was suddenly the wrong thing to do. So after more misses then I could shake a stick at, and getting agitated with myself, I lowered my hold to about 3 feet under the window, I had been just about even, and called the bird, smoke about half way to me was the result. The second half of the league that bird got to be a lot of fun again.

I have learned not to make ajustments on a whim, but when the wheels are off, and I start looking at myself, and all of the sudden there is a wait! how did that foot get there! or why isn't my left knee bent like it used to be then, I will try to fall back on the most basic fundamental form I can achieve.

And "SEE the Bird then Move the gun is about as basic as it gets" still a breakdown that gets me now and again.

 

[sm]

Station 8 is interesting!
It is also one that gives many apprehension and causes them to miss targets before they even get to Station 8.
Projecting instead of focus on one bird at at time and all that.

Another thing I have noticed in more recent years is Shooting Glasses.
Not so much the seasoned shooters, with glasses that ride high on the brow, instead newer shooters with kewl , new style shooting glasses that do not ride high on the brow.

One cannot shoot what they cannot see...
Shotguns are pointed not aimed...

Folks lift heads to see past frames and like golf "look up and see a bad shot".

Station 8 high bird, when ragweed and other allergens for me is out, means my eyes get to messing with me, especially my weak eye (left) and I have to change my hold point a bit.

Shoes are another factor I learned about as wee brat.
One needs a bit of forward lift.
So shoes for me are part of "physical " stuff I find what works and don't mess with.

One lady, thought I was nuts (not uncommon I grant you).
She was wearing more flat soles, boat shoes.
She had her tennis shoes in the car, and I asked her to put those on.
She started hitting high 8, the station we were working on that day.

All these "little things" start to add up really fast in shooting.

I had double knee surgery, and I "heal fast" . *ahem*.
Driving 6 days after surgery and on the Skeet field.

I sorta got caught being on the Skeet field...[One of my doctors showed up *whups*]
I was not able to move as I used to.
I had weird noises and feelings and bandages still on knees.

I needed to get out, and went to watch and ended up one of the ladies I assisted showed up.

Little things...one does not truly understand how much one "pushes off" that foot, and the "weight on ball of feet" and "moving body" is, until they get in a situation as I was.
I still use that surgery and all I learned from my experiences from it to assist folks.

I had assisted folks with one knee surgery , and various other physical problems.
I have always learned from students, like the folks that had a hip replacement.
Being a Physically Limited person myself, recovering from that double knee surgery, really opened my eyes to some things, that I would have never learned, had I not been through it.


Sharing experiences strength and hope...and all that stuff ...

 

[SDC]

The tip that worked for me was "try to miss in FRONT of the bird"; unless you do it for yourself, you won't belief how much lead you actually have to put on one of those little frisbees, but once you swing through one, give it about 3 1/2-4 feet of lead, and then squeeze the trigger, it'll be imprinted on your brain.