Skeet Competition

[kudu]

Lately a bunch of the guys that I shoot with on a regular basis are starting to try Registered Skeet . They are on me all the time about me starting back into registered shooting. Now I gave up competing over 10 years ago because it was so much work that I wasn't having fun anymore.

When you could run multiple 100 straights and still not win anything and walk away with nothing after a shootoff, it was discouraging. When I gave up competing I was 3rd ranked by average in my state, I had accomplished something, but it didn't feel like it.

Now the point I am coming to is when I quit the NSSA ( National Skeet Shooting Association ) they sent me a questionaire. It asked why I had quit and what could be done to improve registered skeet. I promptly replied that some of the old rules should be brought back that were in effect when skeet was first started.

1. Up to 3 second delayed pulls after the call.

2. Mandatory low gun untill the target is in the air.

There are a couple others that escape me at the moment, but just adding these 2 rules back into skeet would take 98% of the 100 straights away and put action back into the sport.

Sporting clays was just geting big in the mid 80's and their original rules were low gu mount and up to 3 second delayed pull. This was fun, the way it should be to simulate hunting birds. You still knew where the target was coming from, and where it was going but you had to have a good mount and know how your gun shot. These vital things are missing from shotgun sports these days. I know many agree with me, and many may not.

The only games that I know of that have some of these rules are International Skeet, and FITASC sporting clays. Neither of which I have access to in my area. A few fields may shoot FITASC, but I can't afford to shoot them.

I still enjoy getting out with a bunch of guys and just having fun, but I think there is a gap in the shotgun shooting sports that could be filled.

I guess my rant is over, any comments from the clay shooters?

 

[DJW]

My experience in clay shooting competition was very similar to yours. I was fortunate to belong to a club outside of Chicago that had an International Skeet field in combination with a bunker for International Trap. That voice operated field was still a challenge long after the standard fields had become boring. Since moving to Texas I have moved to highpower rifle and IDPA and even though they are fun I still miss smashing clays. I also agree that the costs have escalated to the point where only the wealthy can play. Just as an example, my membership escalated from $75 to almost $500 per annum. Just having them send me the monthly club newsletter incurred a $75 charge per annum. Fortunately, with long distance calling I can easily find out who won and who died. Guess getting older has costs I never anticipated.
DJW

 

[sm]

Yep, I understand where you are coming from my friend. I didn't bother to even to fill out the questionaire...

For me - I noticed the "equipment race" , the "gotta shoot like so and so race"...sorry man, don't do that stuff. The last few tourneys I participated in, I was not a registered member, nor were some of my "squad" - we shot N/C, we shot low gun and had a ball. We all run straights and we were not eligible for any monies...we didn't care.

That is when I started rebelling even more, I always liked the impromtu shoots off in the middle of nowhere shooting the games we did.

Now this is gonna shock some folks - why did I get into skeet in the first place.

1) My mentors suggested I do so.
2) The people at the time I met and would meet down the road.
3) Great practice to improve my hunting

The Shocker:

4) I wanted the ability to be as one with a shotgun in the event I had to defend myself, others, my country.

Competition is great, fun, and all that. Ever since I was a wee brat, instilled in me was the Freedoms I have, and the price paid to get them, and keep them.

Instilled in my was the idea I might have to use my skills to defend myself and these freedoms.

The skeet field afforded me the ablility to do Tueller drills, and such. Quail walks, wobbles,not having the target be adjusted thru the 'Hoop"....this was my "training field".

3 second delays, low gun mounts, no setting of machines ( shoot 'em as is) heck I think the pump gun matches are great fun...

I was NOT a fair weather shooter. I shot in the wind, rain, snow, cold, sleet, blistering heat and at night...

I figure if stuff gets serious, it will not be 65* partly sunny and the birds chirping in the background.

The times I have seen my elephants - it for sure was not...

Any and all firearm "sports' I participated in I was like this.

Rimfire competitions as a kid...Gunny had some of us , out "sniping" and not getting ourselves detected. I was about " so high"

 

[HSMITH]

kudu, I agree with you 110%. Low gun and delayed throw NEED to be part of the game. Skeet is such a 'groovable' game that some challenge needs to be added, I mean if a bozo like me can shoot straights it is too easy. Sporting could also really benefit from these two rule changes.

I got out of skeet mainly becuase I over indulged, I shot so much and so often that it just started to lose the luster for me. When I was shooting 98's and 99's in nasty winds and/or rain and getting mad about dropping a target or two I realized that I needed to take a break. The time and money I was spending also got to be pretty taxing. I got out of sporting when the prices went up and up and up and UP!!!! Around here you need a fresh hundred dollar bill and then some to spend an afternoon shooting sporting not counting beverages and ammo with the current costs.

I have found USPSA competition in the last couple months and it might as well be crack cocaine for guys that like to shoot, you can't try it just once!!!! It completely satiates my desire for competition, and I find it quite difficult which I enjoy. The mental aspect of the game appears to be much more intensive than any other competitive shooting I have ever done also. Fortunately for me I can only shoot a couple matches a month due to travel distances and things like that, my personality is just to jump right in and go at it 200% so the limited schedule should help me pace myself a little.

I suppose as long as we are shooting and competing all is well.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Amen.....

I shoot little skeet right now, but that will change. Skeet's fun and a good way to learn to shot crossers. I doubt I'll compete.

I'm pretty much unenthused about competition. Burnt myself out on benchrest, IPSC(Which I quit the first time a match was won with a handgun I wouldn't pack on the street) and to some extent 3 gun LE matches. My competition is onlywith myself, always trying to shoot better.

S'funny, I've watched nearly great and great shooters in many disciplines. The best seem to be having a good time, while the tightlipped, wound up obsessives seem to end up way down the line when the results are posted. I'm certainly not a great shot, but no one has more fun.

 

[PJR]

I don't shoot clay games to compete but to escape from the competition of business and life in general. One year of registered trap convinced me that the "rewards" weren't worth the effort.

When I shoot skeet I do it gun down. Not because I'm trying to make a point but as primarily a sporting clays shooter I use skeet to work on my shooting form. Shooting skeet competitively doesn't interest me.

In sporting clays while the rules have softened in some regards the target presentations have become much tougher particularly in competition. Sporting clays can no longer be called "skeet in the woods" when you are faced with 50 yard plus edge on targets. As for premounted guns, I've tried it both ways and with the exception of going away trap style targets shooting low gun can often be an advantage IF you've practiced a smooth and efficient gun mount.

Just about every target game whether it's IPSC, clays, rifle competitions, etc. started out with the objective of providing practice for more serious matters but gradually evolved into an activity unto itself. Sporting clays is no longer practice for hunting because no responsible hunter would attempt some of the shots on live birds that you see in a sporting clays tournament.

The game I use for hunting practice is five stand. Our club's layout is ten stations, random birds, ranges anywhere from 10 to 40 yards, with presentations in all different directions. You can't shoot this game gun up because you won't see the targets.

I admire those with the drive to become competitive in the clay sports. I do it for fun. I like to break targets as much as anyone else but it's not the collapse of western civilization if I drop more targets than I think I should. Shooting is an escape and I try and keep it fun. And when I really want to have fun I take my 28 gauge o/u out to the club and have a ball.

Paul

 

[45auto]

Good points.

I think sporting clays filled the gap for the skeet shooters that, quite frankly, became bored with the sport. 5 stand might be a middle ground if it's available.

It's not difficult to convert an american skeet field to international style...but the club has to be behind it. Different birds and a timer is all that's needed.
In a pinch, just speed up the targets, if you are allowed, vary the pull without a timer and shoot the international style and sequence. They just added another doubles to station 4...reverse doubles, 6 targets on 4 now.
Scores were getting too high.

 

[Gary G23]

I started shooting skeet in the mid 90's just because I was taking pistol competition too seriously and wanted something I could enjoy. After I shot my first 100 straight in registered competition I wasn't happy unless I shot clean. I have a lot more fun shooting sporting clays and missing 15 birds per round than I do if I shoot a 98 in skeet. As others have mentioned though sporting clays is getting pretty expensive.

 

[mapanggulo]

I wouldn't have any problem with the 3 Second delay, that could help me alot with my anticipating the birds. Never shot low gun and I probably won't because I'd rather practice on my technique now than to mess it up by trying some new technique. Of course I haven't shot competition (with the exception of a local league) and probably never will since I'm not that great...so whether it is incorporated in competition rules or not, I wouldn't care either way. If it were to more varied score's during competition then I say go for it.
Trap and Skeet is the only thing I've shot so far, but since sporting clay courses are more common around here then I'll probably give that a shot soon too.