Author Topic: Sporting Clays (Read 1945 times)

Halo · « **Reply #60 on:** September 25, 2007, 10:00:26 PM »

(quote) To be completely honest, the only time I ever felt the recoil was a little soreness after shooting my heavily loaded shells through 4 rounds after about a 8-9 month hiatus. Even on my lighter Mossberg 500, I never noticed any pain of recoil (only the pain of missing).

I think you're doing something wrong if you are so worried about the recoil. You should be so focused on knocking the bird out of the air that you won't notice the recoil at all. (unquote)

I don't feel pain while shooting but I certainly feel any 12-gauge shot recoil. After another 70 shots today I do not have any soreness but I have some more shoulder bruising which doesn't hurt but does get my attention.

The instructor the other day said my mount is fine, but obviously one false mount any time can earn a kick that makes a bruise. I'll keep working on it. Eventually there has to be zero bruising after shooting or else it would not be wise to keep doing something that causes bruising.

Firmly tuck into the shoulder pocket, firmly tuck into the shoulder pocket ... okay, I think I got it. Now to do it every shot.

Incidentally, check out the new Remington 105CTi. Is it the new world's best autoloading shotgun?

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/shotguns/model_105CTi.asp

Toad · « **Reply #61 on:** September 26, 2007, 07:35:20 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Halo
Incidentally, check out the new Remington 105CTi. Is it the new world's best autoloading shotgun?

If it was, you'd still find people that would argue the point.

I'm such an old timer that carbon fiber on a shotgun doesn't do much for me. I do like the bottom ejection. I haven't shot one yet though; it would be interesting to see if their recoil reduction claims are valid. My major problem with Remington is that their stock dimensions are for shorter, smaller folks. I particularly don't like their drop at comb and heel.

I've never been recoil sensitive. Heck, I used to shoot 40-50 rounds of .300 Weatherby off the bench at one session when I was developing my loads fot that gun. It didn't hurt me but by the end of the 2nd box I usually found it a bit harder to concentrate.

(BTW, changing it out of the Wby Mark V stock into a Bell & Carlson really made a huge difference. It's pretty nice to shoot now.)

As for bruising, I get a bit of shoulder pocket bruising when I shoot a bunch. It's nothing serious though; just goes with the territory, I think. It's faint and it's just a few lines rather than a big area of bruising. Is that what you are seeing?

Halo · « **Reply #62 on:** September 26, 2007, 10:09:19 AM »

My last 70-shot session gave me a small bruise about 2 inches deep and 1 1/2 inches across. Much better than some previous sessions that left bruising 4 inches deep by 2 inches across.

The worst bruise was from the bargain H&R single shot; for my taste, even a Limbsaver pad can't tame enough of the recoil passed behind that light barrel.

The Stoeger Coach gun behaves much better thanks to its heavier weight and a Limbsaver pad.

And of course the semiauto Remington 1100 with its heralded comparatively light recoil is quite decent, especially with the Limbsaver pad and at intervals about a week apart.

12-gauge shotgun recoil is formidable even with lighter loads, e.g., as shown in recoil tables on chuckhawks.com. Recoil of typical 12-gauge 2 3/4 shell 1 1/8 oz shot (3 dram equivalent) at 1200 muzzle velocity in a 7.5-lb gun is 23 foot pounds, equal to a .30-06.

How often does anyone go out and shot 70 rounds of .30-06 for fun?

The load I use for home defense, No. 1 buckshot 2 3/4 12-gauge 3 3/4 dram equivalent with 16 .30-caliber pellets, supposedly is near the kick of a .375 H&H Magnum. Needless to say I only practice a round or two of that about once a year.

It's fun analyzing the stats but the most relevant indicator is still how loudly each shooter exclaims, "WOOOOEEEE, that sumostudmuffinun kicks!"

Charon · « **Reply #63 on:** September 26, 2007, 10:28:27 AM »

Quote

hi Charon
it would be my pleasure. weekends can be busy at the club. Can you get off on a wed or thurs afternoon? the club is open 12 to 5 on Wed, and 12 to 10pm on thursdays. Shooting under the lights is fun.
dont worry about being a newb,we'll have ya breaking 20 plus on yer second round.
You could try my 12 and 20ga. berrettas, as well as a 12 ga.browning ultra o/u to get a feel for different shotguns.they all have their pros and cons.

mtndog

P.s. its a small world , i recieve NPN

Cool. I can probably handle an afternoon here or there. We lost our managing editor at about the worst time we could this year and I am just now about done digging out. Are you going to be at NACS or SIGMA this year?

Quote

How often does anyone go out and shot 70 rounds of .30-06 for fun?

I ran through 150 rounds of .30-06 last weekend and it was a lot of fun

Since my rifle range requires a 3-hour roundtrip I usually bring x2 battle rifles (or a battle rifle and carbine class) and a couple of pistols to shoot as well. I go through at least 200 rounds of rifle caliber ammunition and I use a shoulder pad for .30 cal. Last weekend I also went through 150 rounds of M1 Carbine, but no pad required for that. The only rifle I just can't shoot more than 20 or so rounds through is my MN M-38 -- even with a pad. Most of this is from the bench though, with some offhand.

Unfortunately, the "often" part is reduced by being able to get away for a full weekend day with an 18-month-old, a wife, a house, a lawn and being the "handy" guy for all sorts of home and inlaw projects.

Charon

Halo · « **Reply #64 on:** September 26, 2007, 08:08:27 PM »

Wow, so people DO shoot that much .30-06. Well, I guess they did in combat too in WWII and Korea before the .223 craze. My shoulder is sore thinking about it.

Regarding the new Remington 105CTi, Googling reveals quite a few problems with it and some delayed availability. Also questions about supposedly no way to lock the chamber open at a firing range.

Still, will certainly take a look at one when it finally gets to an area gun shop.

Toad · « **Reply #65 on:** September 27, 2007, 08:21:38 AM »

I can verify that they are available at the Kansas City Cabela's. While not present in huge quantity, they come in dribs and drabs and there are usually 2-3 in stock at any one time.

Haven't heard of any problems as yet but then I don't talk to many folks that own one either!

Halo · « **Reply #66 on:** September 30, 2007, 07:25:29 PM »

Went to the Sporting Clays Intro course today but was disappointed we didn't shoot at every station. The two instructors said that was not necessary, that by going to four or five select stations we would see all of the various type of shots.

I don't buy that, nor did several other students, but what the heck, close enough.

I used a Limbsaver pad on my 12-gauge Remington 1100 Field Class 26-inch barrel and got no bruising at all. Then again, we each fired only about 19 shells. The instructor later suggested my slip-on Limbsaver was not a good idea because it was too wobbly and extended my length of pull too far.

He might have gotten that idea because of the nine students, I was Dudley Do-Wrong, missing all of my 19 shots. Three other students also used Remington 1100s and did better, but even if they didn't, I know the problem is me and not the gun.

Today I just couldn't manage a decent sight picture. I don't like two-eyed shotgun pointing-shooting even though I did fine with it last week with a range Browning 12-gauge over and under.

Obviously the planets were out of alignment. Or maybe this was just one of those off days.

Even 0 for 19, I have to conclude sporting clays is a hoot! Great fun. Lots of new and different targets all the time. Some shared principles, of course, but so much variety it's hard to imagine ever getting bored with sporting clays.

However, even the best theory and instruction has its limits. Next step is to shoot 20,000 rounds and find my own nirvana. Like ice skating and shooting hoops, practice makes perfect.

Bottom line: Can't remember when I did worse in something and had a better time.

Golfer · « **Reply #67 on:** September 30, 2007, 09:54:33 PM »

Shooting with 2 eyes open when you've always closed one to aim is a tough nut to crack with shotgunning and pistol shooting. The big problem folks are the experienced shooters, or at least in their minds they're experienced. They've usually shot for years and cannot be taught anything because in their minds they're crack shots...how hard can busting a bird be anyway?

Of all the problems I've had teaching folks how to shoot trap and skeet that's the single greatest pain in the butt I've come across. Even breaking someone from flinching is easy in comparison.

The instructor may have a point when it comes to the pad. If your stock is overextended the shotgun simply won't fit you anymore. If you want to use a big pad you can put a youth stock on the gun in addition to the pad bringing it where it's supposed to be. Beyond that you have three options:

1.) Take the bruising. I bruise if I shoot enough and get lazy with technique. It goes away in a couple days just in time for the next week to come around.

2.) Wear an extra layer or two. Throw on two white t-shirts under a button up or sweatshirt.

3.) Get yourself a good quality shooting vest with an effective yet thin shoulderpad.

As I mentioned I bruise as well but it's because I get lazy with poor technique. Simply put I'm not holding the gun tight to my shoulder. I also have a tendency to get lazy with my cheek not resting on the gun and will have a sore right cheek the next day from the gun punching me in the head all day.

The biggest things to make sure of though is that the shotgun fits you. If you put on an extra big pad to prevent pain you've just grown the stock and it probably doesn't anymore. If you're also thinking about not getting hurt or bruising that's not only taking away your focus from the shot but making your shots timid whether or not you'd like to admit it. Nothing you've mentioned hasn't been seen before and the good news is you'll come around

Welcome to the addiction!

Halo · « **Reply #68 on:** September 30, 2007, 10:00:52 PM »

Helpful and inspiring words, Golfer, thanks.

Pull!

Toad · « **Reply #69 on:** October 01, 2007, 09:38:25 AM »

Sporting Clays does present a wide variety of shooting situations. It may not be the easiest way to start out in shotgunning.

One thought for beginning shooters is to start with easy situations and as you master those go for increased difficulty.

For example, get a trap field with just you and the bird boy. Walk up and stand directly behind the trap house (put in an IC or Mod choke for this), and have him pull birds for you. These are pretty easy; as these shots become routine, start moving back a few yards each time you feel proficient at that range, increasing your distance from the trap house. When you eventually make it to the 16 yard line center station. Once there, shoot a round of trap using all 5 of the stations.

Same for skeet; get a field to yourself and start on the 1 or 7 station so that you are working on what are essentially straight away shots or straight incomers. Shoot until you feel have that station down, even if it takes a whole box or more. As you get comfortable with those, begin to work towards the middle stations which will require a bit more lead at each station.

Basically, just work on one simple shooting situation until you get proficient. Then increase the difficulty.

It's sort of like AH; fly a Spit for a while and then challenge yourself.

Ripsnort · « **Reply #70 on:** October 01, 2007, 11:03:42 AM »

Toad, that's exactly where I've been starting Gordon, Trap, center position, Improved cyclinder. Good for me too since its been a couple of years since I shot.(however I'm at the 5 position on the left.)

forHIM · « **Reply #71 on:** October 01, 2007, 01:55:27 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Halo

The instructor later suggested my slip-on Limbsaver was not a good idea because it was too wobbly and extended my length of pull too far.

Today I just couldn't manage a decent sight picture. I don't like two-eyed shotgun pointing-shooting even though I did fine with it last week with a range Browning 12-gauge over and under.

Regarding the slip-on, I'd suggest as Golfer did, get a vest that has a slim pad and/or replace the stock pad with one that is same length, but better at handling the recoil. A gun too long will tend to mount on your fleshy upper arm instead of on the shoulder where its supposed to.

Regarding the double eye open, I has an eye dominance problem after staring at a computer for my job, so on my shooting glasses I put a small piece of scotch tape in the left eye, so I can still see peripheral and cloudy straight forward, this helped with depth perception and speed/tracking of the clay by my right eye and allows me to keep both eyes open. When I'm not shooting after work or have a day off before hand, I can usually remove the tape and shoot normal. Something that I noticed that may or may not help you.

Toad · « **Reply #72 on:** October 01, 2007, 02:43:22 PM »

Browning has gel-pad shooting vests, shirts and jackets.

Might be a possibility for you there; they claim up to 40% reduction in recoil which seem optimistic to me but if you got half of that it might be useful.

Browning Vest w/Reactar pad

Halo · « **Reply #73 on:** October 01, 2007, 04:21:51 PM »

Thanks, guys, good suggestions all.

I have a Bob Allen shooting vest I like a lot although its shoulder padding is thin.

I bought a Past Super Mag Plus Recoil Shield that supposedly reduces felt recoil by up to 85%, but it's so thick it would really mess with my length of pull as well probably motivate someone to dial 911 thinking I shouldn't have been let out of the ward.

I'll be in limbo awhile until I shoot a round of sporting clays with the Remington 1100 26-inch barrel without a Limbsaver, and then shoot another round at another range with the Stoeger Coach shotgun 20-inch barrel.

Then I should have a better idea where I am and where I need to go (free straight line -- fire away!).

I saw some neat gun carts Sunday, got the e-mail address, and in another burst of pricey serendipity ordered one last night 30 minutes before the fall sale deadline expired. It's the shooting cart plus some accessories from ruggedgear.com.

So although temporarily missing every shot, at least I'm realizing how even unsuccessful purchases can be positive contributions to the gross (pun intended) national product.

Who says you can't buy happiness? Easy if you don't let your expectations get too high.

Toad · « **Reply #74 on:** October 01, 2007, 06:50:31 PM »

You can buy the Reactar pad alone for about $15. They are not too thick and I'm sure you could rig it inside your Bob Allen.

I bought a PAST a long time ago when I was shooting 40-60 .300 Wby off the bench working up a load. It's been sitting ever since I got the Weatherby out of its wood stock and into a B&C composite. Just don't need it now. They work though but you're right, they are too thick for shotgunning.