Why I'll never be a clays shooting enthusiast

[Questor]

I like shooting clays in the same way I like eating chocolate: It's good tasting, but it's not good nourishment.

A round of trap is just too quick, and after I've shot it I realize that I'm out about $11 for the cost of the ammo and the round.  At best I'm willing to shoot two rounds a week. And that's for about a half hour worth of enjoyment. It just doesn't seem worth it.

Pistol shooting is a more fun and contemplative activity that gives me inner peace and enjoyment. I can shoot my 22 for a couple of hours and really enjoy it while spending far less than shooting clays. Pistol shooting for me has the aspect of a true hobby.

To each his own.

I don't regret taking up clays shooting though. It is the spice of life, and I can use the shooting skills I develop to improve my wingshooting.

[Graybeard]

If you want to spend more time skeet takes much longer than trap and sporting clays far more time than skeet.

[rbwillnj]

Trap is expensive, but something about it just draws me in.  I generally shoot at least four rounds, and I'm doing that three times a week.  I really like Bullseye too.  I shoot in a couple of leagues, and I'll be making the trip to Camp Perry this year.  Aint retirement great? Trap and Bullseye are similar in that, they are both games of perfection, and you are shooting against yourself as much as anyone else. 

We go out for a round of Sporting Clays about once a month.  It's a blast, and we all have a great time.  Then we go our for lunch and get some Barbecue  (Yes, they have barbecue in the east).   I don't think I could get into Sporting Clays in the same way as Trap or Bullseye.

I have at least three trap ranges within half an hour, but the nearest skeet range is an hour away, so it just hasn't been an option.

[Questor]

Hmmm. You may be onto something there. I've been wanting to give skeet a serious try. But I started with trap to shoot in the leagues socially so I think I'll stick with it as I am until I get some league time.

What amazes me about skeet is how close a lot of the shots are.

Do you happen to know why #9 shot is the preferred shot size for skeet? It seems like at skeet ranges just about anything would work fine.

[Graybeard]

At the crossing stake the target is 21 yards from you at all stations other than station eight where it is almost on top of you. Number nine is all that's needed and gives you a thicker pattern especially in the small .410 and 28 gauge that so many of us old farts use for skeet.

But yes you can use anything from size 6 to 9 with more or less equal effectiveness in a 20 or 12. Most casual shooters who buy their ammo at Wal-Mart likely use #8 or even #7-1/2 as that's what's on the shelf. Serious shooters use #9 or maybe #8-1/2 as it makes the patterns more dense with the wide open chokes used.

I normally use cylinder for 12 and 20 and skeet chokes for 28 and .410 bore. I seldom shoot anything but the .410 and 28 these days.

[1marty]

Many years ago I shot trap but found it too quick and didn't find it much fun. For the last 15 years I've shot skeet and find it much more sociable. Normally, I meet the same guys almost every Saturday morning and we spend more time talking then shooting.

[mcwoodduck]

When I read the tag line I thought it was going to be about the big orange domes that are thrown and how we all wear the same color orange dome on our heads when hunting teaching us to swing the gun and aim at the orange dome and shoot.  I figured you were going to go on about the safety of hunting and other similar topics.
I also wondered if you were going to go on a rant of how the games have changed form hunting prep to pure target formats and was interested.
 After reading your post I now have a few minutes of my life that I will never get back!
I belong to a local club and we shoot games that take a while as well as have tournaments that last a few hours.
Games such as chip shooting where you call for the bird and someone else trys to hit one of your chips off of the bird or shoot your own chip, Annie Oakley, 5 stand as well as other games we have developed based on the equipment we have at the club.
 Sporting Clays has been called Golf with a shotgun and presents you with many different targets with birds flying away, to and at various angles including simulated rabbits the runn along the ground.  Unfortunatly sporting clays has changed with it's popularity to get people through the course quicker.  It was developed as a world win tour of hunting and targets were presented to simulate different hunting situations.  They used to include boats on springs, as well as walking stations and the puller had a a count of 4 to pull the bird for you and you had to call for the bird at the low ready.  But even with all the time saving measures you will still need 50 to 100 rounds and half of a day.
Skeet is faster and more sociable and a squad will move around the field together.
As to shooting pistol all day.  OK but how many times can you shoot a circle with out getting board?

[oneounceload]

Besides Sporting Clays, try some low-gun FITASC - with a full squad, it can take a while, and it can be much more socialable than trap, with some generous good-natured ribbing when you miss that close rabbit target

[oaksalad]

Hi,watch it skeet is very addictive.But is big fun.Enjoy!

[ba_50]

Until reloads get back to $3.00 or less a box, I won't do it. It's additive, just like flying fixed wing aircraft. When you start you just want to do more.

I've gone to long range .22LR tactical style shooting. The only problem with that is finding 510 ammo at Walmart.

[shotgunner]

The two games, skeet and trap, tend to attract different sorts of people. In trap, 5 guys line up and all shoot at the same time. In skeet, practice at least, one guy shoots and 4 guys stand around "shooting the bull". Skeet shooters tend to be more social. I like skeet as well as bullseye and other handgun sports, especially bowling pins. In skeet, follow through is keeping you head down and continuing to swing. In bullseye it is seeing the front sight, during and after the shot, all the while trying to stay pretty much still. Very different, even though they attract some of the same people. Shotgunner