Broke 89 today, I sure like the sport

[skarke]

I bought my first double about 3 months ago, a Yildiz over and under for $400.  I never really shot much with a scatter gun, except to hunt, and even then the birds were pretty safe

I shot my first round of skeet back in July, and broke 12 and was thrilled.  More important, IT WAS FUN!!!!!

So, a used MEC 650, my new Yildiz, and about 1000 rounds later, I'm pretty hooked.

I went 21 24 21 23 today.  For the life of me, I don't know how I missed the low house on 3 on my second run, I think I shot a donut pattern

If anybody actually reads this, how good do you have to be to notice a difference in scores with a better gun

[Graybeard]

As long as the gun fits you well and throws proper patterns the price of it mostly doesn't matter. You might find your scores will improve further by using lighter loads with less recoil.

Most of us older shooters who've been shooting skeet many years have all backed way down on our loads. Even in 12 gauge most shoot an ounce or even 7/8 oz and many also at our range are loading to only around 1000 fps not the factory 1200 fps.

I shoot only the .410 a Browning Citori White Lightning. It's my favorite skeet gun and I tend to shoot it as well as I ever did the larger guns with more shot and more recoil.

More expensive guns are more to impress the folks shooting with you than to improve your scores. I picked up a Kreighoff K80 with Briley tubes in 20, 28 and .410 a few years back. It set me back $12,500 and I broke no more with it than with my Browning White Lightning so wound up selling it and kept on shooting the Citoris.

[skarke]

Thanks a bunch GB.  I already lightened my load to 1 oz.  I am shooting 1200 with about 17.4 of Clays, but I'm all for less recoil.  I've been using the Clayduster AA12 knockoff to get a good shell and crimp, but I have a ton of the pink too.  I might try coming off about 1 to 1.5 grains on the Clays and use some of those pink wads and see how I do.  It sure is a fun sport, I can't believe it's taken me nearly 50 years to discover it.

[Graybeard]

The 28 gauge is probably the ideal skeet gun. It shoots 3/4 oz of shot and that is plenty for anybody. It throws nice even patterns if you use a good choke tube like the Briley tubes. Over all the years I've been doing this (since early to mid 70s) it has been my favorite of all gauges.

For many years when I was shooting competition I used the 28 for all my 12 and 20 ga competition as well as for 28 ga. Back in those days I dreaded the .410 and never shot it well. Now when I'm on my game I can break as many with the .410 as with the larger guns.

Due to my health I've not gotten to shoot much this year so right now I'm badly off my game. Normally when I'm shooting regularly I'll break high 80s to low/mid 90s with the .410. When I'm having a bad day.....well let's not talk about those scores. 

[skarke]

GB, thanks again.  I guess if we reload, the 28 costs even less to shoot.  I haven't really been affected by the mental block of shooting a smaller gauge (thinking that bigger is better).  I'm a pretty big guy, and the 12 doesn't seem to bother me, but man those smaller gauges are nice on my shoulder when compared to a 12.