First Shot at Sporting Clays

[SJ]

Well folks, some of you following the story closely know that I am a recent convert to firearms, at least shotguns (I hear it escalates from there, sorta like airplanes). I have been mentored by some fine folks on the site who while completely irresponsible with airplanes, seem to know the safe way around a gun.

My goal was to tune up for some pheasant hunting in South Dakota this year and so I picked up a Beretta AL391 Xtrema2 and other associated gadgetry (gotta love Cabela's for gun gadgets) and headed out to get some instruction in the fine art of killing.

I first started at the trap range, then watched some skeet shooting and this all seemed OK, but today I went out and shot sporting clays with a nearly 80 year old instructor in Johnson County (interesting guy, got his pilots license at 14 and used to ferry beavers and other birds all over the place, and owned a Super Cub!) and really got some great pointers and a great introduction to the sport.

As he explains it, if trap shooting is akin to being at the driving range, and skeet shooting is like putting, then sporting clays is like the whole game of golf. What a fun sport, and what a great way to tune up for the season.

I always tell flight students if you can learn stuff right the first time, it really makes it a lot easier in the long run due to the effect of primacy. The same holds true here and I am happy to have run into this very knowledgable master instructor to help me along with this stuff. I am planning on a few more sessions with him even though it is quite a drive from my house (I could land the cub there, but they might frown upon it).

I'm looking forward to giving Jerry some dual in my cub, in exchage for all his shooting knowledege.

sj

[cubdrvr]

You're on your way sj .........somehow I just know you're gonna embarrass us veterans. I've got a spittoon picked out for ya that mounts on your cub's floorboard......

[SJ]

I've got a spittoon picked out for ya that mounts on your cub's floorboard......

Actually, chewing was one "hobby" that I have already been over and done with. I took it up when I worked in a car wash in high school and could not keep smokes lit in the spray down area.

sj

[Steve Pierce]

Looks like I'm gonna have to practice too.

[Rick Papp]

Hey Steve---Just a word of caution.

An old feller about 20 miles from me has a grass strip with a very long paved approach at the near end.

He commonly would land on the short end and use lots of brakes to get to the hanger.

He also owns on the same property a skeet and trap range. One night, while landing short in his brand new Cessna, hit the brakes and could not figure out why he couldn't slow down. The BB's (shot) on the runway acted as ball-bearing and he slid his airplane into a trailer at the end of the runway. He was only slightly injured, but big time damage to the air-craft.

This happened about 4 years ago, TRUE STORY!!

Be careful,

Rick

[SJ]

Wow! Who would have figgered!

sj

[MacNab]

Skeet and Trap shooting has ruined the hearing in my right ear...well, that and a lot of Quail hunting. Never did like wearing hearing protection while I was hunting. Now I'm payin' for it.

[Lawn Dart]

Good on ya Steve!
Hows the shoulder feeling tonight?

[SuperUrsus]

Excellent!

Nothing like a flying disc for a target. The only drawback with clays is the lack of dogs, IMO.

Tailwinds,

SuperUrsus

[SJ]

Good on ya Steve!
Hows the shoulder feeling tonight?

Not bad at all, this gun hardly kicks, and of course the target loads are pretty light. I did shoot a couple rounds of hevi-shot to get the feel for them which kicked a lot harder and made a lot more noise.

My lowerback took more of a beating than I expected, but with everything there is a sacrifice..

Jerry had two english shorthairs that he let out to run around a bit. Talk about unlimitied energy. I know a lot of you guys really enjoy the dogs as much as the hunting, and they sure are fun to watch.

sj

[Fortysix12]

Steve,

Pick yourself up a used Beguim Browning auto (1960's or earlier) with a cutts componsator or equal. There is vertually no kick with low brass. With high brass theres more but a pussy cat of a 12 guage and you can shoot it all day at the range without the pain. You will be amazed at the difference.

Some times it may be necessary to change the spring that drives the auto mechanism when you use some low brass light loads.

[LANDSHORT]

Steve,

Welcome to the wide world of clays shooting. I've been an addict for many years. One of the more enjoyable variations of shooting sporting clays, is to use a sub-gauge ie, 20 28 or 410. Escpecially in the 410, it completely eliminates recoil and really lets you concentrate on form and timing.

Out West we don't have many wild birds, so shooting preserves have been very popular for about the last 15 years. They essentially release birds into cover prior to the hunt. Sounds phony, but it really is fun and seems very natural, the birds are wild and great flyers and eat like chicken. One of these years I would really enjoy a real live South Dakota bird hunt.

Scott

[SJ]

I watched a guy shoot all the rounds of skeet (12,20,28, .410) with just the .410 and I think he missed twice or three times in all the circuits. He said he did not like to switch guns or barrels. Didn't look to me like he needed anything bigger.

The 291 Xtrema2 has a pretty slick recoil system in it and I would say it has less recoil than anything I have ever shot - which is not a lot, but is a few things.

I knew this was going to lead to more guns...

sj

[Lawn Dart]

I see a his & hers gun safes in your near future Steve.

[Steve Pierce]

Steve Johnson discussing different model guns. Who would have thunk it?

[SJ]

It's all Cubdrvr's fault.

sj

[MacNab]

Your next mission should you choose to accept it is to get yourself a good over and under.

[SJ]

That is what everybody keeps telling me...

sj

[CraigH]

Steve,
If you get the chance, try out one of the lightweight Beretta Onyx 20ga over/under models. I've been shooting one for the last 15 years and it is by far my favorite shotgun to carry in the field. Quick pointing, and at 5.5 lbs it doesn't get heavy at the end of a long day.

[MacNab]

Browning Citori 525 Field

I've also got a little Ithaca Model 500 that I like to Quail hunt with that's also light like Craig's Baretta.

[CraigH]

Been surfing for a pic of the 696 Black Onyx, but can't find one. Mine's has an English stock which seems to be rare for that model.

When a 12ga is needed, I've got a Remington 1100 Special Field; short and relatively light for a 12ga auto. I'm not a big guy so carrying around a heavy shotgun all day gets tiring.

[SJ]

I have heard a lot about the white onyx, but never the black onyx.



Does one presume that the silver area on this gun is black on the other?



As in the Onyx Pro above?

sj

[SJ]

P.S you can get 1/2 a set of 31" bushwheels for what those humbuckers cost!

sj

[cubdrvr]

Craig......
Same O/U I shoot.....20 ga. And I agree, it's the best I've used.......and super lightweight.

[MacNab]

P.S you can get 1/2 a set of 31" bushwheels for what those humbuckers cost!

sj

That's why I'm not going to be buying any firearms for a while...or anything else for that matter.

[CraigH]

Steve,
Bought mine back in the late 80's when I had a firearms dealer's license and paid wholesale. Guess it's been a good investment since it couldn't be replaed at twice the price I paid for it. It's one of the few guns I own that I would NEVER consider selling. You are correct in your assumption that the area that is silver on the White Onyx is black on the Black Onyx.

[MacNab]

...It's one of the few guns I own that I would NEVER consider selling...

There isn't a single firearm in my collection that I would ever consider selling. Went down that road and deeply regreted it...never again.

[Ruidoso Ron]

Next thing you know, around Christmas, Steve will be looking for an AK-47 for Dana.

[SJ]

I would not bet on that too much.

Right now, it is all "AKC-47" at our house...



Still trying to come up with a name for his little feller.

sj

[Jerry Gaston]

Steve Now that you are into guns and especially shot guns that are expensive does this mean that I need to bring my Belt feed automatic to North Dakota just to keep up with you?

[SJ]

Jerry,

Not likely. Do bring a helmet though just in case.

sj

[Rick Papp]

SJ, My remington 1100 works well for a reliable multipurpose shotgun . Tell Dana the dog is cute!! maybe name it "[u]Piper". Rick

[mrs. big dog]

Mr. Big Dog got the BushWheels and I got a Baikal 12 ga 3" o/u. Okay, he got the better $$$ of the deal... but for $400 the Baikal has been a great upland bird gun. Seems to shoot just as well as the expensive ones, looks good and so far is holding up fine (2 seasons). Everybody that's tried it likes it and for the money it couldn't be beat.

For duck hunting in the marshy muck, I stick to the synthetic Remington 870 12 ga pump. It's about indestructible and since I fall on my face in the mud at least once a season, that's a good thing. That one cost $175 about 10 years ago.

Dana, are you writing this down ????

[N3243A]

Next time you are in Alaska, you should go to Grouse Ridge gun club in Wasilla. It is simply the best sporting clays course in Alaska. The owner is a class act, and runs a very good club that would rival any in the lower 48. He has 5 stand sporting as well as garden variety trap and skeet too.

The owner and his son are both into airplanes (supercub and C-180) and they put in a 1600 foot strip about a mile from their club called Grouse Ridge (AK93). It is a private strip so PPR as they say.

Bruce

http://www.grouseridge.com

[Jerry Gaston]

Judging by the size of the ears on that dog you may want to call him "Glider"

[Fortysix12]

I read somewhere that single syllable names are better for dog names.