Thread: Any skeet/trap shooters?

As you might imagine from my screen name I've spent some time busting clays. In over 20 years in the games I have only shot 100 registered birds, hit 96. I just love the games. I had the addiction bad for years, along with a love affair for the Citori's. Owned several in all but the 16ga, and had field, skeet and trap configurations. I figured out , after many frustrating days, that the difference in the layout of the guns that are specialized for Trap and Skeet is that it's difficult to change your brain around to the different sight picture of floating the bird above the rib, as in a high rib trap gun, to a touch the rib picture of a field or flat rib skeet or sporting clays gun. Overloaded my tiny little brain. I had lots of fun for a while when I had all 4 guages in the 1100 sporting model. All the ribs were the same and only the balance and recoil changed. The gun I shot best at all the games was a 12ga, 28" Lightning Sporting Clays with a high rib, and I shot nothing else so I didn't have the confusion I spoke of. Of all I have had I wish for those 1100's back, and my 410 Citori Lightning. By far those were the most fun. One club I belonged to here in Tullahoma had a wobble machine, and we used the skeet stations, called it wobble skrap. That game will make you talk to yourself. Prices of supplies have gotten so high and I can't follow all my addictions so I have chosen to fish and I keep one gun for dove and so on, an 1100 12ga. Currently have the 30" full barrel on ebay and will replace it with a 26 or 28" with chokes and do everything with it. If you hate the recoil like I do, look into lengthening the forcing cones in the barrel. Briley does it, among others, and it removes about 30 to 40% of the felt recoil with no velocity loss. I sometimes miss it all, mostly the great folks that you rub elbows with at the clubs, and almost fall back into it, then load the boat and go fish. Have fun with it all folks, I know I did.

Originally Posted by justfishin2

If you only knew how many tens of thousands of rounds I've fired at skeet, trap and sporting clays over the years you would say: 1) how can he hear anything (I can't) 2) isn't is shoulder broken (rotator cuff repaired) #3 how can he afford it (selling off all my stuff so I can fish), etc, etc. I had some wonderful times shooting in many different states-never got to be the best but good enough to keep me wanting to go all the time. It was addictive, and I paid for it. I would make a good coach for someone now, but my eyesight is failing and I'm slowing down. I've sold my reloader and supplies, one of my Beretta o/u's and would also let my Beretta 687 gold pigeon go to the right person. Still have several other guns I'll hang onto for memories sake. For those who are competitive, clay shooting can be a lifelong sport-just be sure to always wear eye and ear protection from day one and don't use heavy/fast loads. They will only make you recoil sensitive and likely to flinch.

That's some great advise. Iv been thinking about a Beretta in my arsonel