Anyone Shoot Sporting Clay

[southern.in.guy]

I have always enjoyed shooting clays in the back yard but I have never went to a actual sporting clays course. I'm going to go this weekend to Quail Ridge in Sunman and I need a little advise. Like witch gun I have a 1187 12ga with a 28inch VR or a CZ 720 20ga with a 26inch VR. I shoot both equaily as good and feel comfortable with either. What loads should I use. I usually use Walmart Winchester Universal 2 3/4 8shot in both guns in the back yard. They work fine for shooting clays in the backyard. Also witch choke should I use. Do after market choke tubes help if so witch ones. Thanks

 

[Jack Ryan]

I have always enjoyed shooting clays in the back yard but I have never went to a actual sporting clays course. I'm going to go this weekend to Quail Ridge in Sunman and I need a little advise. Like witch gun I have a 1187 12ga with a 28inch VR or a CZ 720 20ga with a 26inch VR. I shoot both equaily as good and feel comfortable with either. What loads should I use. I usually use Walmart Winchester Universal 2 3/4 8shot in both guns in the back yard. They work fine for shooting clays in the backyard. Also witch choke should I use. Do after market choke tubes help if so witch ones. Thanks

Use your skeet choke or improved cylinder. What ever the most open choke you've got and if you don't reload use the light target loads. If you'd use the Walmart shells to shoot a hundred shells at home they'll be fine for an afternoon on the sporting clays course.

 

[AmericanBob]

you can do it with a modified if you want a little bit of a challenge, and i kind of helps on a long rabbit if there is one. i normally stick with an improved in my 870 though. as far as your load goes, #8's are fine. would recommend that you use a 1.25 oz load instead of just a 1 oz. every little bit helps in my opinion.

 

[IndyMonkey]

use light loads. Remember that tame birds dont get up like wild ones do.

Enjoy, its a good time to go out and shoot with a lot less effort than hunting for 12 hours and not finding a single covey.

 

[Zoub]

Sunman is not a podunk course so using a 12 will give you some advantage. An IC with a 1 ounce load might be a good choice take a mix of 8's and 7.5's.

That being said my GF uses a 26" Beretta 303 in 20 gauge on all courses she shoots.

Most OEM choke tubes are crap but do you really want to spend $60 for a good tube yet? I use Ballistic Specialties tubes Angle Porting by Ballistic Specialties - Chokes Just take what you have and enjoy.

You got me Jonesin' for a last bird hunt. Dog and I may hit Lost River Game Farm while it is still cold.

 

[Zoub]

use light loads. Remember that tame birds dont get up like wild ones do.

I have never seen wild clays before, only domesticated ones that come in a box.

 

[Earl Sinclair]

I haven’t been to the course you mentioned; but I used to shoot at the Indiana Gun Club before the clays course closed and still shoot at the Izaak Walton League in Kokomo once in a while. I’d suggest using your 1187 with 7.5 shot and a modified or I.C. choke. I recommend the 12 gauge just for the extra pellets – I like to have as many of them headed downrange as I can get! The reason for the larger shot and tighter choke is to help with the longer distances. I’ve seen incidents where shooters hit long distance birds with #8’s, but the pellets didn’t have enough energy left to break off a visible piece. Also, don’t hesitate to change chokes if one station is a close-in rabbit/crossing bird and the next trap is 50 yards away and launching outbound!

Regarding aftermarket chokes, it would be hard to go wrong with Briley, and they have regular and extended chokes for almost any shotgun. Whether to use them depends on how your round goes and if you feel like the pattern needs work. If you’re serious about clays, I’d suggest you look into a 12 gauge over/under. They allow you to have longer barrels in a shorter overall package, with two different chokes at the same time. It’s also much easier to collect your empties for reloading!

Good luck,

Earl Sinclair

 

[southern.in.guy]

Thanks for all the help guys I'm going to have fun no matter how many clays I hit or mis. A bad day in the feild is always better than a good day at work.

 

[JohnR]

I would also suggest the 1187 with improved choke and #8s. I started shooting sporting clays with a 1100 and tried several different type guns ended up with a Beretta 391. Have several o/u's, but really like the 391. I use it for skeet, trap, trap doubles, and sporting clays.

 

[top hat 45]

i've shot there. pretty challenging. agree with the 12 ga. and if you you have screw in chokes take all of them. super short shots go with i/c, medium length with modified, longer range with full or almost full. its a long course so if you are in shape you'll be ok or rent a cart....daryll

 

[Stoop]

I have a 'tactical' 870 with a ghost ring sight. If I take off the door breaching choke and replace it with a modified/improved choke I am hoping that will at least get me started in trap, then if I decide I like it i will look to maybe getting a dedicated trap gun.

 

[top hat 45]

for " trap" you want full choke....daryll

 

[sonovasailor]

I was going to give my 2 cents but you guys have said what I would have. 12ga, 7.5 or 8's. Oh yea, be prepared to be HUMBLED!

 

[8shot]

Your 11/87 will perform just fine for you imp cyl and 8's Take a box of 7 1/2's for longer shots.Hope you break them all

 

[erik7941]

I've been shooting shotgun sports for about 15 years. Any shotgun will work although for sporting clays, a semi-auto or over-under/side-by-side works well. A single shot or a pump action works, but it's easier with a semi-auto or a double barrel. For Skeet and Trap, I prefer to use a Skeet choke (or the most open choke tube you have) For Five Stand and Sporting Clays, I like to use a shotgun that has extended chokes or a shotgun that has easily removable chokes and I will take my extra chokes with me. For most of the stations on Sporting Clays fields, you can use a Improved, Modified, or Improved/Modified choke. But for some stations where the targets vary in distances or you have small gaps to shoot the target, other choke tubes are better, IMO.

 

[Hotdoger]

for " trap" you want full choke....daryll

I have shot a lot of trap and watched many world class trap shooters. I would only recommend full choke for the farthest lines.
16 yard line I would use 1 1/8 0z. no. 8's with an IMP cyl.