Skeet - New Addiction!

[Tdcompton]

Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to shoot skeet on my famly's property and I must say that I am already addicted.. It was a great bit of fun and I pleased myself by holding my own....

Now I just need to get my hands on a second shotgun to commit to using for Skeet... I have a scope on my Mossberg and I am looking for a deal on a Remington 1187, which is what I was able to use on this occasion.

How active is the local skeet community? Does one exist?

 

[alliclaytor]

Pretty active, try the indy gun club on the NE side, thats where I go and they have a lot of shotguns on display. I think the marion county fish and wildlife may have skeet too...not sure on that.

 

[chezuki]

MCFG has trap, but not skeet.

Did you really shoot skeet (on a field wth marked stations, a high house, and a low house), or did you shoot some thrown clay targets?

 

[Black Cloud]

I prefer Sporting Clays to skeet/trap, as it more closely mimics hunting type scenarios. Not to mention the added fun of walking thru a well-laid out course. Kinda like golf with a shotgun.

 

[netsecurity]

Check out the range at Atterbury. They have a real nice trap and skeet range, and I think it is cheap to use, and fully automated. I should try it some time, but I'm always sighting in scopes on the rifle range instead.

 

[Tdcompton]

Did you really shoot skeet (on a field wth marked stations, a high house, and a low house), or did you shoot some thrown clay targets?

Well I guess that I should feel a bit foolish... We were throwing from our small portable rig..

Thank you everyone for the suggestions where I can do this once again.

 

[singlesix]

Well I guess that I should feel a bit foolish... We were throwing from our small portable rig..

Thank you everyone for the suggestions where I can do this once again.

No need to feel foolish, we all we noobs once. Come out to MCFG on Thursdays 6PM - 10PM. We shoot Trap and Wobble Trap (birds fly faster and direction of flight is random).

MCFG - Indy Range Official Website - Shotgun, Pistol, Shooting Range

Brownsburgs CC shoots Trap on Tues and Sat 11AM - Dusk

http://www.bbcclub.org/

 

[chezuki]

Well I guess that I should feel a bit foolish... We were throwing from our small portable rig.

Absolutely not. What you did is probably the easiest and most fun way to get in to clay sports!!

I wish I had a place to throw clays around!

Here is an example of a Skeet Field. Atterbury Shooting Complex has some great ones.

 

[92ThoStro]

I tried it out (sporting clay) a few months ago as well, it is really fun. Was using a break barrel single shot. Threw it over the corn field. Was walking through it before the snow, and got to see all the broken clay discs on the ground.

 

[selinoid44]

I might add that when shooting skeet you normally would load only two rounds. Its the same with trap and sporting clays or even the five stand, all of which are different. I might also add that if the 11-87 you desire is a 3-1/2" capable gun that you might rethink your thinking. The 3-1/2 doesnt really like 2-3/4" shells. A more suitable gun would be an over/under or if you think you might like a semi-auto something like the Browning Sporting Clays, or mabe a pump gun. I know some ppl that prefer the pump. I hope these tips are helpful. Enjoy

 

[Tdcompton]

No need to feel foolish, we all we noobs once. Come out to MCFG on Thursdays 6PM - 10PM. We shoot Trap and Wobble Trap (birds fly faster and direction of flight is random).

MCFG - Indy Range Official Website - Shotgun, Pistol, Shooting Range

Brownsburgs CC shoots Trap on Tues and Sat 11AM - Dusk

http://www.bbcclub.org/

Thanks for those links! Unfortunately I am on midshift and work 1400-2230 with Fri/Sat off..

I wish I had a place to throw clays around!

Here is an example of a Skeet Field. Atterbury Shooting Complex has some great ones.

I certainly count my blessings for having a place that I can fire pretty much anything without dealing with outsiders... I have never been to Atterbury but I have ben hearing more and more good things about their facility.

I might add that when shooting skeet you normally would load only two rounds. Its the same with trap and sporting clays or even the five stand, all of which are different. I might also add that if the 11-87 you desire is a 3-1/2" capable gun that you might rethink your thinking. The 3-1/2 doesnt really like 2-3/4" shells. A more suitable gun would be an over/under or if you think you might like a semi-auto something like the Browning Sporting Clays, or mabe a pump gun. I know some ppl that prefer the pump. I hope these tips are helpful. Enjoy

Hmm.. That is some very good information to consider... I am quite small in stature (5'3 and 106lbs) and recently found a huge change in comfort when I swapped my full size hunting MossB 500 for the youth sized model.. Any suggestions which may fit someone as small as I am? My form definitely improved when I finally purchased a SG that fit me... The 11-87 was huge for me and garnered more than a few comments about the gun being larger than I am.. I saw a few photos taken that day and my stance was awful with it due to the size issue.

 

[selinoid44]

The over/unders tend to kick a little harder I think, however if you put a good butt pad on they are great guns. I had a nice Berretta it was a great gun. I like the Silver Reserve also by Mossberg and you cna get them in 12,20,28,410 guage. Love the 28. The Browning line of shotguns are nice too. I have the Browning Gold Sporting Clays. My favorite but its pretty big. Go to some shotgun clubs, most guys will let you shoot their guns. Ive even shot some of the really really exspensive shotguns. Heck I didnt even want to touch them when I found out how much they cost. (yes I did) Anyway its all personal preference. But shoot some before you buy.

 

[alliclaytor]

indy gun club has trap, skeet, and clay pigeons and you can rent guns...they also manage atterburry. The 1187 is pretty much a 3" max gun (maybe some weird variant that shoots 3.5") I have shot pump, O/U, and semi on all of the above...i prefer semi auto's (my opinion) of which an 1187 was most of it. I may have to try out the MCFW location.

 

[Lodogg2221]

Tdcompton, try a Remington 1100 youth model.

I got hooked on skeet about 12 years ago. Started with an 870, then switched very briefly to an 1100, then to a Winchester Supreme Select Sporting O/U.

Since I reload, (used to go through 6k+ rounds a year!) I hate hunting for my empties. After a year or so I started shooting Sporting Clays with my Dad in Michigan. Tried it a few times here, but the courses arent very good that Ive been to, which admittedly isnt many, so I just stick to skeet. Or I did up until a few years ago when I got sidetracked and quit going locally.

I tried trap, but I think you might find that a lot of guys who shoot true trap like things "just so" and seem to like to keep it all to themselves. Thats been my experience locally, and up in Michigan. So given my experience with it, I stay away from it. I dont like feeling like Im on a second to second schedule where if my gun has some type of malfunction, everyone starts harrumphing and getting impatient. Well, Ive never had a malfunction, but others have and I just dont like the attitude they get from the others when they are trying to learn.

Also, there are plenty of good O/U guns at inexpensive prices. Ruger makes good ones, and you can get a number of others used for really good prices too. We shot with a guy that had a Baikel (SP?), if they even make them anymore, but similar to the Stoeger. Remington also had a cheaper import brand that was good too.

If you want a semi-auto, and need a smaller one, find a youth model in the 11-87, 1100, Winchester Super X 2 or 3. By the way, nothing wrong with using a pump gun. My 870 and I went through thousands of rounds, and if you can use it right, you will have no trouble with the pairs.
You can also have the stock cut down, or replaced with a youth stock if you want. I would also go with the 26" bbl, because you really dont need long barrels even for distance shots. The extra weight can be nice for larger guys/gals, but I dont care for it much. The shorter the better for me.

Anyway, good luck!

 

[selinoid44]

I have a 11-87 super mag and it hates 2-3/4" shells.
+1 on the 1100, great gun!

 

[Black Cloud]

I am a huge supporter of .28 gage Over/Under shotguns. The .28g fits between the tiny .410 and the .20g.

Years ago, I tried a .20 gage O/U that my friend brought to a range, and that thing kicked harder than my 12g. I then tried another friends .28, and it not only shot better, but patterned better, with less recoil and a perfect balance. One of the best sporting clay shooters I know uses a .28g exclusively now. An added benefit is that they are beautiful guns. Not to mention the ability to use 2 seperate chockes, and to be able to choose which barrel/choke you want to fire first.

 

[CitiusFortius]

I pleased myself by holding my own....

Thats what he said!

Sorry, sometimes my mind reverts back to 6th grade humor.

 

[mike4sigs]

Clay shooting can be very addictive !
and just like everything we do the better we get the more funn it is !

 

[Tdcompton]

Wow... SO much great info in this thread, thank you guys!

 

[richwin]

Very good info, as I too would like to try to shoot clays. I think it would be great thing to do with my son. I have been wanting to ask these questions for awhile now. Thanks.