# Informal Questions on Trap & Skeet



## 147 Grain (Feb 18, 2005)

Being new to shooting clay pigeons, can one of you experts please provide a little advice for a novice taking his two boys out to shoot hand-thrown clay pigeons?

We have a couple cases of 1 1/8-oz. loads in 7 1/2 & 8 shot and extra chokes in cylinder, improved cylinder, light modified, modified, improved modified, and full.

What size shot & choke do you suggest for shooting in the 30 - 35 yard range?

On straight away shots, do you place the bead of the barrel just under the clay pigeon?

How much of a lead for left to right shots?

Thanks in advance of your replies!


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## Burly1 (Sep 20, 2003)

147, When starting both my kids, we used 12 gauge winchester AA low recoil/low noise loads. The kick was almost nonexistant, a very important factor with beginning shooters. I would start the kids with either the improved or light modified, and keep most of the shots in the 20-25 yard range to start. Most field guns shoot fairly "flat" and as most straightaways are also slightly rising in the first fifteen yards of flight, your sight picture should cover the bird. Lead is something that only the individual who is shooting can estimate correctly. If you tell a person "shoot five feet in front" no two people will shoot to the same spot. A more workable strategy would be to instruct the shooter to "swing through" the bird, shoot when you see a little daylight in front of the bird and continue to swing and follow through after slapping the trigger. ( you don't "squeeze" the trigger on a shotgun, unless you"re shooting a strutting turkey, or a deer) Swing and follow through can not be emphasized enough as they are the true foundations of succesful wingshooting. After you have taught the kids how to handle their guns safely while shooting hand-thrown trap, take them out to the local trap/skeet/sporting clays range. You will find that most of the clubs, particularly the small, rural ones are full of good folks with good advice who love to help new shooters. The Remington website has a trap/skeet shooting basics page you might find helpful. Welcome, and congratulations on bringing new shooters into the sport! Burl


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## BROWNINGMAN (May 16, 2005)

like burly said you cant tell your kids to shoot so far in front of the bird, only the person looking down the rib at the bead of the gun can see just how far to hold in front of the bird. i would try either AA or REMINGTON STS 7 1/2 to 8 shot. and a IM (improved modified) choke will give your boys a good pattern to wingshoot with. but the best way i have found to figure out the best chokes to use is sit up a box(1 box per choke) about 36 to 40 inches nailed on a post. get back about how ever many yards your going to shoot and let them shoot at the boxes you have sit up. Which ever box has the best pattern use the choke you shot it with.


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## Bob Aronsohn (Mar 21, 2005)

147,
Before I would even let the two boys shoot any clay targets I would work with them on a good proper gun mount before they even fire there first shot. This can be accomplished by having them shoulder the shotgun over and over again until it dosen't feel awkward to them. Next you have to have them get a good sight picture so they are looking "directly down the center of the rib and not off to one side or the other" this is extremely important as they will pick up shotgunning much faster if they have a good foundation "before" they ever start to shoot! Another very good drill is to have them shoulder the shotgun with both eyes closed, when they think the butt of the shotgun feels right in there shoulder area have them open there eyes. If there "Master Eye" is looking down the center of the rib on the shotgun barrel they are now shouldering the firearm properly. This might take a few days but it's damn well worth it because they will acquire the targets much faster if the gun dosen't feel like a forign object to them! Next is to find out which eye is dominant on both kids. Have them point to a spot on the wall and hold there arm in that position, if they are right handed have them close there left eye. If there finger is right on the mark on the wall and not off to one side then the boy is right eye dominant. That's very good! If he closes his right eye and his finger is right on the mark then he is left eye dominant and that is a problem for a right handed shooter. He will need to learn to shoot lefty or wear a patch over his left eye inorder to shoot right handed.

This might sound very complicated but it really isn't. I've taught young kids to shoot a shotgun and the ones that have a foundation "before they start to shoot" pick it up at a much faster rate.

Bob A.


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## mach (Aug 29, 2005)

I'm with Burl..swing thru and SLAP the trigger!..works with clays and also on crossing sandhill cranes and sharpies


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## rollin Oswald (Sep 1, 2007)

Questins: What are the ages, height and weight of your sons?


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