Skeet shooting advice needed

[ttaowner]

So I joined a rod and gun club earlier in the month and I have been skeet shooting like 3 times now. My cousin and I are quite competitive with one another and to be honest he is a better shot than I with a rifle and most other guns and shooting except skeet. I don't have much of a edge over him but out of 25 shots each I beat him like 3 to his 4 on box # 2 of 25 shots I got 6 to his 2 .

So I have several guns I could use .
12 gauge Parker double barrel side by side 30" barrels bead sight
Winchester 12 gauge pump with a shorter deer barrel iron sights
Remington 12 gauge pump with a really long barrel bead site
Also have a 16 gauge mossberg bolt action with a long barrel and some kinda adjustable choke. Bead site and have yet to use it.


So far I tried the 1st 3 guns and I seem to be best with the Winchester.

I need all the advice I can get to be better than my cousin at something outdoors!

 

[charlief1]

You really need a barrel with an improved cylinder or modified choke on it James. If the parker has choke tubes then I'd pick it for the sight plain but if not then go with a 28" barrel with choke tubes you can change. An auto or OU is the most effective and I've got a Browning A5 skeet special that's great. It's an early modified choke so it keeps the pellets pretty well spaced. Make sure to use #8 or #7.5 shot which will give you a better chance as well.

 

[Gary Wells]

Every rod & reel club has someone named "Skeeter".
Don't shoot Skeeter

 

[JRGN]

So I joined a rod and gun club earlier in the month and I have been skeet shooting like 3 times now. My cousin and I are quite competitive with one another and to be honest he is a better shot than I with a rifle and most other guns and shooting except skeet. I don't have much of a edge over him but out of 25 shots each I beat him like 3 to his 4 on box # 2 of 25 shots I got 6 to his 2 .

So I have several guns I could use .
12 gauge Parker double barrel side by side 30" barrels bead sight
Winchester 12 gauge pump with a shorter deer barrel iron sights
Remington 12 gauge pump with a really long barrel bead site
Also have a 16 gauge mossberg bolt action with a long barrel and some kinda adjustable choke. Bead site and have yet to use it.


So far I tried the 1st 3 guns and I seem to be best with the Winchester.

I need all the advice I can get to be better than my cousin at something outdoors!

So Long as you are having fun , thats all that matters (yea rite : ) gona be tough with what you have the Win with the deer barrel will be either rifled slug or smooth bore full choke which is way to tight, the side by side gives you a different sight plane than a o/u or single barrel gun, and as far as chokes the one I would recommend is a skeet choke which is 5 thous more open then improved cyl, the pump can work, but you would have to be very preficent (quick) on the doubles, as far as shot I prefer on the incoming and going away targets 9s with 1 oz but you could go 1 1/8 oz, also on edge shots I prefer 7 1/2 size shot, these are a couple of things that come to mind and I hope this helps. P.S, also on the guns with the longer barrel gives you a longer sighting plane which is great for long shots but in skeet it is just alot of more barrel to get moving Jr.

 

[tlturbo]

Auto or O/U with skeet chokes (Imp will do). I shoot 1 oz 9 shot in a Browning Citori Ultra XS 28" O/U

Without getting real technical, best advice I got when starting was LEAD. Station 2 & 6 lead 2 feet, station 3 & 5 lead 3 feet and station 4 lead 4 feet. High vs low house targets lead varies by about 1/2 foot but don't worry the small stuff. You will make your own adjustments as you get better. And your 4 feet perception is peobably different than someone elses but it's a good starting point. Hard to believe you have to lead those suckers at station 4 a good 4 feet but you do.

 

[Rivical]

Pick up a skeet grade Remington 3200. Put a Monte Carlo stock on it(can I say that on a Buick site?) and port the barrel ends and you'll be in shoot off's in no time!!!!

 

[mongo]

Wow another GN guy who shoots skeet. If you thought GNs were expensive...damn. Maybe we should try something cheep like yachts or airplanes as a hobby. In any case, for new shooters, shoot what you have and enjoy. Before you buy a "skeet gun" check back and let us know. Until then I would recommend getting cylinder chokes for your guns. Maybe skeet but I've rolled many a bird with the cylinder choke. Chokes run from cylinder, skeet, improved, modified, to full (with a few others in between). The shot pattern gets tighter as they go up. You dont want tight patterns. On a skeet range, in 12 gauge, cylinder choke will break anything. When you go to sub-gauges (20, 28, 410) you will need skeet chokes. I prefer vent rib barrels. No need for rifle sights as after you put your face on the gun and line up your sites you never look at them again. This is the complete opposite from rifles and pistols which you must focus on the front site and blur the target. In this game you stare at the target and never look at your sites. The post above describes what lead should look like. 2 foot from station 2, 3 foot from station 3 ect. For me one foot of lead looks like one finger of lead. Two feet of lead looks like two fingers. With that said, don't measure or over think lead, just do it and let you gun go. Also, follow through is very important. You must keep the gun moving even when you pull the trigger. Keep your lead, pull the trigger and keep the gun moving even after. As a good rule for new shooters follow the bird to the ground even after you shoot. If you break the bird, stay in the gun and pick a piece of the broken bird and follow it to the ground. Sometimes for practice we would pick a piece of the broken bird and shoot it. Your local range might not like that but it re-enforces good technique. As far as ammo, I shoot 9 shoot. However, until you get into re-loading, you might want to stick with Wal Mart or Dicks #8. Remington and Winchester #9 are expensive. You have to have your face on the gun (sites lined up, then look for the bird), you have to be in front of the bird, and you have to follow through. It’s a simple game...you see the bird, you get in front of the bird, you shoot the bird. Good luck and see you in the poor house.

 

[ttaowner]

well since nothing is going on now on the board i would figure i would give a update here! i would say i have probably shot 15-20 boxes of ammo now at the skeet i am now about 50% average compared to when i started i could perhaps hit 2 or 3 out of a box of 25. my buddy who i now shoot with doesnt hardly try and can hit about everything so i still got a long way to go but im working on it still.

 

[charlief1]

Glad to hear you're still at it James. You might get some time on a video game which might help with hitting a moving target some. It's not realistic but getting the swing and follow through may help you some.

 

[Spoolin Hooligan]

the right choke and patience is all you need. I've used all types of shotguns to shot. So dont go buying a fancy gun to shoot. it took me forever to get it right. now you would think just point and pull. nope you got to look down the barrel like any other gun. put the bead a tad in front of the clay and boom. im no pro, probaly get 17 out of 25 in a good grove. practice and remeber to lead and aim. you'll do good

 

[tlturbo]

You DON'T aim a shotgun, you point it. Keep both eyes open and look as intently as you can to try and see the dimples (you can't but look that hard) on the clay target. If your gun fits properly, you can see the front bead in your vision without looking at it, Swing it in front of the target to the proper lead and bang AND keep swinging the gun (follow through). It can't be that hard because I consistantly get 23-24 of 25. Still looking for that 25/25 but I only shoot skeet a few times a year. Shoot more sporting clays than skeet. If you have a bad habit of aiming or closing one eye, shoot a box or 2 of shells at station 8 only. This will break you of those habits as it is so fast.

 

[charlief1]

One other thing you can try is to use a cheap low powered BB gun. Not kidding here. Set something up in the back yard as a swinging target and try to follow it first. Once you think you've got it down try hitting it and see how you do. Used to do this as a kid and it's much harder than it sounds. Start with a 2 liter bottle and paint it so you can see the hits better. If you fill it partially with some water it will hang and swing better. As you get better reduce the size of the target and you'll be suprised how well it will help with follow through and hitting the target.

 

[Spoolin Hooligan]

You DON'T aim a shotgun, you point it. Keep both eyes open and look as intently as you can to try and see the dimples (you can't but look that hard) on the clay target. If your gun fits properly, you can see the front bead in your vision without looking at it, Swing it in front of the target to the proper lead and bang AND keep swinging the gun (follow through). It can't be that hard because I consistantly get 23-24 of 25. Still looking for that 25/25 but I only shoot skeet a few times a year. Shoot more sporting clays than skeet. If you have a bad habit of aiming or closing one eye, shoot a box or 2 of shells at station 8 only. This will break you of those habits as it is so fast.

I will not argue the point or aim terminology. But the part about bead is the most important which you touched on.

 

[tlturbo]

I sell guns at Gander Mtn and one thing I try to explain when I'm showing someone an auto or especially an o/u shotgun is IF the gun fits right. If you close your eyes, mount the gun and LOWER, not bend over your head till your cheek is on the stock, when you open your eyes, you should be looking straight down the rib (actually slightly seeing the whole rib with the front bead all lined up), if not, it won't shoot where you point it. Easiest way to explain the rib and bead statement is - IF you had a bead at the back end of the rib AND one at the very front, proper alignment would place the front bead sitting almost on top of the rear bead, NOT directly one behind the other. MOST IMPORTANT - JUST DO IT and have fun.