Clay busters... what are ya shooting?

[MOGC]

Skeet, Sporting Clays, and Trap shooters, what guns, chokes, and loads are you shooting? Specifically Skeet shooters. Another question for you stack barrel skeet shooters, do you have two different chokes in and bother with switching barrels for various stations, or do you just screw in two skeet chokes and not worry about it?

[Bayrat]

Mossberg 12 ga pump for......

Trap
I use a Hastings long-taper modified choke that because the barrel is back-bored to 10 ga (and honed/polished to .785 :eek:), with magnum shot it actually patterns a tight 'full'. I use 1 ounce of magnum 8's with Red Dot or 700X, for all but the 27 yard line. Back there I switch to 1-1/8 of magnum 7-1/2's and Green Dot.

Skeet
I use a Hastings improved cylinder choke that's been honed out almost to skeet #1, with 7/8 ounce of chilled 9's and Red Dot to help open the pattern.

'Chicken Shoots'
I use the modified for all ranges (not allowed to change chokes once the shoot starts) and switch types of shells to match the range. Chilled 9's and Red Dot up close with a spreader wad, trap loads at trap ranges, and 1-1/4 magnum 7's with Winchester Super Field powder for long range shots over 60 yards.

Sporting clays
The skeet choke with 7/8 chilled 9's up close, 1 ounce of magnum 8's for mid range, and for the longest shots, I switch to the 'modified' trap choke with 1-1/8 ounce of magnum 7-1/2's.

Occationally I'll use my 20 ga Mossberg pump with 3/4 ounce of chilled 9's and a honed open I.C choke for skeet. Or, full choke and 7/8 of magnum 8's for 'fun trap' at a friend's private, 16 yard trap range - Green Dot powder for both.

All my factory ammo and reloads I like to keep at about 1200 fps.

Bayrat

[Sidekick]

I understand why people change choke tubes constantly but my favorite shotgun only has one barrel so I just use the modified for absolutely everything except waterfowl and turkeys. I figure your either on it or you're not and if you're not a different choke ain't really fixing the problem. Oh, I use an 870 Wingmaster. I have a Citori also but honestly I just don't shoot it well and it has always felt a little "odd" to me.

[tjhuels]

For Trap shooting I use either my Remington 870 or 1100 with a modified tube.

Load 7/8 oz. #8 lead shot over Red Dot for 1200 fps.

Dealer recommended I switch to Clays powder for cleaner shooting.

any thoughts on that?

TH
Minnesota

[Bayrat]

I don't consider Red Dot that dirty. I use it, or 700X, which some say is cleaner. I've looked down other shooter's barrels after a day of shooting and I don't see enough differance to make switching to any other powder worth it.

I think the "word" was spread by gas gun users long ago and the story is still being passed around as old 'clay shooting wisdom'.

Even after Aliant said they cleaned it up a bit a few years ago, I didn't see any differance. Maybe it's just my guns, but after 100 rounds I can look down the barrel and there's hardly anything to clean out. Just a bit of soot in front of the chamber.

And last I priced Clays, it cost more per re-loaded shell than Red Dot, or 700x.

It could be the dealer gets a better mark-up on Clays than on Red Dot ????

Bayrat

[MoMike]

MOGC, I shoot Remington 1100's. For trap I shoot a modified choke, skeet gets an improved cylinder, and rarely use anything other than an improved modified for sporting clays.

[MOGC]

I have used skeet and improved cylinder in my O/U .20 gauge, but last night I switched to skeet/skeet and could see no difference in my scores. Now I just shoot and focus on the bird and not be fiddling with the barrel selector. My son and I are just really beginning to get serious about skeet and trying to learn the game. He bought a new Walnut Field Winchester SX3 and I was very impressed with it last night. We shot three rounds yesterday evening and I shot 22-23-23. I think the birds I'm missing are mental mistakes.

Mike,
Have you shot the Sporting Clays course here in the county yet?

[MoMike]

Haven't had time to try the one around here. If you are down around the Branson area, I really like Ozark Shooters.

[Kongy]

For all clay shooting I use a Black Ice

[MOGC]

For all clay shooting I use a Black Ice

Black Ice?

[manwithaplan]

I use my 870 supermag. I shoot clays for fun and to become a better shot on game. Why use a different gun than the one I carry in the field?

[MoMike]

manwithaplan, mainly because I'm not 25 any more. ;)

I hunt with a Remington 870, but 125-150 rounds with it at clays leaves my shoulder in pretty sad shape. Thus, my clays shooting uses a Remington 1100 instead. :D

[Hi Ball]

BLACK ICE??? :eek::confused::confused::confused::confused:

[Hi Ball]

MO-GC, I generally use a Remington model 1100 on trap or skeet. Now if things get serious, I move to my model 3200 trap gun and for skeet it is a Weatherby Athena. ;) :cool:

[MOGC]

Ok, fellows an update for me. I was shooting my Weatherby 20 gauge O/U. I felt the 20 was ok for the skeet events, but five stand and sporting clays left me wanting for more. The bug bit hard and I bought a Beretta 686 12 gauge O/U. I love it, it is a natural fit for me and things break up into dust when I even halfway do my part.

[Hi Ball]

Ya should bought a 1100 Remington!!! .:eek::eek::D:D:D

[MOGC]

I don't care to chase empties all around the field after a round.

[Bushman]

It is what ever you shoot the best. Those Beretta 686's fit me real well too and I have been thinking about a 20 gauge for a partridge gun. If it wasn't for the fact that my M12 20 gauge points like my index finger, I probably would have done that purchase by now. If the recoil of an o/u 12 gauge doesn't bother you, then an 1100 probably isn't in the cards. They sell a wire shell catcher for those so the empty doesn't hit the guy at the station next to you. Growing up with an 1100 though, it did take the hurt out of the recoil shooting stiff duck loads.

When I got serious about trap shooting, I bought a Winchester 101 upper grade, but the thing pokes me hard under the cheekbone. Remembering how well I had shot my 1100 growing up, I tried my son's 870 and immediately went to high average on our team. As a parkerized green 870, it isn't hard to spot it among the BT99 or Perazzis, but I get kind of a kick out of out shooting them. I used to work with a guy that was one of the top ranked trap shooters in the state. His shotgun of choice... A J.C. Higgins pump from Sears!

[Hi Ball]

Ummmmmmmm, Black Ice you say mate! Well, I use a model 1100 Remington 12ga and modified coke for shooting Clay's. Trap I use a model 3200 Remginton Full & Imp Mod cokes. Skeet I use an O/U Weatherby Athena 12ga. with #1-skeet & #2-skeet cokes. :D

[OKShooter]

For Trap shooting I use either my Remington 870 or 1100 with a modified tube.

Load 7/8 oz. #8 lead shot over Red Dot for 1200 fps.

Dealer recommended I switch to Clays powder for cleaner shooting.

any thoughts on that?

TH
Minnesota

Red Dot is a good propellant, and Alliant has improved its burn characteristics over the years to reduce residue. Clays is also a good choice, but I suggest that you give Titewad a try.

I load 17 grs. in the Remington STS-type hulls with the WAA12L (gray wad) or its Claybuster clone and Winchester primer. The chronographed velocity is 1235 fps (3 feet from muzzle) at around 8,000 psi (M43 measured in my pressure test shotgun). This load is transportable to the Winchester HS hull and the primer could be either the Remington STS, Winchester 209, or CCI-209 with no appreciable change in ballistics.

[OKShooter]

Skeet, Sporting Clays, and Trap shooters, what guns, chokes, and loads are you shooting? Specifically Skeet shooters. Another question for you stack barrel skeet shooters, do you have two different chokes in and bother with switching barrels for various stations, or do you just screw in two skeet chokes and not worry about it?

For skeet I mostly use my Browning 4-bbl set, and the barrels have fixed skeet chokes. I have four other shotguns that I could use for skeet shooting, and they have choke tubes; however, for skeet shooting, I wouldn't even consider changing chokes between stations.

I don't shoot much skeet with a 12 gauge, but when I do I use my standard trap load: Remington STS-type hull, 7/8 ounce #8, WAA12L (gray wad), 17 grs. Titewad, Winchester primer. This same basic load can be used in the Winchester AAHS hull and with either the Remington STS or CCI-209 primer.

For the 20 gauge, I mostly use the Remington STS hull, 7/8 ounce shot (either #8 or #9), Remington RXP20 wad, 16 grs. Universal, and Winchester 209 primer.

For the 28 gauge, I use Winchester HS hulls, 3/4 ounce #9 shot, 14.5 grs. Universal, Remington PT28 wad, and Winchester 209 primer. (14.5 to 15 grs. of Longshot also works quite well, but I prefer Universal because it burns significantly cleaner. Be advised, though, that Universal's burn rate is borderline too fast for the 28 gauge. Under no circumstances would I go beyond 15 grs. of Universal.) I mostly use my Browning Sporting Clays 28 gauge for hunting small birds (dove and quail) and switch the load to #8 shot in front of 15.8 grs. Longshot. I put IC in the bottom barrel and Mod in the top barrel.

For the .410, I use the Winchester HS hull, 1/2 ounce #9 shot, Remington SP410 wad, 15.5 grs. H-110, and Winchester 209 primers. I don't use the .410 for hunting, so I load only the 2-1/2" hull.

For trap, I mostly use my Krieghoff with a 7/8 ounce load of #8s and an improved modified choke back to the 20 yard line. Beyond the 20 yard line, I switch to a 1 ounce load of 7-1/2 and use a full choke. Generally those are the chokes I keep in the Krieghoff--IM in the bottom barrel and full in the top barrel.

For sporting clays, I mostly use the Krieghoff but will switch to the Browning with its 12 gauge barrel at those stations that throw rabbits or a rabbit in combination with an intermediate-range presentation. In the Krieghoff, I use the same IM and full choke combination at sporting clays as I do at trap.

For 5-stand, I generally use the Browning with its 12 gauge barrel attached. Yeah, this is choked skeet and skeet, but I have yet to see a 5-stand presentation that a 1-ounce load of #8 shot couldn't break even with skeet chokes.

[Hi Ball]

MOGC.....If you and the son get a chance, check out a little place called Sandy Valley Hunt Club.....very nice sporting clays there in a town called Pevely, Missouri. We were there last fall for a couple rounds and some hunting (penn raised quail):)

[MOGC]

HiBall,
That guys brother runs a set-up like that in my neck of the woods and sometimes shoots in our club events. A really nice guy and was especially helpful to my son and I as we began shooting clays. A bunch of our club shooters visit Sandy Valley and he also donates to our charity shoots the club host. They seem like good people.