Casual Trap Shooting O/U Shotgun?

[fishoholic]

Maybe, but I got what I felt was a pretty good deal on the Browning - $1599 on GunBroker. I've paid $1500 on pistols I shoot casually, so I didn't think it was too much of a stretch. I was already $1100 and change into the CZ I ultimately decided not to get.

sound investment

 

[AlBeight]

Maybe, but I got what I felt was a pretty good deal on the Browning - $1599 on GunBroker. I've paid $1500 on pistols I shoot casually, so I didn't think it was too much of a stretch. I was already $1100 and change into the CZ I ultimately decided not to get.

Referring to the advice to get private instruction for a casual, low use hobby.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Not a real big return of investment for only a handful of trips to the trap range just for giggles per year?

Do you mean the Gun or the Lessons ?

 

[Biggfoot44]

I read an account where a guy was shooting his Cynergy next to a guy shooting a Perazzi. He was hitting 23-24/25 and the guy with the Perazzi was hitting 15-17/25. They got to talking, switched guns, and all of a sudden Mr. Perazzi shot 25/25 with the Cynergy, and Mr. Cynergy shot 15/25 with the Perazzi. Although this is a one-off anecdote, it does seem to indicate that it's a least a decently performing gun, and most people seem to love how they handle.

Such a change in scores , repeating in both directions , blatantly points to gun fitment issues .

Both guys had similar build, facial structures, shooting styles , etc and need a similar fit .

The Cynergy happened to fit both of them , and the Perazzi fit neither .

Two other random guys could have gone the other way , and both fit the Perazzi.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Do you mean the Gun or the Lessons ?

Never mind , answered in inbetween post .

You could make the opposite case . Improved fundamental skills can make a bigger improvement than an incremental step up in gun .

 

[AlBeight]

Never mind , answered in inbetween post .

You could make the opposite case . Improved fundamental skills can make a bigger improvement than an incremental step up in gun .

Always, unless you really aren’t interested in being a great trap shooter for going only about 4 times in a calendar year to simply chum around with some buddies or family. It’s wasted money and effort. Says he’s already pretty good with his 870, I doubt he gets worse with his new Browning.

If you play golf ONE TIME per year at the compulsory company golf / free beer drinking outing, would you take professional lessons prior to playing? Doubtful. Would it make you a slightly better (or at least a less shitty) golfer? Probably. But what’s the point other than a very small amount of personal satisfaction?

Again, very low return on investment.

 

[Doco Overboard]

doco.. are you talking about marshy hope club ??

Yes that where we go to shoot.
Low key, safe and fun.

 

[Biggfoot44]

The Golf part is easy !

I don't golf or care , other than miniature golf every couple years .

BUT , if I were to become in situation related to job , or organization of meaning to me where a Golf and Beer event was required or socially imperative, and I had advance notice, yeah I'd do something.

I would seek instruction ( hopefully from a mentor , or pro if need be ). I wouldn't attempt to become * good * . I'd attempt for just enough to not look objectively stupid , or to not be the worst person there .

******************

I don't know if it's related , but some of the music instruments I collect/ accumulate , I can't play .

But I can appreciate them for their ascetic, for the technology, for the history. Either of that specific instrument , or being a more modern-ish example , representing of a particular point of evolution of that instrument. I enjoy them , and I searched/ negotiated sufficiently to at least get my $ back , if not appreciate .

 

[linkstate]

Unless you have someone that can show you the ropes, taking a basic class at a clays range is more than just getting some instruction on how to shoot.

It’s also about how to use the clay throwing equipment, safety and etiquette, how to shoot the games, etc. By etiquette I don’t mean how to hold your pinky while shouldering your shotgun or taking a drink from your water bottle.

For example, some people simply don’t know how to carry their shotgun around the grounds whether semi or O/U. I also don’t mean getting fussed at if you don’t use a shell catcher at a public range. Although using one on your semi will get you some thumbs up from the old timers lol. A properly sized rubber band will do the trick.

Of course you can show up and do whatever you want as long as you’re safe but you will make more friends if you kinda know what you’re doing or at least ask questions of the staff or another shooter that seems like they’ve been doing it awhile. In my experience there is no shortage of folks willing to help you out.

I don’t know what their schedule is now but Loch Raven offered a monthly I think class for like $40. That was for 1 or 2 hours, can’t remember and included a box of shells and a gun rental if needed. Hardly some huge commitment.

I’m not suggesting the OP needs or wants to take a class but it’s a great place to start for anyone that has been wanting to try it out but not sure where to begin.

PG Trap and Skeet used to offer a similar class as well that was a few hours.

And then there are the kind offers here to come on out to whatever range and shoot with them.

 

[trickg]

Coming on the heels of some of this, I'd like to shoot a few rounds of trap tomorrow at AGC, but at this point I can't remember the whole process for how to go about doing it.

Do I have to sign me and my wife in at the clubhouse at the main rifle range or is there a clubhouse at the trap range? (I have not seen that side of the range since the day of my orientation a few years back.)

I assume there is a fee for the clay targets, and I think I read something somewhere about having to purchase tickets, but I'm not sure where or how.

Regarding how to shoot at a clay pigeon, I've known how to do that at least decently effectively for a long, long time. (I wasn't the worst shot the other day by far, and I hadn't done it in nearly 30 years) I tend to agree with AlBeight's sentiment that it's not something I'm going to take lessons for when my goal for this, at least at the moment, is to only shoot trap 10-12 times a year. For where and how I grew up in SW rural Nebraska, that's just not how it was done. What you did was buy a box of bluerocks, you'd grab a hand thrower, and then head to a field somewhere with someone, and you'd take turns throwing and shooting, figuring out what you were doing as you went, and that was ok - the purpose of learning to shoot bluerocks was to transfer those skills to hunting ducks, pheasants, and other upland game.

For me shooting is something that I've always done for fun first, and "competition" was friendly competition between friends.

Anyway, if someone can shed some light on the "do's and do-not's" of trap at AGC, I'd appreciate it.

 

[Doco Overboard]

The Golf part is easy !

I don't golf or care , other than miniature golf every couple years .

BUT , if I were to become in situation related to job , or organization of meaning to me where a Golf and Beer event was required or socially imperative, and I had advance notice, yeah I'd do something.

I would seek instruction ( hopefully from a mentor , or pro if need be ). I wouldn't attempt to become * good * . I'd attempt for just enough to not look objectively stupid , or to not be the worst person there .

******************

I don't know if it's related , but some of the music instruments I collect/ accumulate , I can't play .

But I can appreciate them for their ascetic, for the technology, for the history. Either of that specific instrument , or being a more modern-ish example , representing of a particular point of evolution of that instrument. I enjoy them , and I searched/ negotiated sufficiently to at least get my $ back , if not appreciate .

We often go to Pintail point for work related team building exercises. Corporate sponsored and were a contributor amongst many others. Tons of people there for the sporting clays events. Some of the guys on my team are rabid waterfowl hunters and shot-gunners. Some of them that attend I think are not industry, but pros who take advantage of the opportunity becuase their local or something IDK.
Anyway, I take my shooter M12 and theirs all kinds mind you with expensive kit. And I'm a knucklehead.
You know the regular lineup of whats best.
I cant get between too awful many stations without some one coming up and asking from all the crowd, "Hey what kind of gun is that?"
I never saw anyone else do that with any other shotgun owner there. And I'm like, shouldn't you be looking at some of this other much finer equipment out here? Ill ask them if they want to try it and no takers yet.
The trappers will,some of those old boys from the area I think that come in to help for the event.
Next time I go I'm going to take my m97 I think even though it has holes in the pattern from the petals just for the hell of it.
I dont know what Ill do if they ever want me to go play golf. Last time I did that was in SC on standby at a driving range. I threw my back out so bad I swore swinging a club off forever.
And I'm certainly not a golfer and never was much of a shot-gunner to begin with but thats our culture here over in the pine and marsh woods by large.

 

[calicojack]

Im not sure where you’re located, but I shoot sporting clays and five stand fairly regularly at Oxford gun club. I’m in Abingdon Md and Oxford is about 30mins north. You’re welcome to join just message me if that location is convenient for you. I no longer have an OU for you to try, but you’re welcome to try my A400’s along with your gun if you’d like to try sporting or five stand.

I used to have an A400 trap gun but I sold it in favor of a Browning O/U. That A400 is a very well-made and comfortable to shoot. There seem to be various models of the A400 depending on what you want to do with it (skeet, clays, trap, hunting, all of the above).

 

[RFBfromDE]

Auto loading shotties never appealed to me.

Especially cleaning them.

 

[rbird7282]

Coming on the heels of some of this, I'd like to shoot a few rounds of trap tomorrow at AGC, but at this point I can't remember the whole process for how to go about doing it.

Do I have to sign me and my wife in at the clubhouse at the main rifle range or is there a clubhouse at the trap range? (I have not seen that side of the range since the day of my orientation a few years back.)

I assume there is a fee for the clay targets, and I think I read something somewhere about having to purchase tickets, but I'm not sure where or how.

Regarding how to shoot at a clay pigeon, I've known how to do that at least decently effectively for a long, long time. (I wasn't the worst shot the other day by far, and I hadn't done it in nearly 30 years) I tend to agree with AlBeight's sentiment that it's not something I'm going to take lessons for when my goal for this, at least at the moment, is to only shoot trap 10-12 times a year. For where and how I grew up in SW rural Nebraska, that's just not how it was done. What you did was buy a box of bluerocks, you'd grab a hand thrower, and then head to a field somewhere with someone, and you'd take turns throwing and shooting, figuring out what you were doing as you went, and that was ok - the purpose of learning to shoot bluerocks was to transfer those skills to hunting ducks, pheasants, and other upland game.

For me shooting is something that I've always done for fun first, and "competition" was friendly competition between friends.

Anyway, if someone can shed some light on the "do's and do-not's" of trap at AGC, I'd appreciate it.

Sorry just seeing this now.
Shot trap at AGC yesterday. Nobody else was there which was great.
So they used to have wobble trap at field #1, that is currently closed. Machine is broken they are trying to find parts.
They have a wobble trap machine at the new 5 stand area, you’ll see it when you drive up. They have instructions posted on the back of the wobble trap housing. You can read or follow those or find an RSO and they can help set it up.
You’ll need to get a booklet for trap rounds at the Barnes range house, I think it’s $5/ round of 25 targets.
Only downside with that setup is it’s wobble trap so some of the presentations will not fall within regulation trap. (Very high or low clays, more extreme angles)
Nice thing about the microphones is you don’t need anyone else to run it.
I just realized they have public trap in Saturdays so you may be on a different. Field and be able to shoot regulation trap instead.


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[possumman]

AGC has public trap and 5 stand Saturday mornings and Wednesday evenings--just show up

 

[fishoholic]

All of this talking of shooting clays, has me wanting to go shoot now...

 

[trickg]

Hey all! I went out this afternoon and shot 4 rounds of trap at AGC - it was a nice time and that wood stove in the waiting area helps tremendously on a chilly day!

I did ok - rounds 1 and 2 were not great. On the first round I couldn't figure out why I was hitting or why I was missing. By the end of the 2nd round I was starting to get it together. Rounds 3 and 4 I did well - I hit 20 on round 3 but dropped to 18 on round 4. All in all it was a good time though.

I can't wait to get the Browning - that will make it even more fun! According to Gun Broker, my gun shipped today, or at least a tracking number was generated with FedEx - no information available yet.

 

[rbird7282]

Hey all! I went out this afternoon and shot 4 rounds of trap at AGC - it was a nice time and that wood stove in the waiting area helps tremendously on a chilly day!

I did ok - rounds 1 and 2 were not great. On the first round I couldn't figure out why I was hitting or why I was missing. By the end of the 2nd round I was starting to get it together. Rounds 3 and 4 I did well - I hit 20 on round 3 but dropped to 18 on round 4. All in all it was a good time though.

I can't wait to get the Browning - that will make it even more fun! According to Gun Broker, my gun shipped today, or at least a tracking number was generated with FedEx - no information available yet.

Nice! I shot 4 rounds yesterday with a friend of mine. We were all by ourselves and shot wobble trap at the 5 stand area. Wobble trap made for some really difficult targets.
I haven't shot trap in probably at least 10 years.
I shot like crap but still had fun. I used to be much better, I'd average 17-20 per round. I'd like to get back into it a little more regularly.

 

[trickg]

Nice! I shot 4 rounds yesterday with a friend of mine. We were all by ourselves and shot wobble trap at the 5 stand area. Wobble trap made for some really difficult targets.
I haven't shot trap in probably at least 10 years.
I shot like crap but still had fun. I used to be much better, I'd average 17-20 per round. I'd like to get back into it a little more regularly.

I came home with a stack of coupons - I bought extra as incentive to go more.

I could maybe do something about the "recoil pad" on my 870. That shotgun is a late 60s/early specimen, and the recoil pad is a rock - by the end of the 4th round my shoulder was starting to really feel it, and I hope the Browning manages that a bit better.

Something I thought was interesting was with a couple of the other folks shooting today. After I'd shoot, I'd bring the shotgun down, placing the butt of the gun on my thigh (but still pointed downrange) and slowly rack the slide back, ejecting the hull into my hand. That was something I learned shooting with my Dad years ago - we'd have an MTM shotshell box sitting on the tailgate of the pickup, and we'd shoot, eject the hull back into our hand so that we could place it in the box, and pull the next round.

The other two guys were just racking the slide and letting the hulls fly, which is ok, but it necessitated going back out and collecting them after the round.

As a reloader of metallic cartridges, I'm beginning to wonder if down the road, provided I do this enough, if it might be economical to invest in a reloader and reload my shotshells. I'd certainly have no shortage of hulls to reload after a short time shooting trap regularly.

 

[rbird7282]

I came home with a stack of coupons - I bought extra as incentive to go more.

I could maybe do something about the "recoil pad" on my 870. That shotgun is a late 60s/early specimen, and the recoil pad is a rock - by the end of the 4th round my shoulder was starting to really feel it, and I hope the Browning manages that a bit better.

Something I thought was interesting was with a couple of the other folks shooting today. After I'd shoot, I'd bring the shotgun down, placing the butt of the gun on my thigh (but still pointed downrange) and slowly rack the slide back, ejecting the hull into my hand. That was something I learned shooting with my Dad years ago - we'd have an MTM shotshell box sitting on the tailgate of the pickup, and we'd shoot, eject the hull back into our hand so that we could place it in the box, and pull the next round.

The other two guys were just racking the slide and letting the hulls fly, which is ok, but it necessitated going back out and collecting them after the round.

As a reloader of metallic cartridges, I'm beginning to wonder if down the road, provided I do this enough, if it might be economical to invest in a reloader and reload my shotshells. I'd certainly have no shortage of hulls to reload after a short time shooting trap regularly.

I shot my 870 yesterday as well. Since we were shooting at the 5 stand area, they have 5 gallon buckets attached to the front of the stands. After a round or two I started to roll the gun so the ejection port was facing down before racking it, the hulls went straight into the buckets.
I sold my shot shell reloaded years ago but I’ve heard that lead shot is expensive. Not sure if reloading it makes sense.
I would think you should still be able to save some money


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