Shooting Clays
Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 10:25 pm
I had noticed a trap shooting "area" going up slowly but surely by my brothers shop in rual Kingman, Kansas. I had been eyeing it and have been by probably 50 times within the last year before I actually got around to getting the Contact of the person in charge. I am now a member of the Ninnescah Valley Gun Club, and could'nt be happier! The only dampener on the entire experience was how hard it is compared to what I thought "Shooting Clays" was.
I am a veteran at shooting clays.. with a hand thrower, or a tire mounted thrower placed either beside me or pretty much in front. I am also used to breaking no less than 20 out of 25 or it seriously gives me a complex. I thought, and maybe even pondered the thought of showing these guys up, & how to knock clays down. WRONG
This was an entirely different animal. for those of you who are already versed in this, bear with me for just a minuite...
I had no idea what I was in for.. 5 stations, 5 shots at each station till the round is done. Oh yeah, I am a "D" class (same grade I got in 8th grade sewing class) & which means I shoot the closest to the traphouse at 16 yards. I am used to calling for the clay, shouldering the gun (like I do afield) and eliminating the target. However, the clays shoot out of this traphouse like tom cruise making a tower flyby on TopGun. Holy Cow... I had in an Improved Cylinder choke and the one's I did hit, I barely broke. After some coaching from the seasoned members a tidbit at a time, and changing to a Modified choke, starting out with my gun already shouldered, & learning to aim 6 feet above the traphouse before calling "pull" I ended my nite shooting barely over 40%.
I must say that is the most fun I've had in a long time. The guys at NVGC were fantastic and welcomed me aboard from the moment I got out of my truck. I mean they litterly met me halfway as I was headed over, and they had hands outstretched saying "you must be jess". I can hardly wait till Thursday evening to go again! The club I'm involved with has shoots on Sat and Sunday's also, but they are what they call "knockouts" and I need WAY more practice!
If you've never been to a "registered shoot" trap/sporting clays its a BLAST and I highly reccommend it.
I am a veteran at shooting clays.. with a hand thrower, or a tire mounted thrower placed either beside me or pretty much in front. I am also used to breaking no less than 20 out of 25 or it seriously gives me a complex. I thought, and maybe even pondered the thought of showing these guys up, & how to knock clays down. WRONG
This was an entirely different animal. for those of you who are already versed in this, bear with me for just a minuite...
I had no idea what I was in for.. 5 stations, 5 shots at each station till the round is done. Oh yeah, I am a "D" class (same grade I got in 8th grade sewing class) & which means I shoot the closest to the traphouse at 16 yards. I am used to calling for the clay, shouldering the gun (like I do afield) and eliminating the target. However, the clays shoot out of this traphouse like tom cruise making a tower flyby on TopGun. Holy Cow... I had in an Improved Cylinder choke and the one's I did hit, I barely broke. After some coaching from the seasoned members a tidbit at a time, and changing to a Modified choke, starting out with my gun already shouldered, & learning to aim 6 feet above the traphouse before calling "pull" I ended my nite shooting barely over 40%.
I must say that is the most fun I've had in a long time. The guys at NVGC were fantastic and welcomed me aboard from the moment I got out of my truck. I mean they litterly met me halfway as I was headed over, and they had hands outstretched saying "you must be jess". I can hardly wait till Thursday evening to go again! The club I'm involved with has shoots on Sat and Sunday's also, but they are what they call "knockouts" and I need WAY more practice!
If you've never been to a "registered shoot" trap/sporting clays its a BLAST and I highly reccommend it.
