Trap, Skeet, Clay Etiquette?

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gators44

Inactive
Hey,
I just purchased my first shotgun (Remington 870 Wingmaster) and was really wanted to get into trap skeet and (or) sporting clays. However, the only thing stopping me from going out there is that I have never done it before and I don't want to make any mistakes. So besides the obvious of don't point the gun at anyone and basic safety are there any other unspoken rules I should be aware of? Thank you so much.
 
Congratulations!

Don't be afraid to ask lots questions. Most public clubs/ranges I've been to are happy to help new shooters get accustomed to the procedures. It can be intimidating to step into a new sport alongside people who have been doing it for years, but the only dumb question is the one you don't ask.

Let them know you're a first-time trap/skeet/sporting clays shooter, listen closely, and watch the other people. Biggest additions to the basic rules of gun safety would be to keep the action open at all times and don't load until you're actually on the line _and_ it's your turn to shoot.
 
Stop by your local club and watch for a while, to see how things are done. Introduce yourself as a new shooter that has never shot the games before and ask advice on how to get started. Be safe, be courteous, and be friendly. There, you're all set, go have fun. :)
 
Most ranges have some folks that will help you get started. If you care to post where you are from, you might link up here. If you are in the SF Bay Area, let me know.
 
Shotgun games

Congrats on the new purchase and welcome to the wonderful world of breakin' clays.

I would add to the above (in light of the 870 being new to you) to be familiar with all of your firearm's operations. That is, know how to best deal with malfunctions on your specific firearm like a 'short-stroke' or a dud cartridge/hard primer and stuff like that.

Some basic rules at my club:
Actions are open unless you are the one shooting
Firearms are un-loaded until it is your turn to shoot and you are at the station
Load only one shell at a time except for shooting at doubles.

Some etiquette suggestions:
When it is your turn, be ready to step up, load, and shoot.
Try to minimize holding up the squad (i.e. picking up empty hulls in the middle of the round. This one will depend a lot on specific club rules.)
Don't jinx anyone by asking them if they have a straight going. ;)
Do have fun.
 
If you are new to shotgunning I strongly suggest taking lessons . They will greatly reduce the learning curve .
 
Keep your action open, keep your glasses on! do not load until you are in the box, remember when it is your turn, obey the four rules of gun safty to a T. Or you will get chastised. As a matter of fact if you don't do all of these you will probably get chastised. It will start out as joking and get harsher if you don't listen. If you miss, alot, you will start getting more free coaching than you can imagine. Be polite, they are just trying to help. Now some free coaching. Most new comers use too much choke. Use skeet or improved cylinder on the skeet course. I normally use modified on the trap course and all my buddies say that is too much. The 3 most common reason people miss is not keeping their head down (especially on the second shot), they stop moving the gun when they shoot, and not leading enough. The biggest improvement I made was practicing mounting my shotgun (to my shoulder, nasty) at home. Pick a spot to aim at, close you eyes shoulder your shotgun put you face on the stock, then open your eyes. When you get to where you are consistantly looking down the barrel at what you were wanting to point at, your good to go. Last thing. If you are going to a range where they have paid pullers, don't be afraid to tip them. They don't make squat.
 
I'm sure you've already got the basic eye and hearing protection covered, right? One thing I found very useful for trapshooting was a shooter's vest. Big pocket in the front for holding your shells, and a really big pocket in the back for holding your empties. Plus, a pad on it to help your shoulder. If you look around your trap or skeet range, I think you'll find that just about all of the shooters will have one on.

I you decide to try trapshooting, one rule of etiquette I'll give you -- make sure you don't shoot out of turn. Trapshooters (and I'm one of them) tend to be cantankerous rich old men. Believe me, I got ripped a new cornhole when I was in my 20s and shot out of turn once. IMHO, skeet shooters seem to be a much friendlier crowd. They just strike me as the folks you'd rather go out and have a beer with afterward.
 
Shot guns for sport shooting

I have lots of friends who shoot trap, skeet, wobble trap, sporting clays and what ever. They are forever after me to join in their fun. I shoot rifles and handguns and really don't have a lot of time for a new hobby.

Just for information; are there special features desirable for each of these sports? Such as, number of barrels, over/under, side by side, pumps, autos, barrel lengths, 20, 16, 12, 10 gage, sights, ventillated ribs, stocks, etc.? What goes with what? Can a guy show up with a single shot break down 12 ga. and be able to shoot any of these games? My friends have thousands invested, I won't be going that way.
 
Many trapshooters use single-barrel shotguns. Even a Herrington & Richardson with a modified choke will do the job, and for not much money ($150, new) in 12-gauge with a 28" barrel will do the job.

There are two downsides: 1). It only weighs 6lbs, so the recoil is going to be brutal. You can fix some of that with a slip-on recoil pad. 2). If you manage to beat one of those guys shooting a $18K Perazzi, they won't be buying you a beer afterwards! ;)

I got some dirty looks when I started beating some of the old coots (I have to be careful here, I'm one of them now) with a SxS shotgun. They seemed to have been convinced that you had to have an expensive single or O/U shotgun. I started shooting a SxS and to me, that's the way shotguns were meant to be made. :D

http://www.hr1871.com/Firearms/Shotguns/topper.aspx
 
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Skeet can be shot with any gun that will shoot at least 2 shots, as there are doubles involved. No shotgun sport other than a tactical match will use more than 2 shots at a time. Trap will use a single loaded round unless you get into trap doubles, different game. Sporting clays will need 2 shots on many presentations. I am a skeet shooter mostly, but can hold more than my own in the other shotgun games. If you shoot with an informal bunch at a skeet range, they will generally let you shoot 'ladies' doubles, one shot at a time if you only have a single shot shotgun.

Skeet has the closest targets, none should be shot at more than 25 yards, most at about 15-18 yards, an open choke, skeet or improved cylinder is best for skeet. Any gauge is good enough for skeet, a .410 gives it a good challenge. Trap is usually dominated by 12 gauge guns, as some targets are long shots, 40-50 yards is not uncommon for handicap targets.

A good cheap pump like a Remington 870 will do everything you need on any shotgun range, it may not be "ideal", but each game that is shot has it's own specialized areas, it is a good all-around gun if you are a good shucker.
 
While you might know that your gun is empty and the action is open, it is not so immediately apparent to other shooters if your gun is a pump. Part of range etiquette is your mode of carry.

Side by side and over/under: Action open. Can be carried under arm with hand behind hinge, but it is less fatiguing to carry on your shoulder (at the hinge). In either case, barrels pointed down.

Pump: Action open. Carried on shoulder with barrel pointed up.

Semi-automatic: Carried on shoulder with barrel pointed up.

I am a new shotgunner and these protocols haven't upset anybody yet. I'm open to further suggestions.
 
Hammerbite--

Your shotgun etiquette in commendable. I shoot SxS doubles and keep them open unless I'm hunting or on the trap firingline and getting ready to call "pull." Someone taught you well! :)
 
skeeter1 . . .

Thank you. I just did what everyone else was doing with the doubles. I asked for a suggestion about pump etiquette on one of the forums.
 
Shot gun games

For $60 I brought home a Ward's Hercules Model 10 12 gage break action single barrel gun. I'll probably never shoot it. I just want to go to the range once and have my friends fall over when they see what I brought.

As far as I can tell it was manufactured between 1910 and 1943 either by Iver Johnson or J Stevens. It is actually in pretty good shape but I don't hunt and I don't have time for clay sports.

You guys have provided a lot of good information though and I appreciate it.
 
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