New “for enjoyment” Clay Gun Advice

[dromia]

Fortunately there are no absolutes in shooting. I have shot clays of and on for over 40 years the vast majority of people and the shoots I have attended are a bit like me having a few shotguns for live quarry and shooting clays to give the guns an airing, I personally could never get off on over and unders and far prefer side by sides I get better scores bearing in mind that I am no great shot with an average of only 25 on a 30 bird sport clay layout. I have owned and shot many types of shotguns over the years and believe the first and foremost thing with any shotgun is fit, the best over and under I ever shot was a Baikal because it fitted me and I liked its agricultural handling, still never shot as well with it as my Laurona SbS but for the £40 I paid for it it was fine gun that killed many fur and feather bearing animals, but dead is dead and the quarry aren't really interested in the type of gun that killed them.

Just be cause so and so gets world championships twice a day with a brownbertinlini does it mean it the best gun, all it means is that it is the best gun for him at his level of aspiration.

Now as has been already pointed out it is horses for courses and it depends how serious and how competitive you wish to be, for most of us attending a clay "ground" and having, paid for, instruction is not something we would do as we get enough satisfaction from our guns of choice on our lowly self organised shoots. Now if I was looking to become an international clay shot then I would look at things very differently and be willing to spend money and time in that pursuit but the OP did say "for enjoyment" rather than to hammer Digweed.

There is no either or in this game and your view is from a certain, rather purist perspective by the sounds of it, we all agree on fit being really necessary however the rest of it really depends on how much you want to put in to get out. I was happy with my 25 out of 30 average did for me as it was the time out that mattered as much as the scores. If I was wanting to hit 30/30 every time then some coaching to enable me to take advantage of a "better" balanced gun might have been my choice but the scores and winning never motivated me that much, hell I used to shoot clays with a Marlin goose gun, great follow through but a bit of a bugger to get going.

Could I have found a better O/U shotgun than the Baikal for clays, I am sure that with a bit of time, effort and money I could but then as the Baikal and my humble SbS Laurona met my needs I never took that route.

Shooting is a broad church in which each can find their own level, the reality is that in my parts of the country more clays are shot at by more people with the cheaper end of the gun spectrum on local clay clubs and informal meets than by than by shoots on "professional" clay grounds. Just as despite what the "national" bodies would want people to believe the biggest discipline shot is Plinking.

I was going to tell you that my favourite clay gun is an old muzzleloading shotgun and it still gets more runs at the clays that the Laurona but I didn't want the risk of raising you blood pressure.

Remember smokeless powder and the self contained cartridge is just a passing fancy.

[42DAF]

Fortunately there are no absolutes in shooting. I have shot clays of and on for over 40 years the vast majority of people and the shoots I have attended are a bit like me having a few shotguns for live quarry and shooting clays to give the guns an airing, I personally could never get off on over and unders and far prefer side by sides I get better scores bearing in mind that I am no great shot with an average of only 25 on a 30 bird sport clay layout. I have owned and shot many types of shotguns over the years and believe the first and foremost thing with any shotgun is fit, the best over and under I ever shot was a Baikal because it fitted me and I liked its agricultural handling, still never shot as well with it as my Laurona SbS but for the £40 I paid for it it was fine gun that killed many fur and feather bearing animals, but dead is dead and the quarry aren't really interested in the type of gun that killed them.

Now as has been already pointed out it is horses for courses and it depends how serious and how competitive you wish to be, for most of us attending a clay "ground" and having, paid for, instruction is not something we would do as we get enough satisfaction from our guns of choice on our lowly self organised shoots. Now if I was looking to become an international clay shot then I would look at things very differently and be willing to spend money and time in that pursuit but the OP did say "for enjoyment" rather than to hammer Digweed.

There is no either or in this game and your view is from a certain, rather purist perspective by the sounds of it, we all agree on fit being really necessary however the rest of it really depends on how much you want to put in to get out. I was happy with my 25 out of 30 average did for me as it was the time out that mattered as much as the scores. If I was wanting to hit 30/30 every time then some coaching to enable me to take advantage of a "better" balanced gun might have been my choice but the scores and winning never motivated me that much, hell I used to shoot clays with a Marlin goose gun, great follow through but a bit of a bugger to get going.

Could I have found a better O/U shotgun than the Baikal for clays, I am sure that with a bit of time, effort and money I could but then as the Baikal and my humble SbS Laurona met my needs I never took that route.

Shooting is a broad church in which each can find their own level, the reality is that in my parts of the country more clays are shot at by more people with the cheaper end of the gun spectrum on local clay clubs and informal meets than by than by shoots on "professional" clay grounds.

I was going to tell you that my favourite clay gun is an old muzzleloading shotgun and it still gets more runs at the clays that the Laurona but I didn't want the risk of raising you blood pressure.

Remember smokeless powder and the self contained cartridge is just a passing fancy.

If that’s aimed at me I shoot a 1891 Tolley side by side in the main as I don’t shoot clays anymore the odd charity day being the exception but a 28 bore is fine for that they are normally simple birds where most average shots will be in the 90% area but novices still hit plenty. I do have 12 bore Kemens for high pheasant days and if the charity day is tougher (GD or RF scoring 98s) I will shoot it at clays.

Most clients who receive coaching are 50-70% shots on registered targets this is C and B class they do it for fun.

Your 83% would see you in the top echelons if they where registered level targets and you could do it over 100 birds. The issue with sporting clays is easy layouts give high scores hard layouts give lower score but the cream always rises to the top.

[Ovenpaa]

For clays, when shot I do seem to favour my Miroku and occasionally the Westley Richards however for game shooting it is the trusted Beretta 20 Bore, it is so much lighter to carry any distance and more fun to shoot. I seldom take the Westley on game shoots although that will change this coming season.

The bottom line is buy a gun that fits you, suits your pocket and you feel comfortable with and get out and shoot it, lots and lots. Oh, and enjoy the experience and the company because for the majority of the time you are probably shooting with people of similar skills. Having said that, I have shot with some exceptional shooters, both clay and game plus some ex internationals since we moved to the Wolds and they are always fun to shoot with even if they are holding 10-15 birds on you at the end of a round. At least it gives you something to aspire to and, for me at least, I invariably end up servicing/repairing their guns at some stage :)

[Sim G]

Clays, I'm sh1t at shooting clays, but I love it! Favourite clay gun at the minute, Beretta 1301 Comp, full length mag tube helps it look like at O/U from a distance for the old farts not to get excited!