Skeet shooting advice

[finallyME]

So, I am trying to get my son to pass off his shotgun shooting merit badge. He has done all requirements except the shooting one. He has to "Hit at least 12 (48 percent) out of 25 targets in two 25-target groups. The two groups need not be shot in consecutive order. A minimum of 50 shots must be fired." I took him about 2 weeks ago and he is about 7 out of 25. I only have a 12 guage, so I bought the lowest recoil rounds I could find. He thought they were pretty soft shooting, so I don't think recoil fear was a problem. It is hard to give advice when you don't see the shooter...but anything you can offer is welcome. Sometimes he waits too long. Sometimes he shoots too fast. Maybe he just needs more practice. I can think of a lot worse that a father and son can do in an afternoon.

[Rick]

If you think about it, hitting something on the fly is really a pretty complex thing. You have to master muscle movement as well as calculate where the object is in a 3 dimensional plane...and...be able to lead that object just enough that your round will intersect with the object at a given point in space. All the while maintaining control of the firearm. Make certain you have the right choke for the distance and practice, practice, practice. My first question is how good is he at still targets with that same load and firearm? Second question, do you know what the pattern of that firearm and load is?

[finallyME]

The answer to both is no. The shotgun is an Ithaca that my dad got when he was maybe 15. I think it is the featherlite.

[Rick]

I would spend a partial day with him at still targets just to see how well he does. Kyrat has posted some excellent threads on patterning and it's crucial to know the spread of your shot. He might be much better that appears because the shot is too tight or has spread too wide.

I'm sure Hunter, Kyrat and others will offer up some great ideas for you. Those guys have probably forgotten more about guns that I'll ever know.

[hunter63]

Patterning is important as is the choke......Barrel should say what the choke is.
Loads should ne #7, #8....more pellets.....
Shoot it at a piece of cardboard covered with newspaper 20 to 30 ft or so.....see where it shoots.
When you find a load the work the best...stick with it.

The rest is stance, hold, smoothness of swing, and practice.

He could be just nervous and feeling pressure......This is fun.....let him know that.

[Zack]

So, I am trying to get my son to pass off his shotgun shooting merit badge. He has done all requirements except the shooting one. He has to "Hit at least 12 (48 percent) out of 25 targets in two 25-target groups. The two groups need not be shot in consecutive order. A minimum of 50 shots must be fired." I took him about 2 weeks ago and he is about 7 out of 25. I only have a 12 guage, so I bought the lowest recoil rounds I could find. He thought they were pretty soft shooting, so I don't think recoil fear was a problem. It is hard to give advice when you don't see the shooter...but anything you can offer is welcome. Sometimes he waits too long. Sometimes he shoots too fast. Maybe he just needs more practice. I can think of a lot worse that a father and son can do in an afternoon.

I encountered the same issue when I first began skeet shooting about 3 years ago. I couldn't figure out a way to hit the birds consistently. My first suggestion to you would be to find a decent coach or experienced shooter to work with him a little. I don't know how experienced you are, but different perspectives can help him to start shooting more consistently. If you aren't interested in a coach, I would suggest that you work on getting him shooting consistently. Try to figure out if he is over the targets, stopping the gun, or making some other mistake more than others. Once you figure what he's doing wrong, you can work on fixing it from there.

[Zack]

Are you shooting at any particular station? Knowing that may help us help you.

[finallyME]

What do you mean by station?

[LowKey]

Skeet usually has 8 stations that you shoot from, placed on an arc.
Some are easier than others.

I'm learning to shoot trap with a 12 guage using a #7 shot and a "club" load.
Got a good shooter helping me out when he happens to be at the range same time as me. Just ask. Most of the guys on those ranges are happy to help out.
I'm just a rank beginner. Because I do a lot of target pistol shooting, he says the biggest problem I have with trap is trying to actually "sight" the bird. Can't do that. There isn't time. It's hard to break the habit though and those are the birds I miss.

[finallyME]

Maybe skeet is the wrong word. When we shoot, we go out in the desert and I throw them for him.
The last time we went, my BIL came with. He is a lot better than I and helped my son a little. I am planning to take my dad out in a few weeks as well.

[kyratshooter]

OK so what you guys are doing is shooting at hand thrown clay pigeons.

That's also cool, and a lot of fun.

The first thing to do is pattern the gun. The next thing to do is explain a little bit about the pattern to him and determine how far out the target must be to have an effective pattern.

The next thing to do is work on you "skeet" throwing technique. You have to be a consistent thrower so he can develop some consistent skills. He can learn to judge speed, lead and all that latter.

To get his merit badge you need to be throwing the clay in a slow arch directly away from him and to the front. Work with the thrower and find out how you need to hold hour body and the strength you need to use to get a clay to consistently go straight out there where you want it.

I think all the shot gunners will agree that the straightaway shot is the easiest.

Stand to his left and loop the targets consistently away from him. Have him watch and show him how the target rises, then hovers in the air for a couple of seconds, then starts falling.He needs to shoot the clay as it is hovering there in mid-air, between rising and falling. At that point he is shooting at a nearly stationary target.

The clay is moving away from you, but appears stationary.

If you are throwing correctly the target will hover in the air somewhere between 25 and 35 yards. That is right in the middle of the most effective spread of a modified choke, a bit tight for a full choke (although doable) and still in good range for an IC pattern.

If the gun is set up right he can place the bead just under the hovering clay, pull the trigger and watch target after target explode. No lead estimations, no speed estimations, just point and shoot.

And allow HIM to call for the shot. He needs to be in complete control, gun ready, mind ready, with no surprises.

If you ever want some real entertainment come and watch me throw and shoot clays solo! It's a riot I am told.

[finallyME]

KYRS, I have been reading a bunch of your posts about patterning.... looks like that is what I need to do first. Probably this weekend.

Thanks for all the advice everyone. We will get this thing....no matter how long it takes.... and I am sure we will have a lot of fun doing it.

[natertot]

Sounds more like trap than skeet, just tossing them instead of using an actual thrower.

Like KyRat said. Have him call the throw, as soon as he acquires target he should place bead just below the clay and pull the trigger before it starts to decline.

I don't know if an actual thrower can be used, but it would throw the clays more consistently which would be of some help. At least till he got the hang of the basics.

[hunter63]

Have you though of just contacting a local club and asking for help?
Usually they will fall all over them selves to help a new guy.

[Zack]

Have you though of just contacting a local club and asking for help?
Usually they will fall all over them selves to help a new guy.

Good thoughts.

[kyratshooter]

Yea, our club has one trap house where they can slow down the throws and lock the machine into one speed and angle just for getting youngsters started.

Usually there is an old guy, like me or Hunter, that will hang around and look over the kid's shoulder and down the gun barrel and coach them like we knew what we were doing.

I know people that claim they can see the shot column as it streaks to the clay. I can't do that.

Rifle shooting you look at the paper and say you are low/left, high/right, or the famous "You ain't hit the target yet kid!". Then you can make corrections.

With a shotgun it is not like that. You have to get to hitting the simple shots first, then build on your knowledge and experience. Some catch on quickly. Some of us are still trying to figure out what that little round brass thing at the end of the barrel is for.

[natertot]

I know people that claim they can see the shot column as it streaks to the clay. I can't do that.

Some of us are still trying to figure out what that little round brass thing at the end of the barrel is for.

I can detect shot column on slow target loads depending on lighting and background. If the sky is blue or has light shaded clouds I am good. Grey clouds or below the tree line, not so much. Biggest trick I found to it is not to blink while firing and that takes some practice and will power.

Little round brass thing? (grabs closest scattergun) Hey! There is a little round brass thing. How'd that get there? It wasn't there before!

[hunter63]

Use that to hook the decoy cords with the end of the barrel........while picking up.......otherwise it slides off.