doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com RBL for sporting clays

Fixed it for him, huh Mike?
JR

What kind of loads are most of you using for sporting clays in a 12 gauge SXS? Fortunately there are side by side sporting shoots that don't require 1 1/8 ounce loads at exceptional speeds. Most pigeon guns approach 8# but not 9# plus. MarkQue our state (Michigan) has an especially nice SXS venue in the UP.R.Wilson

R.Wilson,

There is no "Q" in my name. Also you might consider listing your state in your profile so others may know from where you hail. Finally, I'm person you slammed as a newbie for using a 32" RBL for clays. Since you've never met me or watched me shoot I find that post somewhere between very naive or a little insulting. On this forum persons conduct themselves as gentlemen. We express opinions but don't get personal. I ask you to either retract that statement or reframe from addressing me in your posts.

Respectfully,
Mark Ouellette

There are most certainly 8#, and +8#, pigeon guns. However, the average for Brit pattern pigeon guns is 7# 10 oz; many/most Brit pigeon clubs enforced a sub 8# rule on gun weight. There are plenty of +8# fowlers and some export fowler-pigeon guns. Heavy weight SXS target guns tend to be trap guns.

As stated earlier I just received my RBL 12. 32", DT, ST, Splinter. I bought this primarily for sporting clays. I have a number of SxS's and two M-31 Remington pumps for pump events and just fun. Most of these are a bit on the older side with the exception of my two Merkel's which are fairly recent. For tournaments I have generally used a 47E Merkel and a mid-30's vintage Thomas Wild pigeon gun. I love the Merkel's but they are a bit on the light side even using 7/8 oz. loads. The Wild is 7 lbs. 12 oz. and is better at sporting clays but I wanted to give it a break since it's no spring chicken. So that is why I ordered the RBL. I'm still geting used to it but I am starting to really like it. A bit heavier than I would prefer but with 7/8 or 1 oz. loads it's wonderful to shoot. And it's got better triggers than any gun I have except for a really nice LC Smith 20 gauge.
I do wish I could have gotten it with fixed chokes though.
I still think a Merkel sidelock with 30" or so barrels weighing in at 7 lbs. or a bit over would also make a wonderful sporting clays gun.
Robert Krull

Mr. Mark Ouellette, please return to my posts. In no form or fashion did I state that you were a newbie. (note: I do not consider the term newbie as a derogatory term ).I stated newbies to sporting SXS events owe it to themselves to learn about classic field guns. I do not apologize to you for this as it was not directed to you. However I do apologize for miss spelling your name. Using my seventy year eyes without my reading glasses on was my error. Sporting clays events were originally designed to replicate experiences "in the field" and not the competition events that now have target presentations that no longer represent "shots" most gentleman hunters would ever consider taking. Hence my reference to the UP SXS Championship, held each year at the Sagola Township Sportsman Club. As to your other comment about listing my state of residence, it is my choice, not yours! R.Wilson

R. Wilson,

My post was the only one to mention a 9+ pound RBL. To that gun you referred and thus inferred that I am a newbie. The term newbie is patronizing which is at the least expressing your superiority to one's level of experiance.

If in fact you were judging all RBL-12 users as newbies then you have judged us by our group. That would be a prejudice which is never good.

Mark

Actually guys 32 in barrels are very common on the sporting clay course. Many people have found that it helps to swing the gun. Baretta and Browning among other makers offer the 32 inch in their sporting clay models. As for loads used. 1oz of shot will do the trick with 7.5 or 8. Opinions vary greatly. I shoot 1oz of reclaimed shot and break the far ones just as well as the guys with factory loads. Some shoot 1 1/8 and others shoot those screaming 7/8 oz loads. It is true that sporting clays courses throw targets that you won't see while hunting but my thought is if you can break some of those crazy shots you will shoot better in the field. I will be ordering my 32in RBL soon. It will be used for sporting clays and waterfowl. I have been looking for some time now for a double that can shoot steel,chambered for 3" and in a configuration I desire. They are scarce unless you have deep pockets. The RBL is it and should be very versitile. And most importantly it can take the pounding of the 10's of thousands of rounds it will shoot with low maintenance. I know this because the RBL is very similar to the SKB and is built by people that care. My SKB has been used hard and with few problems. I really like the way they attach the forend hanger. That is a big improvement over the SKB when used with beaver tail forends. I broke 3 of them on SKB's with beaver tails.

Hard to imagine a more "classic" American double than the Super Fox, Bo-Whoop.

"In 1928 Nash Buckingham and Hal Sheldon visited the Campfire Club in Westchester Cty, NY and shot skeet for the first time. Nash shot 98/100 with the first Bo Whoop."

That's a 98/100 in skeet, with a 10 lb, 32" SxS choked full and fuller....in 1928, very likely low gun as well.

The vast majority of Super Foxes weighed in excess of 9 lbs.