doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Least favorite type of sporting clays target?

I've been following the ongoing thread re: 'the Best Sporting Clays Target?' with much interest in that I've been organizing a vintage shoot out our way each Spring for the past few years.

With our entrants' guns generally being the older pumps and SxS's, and many of these bearing the limitations of just Cyl. to IC chokes, we have tended to rely on the more realistic field-like presentations held within 35 yards when at all possible. This has meant using faster speeds at times, change-up speeds as well, somewhat tighter windows through trees, and the use of true pairs more than one would expect - especially to test our pumpgunners - in order to still offer a very challenging - and yet fun - course.

Conversely, we've steered away somewhat from the long distance, curling droppers and particularly the other varieties of heavily-falling shots that don't seem to represent much in the field of wingshooting.....yet which seem to have grown in popularity among NSCA competitive shooters. While we're on this, let me allow that while such shots are just as rountinely made with SxS's, they don't seem to gratify some of our shooters the same as do those presentations that require quicker gun movements.

I'm genuinely interested in hearing from you folks (bearing in mind the nature of our Shoot)...what type of presentations you'd prefer not to see. By that, I mean those that personally leave you feeling a little flat and uninspired...AND not necessarily those that deliver 'goose-eggs' on your score card.

I very much appreciate your input,

Rob Harris

Targets that are too much like trap and/or skeet targets. Sporting Clays allows so much variety, that it's kind of annoying to shoot a course that's more than half run of the mill level crossing targets or 'trappish' going away birds. The creative use of doubles makes me smile, especially when the second target is at least easily located (maybe not easily broken!) so that even old eyes have a fair chance at it. It's a pain in the ass when a pair has to be thrown several times for an oldster to find the second target.

I could do without Chandeles. Also, targets should be set where there is little danger of debris hitting the shooter and messing up a nice stock!

I agree I hate a target that has a danger of pieces coming back at you, I have more then one ding in my sporting gun stock due to this, and one pair of glasses ruined (a great reason to wear good quality shooting glasses!) But the one i hate the most is the 50 yard crossing-diving target...hate it!

Any target that is more than 45 yards away or closer than 15 yards.The majority of real shots at live game will be taken in that 15 to 45 yard range.

That stright up 50 yard target. What kind of bird jumps straight up at 70 mph?

I set our local club S.C.'s - most of us are retired - meaning our eyes and reactions are a bit slow . I believe anyone should be able to see any target for at least 3 seconds . And they don't have to be fast or long to be hard . On one station a slow trap is set in front of a fast one - about the time you're going to shoot the slow bird , the fast one goes by it . All our shots are within 30 to 35 yards , I just set them at different speeds . This year we stopped having NSCA events , and will hold two SXS events - just got tired of all the complaining and paperwork . Oh , and no chandeles . Paul

Gravity rabbits

The toughest target on our local range is in the woods, and a crossing bird passes straight across about 35 yards out, through a gap in the woods that is only about 10 yards wide.

Sometimes, if I'm lucky, I hit it it 2 out of 10.

Robert

There are only two types of least desirable SC targets.

1) Short window target.

2) Eye test target.

All other targets are acceptable.

I hate 'em all, that's why I try like hell to kill 'em all. The only good sporting target is a dead sporting target, IMO that is.