Went Skeet shooting for the first time ever today.....

and all I can say is I had an absolute blast, I did 4 rounds, for a total of 100 empty hulls, now I am by no means a expert but I did well in my opinion, first time I hit 11/25, second time 14, and third time was 16.... then we shot with some seasoned shooters and I choked under the pressure and shot a 12... at least it was not the worst of the day.

Side note, my only shotgun is a Remington 870 express tac.... I used it with pride against some really nice over/under's, now I was expecting some jokes on my gun at a skeet field and they came, but it was all in good fun.

Cant wait until I can make it out again.

Just wanted to share my happiness

Welcome to the sickness.  

Soon you'll be buying a over under shotty, a reloader, little hull pouch or full on vest...   I haven't shot skeet for a while, but I'm gonna get back into it soon.

oh!  Soon you'll also be saying stuff like "I only got three straights in a row" or some such

-Mark.

I started shooting skeet  this spring myself, with an 1100.  I love it and am going twice a week now.

I love using my Remington 870 to shoot sporting clays.  I first got an 870 with a short barrel for home defense.  Then I wanted to get a longer barrel for it to try sporting clays.   I wanted to shoot sporting clays as a means to familiarize myself with the operation of the shotgun.  I wanted it to feel comfortable in my hands.  I did not want the first time I needed to handle the shotgun to be the one time when mistakes are not an option.  Looking for a longer barrel I found an 870 on sale at Wal-Mart for only a few dollars more than the barrel alone so I got it.  I still use it three years later.  When I shoot clays with other people, many of the guys with the big bucks over/unders want to try it too.  Many of them haven't shot a pump action shotgun in years.  As a result I have gotten to shoot some really nice guns over the years.  Some costing 30 times what my lowly 870 did.  I have never heard one disparaging remark about it from any other shooters.  Most of them know what they are and praise it's reliability.  Plus when I rack the action many of the clays start shaking so bad that they fly into pieces just at the mere sound of it.

Remember to wear one of your beater hats to the range.  The first time you do 25/25 your hat goes out on the range and everybody in your shooting party gets a shot at it.  So far all of my hats are safe.

I used to shoot skeet with my lefty 870 all the time.  After a few (shit load) of rounds of skeet, the action gets to be smoooooooth as butter and flickably fast.

-Mark.

hmmmm, don't think I will have to worry about getting my hat shot up anytime soon, but look forward to that day.

Yeah I am thinking about finding a used barrel for the 870, I plan on getting a longer barrel thinking I may do better with it then the 18 1/2 that is on it right now, figure if I look hard enough can get a great deal somewhere.

I am at the beginning of a beautiful friendship I think right now

I was actually looking at getting into skeet. Any advice you picked up from your first day out?

Its a great sport, definitely helped me get into other aspects of shooting later down the road

In a similar vein, I've been sucked into shooting Trap now...it's the same sickness as Skeet, except the clays fly away from you rather than across...I was soon aware that I needed this, because shooting at a moving target is much harder than shooting at paper...Duh!  It's a wonder I never thought of that before...BTW, I've been using my old Browning Superposed Lightning, a field gun, and not doing too badly, but I do need to get a dedicated Trap Gun...I wanted to use my tactical 870 with a turkey choke screwed in, but I don't have the balls to try it...the crowd at my club is a really great bunch of guys, but the ribbing I'd get would be merciless...

Bring a shell pouch and chicken wing.

But you have to be 85 to shoot trap.  It is not a young man's game.

If serious about getting into it––take lessons. Save a lot of $$$ in the long run

Thread revival  

Who's still shooting skeet?  

Been going almost every weekend for a few years now.

Been shooting for 30+ years but do not shoot skeet near as much; started shooting 5-stand and sporting clays, which is more challenging than skeet and a lot more fun, still shoot skeet but as mentioned not as much.

I love the sporting clays as well, but the only range is 1 hour plus away.  So, I do it less often.  But I am a "B" class sporting shooter now.

I have been helping our club get set up for doing a skeet league.  It's going to start in February.  I'm looking forward to that.

Some clay fields have staff who load & operate the throwers.

they often have good advice about where to aim on some of the difficult stations. especially that last shot off the center stand.

Doubles - always shoot the bird going away first

Also ALWAYS be swinging - follow through - don't stop & shoot.

Bigger_Hammer

My best advice for a beginner is to take a lesson from a pro.

A while back, I borrowed a "ShotKam" from a buddy and got some footage just for fun.  

Not sure the camera is worth $500 to me, but it was fun to play with.


Straight Round

I would not suggest a pump gun for skeet. Can you do it, yes, are you at a huge disadvantage, yes.

Start going to pawn shops, smaller gun shops, and look at the local skeet clubs “for sale” board. I would look for a nicer old Beretta a390 or 391 for a semi auto.

If you can save some more $$$ any older Beretta, Browning, or Winchester over under will work great.

Agreed.   Pumps do put you at a disadvantage.  That being said, I've seen some guys do really well with pump guns.

"B guns" for the win.  

In fact, last Saturday, the squad I was shooting with had the holy trinity of B guns.   One Beretta 694, a Browning 725 (mine) and a Benelli Semi-auto.  

Look for Todd Benders Skeet fundamentals video. He walks you through all 8 stations and shows you where to hold your gun, where to look for the target, and where to break the target. He also talks about foot position, posture, etc.

Not sure I would say it's a HUGE disadvantage. There are only four doubles in a round of skeet, so the pump shooter only has to cycle the action under pressure four times. Still not ideal, but for somebody just starting out, the pump probably isn't what's keeping him from a shot hat.


ETA: Oh wow. Just realized this is a zombie thread.

Yup.  Very good video.