I'm betting you'll do just fine, and you'll end up hitting a few of the clay pigeons.

That's a nice shotgun.

 

Remember to lead the target

 

This ^^^. And swing thru it, don’t stop your bbl when you pull the trigger.

 

And be prepared with a variety of chokes. If it’s skeet, you need an open choke, either one specifically labeled skeet or at least improved cylinder. If it’s trap you want either full or improved modified.

If it’s sporting clays, you actually need them all, but I assume most probably split the difference and go with modified.

 

Watch what everyone else is doing and imitate them. If that doesn’t work complain of persistent pain from a shoulder injury you sustained while fighting for your life.

 

I'll add: hold the barrel under the top edge of the trap house - holding it higher can obstruct your view of the bird as it comes out. At least that's worked for me...

As for the gun, I've shot many rounds of trap & sporting clays with an 870 Wingmaster. So, you're better equipped than me.

 

Memorize this?

 

If it’s Sporting Clays you’ll get hooked.

 

Lot of fun, just waiting for warmer wx, have 13 yo girl to try it. (410 w/#9)
wife is saying she's a "girly girl", good luck, haha
My daughter (RIP) loved it.

 

Events 1, 2, and 3 are standard ATA Trap events, see post #8. Targets are generally going away but at unpredictable angles.

No. 1 is Singles shot from the front of the grid 16 yards behind the trap house, normally 5 from each position, so two rounds of 25. This is the one you should start on with your two boxes of shells. If you have screw chokes, put the Modified in the bottom barrel of your OU, that is all you will use. If fixed chokes, use the Modified barrel.

A squad of 5 will put somebody at each position on the grid.
The shooter on post 1 on the left is the squad leader, he starts off. He loads ONE SHELL, shoulders the gun pointed somewhere on the left side of the trap house, and calls PULL! He tracks the target, swings through, and fires.
The shooter on post 2 is next, he loads ONE SHELL, and shoots, then post 3, 4, and 5.

Back to post 1 and repeat until everybody has fired at 5 targets from their starting position, then move a place to the right - the shooter on post 5 walks behind the rest of the squad to post 1. The squad leader now on post 2 starts off.

This is Singles, one target, one shot at a time, one shell in the gun. Do not close your gun until it is your turn, move positions with the gun open.

No. 2 is Handicap, shot from farther back on the grid, 18 to 27 yards, distance depending on your ranking.
No. 3 is Doubles, two targets thrown simultaneously. Unlike Singles and Handicap, the angles are fixed, but you gotta be quick.

No. 4 is some sort of non-reg game.

 

Events 1, 2, and 3 are standard ATA Trap events, see post #8. Targets are generally going away but at unpredictable angles.

No. 1 is Singles shot from the front of the grid 16 yards behind the trap house, normally 5 from each position, so two rounds of 25. This is the one you should start on with your two boxes of shells. If you have screw chokes, put the Modified in the bottom barrel of your OU, that is all you will use. If fixed chokes, use the Modified barrel.

A squad of 5 will put somebody at each position on the grid.
The shooter on post 1 on the left is the squad leader, he starts off. He loads ONE SHELL, shoulders the gun pointed somewhere on the left side of the trap house, and calls PULL! He tracks the target, swings through, and fires.
The shooter on post 2 is next, he loads ONE SHELL, and shoots, then post 3, 4, and 5.

Back to post 1 and repeat until everybody has fired at 5 targets from their starting position, then move a place to the right - the shooter on post 5 walks behind the rest of the squad to post 1. The squad leader now on post 2 starts off.

This is Singles, one target, one shot at a time, one shell in the gun. Do not close your gun until it is your turn, move positions with the gun open.

After shooting and then going back and reading your post, it was exactly spot on! The squad leader was a young guy and super nice. He shot 22 the first round, then 25 the second.

I was told to load shells in the bottom barrel to reduce wear on the action, but that requires not only flipping off the safety, but moving the barrel selector. I thought it would be best to just shoot my first event as simply as possible, and I still forgot to take off the safety on the first shot. So, next event I will try using the bottom barrel.

I have a Winchester Model 21 16ga and a Browning A5 Sweet sixteen that I will be selling. Winchester is worth around $8k and the Browning only around $1500. Should be able to find a more suitable gun for around $3k.

 

Went on one last summer. My employer put it on. Went so far as to supplying shotguns and ammo. I'd never shot at a clay pigeon before then. Never held an O/U shotgun before.
I selected a beautiful 20 gauge. Silver pigeon maybe? Not sure. I want one is all I know.
Anyway I was popping clay pretty regularly by the end of the day.
And we all had a ball and that's what it's all about.
I'm sure you will too.

 

Tell everyone you are new.

Go where they say, shoot what they say to shoot.

Just try to have fun. So what if you miss a lot - I bet you will miss more if you are "trying" to hit things.

Chokes - does your shotgun have changeable chokes? I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't. It may be one barrel Full choke, the other one Improved Cylinder (or something similar).

You will probably get hooked!

 

Some good stuff on the tube.

 

👍 Nice beginner Gun.
You’ll look like a Pro,
When you’re shooting singles keep reloading that bottom barrel.

I wouldn’t tell anyone it’s your first time, you don’t need a ton of advice when you’re trying to feel relaxed and ready.

watch this video and you’ll be giving advice, lol.
Anxious to hear of your experience,👍

Trap Shooting for Beginners | Rules, Tips, & Techniques

Trap Shooting for Beginners | Rules, Tips, & Techniques

www.targetfocused.life

 

....
I wouldn’t tell anyone it’s your first time, you don’t need a ton of advice when you’re trying to feel relaxed and ready.
....

It's not about needing advice. Let the people running the shoot, especially the safety officers, know you are new. That way they can show you what to do, and hopefully catch you before you make a "leave the range" safety violation. Also prevents people from getting annoyed if you are taking a little longer than usual at the firing line.

I think it is a good thing to do.

 

Sporting clays is a blast!
It combines hunting and Golf...Once you do it, you'll understand what I mean.

 

Nesting pairs …… A little difficult for me but still a lot of fun!
Also, wait till they start rolling them on the ground . If you can master that then you should be able to get you some rabbits on the run. 😎

 

Totally different than rifle and handgun shooting
Yes U will embarrass yourself
One ( shotgun) is continuous motion and the other is stillness

 

Clay pigeons are not edible, no matter how much garlic you use. Leave them at the range.

 

Lot's of good advice so far, I would add to watch some Trap shooting videos on YouTube, especially the ones with a Shotkam. It'll give you a visual on lead.

Here's more.

shotkam trap shooting - YouTube








.

 

What you will be doing is having fun. Enjoy!!

 

Try to have fun and don't dwell on what others think of you. The event at the club is probably not the best time for learning. Some clubs have people that coach new shooters. That is what you need.

 

I wouldn't be ashamed at all of that Red Label (a 12 and a 20)...I have two of them and they never let me down.

 

Agree with @Jim Watson, looks like trap. I coach a HS Trap team, so we have more issues with size and fit than with grown men. But the fundamentals are the same.

Starting out, look at the diagrams in Post #8. Higher hold is a shorter path to the gun, and you will break more birds. DON'T 1. Lift your head, 2. Stop the Swing 3. Look at the sights. From the positive perspective: Smooth path while being able to see the ridges of the clay target and follow through.

 

If you like this and want to get into it, spend some time learning to shoot with both eyes open.

It’s weird at first but it’s like learning to throw a ball where your 100% focused at a target while your subconscious is doing the calculus on how to hit a moving target. It works really well after you get past that learning curve.

if you carefully watch shooters it’s easy to see who’s trying to “rifle down” with one eye. As they swing through their eyes will go from the target to down the barrel(like they are aiming). This causes their swing to slow down and sometimes stop. You will miss a lot doing this, and it’s a bad habit. You’ll shoot your best with both eyes locked on the target but there is a learning curve to it.

 

This ^^^
Both eyes open.
No squinting, rifle type aiming.
Track the bird, as you pass the bird pull the trigger while continuing your swing.

 

You will love it! One of my favorite shooting sports things to do. Once you get the hang of it you will be hooked… I bet.

 

Hard to believe they would start you on trap, that can be pretty advanced.

More likely you will shoot skeet or clays, with skeet being the best of the 3 for beginners IMO. 8 shooting stations with the left target high and dropping and the right low and rising.

The shotgun section at my old club was tolerated by the rifle guys and that's about it. I don't think they consider it real shooting but whatever.

That Ruger is perfect for skeet. If it has chokes, bring them.

For skeet you want open or IC chokes, the other games are at longer ranges so you want to tighten up.

Yes, shoot where the target will be and not where it is, not so easy but once you get the hang of it skeet becomes boring. The classic miss is behind the target and the classic reason is stopping your barrel to watch the shot. Keep it swinging through....just have fun on station 8 especially and report back...

 

Hard to believe they would start you on trap, that can be pretty advanced.

More likely you will shoot skeet or clays,

The program is clearly for Trap.

Col. Charles Askins was an all around shooter, best known for pistol and his .22 centerfire rooneygun, but a shotgunner too. He said he could teach the basics of trap quicker but he could train GOOD skeet shooting sooner.

 

All I know about those sort of shooting events is that they are attended by rich people in expensive SUVs and pickups who shoot fancy O/U shotguns, wear shooting vests and amber-tinted glasses, and give the impression that they don't approve of "plastic" guns.

Sigh. You couldn't be more wrong.