ClayMate on Solo

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PeeJay

Well-known member
Joined
May 25, 2024
Messages
58
I occasionally shoot on my own, using the ClayMate system and the solo delay.

Is there a recommended way of doing this please. I’m shooting right handed. Assume I’ve identified the see point, kill point and hold point, do I set up on the hold point then:
• Hold the forend in my left hand and press the button with my RH.
• hold the gun in my RH, shouldered, muzzle up, press the button with my LH.
• press the button then hold the gun unmounted.
•balance the gun on the trap front then mount after pressing the button

Etc.

I’m sure there’s a good way of doing it, and I don’t want to only shoot with someone as my gun buddy works full time and I don’t.
 
Good question.

I used one today and although I’m sure it gets easier and more natural with practice, I found the process quite incompatible with the concentration needed (or I need!)
 
I think you have more time than you think and are possibly over thinking this.
At Bisley pay and play at least, you have time to press the button with any portion of your anatomy (with the loaded gun over the bar) then put the gun up to the hold point (I shoot gun up) and wait for the clay to appear
 
Martinj said:
I think you have more time than you think and are possibly over thinking this.
At Bisley pay and play at least, you have time to press the button with any portion of your anatomy (with the loaded gun over the bar) then put the gun up to the hold point (I shoot gun up) and wait for the clay to appear
Click to expand...
I tend to overthink everything 😂

I’ll see what it’s like when I go again. I’ve only done it on one session and it did feel rather strange, so I wondered if there was ‘best practice’.
 
Put the button somewhere easy to get at. Decide your hold points, kill points etc and your feet position then press that button. You get plenty of time so long as you’ve made your plans. Enjoy
 
Hold the gun with the right hand, press the button with the left. If you hold the forend with your left and go to press the button you get more out of line than the other way.
You've got plenty of time. Relax.
Also, try Solo and Following pairs. Still plenty of time and you press the button once per pair instead of every shot.
 
PeeJay said:
I occasionally shoot on my own, using the ClayMate system and the solo delay.

Is there a recommended way of doing this please. I’m shooting right handed. Assume I’ve identified the see point, kill point and hold point, do I set up on the hold point then:
• Hold the forend in my left hand and press the button with my RH.
• hold the gun in my RH, shouldered, muzzle up, press the button with my LH.
• press the button then hold the gun unmounted.
•balance the gun on the trap front then mount after pressing the button

Etc.

I’m sure there’s a good way of doing it, and I don’t want to only shoot with someone as my gun buddy works full time and I don’t.
Click to expand...
Should be a solo delay button on the pad this gives you approxiamately 3 seconds before the clay is released usually enough time to get in position to make the shot .
 
PeeJay said:
I tend to overthink everything 😂

I’ll see what it’s like when I go again. I’ve only done it on one session and it did feel rather strange, so I wondered if there was ‘best practice’.
Click to expand...
I don’t know if you follow this practice , but before I even take the gun out of the slip , I’ll button a single of all the targets I want to shoot on a practice stand . I’ll follow the clays with my forefinger on the extended left arm to get the line . Then I’ll adjust my stance to suit the flight of the targets and the points I’ll see the target insert the gun and then shoot . I’m amazed how many new shooter will go onto a stand blind and just start shooting .
 
I should have mentioned the 3 second delay, a lot can be done in 3 seconds.

I go in and shoot blind and get the hang of it as I go along, suppose you see 2 birds on each of 12 stands that's around a tenners worth that you have not even shot at and I'm blowed if I'm going to do that. Shooting blind is part of the fun. It's not a competition so you may as well have a bit of fun.
 
Doesn't really matter how you do it as long as it feels natural. It is not an ideal system, a buddy to trap is always going to be a better option, but in the absence of a buddy it's the only option. I personally prefer to shoot gun down when using it, it stops me rushing the mount then fidgeting with it over the few seconds till release. Gun down I just mount and shoot.
 
MartynB said:
I don’t know if you follow this practice , but before I even take the gun out of the slip , I’ll button a single of all the targets I want to shoot on a practice stand . I’ll follow the clays with my forefinger on the extended left arm to get the line . Then I’ll adjust my stance to suit the flight of the targets and the points I’ll see the target insert the gun and then shoot . I’m amazed how many new shooter will go onto a stand blind and just start shooting .
Click to expand...
It is quite simple really. At the grounds I go to, i put 100 on my claycard and pay up front. If there is more than one shooter in the group, we add 100 per shooter. The ground adds 10% for breakages. If you are on your own, you get 110. There are 14 stands for 100 targets, 'you do the maths' ! You will run out of clays.
At two of the grounds you leave some form of security and pay at the end, you can 'see' as many as you like then. When shooting as a group, we change the 'opening bat' for each stand. The first shooter then calls for the first pair as 2 singles, then back to report pairs.
 
wildoliver said:
Doesn't really matter how you do it as long as it feels natural. It is not an ideal system, a buddy to trap is always going to be a better option, but in the absence of a buddy it's the only option. I personally prefer to shoot gun down when using it, it stops me rushing the mount then fidgeting with it over the few seconds till release. Gun down I just mount and shoot.
Click to expand...
I had a go on my own the other day. I realised that I could put the button in my jacket pocket, so it’s much easier to find and press when stood on the correct position; much better than my previous attempt where I had the button on a shelf at the side.

I think ideally for balance I would hold the gun in my LH on the fore-end, pressing the button in my RH pocket. But as I shoot right handed the cartridges are in that pocket. So I was holding the gun in the RH around the trigger guard, pressing the button in my left jacket pocket.

I hope that makes sense, it does in my head.
 
Last edited:
westley said:
It is quite simple really. At the grounds I go to, i put 100 on my claycard and pay up front. If there is more than one shooter in the group, we add 100 per shooter. The ground adds 10% for breakages. If you are on your own, you get 110. There are 14 stands for 100 targets, 'you do the maths' ! You will run out of clays.
At two of the grounds you leave some form of security and pay at the end, you can 'see' as many as you like then. When shooting as a group, we change the 'opening bat' for each stand. The first shooter then calls for the first pair as 2 singles, then back to report pairs.
Click to expand...
I’m quite fortunate that at the ground where I go, you simply run them up on the claymate card. So see and shoot as many as you want and pay at the end.

We normally do 75-100 clays and there’s no way we can visit all the stands, even if we wanted to.
 
If I am shooting alone, I hold the closed and loaded gun in my right hand and push the buttons with my left hand. I either clip the buttons to the shooting stand or stick them in the left pocket of my skeet vest.
 
westley said:
If I am shooting alone, I hold the closed and loaded gun in my right hand and push the buttons with my left hand. I either clip the buttons to the shooting stand or stick them in the left pocket of my skeet vest.
Click to expand...
I know this is going to sound stupid, but how exactly do you hold the gun in your right hand. I’ve done it with the barrel resting on the bar, the barrel resting upright on my shoulder, and everything inbetween. I just can’t hold it comfortably in one hand, pressing the button with the other, while still being ready to shoot in 3 seconds.
 
I have never had a problem with this , I find I have loads of time. Sometimes I have pressed the button and not realised the solo delay was not activated. I have then just done a reflex shot and more often than not hit the clay. I am not a good shot, far from it.
 
Load the gun and close it and you normally would. End of the stock held in the crook of your elbow, (in your case) right hand in the grip. Left hand - press the button and then drop the gun on the left hand on the forend. You will have enough time to find you hold point.
 
Freddypip said:
Load the gun and close it and you normally would. End of the stock held in the crook of your elbow, (in your case) right hand in the grip. Left hand - press the button and then drop the gun on the left hand on the forend. You will have enough time to find you hold point.
Click to expand...
Excellent, thank you.
 
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