Greetings from America!

[The Yank]

Hi all,

I'm new to this board, and somewhat new to shotgunning. I'm a long time rifle and pistol shooter, though not competitively (yet). My username here leaves little mystery as to where I'm from. 

My previous shotgunning experience consisted of some informal skeet shooting, an occasional pheasant hunt, and some grouse hunting. Though, to be honest, I've taken more grouse with 1911 .45 or a .22 than with a shotgun.

I have recently discovered the joys of trapshooting, and I may just be hooked. I'm kinda disappointed in myself for waiting so long to take it up. My reason for joining a UK shotgun forum rather than and American one is that I get the impression that breaking clays is a much bigger deal in Europe than it is here in the US. I have some theories as to why that may be, but I'll save them for later.

Cheers.

 

[Salopian]

Welcome to the forum.

Where in the USA are you based please.

 

[The Yank]

I live in Kelso, Washington state, about two hours due south of Seattle, about 45 min. north of Portland, Oregon.

 

[schmokinn]

Welcome,wouldn't imagine theres much left of a grouse shot with a .45!

 

[The Yank]

The trick is let it land and then shoot the ground right in front of it. The upspray of dirt and small rocks kills 'em dead, and leaves the meat more intact than one would expect. The first time was by accident. I tried for a head shot, but in my haste,  I was a little off...

 

[shortlegs]

welcome to the forum  :hi: enjoy 

 

[Sian]

Welcome and enjoy 

 

[The Yank]

Thank you all for the nice welcome.

 

[Martinj]

The trick is let it land and then shoot the ground right in front of it. The upspray of dirt and small rocks kills 'em dead, and leaves the meat more intact than one would expect. The first time was by accident. I tried for a head shot, but in my haste,  I was a little off...

That paints a wonderful picture, imagine the gentry on a Grouse moor in Scotland with their tweeds, Range rovers and pointers exchanging their Purdeys and Holland and Hollands for Colt 45's :smile:

 

[Nimbusgb]

Well we sell several million dollars worth of clay shooting equipment in the US every year and you guys really know how to run a clay shoot ( several thousand shooters over 5 days or more in 10 disciplines or more ) so it all depends what you mean by 'a big deal'  

Welcome

 

[The Yank]

That paints a wonderful picture, imagine the gentry on a Grouse moor in Scotland with their tweeds, Range rovers and pointers exchanging their Purdeys and Holland and Hollands for Colt 45's :smile:

..

Yeah, a pistol isn't my first choice, or even my second. Sometimes you just use the tool that you have with you. Interestingly, in the state where I live grouse are the only game birds that can be taken by means other than using a shotgun. Most are taken, IMO, during deer season. For me during that time, my choices are a .308 rifle or . 45 cal pistol.

However, I haven't gone out for deer in probably 20 years or so.

 

[Wonko the Sane]

It seems to me that you're trying to put everything clay in one pot and that really isn't happening.  

AFA sporting goes there are several organizations that are sort of world wide and since there is no standard course of fire it is relatively easy for shooters to participate anywhere with maybe minor adjustment.  There are three sorts of skeet and they differ mostly in target speeds best as I can see.  Trap games are much more of a mess.  The US game diverged from any kind of international representation decades ago.  Facilities in the US offering international layouts are few and expensive - good part of the reason why the US is way down the Olympic list.  ATA shooters defend their dumbed down game (similar to most US versions of games played everywhere) to the death and it is slowly dying as the bored by ATA go off to shoot sporting.  

and AFA this forum goes, over the last few years the focus on trap has been eroded by the hedgemonkeys incessant postings but that will not be much of a worry for you since the meager trap that is discussed here is nothing like what you will have to shoot anyway.

Oh - and just to give you a heads-up - the folks here may have different BS to baffle you with than the US forums but it's still BS   :thumbsup:

 

[The Yank]

It's always fun to decode new BS. :w00t: I just have to remember not to be too 'American' in my viewpoints.

And yeah, the club where I go shoots  ATA rules. For a beginner, it will be fine. If I wish to shoot other types of games, I will have to go at least to Portland, OR. It's about an hour drive, and a fair bit more $$ though, but not prohibitive by any means. Just not as casual.

For example, as a non-member the Cowlitz Gun Club charges $3/round of 25 plus $4 for the day range fee. The per round cost drops to $2 for members. Cheap.

Mid Valley Clays in Portland charges non-members $45 for 100 targets in sporting clays or $8/round trap or skeet. Still not too bad.