g fletch Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 i am new to semi autos however i have been shooting for years, so apart from the obvious safety plug,gun up gun down,is there etiquette,anything that grates when you see a s/a shooter behaving badly when shooting clays.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Not collecting any empties afterward.... OFten made harder with a semi auto as they fly out of the side. I watched two chaps at the Fennes in Essex the other day, one had a semi auto and one had a under and over, yet they were both ejecting them all over the ground around them and not bothering to pick the spent cases up. I told one of the workers there who went and had polite words with them in the end and saw them come back and start picking them up haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 (edited) i am new to semi autos however i have been shooting for years, so apart from the obvious safety plug,gun up gun down,is there etiquette,anything that grates when you see a s/a shooter behaving badly when shooting clays.. Why single out semi auto shooters ? the last shoot I attended I was astounded by the lack of thought to safety from some of the shooters, the biggest percentage of which were using O/U s Its not a gun that is unsafe , its the twit that is holding it . Edited February 24, 2015 by fenboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Why single out semi auto shooters ? the last shoot I attended I was astounded by the lack of thought to safety from some of the shooters, the biggest percentage of which were using O/U s Its not a gun that is unsafe , its the twit that is holding it . Couldn't be truer Fenboy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brett1985 Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Why single out semi auto shooters ? the last shoot I attended I was astounded by the lack of thought to safety from some of the shooters, the biggest percentage of which were using O/U s Its not a gun that is unsafe , its the twit that is holding it . i dont think he was intentionally singling anyone out chap, but your right, O/U users generally seem to be the most complacent when it comes to gun safety (from what i have seen anyway) to the OP, the only piece of advice i can give, other than what you have already stated, is to just be aware that alot of people have an inherrent fear of semi autos (often without any real reason) so just respect that some people are going to turn their nose up or make comments. nout you can do about it im afraid. some people are just pig ignorant. i always leave mine in the slip until im on the stand, and make sure its pointed down range when loading up. ive only ever seen 1 S/A go off when the bolt has been released but it was enough to make me think about how i handle mine. no fault of the user, it was a beat out old thing that had long passed its best. in comparison, i have seen several O/U's and SXS's go off when closed.... make of that what you will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadeye18 Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 If i had semi auto id treat it the same as the pump action i use at clay shoots.Apart from the normal safety precautions i only load 2 carts instead of three,always pick empty casings up and always put it back in the slip between stands after checking the weapon is clear (for my benefit aswell as others stood watching). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neutron619 Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 (edited) i am new to semi autos however i have been shooting for years, so apart from the obvious safety plug,gun up gun down,is there etiquette,anything that grates when you see a s/a shooter behaving badly when shooting clays.. The only time a semi-auto user ever ****** me off with bad etiquette was when he was standing at a compak layout with an 8-shot and had his "10" turns by getting his mate to release all the targets (5) at once and emptying the gun (yep - ten times) trying to shoot them all before they came down. I don't think any of the people waiting for him to ****** off somewhere else were particularly impressed and the last I heard, he got banned from the ground. I don't think it was the FAC gun that was a problem, per se - it was simply down to the number of targets. Taking 10-20 at a stand in pairs is acceptable, and I don't personally have a problem if people want to try to shoot a left-right-left with an auto and three targets. Putting out 50 and missing over half of them just wastes everyone's time though, means the traps have to be filled up that much more often, and it built up a sizable queue whilst he stuffed the shells in the gun each time. Other than that, I don't see any difference between a semi and a double gun. I don't use a flag and I don't pay attention to anyone who thinks that semis are more dangerous or somehow "evil" because I don't point them in the direction of people. If mine is out, it's pointing at the sky, unloaded until I get to the stand. If anyone points their gun muzzle(s) at me, I'd ask them to put the gun away and leave. If they won't, then I'll leave. Muzzle awareness is the key, not the kind of action on which the gun operates. Edited February 24, 2015 by neutron619 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bakerboy Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 (edited) Most clay grounds insist on no more than two cartridge's loaded at any one time. Tidy up your spent shells, as everyone should, as has been said a little harder especially if they are thrown forward of the stand. Buy or make a magnet stick that helps. Edited February 24, 2015 by bakerboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TbirdX Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 (edited) As a semi auto and pump action user I've never run into too many problems with usage or comments at a clay ground. One fella did ask why I was loading three one time, I wasn't, the speed loading loading system on the Browning chambers the first round automatically and he couldn't understand why I wasn't pushing the button on the side. Assumed I had one left in the gun to start with. Picking up spent carts is always a thorny subject. It's a rare time I step into a stand that doesn't have carts on the floor already, they can't all be semi auto users. Some carts will be ejected behind safety ropes and be inaccessible and other times I've had folk tut me because they've had to wait an extra ten seconds to get into the stand as I pick up the spent carts. At the weekend, I was 'spoken' to for not picking up carts, and whilst technically the fella was correct. What he failed to realise that was the Mrs (also a semi auto user) shot after me and picked up hers and mine, which she had done all day (she's very well trained ;-) ) I just said no problem, went into the next stand, kicked a space in the carts that were already there, shrugged my shoulders and had my shoot as usual. To answer the OPs questions though. I have mine in a slip between stands usually. A breech plug in until I'm in the stand, the gun is always pointed straight up, straight down, or into the range area, never load more than three unless it specifically allowed (at a flush for example), pick up spent carts (or at least ten of the fifty there usually are ;-) ) Edited February 24, 2015 by TbirdX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
photon Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 (edited) Try not to out shoot everyone with o/u's on a regular basis, that usually grates Edited February 24, 2015 by photon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 As TbirdX says above. When I shot clays regularly and used an auto I would pick up as many spent cases as I fired; they weren't necessarily mine but the intention was there. Muzzle awareness is EVERYTHING no matter what type of gun is in use. I don't care about safeties, flags or whatever, but I do care about having a gun pointed at me. Have a look at all those ou users next time you're out and see how many can take a gun out of its slip without pointing it at anyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neillfrbs Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 just shoot mine ,leave all the empty s on the floor and walk off ,they make enough money here they can pick em up. that's what i heard a guy say at a ground once, was quite funny seeing the faces of the other shooters waiting . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crumpler1991 Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 I pick up my spent cartridges but alot go past the safety rope wich i leave rightly or wrongly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derfley Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Safety plug (when in and out of the slip), and a magnet on a stick for picking up works for me. The stick allows me to get most of the empties that are in front of the ropes safely, the ones I can't I leave but I've usually picked up enough of others leftovers to make up for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobt Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/8lbs-Pen-Style-Telescopic-Magnetic-Pick-Up-Tool-Mechanics-Extending-Long-Car-Van-/200927067096?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2ec82fbbd8 one of these in a pocket makes life easier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypig Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 How about .... Clay ground.... Clear gun in stand, remove flag Bolt forward... Load two into magazine then cock gun? Rather than make ready and invert to load second. Hide... Feel free on your own to use speed load feature and twist gun as required! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjimmer Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 Stuffing a white handkerchief in the action used to be considered the equivalent of carrying a side-by-side or an O/U broken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notsosureshot Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 (edited) I use a semi auto and will use a flag when appropriate to show the action is open. In reality, on a sporting clay shoot, this is not always practical. Between stands, I keep my gun pointed at the floor at all times with the action open and facing outward. I slip the gun, action open, if there is more than a 20 feet between stands. I load a maximum of two cartridges and I only load on stand with muzzle awareness, obviously. Regarding empties, I usually ask at the ground whether or not picking up is required. Not because I am lazy to do it, it's just the time taken to do so might impact other shooters. Any shotgun is messy if the user is not paying attention, so this isnt a problem limited to shots using semi autos, but also pumps and well, anything with an unattended ejector mechanism. More often than not I'm told not to worry about picking up. On private land, I'm conscious of picking up all my spent cartridges. Then again, we all should be, right? Edited February 25, 2015 by notsosureshot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a303 Posted February 26, 2015 Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 When I use an auto I always make a effort to pick up my shells. But if they go beyond the stand past a safety rope or in front of a trap they get left. Safety rope is there for a reason and I'm not going to put myself potentially in danger by goin in front of a trap. And as above, gun is slipped in between stands, no need for a safety plug and only ever load two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GHE Posted February 26, 2015 Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 I have one major safety concern. Twice now, a shooter with a semi has got a 2 for 1 with the last pair on a stand and has then walked out of the stand with the second, unused shot up the spout - terrifying. The last time it happened the barrel was pointing straight at me before he realised it was loaded. In theory, this could happen with a break action, but we are all in the habit of opening the gun, ejecting and leaving the stand open and safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted February 26, 2015 Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 I have one major safety concern. Twice now, a shooter with a semi has got a 2 for 1 with the last pair on a stand and has then walked out of the stand with the second, unused shot up the spout - terrifying. The last time it happened the barrel was pointing straight at me before he realised it was loaded. In theory, this could happen with a break action, but we are all in the habit of opening the gun, ejecting and leaving the stand open and safe. With all respect this wasn't down to the guns mechanism, but it's owner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainBeaky Posted February 26, 2015 Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 With all respect this wasn't down to the guns mechanism, but it's owner. Concur. If I'm shooting clays with my auto, I always check the gun is clear before I turn to leave the stand - bolt open and locked back. It only needs a turn of the wrist and a downward glance to check - you'd check to make your cases had ejected with a break action, wouldn't you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notsosureshot Posted February 26, 2015 Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 Concur. If I'm shooting clays with my auto, I always check the gun is clear before I turn to leave the stand - bolt open and locked back. It only needs a turn of the wrist and a downward glance to check - you'd check to make your cases had ejected with a break action, wouldn't you? Me too, I even say "action clear" fairly loudly, so anyone at the same stand knows I've checked. Maybe a bit over the top, but who cares. We do what we can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerCat Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 No difference in my eyes, your either safe or your not. Picking up spent carts is your choice and seems to make no difference if you have a semi or an ou. I have both and it's never stopped me picking them up but I have some some self righteous pricks decide they are better than that and don't need to worry about basic muzzle awareness etc with their sbs and ou. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stevo Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 (edited) If on the very rare occasion i shoot a round of say .... sporting and i go out with a squad i do not know . On the way to the first stand i always tell the others im using a semi auto and will show you ALL an empty/open chamber before i leave the stand . That way YOU know its safe . Not once have i had a tut or a raised eyebrow . Its always met with a .... cheers mate or thats great . Its simple :-) Edited February 27, 2015 by stevo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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