Clay Busting with a Semi and Other Bits n Bobs

[originalgeezer]

Hello All

 

Probably a subject that has been discussed previously but I wished to be involved in the subject to get a personal feel for peoples opinion.

 

I am relatively new to Clay Busting, I began circa October/ November last year and was bitten by the bug having desired to do since being a teenager (now at the grand old age of 40....)

 

I duly purchased a very nice gun, a Beretta 686 Gold E (over under) and loved it, still do but whilst out shooting noticed few people using Semi Automatics. I have also now purchased a Benelli Semi Auto and love that too. So, as I only shoot Clays I have taken it to my local grounds and done surprising well with it and less soreness in my tendons (too many years training and sparring) so my tendency of late is to grab the Benelli when I shoot.

 

Believing the shooters concerns are that it is not traditional, the cartridge ejection and frustration with guns jamming. Is this correct?

 

I ask because, I can appreciate about being traditional but I think it has its place at a Bird Shoot for example ( but on that why do people wear Camo to go Clay Busting?) the Cartridge ejection I cant as when I finish I pick up my spent cartridges, but I then watch various shooters using Over Under just ejecting their cartridges all over the place, randomly breaking the gun in the are of the bins but mostly missing - again something I don't do when using my Over Under. as for guns jamming, something perhaps as my gun is new I have yet to experience but always clean my guns after each shoot regardless.

 

So why are Semi's considered not good practise for Clay Busting? or have I got it wrong and its just down to what I have been informed?

 

All in, loving Clay Busting and love both my guns for very different reasons

[Catamong]

There's nothing wrong with Semi Autos at any clay shoot, provided you handle it safely and don't go pointing it up peoples noses.

 

My advice is to keep it in a slip until you are just about to walk onto the stand.

 

Don't worry about picking up your spent shells, unless you are specifically asked to do so, you'll only upset the folks behind you who are waiting to shoot whilst you are grovelling in the dirt to pick up your shells.

 

If and when you experience a jam, keep the gun pointed downrange whilst you clear it, never swing round to talk to others whilst you are clearing it.

 

Cat.

[originalgeezer]

Cat

 

Totally agree, which is why I was curious as to why it is frowned upon. I pick my shells up quickly and use a magnet on a stick when people are around to make it quicker too.

 

As for any jam or miss fire turning round is a serious NO NO - regardless of type of gun. Just a bit of comment sense employed but even with an Over Under it shouldn't be pointed or swung in the direction of people though on Sunday saw a few people just pulling their gun out, swinging it round unbroken....which again made me think, if someone was doing that with a Semi there would be uproar! Just seems a little bit of double standards.

[mickmep]

no problem with semi auto's at any clay grounds i've been to.

the emphasis is put on you as a semi auto user to show that you are safe, its not visibly 'broken' like an o/u or sxs

as cat says either keep it slipped until you go into the stand, or use a safety flag or one of the safety plugs the guys sell.

personally just keep mine in the slip till i'm about to shoot, and leave the bolt back all the time.

 

as has been said clearing up is down to the ground your shooting at, local member club we shoot as a team and semi users clear the spent carts after everyone has finished on the stand, at the local weekday clay grounds theres cartridges all over the place, and staff are paid to clear up afterwards so dont bother. hope that doesn't sound bad but at least i'm honest

 

my 682 sits in the cabinet since i bought the flanigan

[Albertan_J]

I personally I like to see peoples guns broken and empty o/u or sbs and flagged or spent cartridge sideway for a semi. Don't understand why people slip their guns at clay grounds unless is its raining heavily the slip doesnt stop a gun being put in loaded but thats just my opinion

[Anni]

Never heard of them being "not good practice"

 

I have a 682 Gold e aswell as a couple of Semi auto's.

 

Its allways the Semi Auto I use now as Shooting competitions, it's the Gun I shoot best with. Semi Auto's arn't as rare as you think when out shooting the clays. Plenty of people use them.

When I shoot my 682 on rare ocassions I allways catch the carts and bin them, if I see someone just flirting them allover the place I think Dirty ****. But I have to say I rarely pick up my Carts when there spat out of My Auto. The reason for this is that on a competition there normally spat out a fair distance. You have the shooter behind you champing at the bit to get in the Stand when you have shot your last pair, and if you start to bend down trying to gather them up the reff sometimes says " I'll do that". If there on the Deck In the stand I kick them out of it.

 

But If just on a practice shoot I allways try and Pick them up after I have shot.

 

Can't say I have ever had or heard any comments against a Semi Auto on the clays, but I normally have my ear plugs in pretty tight

 

Just show people you are safe with it and take Precautions. I know MC on here sells a great invention, The Safety Plug. I always use it to let people know its safe and secure. Its much better than them Flag things.

 

Get Yourself on the Benelli SP Auto shoot next year, The best shoot I have ever done, Loads of fun using full use of Gun

[originalgeezer]

Again I agree, as I keep mine slipped till the last moment and always leave then bolt back and on show to others.

 

Not saying that I have experienced much of a problem, was perhaps more to do when first starting the comments made about Semi Auto's before I purchased a gun.

 

As for the Beretta, don't remind me as I feel like I have deserted her and I am being unfaithful

[mpk]

I dont slip my gun at clay grounds , Dont see the point either . I shoot mostly semis or pump actions and i have never had a problem. Some people say the cartridges eject to far etc but who is going to be stood right next to you when your shooting? and if they are there is usaully a barrier of some kind. You can get the safety plugs and i have bought a few off here , At the end of the day if you keep the barrels pointing upwards all the time your not shooting , have good muzzell awareness,keep the bolt back and be safe it should not be an issue. I have never had any problems .

[jimmyb79]

but who is going to be stood right next to you when your shooting?

 

Its quite irritating when shooting DTL and the guy to your left is shooting a semi!

 

I bought a Browning Maxus a few weeks back and similarly, since then my 686 has remained in the cabinet!

[Chard]

There aren't any issues with semis at clay grounds, not sporting clays anyway. DTL might be another matter.

 

Any issues at sporting grounds are all in the minds of those who do the spouting.

 

However, you either need to slip it or exercise very considerate practice in carrying it around.

 

All these people who keep saying they can't see the point of slipping it would soon change their tune if they found themselves staring down the ******* barrel of one.

To be honest I'm not particularly interested in what they see the point of or don't see the point of

 

I don't give a rats **** if you know whether it's loaded or not, I don't know that for sure and I don't want the barrel up my nose.

Edited July 20, 2010 by Chard

[Albertan_J]

Makes a big difference staring at the slip I guess because they are kevlar

[paulos]

Never heard of them being "not good practice"

 

I have a 682 Gold e aswell as a couple of Semi auto's.

 

Its allways the Semi Auto I use now as Shooting competitions, it's the Gun I shoot best with. Semi Auto's arn't as rare as you think when out shooting the clays. Plenty of people use them.

When I shoot my 682 on rare ocassions I allways catch the carts and bin them, if I see someone just flirting them allover the place I think Dirty ****. But I have to say I rarely pick up my Carts when there spat out of My Auto. The reason for this is that on a competition there normally spat out a fair distance. You have the shooter behind you champing at the bit to get in the Stand when you have shot your last pair, and if you start to bend down trying to gather them up the reff sometimes says " I'll do that". If there on the Deck In the stand I kick them out of it.

 

But If just on a practice shoot I allways try and Pick them up after I have shot.

 

Can't say I have ever had or heard any comments against a Semi Auto on the clays, but I normally have my ear plugs in pretty tight

 

Just show people you are safe with it and take Precautions. I know MC on here sells a great invention, The Safety Plug. I always use it to let people know its safe and secure. Its much better than them Flag things.

 

Get Yourself on the Benelli SP Auto shoot next year, The best shoot I have ever done, Loads of fun using full use of Gun

You practice???

[Anni]

You practice???

 

Yep even the Best have a Practice now and again

[Chard]

Makes a big difference staring at the slip I guess because they are kevlar

 

 

Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha

 

That's funny

Edited July 21, 2010 by Chard

[RAMMER BURT]

i shot western wood in oxford on sunday and at least 40% of the shooters were using 3 shot autos

[Sako85243]

Hi,

 

I had a go at a DTL practice with my Benelli (LH Ejection port) and to be honest did not feel too comfortable

with the looks I was getting...its actually the gun I use for pigeons and geese...so has a cammo pattern :blink:

Anyway I just wanted to see how it would do, I was only using 1 shell at a time and loading immeciately before

I fired...however wondered if I had been using 2 shells and hit using 1st one what would be etiquette with

1 shell still unfired in chamber ?....I personally know I am safe with gun vertical and safety on but dont

think other members on detail would be happy...think I'll stick with the O/U for the moment.

 

cheers

 

Sako85243

[poontang]

Hi,

 

I had a go at a DTL practice with my Benelli (LH Ejection port) and to be honest did not feel too comfortable

with the looks I was getting...its actually the gun I use for pigeons and geese...so has a cammo pattern :blink:

 

 

cheers

 

Sako85243

 

I wouldn't worry about any of that.

 

I don't really get the DTL argument either. It's not as if the person to your right is shooting when you are, and if a few wayward shells upset their concentration and they miss a few birds then it's a bonus surely?

 

As long as you're safe, then nothing else really matters.

 

I'll bet if GW were to use a camo'd semi to win a world title every man and his dog would want one.

[mpk]

There aren't any issues with semis at clay grounds, not sporting clays anyway. DTL might be another matter.

 

Any issues at sporting grounds are all in the minds of those who do the spouting.

 

However, you either need to slip it or exercise very considerate practice in carrying it around.

 

All these people who keep saying they can't see the point of slipping it would soon change their tune if they found themselves staring down the ******* barrel of one.

To be honest I'm not particularly interested in what they see the point of or don't see the point of

 

I don't give a rats **** if you know whether it's loaded or not, I don't know that for sure and I don't want the barrel up my nose.

 

 

Mines always pointing up at the sky firmly grasped in my hand with the breach open and a saf-t plug in it if the ground requests. I dont point my guns at anyone

[J@mes]

Hi,

 

I had a go at a DTL practice with my Benelli (LH Ejection port) and to be honest did not feel too comfortable

with the looks I was getting...its actually the gun I use for pigeons and geese...so has a cammo pattern

Anyway I just wanted to see how it would do, I was only using 1 shell at a time and loading immeciately before

I fired...however wondered if I had been using 2 shells and hit using 1st one what would be etiquette with

1 shell still unfired in chamber ?....I personally know I am safe with gun vertical and safety on but dont

think other members on detail would be happy...think I'll stick with the O/U for the moment.

 

cheers

 

Sako85243

 

just cycle the action and eject it in to your hand?

[Sako85243]

just cycle the action and eject it in to your hand?

 

 

Perhaps its just me but that isn't quite as easy as its made out

1 hand holding fore end which is either pointing skyward or down range

other hand cycles action.....3 rd hand....er catch's ejected shell

 

its a bit of a juggling act.

 

cheers

 

Sako85243

[chrispti]

Mines always pointing up at the sky firmly grasped in my hand with the breach open and a saf-t plug in it if the ground requests. I dont point my guns at anyone

 

Wouldn't matter if you did point it at anyone.......................... you would probably still miss

[mpk]

Wouldn't matter if you did point it at anyone.......................... you would probably still miss

 

 

Definetly ! Im going to get more practice in with the new toy on sunday If i struggle with it still im going to adjust it .

[kenelmh]

Hi all!

 

Talking about the 'done thing', is it deemed okay to use a side by side on sporting / DTL clays? Due to some rather complicated circumstances I cannot justify shelling out (excuse the pun) on a really decent o/u or s/a and have seen better value in SBSs but it's clays I want in the main. Any help?

 

Any suggestions on guns would be great, my very limited budget could go up to £200..

I'm also one of the strange ones.. ie I shoot left handed (although am right handed)

 

Would I get laughed out of the club?

[throdgrain]

I would laugh but thats doesnt mean you shouldnt do it

[JonnyR]

Its quite irritating when shooting DTL and the guy to your left is shooting a semi!

 

I bought a Browning Maxus a few weeks back and similarly, since then my 686 has remained in the cabinet!

I see a bit of a trend here. I bought a Maxus 2 weeks ago and love it. Seems much more 'pointable' than my Sil Pig and recoil - what recoil. Great gun for the hide too!

 

Having used an o/u for a few years I can see why people think they are 'not as safe' so I make more of an effort to show people it is empty, with the bolt pulled back.

 

I have to agree with Anni too - the Benelli Sp'Auto is a belter and I was lucky enough to shoot it this year.

 

Enjoy.