Sporting clays is a thrilling and challenging sport that is gaining popularity among women. If you are looking for a fun and exciting way to improve your shooting skills, then sporting clays might be the perfect sport for you. Sporting clays is often described as "golf with a shotgun" because it involves shooting at clay targets that are launched into the air in a variety of different directions. The sport is designed to simulate the unpredictable flight patterns of game birds, making it an excellent way to practice your shooting skills for hunting or target shooting.
One of the great things about sporting clays is that it can be enjoyed by shooters of all skill levels, from beginners to experienced competitors. Whether you are new to sporting clays or have been shooting for years, sporting clays offers a challenging and rewarding experience that will help you improve your accuracy and precision.
For women who are looking to get into shooting sports, sporting clays is a great way to build confidence and improve your shooting skills in a supportive and welcoming environment. Many shooting clubs and ranges offer women's only events and classes, making it easy to get started and meet other like-minded women who share your passion for shooting. So if you are looking for a fun and exciting way to improve your shooting skills, consider giving sporting clays a try. It's a great way to enjoy the outdoors, challenge yourself, and make new friends. Who knows, you might just discover a new passion that will keep you coming back for more.
Basic Terms:
Shotgun - A shotgun uses shells. These shells allow pellets to be pushed out of the barrel of the gun giving a wide spread pattern from your gun.
Gauge - This is the diameter of the inside of your shotgun’s barrel. A 12-gauge is most common, followed by 20ga, 28ga, .410, 16ga and 10 gauge.
Shell - A shell is composed of a few different pieces. Primer, hull, powder, wad, and pellets. When you pull the trigger on a shotgun, a pin (called a firing pin) will press against the primer, and cause the powder inside to ignite. This force will push the wad, and the pellets from inside of the hull out of the barrel.
Shot Size - This is the size of pellets inside of your shell. For sporting clays 7 1/2 or 8 is recommended.
Ounce - This is the amount of pellets inside of your shell. 1 ounce is recommended for 12ga, and 7/8 ounce for 20ga.
FPS (Feet Per Second) - This refers to how fast your pellets will be moving when they come out of your shell. The larger this number, the more kick your shells will have, and the harder the recoil will be from your gun. If you have faster loads, your targets will also require less lead to hit them. I recommend shells around 1200fps or 1250fps.
Lead - The amount of distance you need to be in front of a target to hit it. There are many factors that attribute to how much lead a target will need. Including target distance, target speed, ammo FPS, and target type.
Choke - A choke is the removable metal tube at the end of your barrel. The tighter the choke you use, the smaller the pattern that comes from your gun will be. This allows you to carry your shot (pellets) further, and tighter. If you use a choke wil less constriction, your pattern will be wider.
What Should I Bring to the Range?
Great question! Here my packing list for shooting sporting clays:
Shotgun - Most people shoot a 12-ga, but I am a firm believer in starting out in a 20-ga semi-automatic! This will introduce you to the sport in a gun that has less recoil. My gun of choice is a Beretta A400 Xcel 12ga.
Shotgun Shells - most courses are 100 targets, meaning you would need 4 boxes of ammo, but feel free to shoot as much or as little as you are comfortable with! My favorite shell is Gamebore Rose Gold.
Eye Protection - any type of glasses or sunglasses will do. I use Re Ranger Phantom 2.0s.
Ear Protection - any type of ear pro will do, but I use custom molded earplugs!
Closed Toed Shoes - These are required on courses!
Optional:
Shooting Vest or Shell Pouch
Some folks prefer to shoot with a vest to carry their gear + shells in, and some prefer a pouch that straps around you like a belt and hold your shells. I use my Beretta Silver Pigeon Evo Vest!
Most importantly, bring a good attitude. Remember ladies, you are here to have fun, and deserve to be on that clay course just as much as anyone else. Conquer your fears, and have fun doing it!