16ga.com ~ View topic - What would be a Perfect 16 Gauge Clays Event?

I am not much of a hunter, but sure like to shoot clays. I have run many tournaments of various sorts but ask your help.

Kindly post your idea of a perfect clays event for exercising our 16 gauge guns.

I don't see any reason why a sporting clays event without crazy long shots wouldn't work out fine.It is self-evident that with tight chokes,a 16 CAN hit long shots,but there is a good reason serious competition trap is a 12g, event.

Obviously, 16g. is fine for skeet, but it is always hard to awake at a skeet event. And why bother? Wink

Member Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 1545 Location: Michigan

Lots of Targets, 16 gauge shooters, love to burn powder.

Seriously, any SxS friendly sporting clays course is fun. I enjoy shooting skeet, but not much for trap. A good five stand is fun.
At the U.P. Shoot, they had two guys standing side by side. With traps on the outside of each one of them. They would alternate throwing stacked pairs or true pairs. They would slip a green clay in on you, which represented a hen pheasant. You had to break the regular clays without breaking the hen. You lost a bird, if you broke the wrong target. (killed the hen) Anytime I can shoot 200+ targets in a day, and break better than 50% of them, I consider it a good day. I'm not a class A shooter. Wink

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

You should have at least one additional rule...make it a fixed chokes only event (or one screw in and leave it) for each event. That insures that classic as well as modified or more recent guns are on equal footing.

The other thing to consider, which aint a new idea at all...keep it to 1 oz or less shot.

Jeff

Member Joined: 07 Jan 2008 Posts: 348 Location: Missouri

Don't make it an exclusively SXS event.

I own a good 16 ga. SXS but it's not my favorite 16 ga. Clays gun. If you want to have a vintage shoot for SXS's as a part of a larger more inclusive event that's fine. But you cut down on your crowd if you limit your whole day or weekend event to SxS's.

Just my opinion.

Member Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 1545 Location: Michigan

mtjim,

Nothing was said about making it a SxS only event.

Kindly post your idea of a perfect clays event for exercising our 16 gauge guns.

Guest

My favorite clays course for using my 16 gauges is located at Gypsum Valley Sporting Clays about 9 miles southeast of Salina Kansas. Targets pretty much simulate shots that would be offered during the course of a normal upland or waterfowl hunt. Kill areas are from 20 to 40 yards with one long hard crosser at about 50 yards. Throw in a rabbit, mix in a bunch of report and true pairs with a variety of incoming, outgoing and crossing shots and you have a pretty good test of your gunning skills.

Member Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 29 Location: Kansas

Dave M said, 'Lots of Targets, 16 gauge shooters, love to burn powder.'

Have you checked this out? http://www.argentinaclays.com/

Looks to be perfect to me.

--Hagrid

We have hosted events open to all types of 16 gauge guns. [BTW-I do not have a 16 ga. SxS].

We will host an 'Argentina' Style Shoot later this Fall in Ohio [Lancaster or Wilmington], and we will have a special 16 gauge concurrent.

We had the 16 Gauge Celebration this Spring which permitted any type of
16 Gauge gun, and we shot 100 Seet, 100 Trap, and 50 5 Stand for a HOA of 250 targerts over 1 or 2 days--shooters choice.

If you wish to be added to our e-mail distribution list for Ohio shoots, send me a pm

Member Joined: 02 Jan 2008 Posts: 451 Location: La-Tx

Being a hunter all clays events should be some type of sporting clays layout. And there should be a few 3 shot stations. Sporting clays are suposed to mimic real hunting situations and real hunters get triples. (At least some of us do.)

Member Joined: 17 Sep 2005 Posts: 134 Location: TEXAS

Howdy Hal,

Go check out the July SC shoot thread, and look at the pictures. We have a good time here in North Texas at a regular SC course. The ones that I have been to have had a variety of targets, which keeps it interesting.

The only additions that I can think of is if the group had exclusive use of the course, instead of having to wait on other groups. Food on site before, during, and after the shoot can add some time for getting to know each other, visit, and oogle the hardware.

SXS, OU/UO's, pumps, whatever, should of course be allowed.

Oh, and a couple of degrees cooler here in Dallas wouldn't hurt either.

HHH

Member Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 972 Location: Keller,TX

Hal, your battery seems to be lacking. Wink

I would suggest a fine european SxS in 16 bore or even a vintage Smith, Fox, Parker, Baker, Lefever, Ithaca, or Winchester.

If you mean flurries at different stations with different colors on the targets and different values for the same, I heartily endorse the "Argentina" format.

However, you must not neglect "rabbits".

Gentlemen:

Within an hours drive Wink

16 gauge events in skeet, sporting clays, 5 stand, and trap events in that order of preference Wink

options to shoot any 16 ga gun with modest re-entry fee Wink

2-day event Wink

200 to 250 birds per day Wink

lots of 16 ga society members present Wink

food and libations at the end Wink

Finally, the rumors swirling around here that The Grand is moving to Vegas from Sparta - anybody else hearing this???

Member Joined: 17 Feb 2007 Posts: 497

Shade

But I think exclusive use of a facility - with food and a 16 Guage Society swap meet would be very good additions. Something similar to the Flatwater event I attended would be pretty nigh perfect.

Member Joined: 09 Oct 2005 Posts: 76 Location: Denver

The perfect clays event?

What about making it hunting oriented. How about a good mix of reasonable targets, gun down like the old days, field guns and followed by good food? Food is important. Oh yeah, within a two hour drive of Denver.