Any skeet/trap shooters on here?

[97'Scort]

I just started shooting skeet and trap about a month ago, and really enjoy it. Up until this point, I've just been borrowing a gun since I don't have a shotgun of my own.

My uncle, however, has two guns that he never uses, and he offered them to me for as long as I like. Both are semi-auto, and the older one (40 years old or so) is a right hand breach, while the newer one (20 years or so) is a left hand breach.

I shoot right, but the older gun can't take a lot of abuse and requires some work. The left hand gun is almost like new and is much more reliable.

Have any right handed shooters here shot a left hand gun? I'm a little cautious about having the shell eject in front of my face, but I have never fired one to be sure. I imagine the stock is different too, right?

Any help would be great!

[s dime]

I would like to get into the sport. What are the approximate costs, ie: gun club membership, rounds, shotgun, clays...

[97'Scort]

Hey! I'm going to assume you've actually tried it before? If not, call up a local club and see if you can go try it out. Most will let people borrow a gun and try it out.

First, get your PAL so you can acually buy a gun. A 12 gauge is probably the most economical to buy and the most useful. Canadiangunnutz.com is a good place to find used ones. You need something that can hold at least two shells: over/under, side by side, or semi-auto. They start around $300 for an older SXS and go up to however much you want! $600 should get you in to a nice semi auto like a Remington 1100.

Club membership varies...last club I was at was $25/year and the one I'm at now is $100. Some are up to $500 or more. You generally pay per round, which is generally $4-$5, and that includes the clays.

Shells are expensive these days: a flat (250 rounds) of the Federals runs around $90. You use 25 rounds per game for most games, so that's about $9/box.

[canadian_hustla]

I have done it once. There is a really nice place in De Winton.

[CMW403]

Originally posted by 97'Scort
Hey! I'm going to assume you've actually tried it before? If not, call up a local club and see if you can go try it out. Most will let people borrow a gun and try it out.

First, get your PAL so you can acually buy a gun. A 12 gauge is probably the most economical to buy and the most useful. Canadiangunnutz.com is a good place to find used ones. You need something that can hold at least two shells: over/under, side by side, or semi-auto. They start around $300 for an older SXS and go up to however much you want! $600 should get you in to a nice semi auto like a Remington 1100.

Club membership varies...last club I was at was $25/year and the one I'm at now is $100. Some are up to $500 or more. You generally pay per round, which is generally $4-$5, and that includes the clays.

Shells are expensive these days: a flat (250 rounds) of the Federals runs around $90. You use 25 rounds per game for most games, so that's about $9/box.

yeah i love shooting skeets, its exhilarating. My grandfather got my cousins and i into the sport when we were 8 so iv been enjoying it for a number of years.

stop buying ammo at whatever club you belong to and go to canadian tire. a box of 100 is $30 and last time i was at the cochrane location they had flats for $200 so my cousins and i stocked up.

personally iv never been to a club, we've got a thrower at my grandfathers and one at my cousins. but i suspect anything at the club you belong to will be jacked up in price, so buy your shit before you go up there.

[97'Scort]

I used to buy the target loads from Canuck Tire but the powder is so freaking dirty that it took me twice as long to clean the gun after 100 or so rounds. I just found that for a couple extra bucks the other ammo is much cleaner.

I really want to buy a nice reloader, but I don't have the cash right now to get one.

[s dime]

I have my PAL, and have tried shooting clays before. Thanks for the tips, where do you shoot scort?

[Mikespecr1]

the carstairs club has the best sporting clays around and as far as a gun just sell the ones your got and and get rid of the semi and go buy an remmington 870 they make a great starter gun and the pump is nice too.

[legendboy]

I don't go to any of the clubs, but shoot clays quite often with my friends out at homestead gun range or out at blackrock, mclean creek, waiprous, hunters valley...etc

Always when we are camping too.

I like to shoot with my single shots, either 20g or .410. Pretty challenging with the .410 (and expensive :banghead: )

I will shoot clays with my 12g sxs but only with target loads. Hurts too much after a box or 2 of clays with regular shells lol

My one bud always shoots with his 20g 870 express, and he burns twice as much ammo as i do :D

[97'Scort]

Originally posted by s dime
I have my PAL, and have tried shooting clays before. Thanks for the tips, where do you shoot scort?

The Victoria Fish and Game Association club.

[CMW403]

Originally posted by 97'Scort
I used to buy the target loads from Canuck Tire but the powder is so freaking dirty that it took me twice as long to clean the gun after 100 or so rounds. I just found that for a couple extra bucks the other ammo is much cleaner.

I really want to buy a nice reloader, but I don't have the cash right now to get one.

you clean your gun after every 100 rounds?? holy shit you must spend just as much time cleaning as you do shooting!

I dont find the canadian tire powder to be any dirtier than say Federal, even if it is, cleaning a gun isn't really a burden i find it enjoyable. i usually do a full cleaning after 250-300 rounds and with the amount of shooting i do, canadian tire ammo saves me $100-$150 a month.

[97'Scort]

I only get out about every two weeks, since practice right now is Monday afternoons. I usually get about four rounds in, and I clean the gun when I get home :)

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Where's a good place to get a PAL/take the CFSC?

[redline]

If you are doing any amount of shooting, get everything you need to reload your own F@#k buying ammo, what a waste of $$.

I have loaded thousands of shells on a very simple loader that my dad bought in the 60s. Dont need to spend alot to save major$$$

then buy yourself a nice over/under and your set.:thumbsup:

[JfuckinC]

I love skeet shooting, do it with my friends all the time. I need to get my PAL i'm just soooooo busy.

[Hounddog]

Originally posted by BerserkerCatSplat
Where's a good place to get a PAL/take the CFSC?


I took mine at the Firearm Center (Dianne and Stuart) simply because they offered weekday classes. They offer weekend classes as well.

What was nice about the Firearm Center was the small class size - I think 6 was the max, where some of the other places I researched had class sizes of 30. It was very nice to have a small class size - it certainly benefits if you have a ton of questions or simply need clarification etc. where a larger class may not always allow that opportunity.

Also, I only intended to get my non-restricted, but we finished early and we, as a class decided to get our restricted as well. It was only a few $$$ more because you are only challenging the exam and not receiving class instruction .

If you have a few friends that are interested in obtaining their PAL too, get 'em together and you can all take the class together. I brought 2 friends with me.

I'm sure there are other great places to get your PAL, but this place left a positive impression with me.

Edit - I probably should clarify here - You don't get your PAL/RPAL at the completion of this course - only your Canadian Firearms Safety Course Certificate. With the successful completion of this course you then apply for your PAL. Sorry.

[legendboy]

I did my r&nr at itta

[Mitsu3000gt]

I went clay shooting for the first time ever this weekend, and it was probably one of the funnest things I've ever done - so fun, in fact, that I would like to get my PAL and buy my own gun. It seems like its a very cheap activity compared to how much fun it is. I hit my first 5 shots in a row, and ended up hitting about 3/4 of the clays throughout the day :D.

I've done a little research, and I definitely cannot afford the $2000+ guns I was renting. I shot with both an auto-loader and over/under and liked them both the same for shooting, however the low maintenance requirements of the over/under guns seemed ideal. The problem is that I don't see too many over/under guns for under $1000. Can anyone recommend a good starting gun for under $1000? I was looking at a Remington 11-87 autoloader but I don't really know much about guns, and would prefer an over/under. Thanks!

[97'Scort]

You can pick up a wide assortment of good guns from canadiangunnutz.com. I got my 1100 for $500 shipped. You can get some basic O/U's for under a grand, but you'll definitely find some semi-autos.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by 97'Scort
You can pick up a wide assortment of good guns from canadiangunnutz.com. I got my 1100 for $500 shipped. You can get some basic O/U's for under a grand, but you'll definitely find some semi-autos.

Thanks. I was checking out those forums and a lot of people on there seem to think the Beretta 391 is pretty much the best semi-auto available. I might try looking for a used one of those, or maybe even buy new from the states if the price is right. I can't see the for sale section there though, I probably have to be a member for a certain amount of time. First things first though...I need to get my PAL :).

[97'Scort]

I don't know what the deal is with time frame, but the FS section is called "Equipment Exchange." Also, while Berettas are probably some of the best guns available, they also hold their value extremely well. You won't see much of a price drop on a used one unless it's got some damage. Remingtons, Mossbergs, Savage, and the like come down a bit more over time.

[TKRIS]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt
I might try looking for a used one of those, or maybe even buy new from the states if the price is right.

IMS, exporting a shotgun from the US is a gigantic pain in the ass.
The US has weird shotty laws.
I haven't price shopped for guns in awhile, but I've never found any price differences large enough to justify importing one.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by TKRIS


IMS, exporting a shotgun from the US is a gigantic pain in the ass.
The US has weird shotty laws.
I haven't price shopped for guns in awhile, but I've never found any price differences large enough to justify importing one.

Good to know, thanks.

Already I have learned by browsing other forums that some smaller town shops seem to be able to get you much better pricing than places like Wholesale Sports. Are there any places locally that are the general go-to gun shops?

[legendboy]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt


Good to know, thanks.

Already I have learned by browsing other forums that some smaller town shops seem to be able to get you much better pricing than places like Wholesale Sports. Are there any places locally that are the general go-to gun shops?

u think? most of the small shops in alberta get their stock from wss. I have found small shop prices usually higher...

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by legendboy


u think? most of the small shops in alberta get their stock from wss. I have found small shop prices usually higher...

I haven't looked around too much but it appears the Beretta 391 is $1,570 at WSS and $1,199 at a store in Lloyd, AB. If I could get one of those for close to $1000, I wouldn't bother looking for a used one.

Any other shops you'd recommend?

[legendboy]

u can try frontier firearms, bashaw sports, p&d in edmonton

i bought an SR-22 from wolverine supplies, was cheaper then wss

[legendboy]

any of you guys avid gopher hunters? :D

[TKRIS]

I didn't make it out last year, but I'm hoping to go more this year.
I'd like to get a new gopher gun this year. My .22's are fun, but boring, and I'm not going to shoot my .30-06 all day. I need a .22-250 or a .223 or something to bridge the gap.

[legendboy]

22-250 and .223 are too expensive for plinking

if you can hunt down some cci quickshocks for your .22, they are pretty entertaining to shoot gophers with

u could always go with a .17hmr too, lots o fun

[TKRIS]

Originally posted by legendboy
22-250 and .223 are too expensive for plinking

Not when you have a progressive reloader...


Originally posted by legendboy
if you can hunt down some cci quickshocks for your .22, they are pretty entertaining to shoot gophers with

u could always go with a .17hmr too, lots o fun

.17hmr isn't versatile enough. I'd like something I can take for coyotes in the winter.

[Hamann]

Originally posted by legendboy
any of you guys avid gopher hunters? :D

I have been for years, great way to spend a day :thumbsup:

I need a new place to go shoot them though :( my old spot got new tenants over the winter who are Hardcore vegans. That was quite the suprise, went to go talk to the old farmer who used to live there and to my suprise 2 hippies answered the door, you'd think the world was ending the way they reacted when I brought up the previous tenants were fine with me shooting the gophers.

So if anyone knows any good spots or just wants some company shoot me a PM ;)

New plan is to spend a day driving from farm to farm seeing if I can find another hot spot

[Mitsu3000gt]

Have any of you guys ever dealt with Prophet River Firearms? They are a sponsor on Canadiangunnutz.com and at least on what I am looking at, seem to have ridiculously cheap pricing, nearly $600 less than WSS. I'm just wondering if perhaps there is something I don't understand which might explain the price discrepancy. The guns are listed as brand new in box with all accessories.

PS: I read the entire 2008 PDF reading material for the CFSC. Has it changed much for 2010, and/or is it worth taking a course still? Or do most people just study the materials on their own and go write the test?

Thanks.

[legendboy]

i would ask on cgn

[Mitsu3000gt]

If anyone's interested, here is a link to as many free online PAL/RPAL tests as you want, you just need to make an account:

http://firearms-safety-course.com/moodle/course/view.php?id=4

Gunexams.com is the other place, but it's $14/exam or something ridiculous like that, and I've heard their questions aren't as close to what you will actually see on your exams.

I've written probably 50+ practice exams and find them to be very helpful. I booked myself in to be tested for restricted and non-restricted on May 15th at The Shooting Edge after a day course.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Great link, M3kgt!

[Mitsu3000gt]

So I took all the tests today for PAL/RPAL. I honestly think it was the easiest test I've ever written in my life. If you have even a shred of common sense and know the basic operations of the different gun actions you are good to go. I got 100% on both the written and practical with very minimal effort. The practice questions were much harder than the test questions, so if you study those you will be good to go. It takes well under 10 min to answer the 100 questions, which are mostly the same on both tests.

[Tomaz]

BUMP!

I am looking to buy my first shotty for trap shooting. I was wondering what some folks suggest to purchase for a beginner. I am hoping to keep my costs down to about $600 or less.

I Was looking at Benelli Nova/Supernova, various models of the Remmington 870,

Have you guys shot these before? What did you guys think? any other suggestions?

Thanks guys!

[redline]

Originally posted by TKRIS


Not when you have a progressive reloader...



.17hmr isn't versatile enough. I'd like something I can take for coyotes in the winter.

try a

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.17_Remington

i have one of these and it could be your ticket, i have used it for both things you talked about