7 Tips for Sporting Clays

When it comes to clays, MEC Shooting Sports really knows what they’re talking about! So, what better way to help our shooters get prepared for the upcoming MEC Rocky Mountain Classic at Longmeadow Clays Club on August 2nd – 5th 2018, than by offering some helpful clay shooting tips! These 7 tips for sporting clays will give shooters some quick and easy advice on how to get the most out of their time on the course. Whether you are a greenhorn, a veteran sharp shooter, or somewhere in between, these tips can help you develop your skills and get the most out of your shooting experience. This advice comes straight from the MEC experts themselves, and if you would like to read the full article on helpful clay shooting tips, head on over to their website!

  1. Safety First

    As with anything involving firearms, safety come first! While on any course or range, appropriate hearing and eye protection must be worn AT ALL TIMES. Your gun should remain unloaded until you are ready to fire, but as most shooters know, all firearms should always be treated as if it were loaded. When out on the course, make sure that you gun is unloaded before crossing difficult terrain like a ditch, creek, or tall vegetation. The muzzle of your gun should always be pointed downward towards the ground until you are ready to fire, and remember, never point a gun at anything your not ready to shoot!

  2. Find the right gun fit

    If you want to have any hope of hitting your targets, you need to make sure that you are using a gun that fits your size and stature. Finding the right gun will drastically help your aim, and will help you actually hit what you are look at. To preform a test to determine if your gun is the right fit for you, begin by setting up a target board at 16 yards. Then, mount and fire several shots by pointing at the target without aiming. After this test, if you find the that highest density point is off center, you are going to want to look into having your gun fitted.

  3. Practice mounts with an unloaded gun

    As the saying goes, practice makes perfect! Even the best shots in the world have spent countless hours practicing and honing their skills. Making 10 practice mounts/swings part of your daily routine will help to drastically improve your shots. Practicing in front of a mirror is a good way to make sure that your are mounting the gun from the same position on your face every time, as you want to avoid mounting it to your shoulder. Try to focus on creating a smooth swing and follow through, and remember to keep your feet narrow while practicing.

  4. Don’t stop moving the barrel until you pull the trigger

    When it comes to shooting clays, making sure that you have a consistent follow through is of the utmost importance. The best way to do this is to keep your barrel moving until you actually pull the trigger. Try to keep your dominant eye on the target and follow with the barrel of the gun.

  5. Analyze misses and adjust

    Everyone has an off day every once in a while, but if you do find yourself going through a missing streak, don’t hesitate to take a break and adjust. Take a few minutes to get readjusted and double check that your posture is correct. After that, you will want to look at your lead and increase or decrease as needed.

  6. Use low recoil targets

    As we mentioned before, practice makes perfect. A great wat to improve your marksmanship is to use low recoil load for target practice, and it will also help save your shoulder for those competition shoots! It becomes much easier to focus on your target when you don’t have to deal with the stock constantly slamming into your shoulder. This will also help you get higher velocity shots, as low recoil rounds contain less shot. On top of all this, low recoil shells are also cheaper, and they will break apart clays the same as a normal round.

  7. Proper stance and form are a must

    As your marksmanship progresses, you will want to get in the habit of pointing your gun instead of aiming. In order to do this correctly, your body must be in the right position. Stand with your front leg slightly bent while keeping your your back leg straight. Bend a little at the waist, and slightly lean forward into your gun. Make sure to hold the butt of the gun tightly against your shoulder between your arm and collarbone, and check that the elbow of your shooting arm is parallel with the ground. Place your cheek firmly against the top of the stock so you’re sight plane is level with the rib of the gun and bead at the end of the barrel.

Want to learn more awesome shooting tips? Continue reading the full article HERE, at the MEC Website!

We hope you enjoyed these 7 tips for sporting clays, but do you really want to put them to the test? Sign up for the upcoming MEC Rocky Mountain Classic at Longmeadow Clays Club August 2nd – 5th 2018! This is a NSCA Future Big Blast Event with plenty of option for sub gauge shooters. So come join us for four full days of clays on the beautiful high plains of Colorado!Longmeadow Clays Club - MEC Rocky Mountain Classic Save the Date Flyer - 7 Tips for Sporting Clays