I’ve been shooting skeet for a while now, and I’ve gotten pretty good. I’ve heard some at my club talk about a new sporting clays range that opened in the area, but I don’t know much about the game. Do I need a different shotgun, different ammo, different gear?
Not at all. Whatever shotgun, ammo and gear you’re using for skeet will be just fine for your first time shooting sporting clays. The game takes place over a course, much like golf, with various stations to shoot along the way. You’ll shoot mostly pairs in various combinations at each station, and the targets are thrown at all sorts of distances and angels—it’ll be quite a different challenge than skeet, but the sport is tremendous fun. Absolutely make plans to visit the new range and give it a try—we bet it won’t be your last trip there!
Can I wear regular sunglasses while shooting?
You should always wear glasses that have been safety rated as shatter resistant. Most will have a safety rating of ANSI Z87.1+. If your prescription glasses are shatter resistant, they can be used, but something that wraps around the sides of the eyes offers the best protection.
A friend offered to take me to the range for the first time. She always tells me about the great time she has shooting in matches and the great people she’s met. I’m interested and curious, but I’ve never done anything like this before and I’m also pretty nervous. Is that normal?
You are definitely not alone. To help you understand more about what’s involved with safety and etiquette at the range, NSSF developed the video Introduction to Range Safety and Etiquette to make that first visit, and subsequent visits to the range, less intimidating.
What are the costs involved in going to a range?
Most indoor ranges allow you to rent a shooting lane in 30-minute intervals and fees vary generally anywhere from $5 to $15 per 30 minutes. Outdoor rifle ranges should have similar fees and slightly higher. If you plan on visiting an outdoor range for some fun clay sports, you can expect to pay around $5 for each skeet or trap round of 25 targets, while with casual sporting clays courses of 50 to 100 rounds you can expect to pay somewhere in the range of $25 to $50 depending upon the range. Ranges come in all shapes and sizes, from country casual and community friendly to full-amenity clubs and resorts, so be sure to call and ask a facility about its fees. Ammunition is not included in most range fees, so buy ahead or ask the range what kinds of ammunition it has for sale and prices.
Nothing Found
Sorry, but nothing matched your search terms. Please try again with some different keywords.