Who here shoots in NSCA or NSSA competitions? What type of chokes are you running and for what ranges of targets.

Setup:

My son is having trouble with up close birds after switching to Light Mod chokes, his coach tells him to get used to shooting close targets like rabbits like a rifle and just go straight at them. We're talking birds within 20 or so yards which might be 1 or a few over the course of a competition. He has skeet and IC chokes to swap out but in a course of a competition swapping chokes all the time isn't recommended by his coach. I was always taught just to go straight at the bird and not worry about swapping chokes but he's struggling on those targets.

What I'm curious about is using something like a spreader choke (-5) for those super close targets? Seems to me that would be better for that application than say Skeet? Curious to hear other's experiences

Some rambling from a new NSCA Master class shooter.  

I practice with Full and Full then open up to Mod and Mod for registered targets. I almost never change a choke during a shoot.

He’ll break more targets in the short term with open chokes, he’ll break more in the long term by using tighter chokes and learning to shoot those targets better.

I watch shooters struggle to hit 80 with the same Skeet/Skeet or IC/IC that they’ve been shooting for years.  IMO you have to keep pushing your comfort zone, if you like IC shoot Mods, if you feel comfortable with Mods shoot I Mods.  Get to where you can comfortably shoot Fulls at any target.  

Yes I miss targets with my Full chokes, the difference is I usually know where and probably why.

He’ll hit more targets the more targets he hits.  He has to build the bird bank/data base/subconscious.  It takes time. Only hits add to the bird bank, misses don’t teach you anything.  When you miss a target you need to make a change, fix it, DO NOT do the same thing again and expect a different result.

In addition to experience, clay targets are are also a confidence game.  Tighter chokes + more experience = harder breaks = more confidence = more breaks = you get it.  It takes time though, you can’t just screw in Full chokes and instantly be inkballing targets.

IMHO, YMMV, no refunds, no targets were harmed in the making of this post.

This pretty much other shooters I've asked this question of for the exception most recommend light Mod's for just about everything. Spreaders/IC or Skeet for, skeet. Interesting point about "bird bank," that makes a lot of sense. Once you learn the lead on a particular kind of bird it's much easier to break it regardless of the field. I don't know what range you're shooting targets but most we've seen are in the 50-75-ish yard range with the occasional up close bird/rabbit.

I absolutely agree with you, I think many give too much attention to chokes.

Light Mod is the do it all for a lot of people, nothing wrong with that.

I think you must mean 50-75 feet, 50-75 yards are serious big boy targets.  Most ranges don’t throw many if any that long.  Light Mods should be fine.

He could open up for a close rabbit but also keep in mind rabbits are very thick, tough, hard to break and you can put 5 or 6 pellets through one and not break it.  Pattern density breaks rabbits = back to the Light Mods.

Nope, I mean yards and these were big boy targets. Shot NSCA GA State this past weekend. Most targets were 25yrs and out, many waaaay up high.

The Master shooters I talked with, (one of the Clay’s Lab guy) and Kevin DeMichael they said the course was challenging. Check Scorechaser, the scores will tell the tale.

I expect the SCTP Nationals to be easier targets than NSCA state. My son shot a 54/100 and 44/100 at state, normally he’s in the mid 70’s.

LM LM for 90%  good for 20 to 50 yards. Like other state not to many targets less then 20 yards but I do carry a skeet for rare short shots .

I would expect big targets at GA state shoot, sounds like fun.

I know it’s a trek but you should do it next year, I will even though I’ll get smoked.

Assume rabbit? Seems the applicable use?

How’s the bbq in Georgia?

I'm a bit biased but we have the best of both worlds, Texas and Carolina styles. To have a BBQ restaurant here you have to be better than average to survive.

Sounds like a nice claycation.  Maybe next year or the one after.