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See so many threads about what the Pro's use,now for my thoughts :)

Why what others use as far as gear-method's, chokes-shells -glasses and tints and on and on.

How does what someone else uses help your shooting? and why so much interest ? If you used the exact same gear all of a sudden would you be able to shoot as well as they do? :unsure: Think not :D
Would you have the same Eyesite/reflexes/same mental discipline/target reading skills and so on?

If only right ;) Our chosen hobby/pastime is about the most individual hobby there is IMO so to finish this off each shooter has to decide how much time/effort/desire to put in what is required to "Get There" No magic is available to achieve the above it's HARD work and you have to have that inner drive to get to where you hope/plan to.

Carry on and shoot well everyone and KEEP IT FUN and you'll always be a winner (y) no matter what the score card shows.
A clay shooter would be wise, imo, to choose a shotgun that will permit them to advance, as their skills increase over time on pad.
Rather than choosing a shotgun that has limits from construction, design, trigger and so on to that advancing.

The shotgun that will be a sail rather than an anchor over Time will likely be used by those already there, Pro or not.
So, while there are reasons to not parrot someone else in every, single, admiring move....dem boys are more than likely using "stuff that works", as Guy Clark sang.

A bird hunter might poach a shotgun based upon another's tradition or choose an imagined tradition from a book but advancing in bird hunting is less involved with such shallow stuff as is clays, comparably.
Choose afield what works for you and then allow Time to really make it your own....especially a shotgun.
Or, dress like a model in a LL Bean catalog.....see how that goes.

However, If you decide to change up scatterguns at birds, then good.....just shows that more is important to you than any perfect gun of the moment.
 
I’d love to hear more about how that works.
Me too. Some people look the part, others play the part. If the shot swarm isn't in the right place the expensive equipment doesn't mean anything. There aren't any silver bullets or magic wands going to enhance performance in sporting clays.
 
Lets see.
Ohlins suspension on a 1000cc road racing bike brought my lap times way down.
Same with sticker tires.
Same on the road racing car.
Shotguns may post some later.

Have fun.
So, getting good equipment made you into possibly a mediocre road racer. It did not make you into a great road racer, unless I'm wrong and you are currently winning world championships. I know a guy that swears he was a Yamaha sponsored dirt bike racer but he kept crashing because Yamaha couldn't make a bike that could keep up with him. I think it's more likely that he couldn't keep up with the equipment or his own thoughts on how good he was.

Bad equipment can hold you back but good equipment won't make you better. Good equipment can help you to make yourself better.
 
I think good equipment helps. But it is frustrating to some when they see old bald guys in funny hats outshooting them. They “feel” there must be a secret.
 
if you ever knew how much good money was spent having a celebrity look over your shoulder telling you what you already knew, but you thought maybe if just maybe if...that celebrity told me, it would make a difference.
 
An expert knows what his equipment should feel like and can adapt. Yes, an expert can shoot a 2x4 with a barrel on it better than me.

But a beginner with crap equipment will take months learning his gear is holding him back. Months of wasted training time. Without the experience, they can't overcome.
Agreed, there needs to be a balance. If someone gets the basics and can shoot well on average, they will learn more with properly fitted/balanced equipment. It's not the magic pill for anyone to get better but if you're struggling because of the equipment, you will get no further.
 
I guess we are all looking for the competitive advantage to add a few more to the score card but ask yourself this. If you could pay your way to fame, would it be worth it? For me it wouldn't. The journey is the fun part.
 
I've been an on-and-off-again trap shooter for years. The gear matters. I recently got back into the game after about 10 years of no target shooting. After 3 different shotguns I ended up with used Citori CX I purchased from a guy I shoot with. Scores went up right away once I learned to float the targets. 60/40 POI helps shooting trap. I think most really good shooters who put the time in can shoot almost anything but average shooters like me can benefit from better gear for games. Field shooting requires the same amount of practice, just using different gear and different targets.

Personally I don't care what George Digweed uses or even his shooting style. Mostly the masters use the gear that they can get from a sponsor for free, once they become champions of the sport.
 
An expert knows what his equipment should feel like and can adapt. Yes, an expert can shoot a 2x4 with a barrel on it better than me.

But a beginner with crap equipment will take months learning his gear is holding him back. Months of wasted training time. Without the experience, they can't overcome.
Agree 100%, some people possess the natural ability to do things better than others. If you give Digweed any gun, he is pretty much going to outshoot everyone. If he doesn't, you can pretty much bank on it being equipment. I see guys go to the range and shoot one round a week and do poorly. You hear them say, I don't know why I do this I'll never be any good. . Really, 1 rd a week, he's defeated before he takes his first shot. I go to the range every time with the attitude I'm breaking every target. I have a camera I'll mount on my gun and when I wake up the next morning I go over all my shots. I concentrate hard on my breaks as to hold pt, lead, break and follow thru. When a miss occurs I understand immediately what I did wrong. Last week on station 8 low house I called pull and never moved the gun, brilliant.
 
I figure the really good shooters paid their dues, not just as champions, but rather as beginners and subsequently moving up the food chain. They figured out what works, what doesn't, and I want to at least know what they have ended up using. It doesn't mean what works for them will make me a champion. I am 3/4 of a century old and discovered clay shooting just 11 years ago. I just want to emulate what works for them even if I only perform at 50% of how they perform. I think 50% is better than 25%.

In fact I was all ready to ask if any of the super stars use recoil devices. I have a custom stock fitted and it works for me. I also had a factory stock outfitted for a RAD. Both fit, both work, but should I have a custom stock fitted for a mechanical recoil device? It is not a matter of one or two more clays but rather will it let me shoot a few more years. What say the experts?

s/f. Steve
 
I agree with the sentiment. You don’t have to spend a fortune on everything the pros have to enjoy the game or be competitive. But having nice things has its benefits. Pilla glasses are an example. I’d rather shoot a cheaper gun and have Pillas than have a super fancy gun and wear el cheapos. They just help you see way better. Thankfully, I don’t have to choose one or the other 😁
 
Jerry great topic.

Now when folks get an opportunity to shoot with Zack, you might ask him how long he shot with his 390 and how well he did with it. Ask him how much work and practice went into getting to where he is today. He was very talented at a young age but without the work and practice he would not be the champion that he is today.

Don
 
Don't forget something. The pro shooters get most of there gear free. I had a distributor for snow ski's that gave me 2 new prs of ski's each new year or new product. Well I guess because I moved enough Olin product, Head came calling and sweetened the deal. Did I like there product better, or heck no, but with head I got more product. That meant less money out of my pocket. My point being, when a rep comes calling and a better deal is offered i guarantee you a switch is coming.
 
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