Clay shooting is a very popular sport all over the United States. Some practice it before they go hunting just to warm up a little, while others simply use clay pigeon throwers as a way of having fun and boosting their accuracy and overall shooting skills. Having one of these can be very useful if you are into any of these sports because it will help you focus on your shooting rather than the setup.
Short history
The use of clay pigeon throwers started during the 1700s and it became extremely popular in the UK and the US during the 1800s.
The difficulty of having live pigeons ready all the time required people to move on to using clay targets. These were invented by George Ligowsky back in 1880, although Fred Kimble was the one that took the idea and perfects it, made it into what it actually is today. The target that Kimble made was better since it had pitch, coal tar, and other ingredients designed to make it durable, yet at the same time, this was light enough to be shot in the air and broken properly upon impact.
Now that the target was invented, the challenge was finding something to get it flying in order to shoot it. Initially, people focused on building a thrower for glass targets, where a person had to stay behind the shooter and pull a string.
Similar technology was used for creating an automatic trap machine, although things have evolved since then. Nowadays you can find fully-fledged clay pigeon throwers online and championships related to clay shooting abound.
Why should you use a clay pigeon thrower?
One of the major advantages that come from using one of these machines is efficiency. You get to shoot multiple targets within a short span of time without needing the assistance of another person. By complementing your shooting sessions with one of these you will really gain an advantage in terms of skill development and of course, enjoy more of the shooting and less of the setup.
A clay pigeon thrower can help you push your abilities to new heights as some of them can throw the targets as fast as 80mph, so having one by your side is surely an easy and fun way to improve your shooting skills.
Should you go for a hand thrower or a mechanized thrower?
A mechanized clay pigeon thrower is definitely the way to go because you get to focus more on the shooting aspect. A mechanized or automatic unit like this will ensure that most of your time is dedicated to improving your skills and enjoying your shooting session.
What kind of pigeon thrower should I buy?
When it comes to building, I personally recommend buying traps made in the US, given that servicing and warranty issues will be easier to address.
You will find fully automatic traps that can hold as many as 50 clay targets and throw them as far as 55 yards with recycling times that can be around the 2-second mark, making it the best option if you really want to get the most out of each shooting session.
Some of the best clay pigeon throwers will offer the ability to add multiple extension cords to help you create more diverse shooting scenarios to further increase the intensity and challenge of each practice.
It is important to look for units that are made of light materials that are durable as this will make it easier to transport and use them. Some of the best clay pigeon throwers are made of aluminum which is a very light yet strong material that will withstand heavy use throughout years of shooting.
Another feature that you should look for in an automatic clay pigeon thrower is the presence of ground spikes as part of the overall design of the unit, given that this will help the unit hold steady and reduce the vibration generated every time clay is launched into the air. Not having this feature can severely affect the performance of the unit and make for a quite annoying shooting session.
If you want more portability and versatility, you can find many clay throwers that will operate and run on a 12V battery.
You can always up to your game a little and go for extra accessories and features such as remote control for your thrower, faster cycle times, and so on, it is just a matter of what kind of use you are planning for the unit as well as your personal goals and budget.