I ask because over the past 5 seasons I have seen quite a change in equipment, shells, ear and eye protection. What was once just a simple recreational league littered with foam orange ear plugs and Remington 870’s is now a vast land of cutting edge products and custom firearms. The “one size fits all” mentality is dead with today’s athletes bringing a completely new era of shotguns and safety equipment. I noticed this trend starting a few years ago but now a days it seems like every time I turn around someone is showing me something new in the shooting sports world.
The shotgun trend is by far the most noticeable especially in experienced athletes. I am seeing more and more high-end guns with custom stocks then ever before. For those with slightly more practicable taste there has been a rise in semi automatic shotguns. Parents and athletes are finding out that while a little more expensive, they are getting a firearm that can be used for both clay target shooting and hunting. The final trend I am seeing in firearms is the decrease in pump-action shotguns, and specifically 20 gauge pump-action shotguns. These were a popular “starter” gun for a while but people are quickly learning that its worth the money to purchase a shotgun that fits and won’t rock your world with recoil.
What trends are you noticing on your team? Email me at advisor@usaclaytargetcoach.com