subject: Skeet Shooters - What Your Equipment Says About You [print this page] If you are a skeet enthusiast, its almost a given that you have invested in a quality gun but there is an old adage that you may know a man by the care he takes of his tools. The right shooting accessories are often the difference between the amateur and the professional, so its time to invest in the proper gear to protect yourself and your equipment.
For skeet shooting, you will need three critical tools other than your guns: shotgun slips, a quality shooting vest, and a good hat.
Shotgun Slips
Shotgun slips protect your weapon during transportation, and the higher the quality, the better shape your equipment will be in. Shotgun slips generally come in canvas or leather or a combination of the two, and a good one will have several layers of padding, strong seams, and some storage space. You can also invest in a full-on carrying case, but shotgun slips are lighter, easier to carry, and offer excellent protection.
As a general rule of thumb, you will want the most protection you can afford, and most accessories providers are willing to give you a range that fits your budget and needs. Guardian Heritage shooting accessories, for example, offer a wide range of leather and canvas shooting slips with a variety of features to keep your weapon safe and your skeet experience enjoyable. offer excellent versions of both types of shotgun slips.
Shooting Vest
A quality shooting vest not only helps organize your shells, shooting accessories, and protective eye wear; the best ones also help reduce recoil and of course offers protection from flying shards. While most are adjustable, some are more so than others: the Top Gun Medalist Suede Vest, which is the official standard for the Sussex and Shropshire County skeet teams, can be tailored for either a right- or left-handed shooter.
A few features to look out for: pockets where you want them, lots of ways to adjust the fit, durability, and weight some vests with a lot of features can wind up being surprisingly heavy and inhibit your shooting.
Protective Gear
Every skeet shooter needs a hat and a good pair of protective eye wear to ward off falling shards. Both hat and glasses do double duty, as well; its much easier to shoot well when you can see what youre aiming at, and good hats and eye wear will enable you to do both.
Standard truckers hats are pretty common on the skeet range, but if you are a dapper fellow you might look into a tweed cap like the Musto or a hunters cap like the Harkila; both will protect your face and shield your eyes from the sun while giving you a bit of style. Shooting glasses should wrap around to prevent any shards from flying in at odd angles, and if you are concerned about glare, several brands offer different tints to protect from the sun.
With quality gear, both you and your gun will always be prepared to take on the best of them so ensure yours is up to standards.
