The Shotgunner's Dream Target Launcher: Caldwell ClayCopter Surface-to-Air
By Kenzie Fitzpatrick
If you’re a shotgunner and haven’t seen all the new ClayCopter items from Caldwell, you’re living under a rock or majorly missing out. The hand-held thrower that came out last year was revolutionary to me. It’s such a small yet powerful device that lets you throw singles or pairs of targets, and the only setup it requires is inserting a battery. The only downside is that it’s next to impossible to “throw” for yourself. The speed at which the targets launch is so fast that by the time they’re out of the thrower and you pick up your shotgun, they’re 75+ yards away. New for this year is a more affordable version of the hand-held called the Rip-Launcher. It activates via a pull cord, so there’s no need to charge or keep spare batteries. Now, while those two items are exciting and fun, the real reason I’m excited is for the launch of the Surface-to-Air device this May.
The ClayCopter Surface-to-Air is the most advanced launcher on the market, with the ability to pair and sync with other Surface-to-Air devices and to be easily controlled via your cell phone. This launcher is portable and you can purchase the organized packing case for easy toting or the pro kit that comes with the case. It uses the same small Caldwell 12 Volt Li-Ion battery pack as the hand-held thrower, which recharges via a USB-C cable. It also launches the same 90mm and 110mm spinning prop targets as the original hand-held device. Let’s dive into the details of how powerful this new device is.
Hands Free Launching!
The major benefit of the new Surface-to-Air is that you can run this device solo and get the best shotgun practice in. Caldwell ships this device with a remote that can be worn on the wrist or threaded through a bib or M-LOK slots (works with my Genesis Arms 3 Gun model shotgun). The remote allows you to push a button for a single throw or to throw a pair. You can also use the Caldwell Clays app to control the Surface-to-Air and unlock its full potential. Using the app, you can set up a voice command to throw targets by saying the word “launch” out loud. You can set the device to throw based on fixed settings for left/right, up/down, and speed, or set it to random and let the device choose the next target launch path. With both fixed and random settings, you can still set “limits” for each setting so you are not launching targets too far up/down, left/right, or far away. With these two hands-free options, it’s the same as going to a shotgun range and launching clays via a foot/hand pedal or by speaking into a microphone.
Complete Control
The Surface-to-Air allows you complete control over how you want it to throw ClayCopter targets. On the back of the device, two knobs allow you to set the speed and angle of the targets. Once you set these to your desired settings, you can use the remote to activate a single target or two. If you press each knob, you can set the Surface-to-Air to randomize the speed, oscillation, and wobble of the targets. The remote will still allow you to activate singles or pairs, but now the device will randomize the target path. While the Surface-to-Air is powerful with the setting choices on the device itself, the full power once again lies within the app. The app allows you to set a launch delay, so if you are by yourself, you can use it to give yourself more time to prep before a target launches. There’s also a report pair option in the app, where the second target launches after it hears your first shot. The final setting is flurry, which allows you to set the device up to throw 3-50 targets back-to-back. You can customize this setting to launch 3-50 single targets or 3-50 pairs.
The other unique setting powered by the Caldwell Clays app is the “touch-to-launch” setting. When you activate this setting, you can manually tap any spot on your phone screen, and that will be the direction the target launches. The coolest aspect of this setting is the ability to upload an image of your shooting space (your backyard, your range, the field you’re shooting in, etc.), so you can launch targets exactly where you want them to go based on your environment. You can also activate grid lines to make it easier to designate where you want the target to launch. I think the touch to launch mode is most fun with friends and family as it kind of feels like playing a live video game.
Glow in the Dark Shooting
The Surface-to-Air has a regular power on mode and a UV power mode. Caldwell has designed a new ClayCopter UFO glowing target in 110mm that can be launched from the new device. With the power setting switched to the UV mode, the device acts as a UV light source to charge the targets so they glow in the dark when launched. Now you can be the talk of the town and host a shotgun night shoot with UFO targets.
Two Target Sizes
Caldwell designed the spinning prop targets in two sizes: 90mm and 110mm. These targets are made from biodegradable, non-toxic materials, and fly extremely fast. If you launch these on an extra windy day, they will fly even faster. The max distance these will launch is 75 yards, but in the right windy conditions, I’ve seen them spin out to about 100 yards. The ClayCopter targets ship in a 200 pack so you can stock up on either size in bulk. Caldwell is also releasing some new stealth drone targets in a grey color as well as XV targets that are lighter and fly even faster.
Final Thoughts
Caldwell has given me two of the most fun range days I’ve ever experienced thanks to their hand held and Surface-to-Air device. If you’re looking for a fun time on the range with friends and family, this device is the tool for the job. If you’re looking to upgrade your shotgun training, this will also help you do just that. I am excited for more fun on the range with my friends as we always make some sort of challenge or game to see who can eliminate the most targets from the sky.
