Got back on the trap field for the first time in over a year

[kilopaparomeo]

And man...do I suck.

My wife is right...I pretty much go to work, come home, run the kids around to activities, work some more at home and sleep.  Very rarely get to see any friends...so she's been bugging me to get out and do things.

Last couple of weeks I've been going on Monday night to the range.  There's several local guys who shoot trap then stop by a local bar for a pulled pork sandwich or a reuben and a beer.  

I used to shoot an ancient 1100 but found this Beretta at a pawn shop of all places (this was my dream shotgun and I couldn't believe I found this there at about 50% of retail.  Owner said it was being sold by a buddy of his that sells one of his guns each year and gives the proceeds to their church for mission work)

http://www.berettausa.com/assets/item/gunregular/687-Silver-Pigeon-II.jpg



I've shot this gun before and it seems to be the hammer of Thor...couldn't miss.  But the first time out...13-15-17.  Pathetic.  I used to be a 21-23 shooter years ago but have never shot a clean 25.  

I had just put a fiber optic big dot bead on the front of this and suspected that I was maybe shooting under the birds..  Put a gel pad cheek rest on the buttstock and went out again this Monday.  22-24-22.  Was that practice or was I right...don't know.  Haven't had a chance to pattern it yet.

Anyway...just nice to be out shooting with people again.  Typical guy behavior...lots of ribbing each other when we miss...or even when we hit.

[jaybet]

I'm hoping to get out trappin' again next month. This past winter I went down in the snow and tore up my right shoulder. I have left it to see what heals and what doesn't, mostly because I can't afford to have my right arm immobilized. I will eventually see a friend who is an orthopedic guy to get it assesed.
I've been shooting pistol passably since then as long as I don't try to shoot fully extended for too long. I fired a 22 Henry without much pain, and actually fired the 45 acp High Point, but that has a spring loaded buttstock. I'm hoping that my Baikal tank of an over-under won't bust the shoulder up when I try it, but hopefully I can get out and do some rounds. I suck, even though I could probably blame it on the canoe oar of a gun I use, but it's nice to have a real purpose to fire 25 times and have moving targets.

We'll see how it goes.

[kilopaparomeo]

That stinks about the shoulder.  It would make me very sad to have an injury that cut down my shooting.

As much as I love shooting rifle and pistol, there is an enormous pleasure in breaking those pesky clay targets.  It seems so easy but is clearly not.  I took my 13-year old son and a friend out shooting on Sunday afternoon.  The friend is a Call of Duty fiend and wanted to shoot the guns from the video game.  My son wanted to shoot some clays...the friend groaned and didn't really want to do it...but tried.  He missed the first 6 then connected.  And proceeded to hit the next 5 straight and then was hitting 50-75% of the straight-aways from that point forward.

So...after shooting a lot of handguns, a Garand, AR15, SCAR, what did he talk about all the way home?  Hitting the clay pigeons.

[alfsauve]

My wife is right...I pretty much go to work, come home, run the kids around to activities, work some more at home and sleep.  Very rarely get to see any friends...so she's been bugging me to get out and do things.

Anyway...just nice to be out shooting with people again.  Typical guy behavior...lots of ribbing each other when we miss...or even when we hit.

First, sounds like you've got a really smart wife.   A real keeper.  It is important to have some "me" time. 

Hang in there.  The kids will be grown and out before you know it.   I'm not "suffering" from empty nest at all.  Too many other things I've undone and things I wanted to do.   We're just starting to enjoy our time. 

Good deal on shooting trap.   I've racked up exactly one round of skeet and no trap in my life.   Would like to do more.   Soon!  When I retire.

The only problem with shooting clays is you can't scan the target and brag.   

[DonWorsham]

Spring Trap League starts on the 31st. Heading out after work today for a practice session. The range put in a Sporting Clays course over the winter. Hope to do some of that this year also.

[Sponsor]

[kmitch200]

I've shot this gun before and it seems to be the hammer of Thor...couldn't miss.  But the first time out...13-15-17.  Pathetic.  I used to be a 21-23 shooter years ago but have never shot a clean 25.  
<snip>
Haven't had a chance to pattern it yet.

Nice find on the Beretta. Sounds like the wife was even a better find!   

Get thee to the pattern board!!
I hope your range has a grease covered steel pattern board. They are so much easier to work with. Beats the heck out of changing paper or cardboard. You have to know where the gun is shooting and how much of the pattern is above/below, right/left of your aim point, especially when adding the cheekpad to it.

I just had an adjustable comb put on my Browning 625 Sporting. Absolutely the BEST $250 I have spent on gun work.
My eye is dead center over the rib now without having to cant the gun or move my head to get there. Which I didn't know I was doing until I saw the stock guy.

I used to be a 21-23 shooter years ago but have never shot a clean 25.

 

If you can hit 22, 23, you can hit 25. (It helps to leave your brain in the truck.) It's like golf, "the only shot that matters is this one." Plus "marry your eyes to the target". 
Those 2 thoughts helped me get 97/100 in singles, 90/100 doubles, 92/100 handicap in the last trap tourney.
By far my best of the 3 I have been in.

I have burned up a lot of shells in the last year since I retired. If I had gotten the stock work done FIRST and applied more mental game to it, I could have saved a boatload of wasted money in ammo. Not that it wasn't fun, but it wasn't the practice I needed.

Good luck and keep us posted - there isn't enough shotgun talk on this board!
 
 

[kilopaparomeo]

Nice find on the Beretta.

Yup...perfect wood/metal, extremely tight, lots of lockup left in the lever, plus the previous owner had it backbored and ported to boot.  When the shop owner told me the guy was only asking $1100 for it, I walked ranto the ATM to get the cash.

Sounds like the wife was even a better find!

I am legally obligated to agree

Get thee to the pattern board!!

I wish they did...sadly I need to make my own.  It's great advice to pattern it...versus guessing which is what I did after the first time to the range with the gun 2 weeks ago.  I think my intuition was right that I was shooting low with the addition of the monster fiber optic out front and the cheekpad has raised the pattern.  That said, I have NO IDEA where the shot pattern is biased.  

I just had an adjustable comb put on my Browning 625 Sporting. Absolutely the BEST $250 I have spent on gun work.

That's awesome.  Where did you get the work done?  Any suggestions on how to find a good stock guy?  

If you can hit 22, 23, you can hit 25. (It helps to leave your brain in the truck.)

I really need to spend some time with a coach.  I think the mental part of it is my biggest problem.  I overthink or get excited when I've run a string and then I end up blowing it.  The 24 I shot last Monday was classic...I could feel the adrenaline start to flow as I ran the first 17 shots clean.  #18 got me...it was a slight quartering shot from station 2.  Of course I easily hit the 3 hard rights from station 5 no problem.    When the shot just "flows" I connect...when I think about it I miss.

[Conagher 45]

Planning to go to the gun club this coming sunday. I haven't shot any trap since last november and I am looking to bust some clays now that the weather is nicer.

[1Buckshot]

I shot trap years ago. I really enjoyed it but our club closed it doors and the next closes one was 65 miles away so I gave it up. A few years back I started shooting sporting clays. Wow now that is one fun sport. We have a great range about 15 miles form hear now. Its a bit spendy for 100 birds. but it a blast.

[kmitch200]

I am legally obligated to agree

I'm not touching that one. 

Where did you get the work done?  Any suggestions on how to find a good stock guy?

I had mine done by Aaron Nelson that hauls a trailer around to the ranges. Unfortunately, he's off to Texas and I need another shotgun worked on. He is part of the 'Country Gentleman' guys. You can search some of the shotgun groups and get a feel for the different gunsmiths out there.
Check with guys at your range and see if a name comes up a couple of times. One shotgun that fits is worth more than 10 that don't.
 

I think the mental part of it is my biggest problem.  I overthink or get excited when I've run a string and then I end up blowing it.  
When the shot just "flows" I connect...when I think about it I miss.

Don't forget you're shooting a new gun and haven't been on the range for a long time. 

I did a lot of mental game stuff when I was in competitive bowling (local tourneys, nationals) - tranfers well to golf and shooting. 

There is only one shot that counts - this one. It's not part of a string, or the one you need for a personal best or a win, it's just this one shot.

It isn't easy but think of butterflies as your body preparing you to make a good shot.
Don't fight it, USE IT. (The more exposure you get to it, the easier it becomes.)
The adrenaline is going to flow, it happens to everyone, so welcome it as a positive rather than a negative. Congrats, it means your alive.

And leave the brain in the truck....everybody misses when they think too much!