Do I need a new gun?

[jwpzx9r]

Hi

I have just joined the forum so hello! I have just started out shooting ABT at a local club here in France. I am currently using my Beretta silver pigeon III game gun choked 3/4 and full. Its a great wee gun but I do want to improve my score and maybe next year enter some competetitions which will get me more shooting as we only meet to shoot once every two weeks, I will also get a chance to see some more shooters and study the different techniques used. Anyway my question is how important is it that I get a dedicated trap gun? I am willing to make the investment if it is a top priority to get a new gun. My berretta is in top nick so I should be able to trade up to a Beretta 682/692. It might sound a bit smarmy but I don't want to hold back my chances of getting better scores if a change of equipment will offer a better starting point to begin with if you get my drift. I have also been told to try to get coaching, which I may do, the problem here of course is language. There are a couple of good shots at the club who are regular 23-25 scorers they are very good and do offer advice but its not possible to have coaching sessions, so if for example a hard right target which I find difficult is missed I get the advice but I cannot get another similar target to try with the adivce fresh in my mind until it presents it's self again, of course I miss again and the same routine enshews and the head goes down a bit.

 

[ips]

Morning

Short answer is Yes, if you are serious about trap then you absolutely need a trap gun. As you are used to beretta and obviously happy with them then I suggest you get yourself a good 682 the original are brilliant the current 682 Gold E is good the original 682 Gold is the best of the bunch if you can find one. Or even a 686 trap are perfectly good gun as long as the grip is right for you as the trigger is none adjustable for pull. Or get the new 692 and invite a few of us to france to road test it

You WILL get better scores with a dedicated trap gun as the POI is different to a game gun for a start and the comb is higher giving a better field of vision therefore better target aquisition which is the absolute primary consideration for all trap IMO in other words you must see the target as a whole and not a blurr before moving therefore there is a lot to get right in order for it all to come together, the first thing is the gun.

 

[ips]

example a hard right target which I find difficult is missed I get the advice but I cannot get another similar target to try with the adivce fresh in my mind until it presents it's self again, of course I miss again and the same routine enshews and the head goes down a bit.

This is difficult to answer without seing you shoot but the first thing that springs to mind is that your stance is too square on and you are running out of swing on right handers. As a rule of thumb foot position on peg 3 should be (for right handers) left foot at 1 o'clock rear / right foot between 2 and 3 o'clock and about shoulder width apart. Or look at it this way stand comfortably and naturally and from every peg you are on set up so you are pointing straight towards the furthest point you expect to take the right hander you will find that you should naturally end up with a comfortable foot position as above and will be about right on every peg as sometimes depending on the mats etc it is difficult to find the correct 1 o;clock position.

Other cause could be too high a gun hold causing the right hander to slip out under your barrel and panic will ensue

 

[jwpzx9r]

Hi ips

Thanks for the tips. I suspected that a dedicated trap gun might be a priority, I think I will look into this. I am not going to shoot game anymore so I could trade my current gun for a trap gun. I don't know how much I would get for the silver pigeon but it may get me half of what I would need for a new gun? Its funny you should mention target aquisition because I found, quite by accident I was looking down the rib for the target! I now find I look out over the trap house for the target and then after seeing the clay instictively move the gun to the clay and shoot just as bring the bead under the clay, at least I think thats what I do :crazy:  . The upshot of using this method of spoting the clay was lot more targets hit! I am about to start looking into foot positioning, gun holds and focus points etc. but I don't really get enough practice! It is all going to take a bit of time, I am alos going to find some other traps shoots nearby so I can get more shooting, I think if I could get shooting every week then I would enjoy the sport more. There is a lot to think about as I see it anyway when shooting ABT and shooting once a fortnight I don't think is enough to really improve scores and thus sense of achievment.

 

[ips]

Your welcome

Remember the following

foot position

gun hold either on or just above the trap house lid (initially)

soft focus above and or around the barells (need to experiment which works for you)

do not look at the bead when you call for the target

look for the leading edge of the target this will help you to lock onto it

do not move untill you are locked on as above

commit to the shot do not give lead or track it in anyway, see it as a whole and shoot it

good luck

 

[jwpzx9r]

Hi ips

"As you are used to beretta and obviously happy with them then I suggest you get yourself a good 682 the original are brilliant"

I notice that Avalon guns have a model s682 on their list which they say is in very good condition £695.. worth a punt? I could afford a new gun maybe a 692 but am unsure if its a good move, you don't get an extra points for having a new gun after all :biggrin:

 

[ips]

if its good nick and tight then good price yeah

 

[Hotshot100]

This is difficult to answer without seing you shoot but the first thing that springs to mind is that your stance is too square on and you are running out of swing on right handers. As a rule of thumb foot position on peg 3 should be (for right handers) left foot at 1 o'clock rear / right foot between 2 and 3 o'clock and about shoulder width apart. Or look at it this way stand comfortably and naturally and from every peg you are on set up so you are pointing straight towards the furthest point you expect to take the right hander you will find that you should naturally end up with a comfortable foot position as above and will be about right on every peg as sometimes depending on the mats etc it is difficult to find the correct 1 o;clock position.

Other cause could be too high a gun hold causing the right hander to slip out under your barrel and panic will ensue

Exactly the problem that I had intil I had a lesson on Wednesday which sorted my stance out.

 

[ips]

Good too hear that your lesson was worthwhile. If you are struggling with a specific target at trap IMO it will almost certainly be a stance issue.