I don't see lead..do you?

[chippy]

@chippy.

Looks like our shooting styles are very different and we see [or do not see] very different things when shooting. Fascinating.

I shoot most targets with little gun movement almost an ambush style so I tend to see very big gaps. In fact most of my shooting mates reckon  they half the lead I say I see, 

 

[Will Hewland]

I shot Fitasc at Southdown today. Reminded me how some very long targets need a real gap! AW13, do you ever shoot long targets, or are you doing smaller shoots with more skeety stuff?

 

[AW13]

A mixture I'd say, typical sporting in the main, I have shot at Southdown quite a lot until a year or so ago, I must get back there. The most distant crossers I think are inside 40 yards.

As an example -  as you walk down the path at Southdown and shoot some of the stands on the left they have presentation crossing along the top of the bank above you, I can usually hit most of those but never all of them. I also hit most of the crossers running along the other side of the path across that pasture/valley. Again not all.

I am probably a very average shot at best .  I did do the Benelli semi-auto shoot there a couple of years ago and if I recall I was in the 80's for my first proper competition.  I think that was a 120 bird shoot if I recall. Not really a semi-auto shooter but the 3 clay presentations were a challenge.

 

[schmokinn]

Neither can a lot of those who actually shoot that amount  and more  it’s a sort of crack cocaine for those who don’t do drugs ! 

On the other hand some of the guys  including U.K. and World Championsc who are like  precision machines on clays and game , are spending six figure sums a year , so don’t ever berate yourself if you never pull off those “ You Tube “ performances .  A few weeks ago after a lesson on high driven , as no one was about I had a pop at a shot I’d seen on YouTube . 55 yards out , 60 yards high off the tower , 34gm of Turbo Nutter #5 , I missed 5 out of 5 : at the  time the instructor said  “it’s a whole other lesson to even get near one .. “ and I’ve been shooting for 40 years . 

.

Don't know if you have shot the tower challenge at Sporting targets but there are some huge targets there!

 

[MartynB]

Don't know if you have shot the tower challenge at Sporting targets but there are some huge targets there!

No , I haven’t ,  it was the big Tower  at Park Lodge  it’s a stunning bit of kit . As I live  in’t grim lands ‘oop t’North my normal circuit of professional grounds  is Coniston , Kelbrook , Park Lodge , Thimbleby , generally shooting midweek as I’m a  “non productive individual “ and can avoid weekends . I must admit I should make a week of it and visit a few of the  cracking places you have down in the “ shandy drinkers belt “.... 

 

[schmokinn]

No , I haven’t ,  it was the big Tower  at Park Lodge  it’s a stunning bit of kit . As I live  in’t grim lands ‘oop t’North my normal circuit of professional grounds  is Coniston , Kelbrook , Park Lodge , Thimbleby , generally shooting midweek as I’m a  “non productive individual “ and can avoid weekends . I must admit I should make a week of it and visit a few of the  cracking places you have down in the “ shandy drinkers belt “.... 

Oi...less of the shandy drinkers,ive earned my wings! South east asia is the place for strong beer standard lager all 1% stronger than their UK marketed versions at 6% stout 9-11%!

 

[Richard59]

Might make every other week, don't think I can afford 52 shoots a year!

52, > once a week on average me, Id get serious withdrawl symptoms

 

[Monstrum]

I shot Fitasc at Southdown today. Reminded me how some very long targets need a real gap! AW13, do you ever shoot long targets, or are you doing smaller shoots with more skeety stuff?

I've been shooting for just over a year, started with the swing through method and that worked well when I first started, but I always saw the lead as swung past the clay.  As I improved,  I realised the swing through method didn't work for me for all presentations (particularly long crossers), so I started using maintained lead.  Initially was rubbish at it,  but now can easily see large lead.  I only shoot local sporting clubs, never tried a cpsa shoot yet, what kind of long targets can I expect and Will, you mention very long targets needing a real gap, but what kind of distance and lead were they , just trying to figure if I could deal with them yet?

 

[Will Hewland]

I've been shooting for just over a year, started with the swing through method and that worked well when I first started, but I always saw the lead as swung past the clay.  As I improved,  I realised the swing through method didn't work for me for all presentations (particularly long crossers), so I started using maintained lead.  Initially was rubbish at it,  but now can easily see large lead.  I only shoot local sporting clubs, never tried a cpsa shoot yet, what kind of long targets can I expect and Will, you mention very long targets needing a real gap, but what kind of distance and lead were they , just trying to figure if I could deal with them yet?

I feel that swing through is a very basic concept, well meant, but is ultimately not the answer. True maintained lead is a big change and also has its problems because you never relate to the clay. Some do it well but it’s not the obvious solution. Personally I recommend pulling away with some matched speed. Most targets don’t need a big gap, but I have shot extreme examples that need 20 feet lead. 

 

[Johnny batoo]

for what it worth, I have been shooting for about 4 months now and mainly cpsa shoots as that is what my mates shoot as the are a mixture of AAA  and AA   shooters.

In the short time i have been shooting i have gone from shooting 36 on my first shoot to now be at a level where i am mid 70's.  I put this down to shooting with better shots and also one thing i have been told constantly is to work my shots out before i enter the stand,  specifically focusing on the kill point and having a picture in my head where my gun barrels are in relation to where the clay is.   I also learned to minimise by gun movements by taking up good feet positions and hold points,  Lessons are great for correcting bad habits and ensuring good gun fit..... but for me shooting with better shooters has advanced me to where i am today.  

 

[El Spavo]

How often do you shoot?

 

[Johnny batoo]

How often do you shoot?

El Spavo  I shoot every weekend , but not competition every week. The weekends I am not out with the boys competing I am up the club working on what I got wrong the weekend before. Gun mount is something I have really worked hard on, grooving my own style and making it as smooth as I can.  I dry mount before calling for bird and then I just drop the butt from my shoulder socket enough to see over the gun and move to hold point. When I watch my mates there mounts and gun swings are always economical and never rushed, I'am told that eventually it will all become second nature. Like all sports the elite players seem.to have all the time in the world and never look like getting it wrong!!!!!!!