Miss Conundrum!

[AW13]

Shooting DTL I had an odd experience today. 

Every clay I broke I hit with the first shot. 

Every clay I missed I missed with both barrels?

Any suggestions on whether it is a mount consistency problem or something else?

 

[40UP]

You shot in front, then stopped the gun for the second shot.

 

[Bramble]

And there was I hoping for a lovely pic' of Miss Conundrum....... :spiteful:

 

[HDAV]

Depending on which ones you missed and how many that could be a good thing

 

[Paul120]

Could be a number of reasons as above but check for head lifting on those you missed. Or as I have been suffering with lately, using your arms to move the gun not your body.

 

[BoB1]

Whenever I miss both shots, its due to head-lifting (my coach tells me this). Once you lift your head, you will miss your first shot, and unless you get back down on the comb, you have no chance on the second shot. When you miss both shots, do you feel like you are right "on it"?

(But thats just for me, there are lots of ways to miss!)

 

[AW13]

Bob1 - I think you might be right?  After the first miss I think I am automatically trying to aim and then, of course, miss.

I will be shoot 100 DTL hopefully on Thursday so I will try and make a specific note of what I am doing when I miss.

The other odd thing is quite often with the first barrel hit I wonder how I did it as I was completely unaware of where the gun was pointing, and the trigger seems to pull it's self without me being aware of it.

 

[ips]

Re last paragraph that's the sub conscious taking over. Misses from my experience are when one tries to hard not to miss. There is a huge difference between shooting to hit and shooting not to miss. One is a confident committed shot one is a negative hope i don't miss shot. This is of course assuming technique and gun fit are correct.

 

[Les53]

Bob1 - I think you might be right?  After the first miss I think I am automatically trying to aim and then, of course, miss.

I will be shoot 100 DTL hopefully on Thursday so I will try and make a specific note of what I am doing when I miss.

The other odd thing is quite often with the first barrel hit I wonder how I did it as I was completely unaware of where the gun was pointing, and the trigger seems to pull it's self without me being aware of it.

Its because you are letting your subconscious do the work, all seems to happen on auto pilot. Its great when it goes like that, but the moment your conscious mind gets involved, then the trouble starts!

 

[BoB1]

Bob1 - I think you might be right?  After the first miss I think I am automatically trying to aim and then, of course, miss.

I will be shoot 100 DTL hopefully on Thursday so I will try and make a specific note of what I am doing when I miss.

The other odd thing is quite often with the first barrel hit I wonder how I did it as I was completely unaware of where the gun was pointing, and the trigger seems to pull it's self without me being aware of it.

When I lift my head, I feel like I am right on the target, with my eyes. But I sometimes notice, after taking the shots, my cheek is no longer touching the stock, so I've lifted my head. It then doesnt matter where my eyes are, as Ive become detached from the stock. When your cheek is on the stock properly and gun is perfectly mounted, you will shoot where your eyes are looking, no aiming needed.

Maybe get someone to watch you shoot, someone experienced. Instead of trying to keep track of it yourself. As the others say, (and as you allude to yourself), dtl and other trap works best when you are letting your subconscious do the work. If you are thinking about too much, you'll have less focus on the clays and then miss.

 

[ips]

Funny how stock contact is considered to be mandatory, it doesn't seem to bother many trick shooters shooting from the hip etc. Or many top shooters who don't seem to mind there face being detached. I think sometimes lifting head is more about leaving the gun behind rather than the relatively small effect on poi

Just an observation.

 

[Dog Tyred]

A good example of face being detached from stock is Dr Rachel Parish who won Bronze in the Double Trap in Glasgow. Watch the video on the Iplayer. At no point does her head actually go down to the stock. Her face just sort of 'floats' close to it. Most odd ...but obviously effective for her.

DT

Edit: Forget the Iplayer. It's not on there? However the images below shows the difference between Dr Parish and Charlotte K with regard to head position on the stock.

 

[ips]

Yes and the Indian ot shooter who's name eludes me but was in the last world cup final (40up will know) as DT puts it cheek is floating but it worked extremely well. Have also noticed other shooters through the years use same to good effect. Just goes to show there aint no right or wrong as long as it works.

 

[Dog Tyred]

True dat!

 

[AW13]

so....there is no defined 'right' way and you can have a personal stance if it works for you.

in summary - whatever works for you stick with it and develop [that word again] consistancy!

I will try and not think about aiming on Thursday and try and make a not of any obvious mistakes.   

 

[ips]

Exactly, there are certain well documented methods with do and donts but watch any trap comp and you will see many styles some of which should not work but suprisingly many maverick styles work remarkably well. But and its a big but these quirky styles are only acceptable if it works.

 

[ips]

Ps

my advice for trap is always to think of nothing but seing the front edge of the target, no good having a pretty text book style if your mind is on anything but seing the target correctly, trust me if your technique is sound and if you see the target correctly the shot will take care of itself.

 

[AW13]

when you say front edge do you mean the edge furthest away from you, the leading edge?

I have been focusing on the centre of the clay.

 

[jwpzx9r]

when you say front edge do you mean the edge furthest away from you, the leading edge?

I have been focusing on the centre of the clay.

An interesting point! I think if you are trying to see the front edge of something 100mm in diameter and 25mm thick which is starting out hidden and then when you do see it is a minimum of 16m in front travelling at ~ 90kph? You will do well to actually achieve that but if you try you will be seeing the target well and that is the best you can hope for. I have excellent long vision but I am happy to use this method to see the target well but actually the front edge sorry not me... could be why I am not that great one thing about this approach you are always going to be in front of the target if you can really master it. JMO