Sporting Shoots 2020

[Richard59]

Wills 2018 thread has served us well so hence the new decade new thread. EJC today, bit last minute for me, rocked up just after 10, nr 103 strange day, was gloomy without ever looking like it would rain, big entry meant lots and lots of queueing, had a reasonable start without ever feeling as if I was shooting well, dire middle which was st7,8 & 9 could not hit diddly squat, finished well enough so not a total disaster. Saw a great many friendly faces, though the gloom & long day looked to have taken its toll on many.

Am sure will see many of you again pretty soon 

 

[Jonny English]

Orston for some practise for me today, all going swimmingly until the stock on my dt11 decided to crack around the left cheek from the back of the tang. Balls! 

 

[Sian]

Churchill’s for us too and very gloomy light today.  As Rich said it was busy and it took quite a while.  I started badly and didn’t improve and just got more despondent as time went on.   Three driven targets today absolutely thrilled me NOT.   

 

[Bebo]

Churchills here as well.  Got there about 9.20, started on Stand 7 and absolutely rattled through the first 8 stands with practically no waiting.  Only waits were on 12 and 1, which were the last two stands I shot.

Started fairly well, was 8 targets away after my first 6 stands.  Was expecting the wheels to fall off completely on the sim pair of right to left midi crossers, but I managed a 5 on that.  It was the next one that did for me, wasn't picking up the white targets well and dropped 3 of the low crossers and 2 of the quartering away low loopers.  The driven on my last two stands also did for me, with another 7 away on stands 1 and 12, so finished on an under par 72. Bit pissed of with myself to be honest.

That's it for me for a couple of weeks, went up to Sporting Targets straight after and dropped my gun in to be sent off for a service.  Going to feel very odd not shooting for a while.

 

[chippy]

A rare trip to Churchill's today. Started stand 1 missed two of the first clays straighted stand 2 stand 3 ref said only the third one, stand 4 straight stand 5 straight stand 6 straight. I was thinking could be on for a good score until I think stand 7 orange going up the bank and left to right battue a 5 pair stand never touched the battue and missed one orange 6 away. Missed all the driven on stand 12 so 10 away on two stands finished on 84.

 

[Will Hewland]

A rare trip to Churchill's today. Started stand 1 missed two of the first clays straighted stand 2 stand 3 ref said only the third one, stand 4 straight stand 5 straight stand 6 straight. I was thinking could be on for a good score until I think stand 7 orange going up the bank and left to right battue a 5 pair stand never touched the battue and missed one orange 6 away. Missed all the driven on stand 12 so 10 away on two stands finished on 84.

A big entry there today. I think the later you went the worse the queues. A good course but maybe a few too many quartering targets. I did Ok until I fell apart on stand 9 the sim r-l. This was particularly annoying as I also cocked up on a similar stand at Westfield on Sunday. You’d think I would learn. Finished on 88. 97 was HG for Paul Batchelor which was very good. 

 

[chippy]

A big entry there today. I think the later you went the worse the queues. A good course but maybe a few too many quartering targets. I did Ok until I fell apart on stand 9 the sim r-l. This was particularly annoying as I also cocked up on a similar stand at Westfield on Sunday. You’d think I would learn. Finished on 88. 97 was HG for Paul Batchelor which was very good. 

I shot a 7 on there missed the first midi. Sian shot Infront of us and shot the midi at about 70 yards i was thinking she's got to pull the trigger soon or it will be in the ground, still hit it though.

 

[Sian]

I shot a 7 on there missed the first midi. Sian shot Infront of us and shot the midi at about 70 yards i was thinking she's got to pull the trigger soon or it will be in the ground, still hit it though.

Wasn’t trying to be clever my vision was blurry

 

[Bebo]

I shot a 7 on there missed the first midi. Sian shot Infront of us and shot the midi at about 70 yards i was thinking she's got to pull the trigger soon or it will be in the ground, still hit it though.

I thought they were both midis...

 

[chippy]

I thought they were both midis...

No the lower of the pair was a standard

 

[Bebo]

No the lower of the pair was a standard

I did ask the scorer and he claimed they both were. Clearly not to be trusted. I hit all the midis (took that first) and clipped the back off the last standard just before it hit the bank.

 

[Will Hewland]

Northampton today. Only been twice before and that was years ago, so a new ground for me really. A sell-out with lots of people being turned away by phone and in person! Over 150 entries. Luckily we had booked. 

A good shoot that felt firm to me overall. I felt I definitely hadn’t quite sussed out the scenery and backdrop and reckon it would be an advantage to shoot there regularly. Two bad stands (neither target felt like I should be missing them so often) and finished on 84. 95 was an excellent HG and only four people with scores in the 90s. Can’t believe 84 put me 32nd! Well done to the regulars. I will go back.

 

[chesterse]

Northampton today. Only been twice before and that was years ago, so a new ground for me really. A sell-out with lots of people being turned away by phone and in person! Over 150 entries. Luckily we had booked. 

A good shoot that felt firm to me overall. I felt I definitely hadn’t quite sussed out the scenery and backdrop and reckon it would be an advantage to shoot there regularly. Two bad stands (neither target felt like I should be missing them so often) and finished on 84. 95 was an excellent HG and only four people with scores in the 90s. Can’t believe 84 put me 32nd! Well done to the regulars. I will go back.

In my opinion Northampton is consistently good. They always seem to get the balance right and give some considerable thought to the target setting. I found yesterday’s round a bit more tricky than normal. The squaded format is good too.

 

[Will Hewland]

In my opinion Northampton is consistently good. They always seem to get the balance right and give some considerable thought to the target setting. I found yesterday’s round a bit more tricky than normal. The squaded format is good too.

I messaged them to say it was good. They did say it shot a bit harder than they had intended. 

 

[Will Hewland]

I don’t post routinely about every shoot I do these days but it’s worth mentioning the EJ Churchill Challenge which I did today. Details on their website. It leads up to a final day for qualifiers in each class.

It’s an intense 100 course that feels like you have shot 150 concentration wise, as it’s all from menus. There are 8 stands of 5 pairs from 3 traps plus one stand with 6 traps and 20 clays of singles, O/R and sims. As I say, it involves a lot of concentration and very few of the clays are what you would consider routine card fillers, especially as many are sim pairs.

if you’re in AA / AAA it’s a great test and you will aspire to just about score as high as your sporting average. Lower classes will find it a challenge but hopefully still fun and rewarding. If you started shooting in the last 6 months you might want to give it a miss unless you’re the sort of person who jumped off the high board just after you started swimming. 

I managed 82 and like to think I can hit a few more, partly because I learned a few things and also because I missed breakfast and was starving at the end, almost dizzy. 

Its something different for sure. Booking required of course.

 

[donna]

We do this most years and enjoy it, will certainly give it a go.

 

[Richard59]

Oxfordshire today, theyve changed to shoot from last wednesday to the second friday of month, rocked up around noon to meet some chums, car park (not big mind) was chocker, the new day, good forecast & general rise in numbers combined to bring an entry to somewhat take the ground by surprise. Our squad was upped to 8 in number, and like all we had to hop around the stands to avoid others. I did however have good company, mind when the sun dropped it got chilly but otherwise superb weather all made the somewhat slow day go swimmingly well. 

As for the shooting, had a wobbly start a few triumphs and the kept in check disasters. The l-r loopers, did most damage, a simo pair of which in particular caused me no end of problems, like many a going away rabbit was missed more than hit. 

Did end with a card, that said I was not alone in that all of the squad had a good day on the clay, Chipper was close on 94 only a few away as the HG was 97. 

 

[Markh701]

Owls lodge today in a gusty wind which made the targets interesting. I thought stands 5, 6 and 9 were really good. I am sure high gun will be high 90s but for the rest of us mere mortals a score in the 80s was a good achievement!!

 

[antse7en]

Horne today - 83. It was very, well.... Horne like. Floppy, point at/minimal adjustment type shooting. 

Great to shoot the course with @Will Hewland and @Argün Ismet Pire - definitely learned some things today.