Spring time dust off !

[salop sniper]

Well I enjoy all forms of shooting (Target and Game/pest with: Shotgun, rifle and air rifle).

I typically shoot clays threw the summer and then come october move to game untill 1st of feb and return to the clays again in april/may.

So thinking ahead I am mid HFT season which is air rifle competion shooting and I am trying to forward plan for the spring.

Does anyone else have a down time where they dont do clays for a bit and then return ? If so do you have a process for getting back into the swing of things for the clays?

I am thinking of first heading out on the Skeet to refressh on some leed etc.

What does anyone recomend ?

ATB

Matt

 

[Nimbusgb]

Not me, clays all year round. I stumble if i take 2 weeks off!

 

[Bebo]

I get twitchy on a Saturday and Sunday morning if I'm not out clay shooting.  Seems really odd to be doing anything else.  We skipped Saturday because it was so windy and I ended up getting all of my Christmas shopping done (online) and all of my Christmas cards written as a result.  It was horrible.

 

[EdSolomons]

I take a break from clays over the winter, only shooting if asked to or for special occasions. I know a lot of people do and I think it can be quite beneficial.

 

[Sian]

I don't take time out at all.  I would go stark raving mad if I didn't have that to look forward to. 

 

[ips]

for 28 years I shot all year regardless but from Oct 14 I took decision not to shoot reg comp through winter however I still shoot ot practice most Saturdays. Now of course I am into beating with my cocker so Oct to Feb I hope to do alternate weeks. These days I see no real point or indeed enjoyment from traveling two hours fifteen each way on sun to shoot a reg comp. But of course I have been doing it a long time so these days I am very selective even in season.

 

[salop sniper]

I am still getting trigger time as it were threw the winter with the air rifles and the game shooting which I belive does help with things like breathing trigger control and distance estimation for when trying to understand clays in the air etc. It also helps a financial recovery, as much as I would like to add up my income doesnt allow all year round clay shooting.

The airgun is £7 a day / comp and my game shooting i pay every may which is £300 for the year.

So it looks like Ed so far is the onlyone who eases off over the winter. So Ed, what do you do when getting back out there and finding your form again ?

ATB

Matt 

 

[Darkside]

I've just had a 6 week break, didn't miss much with the way the weather was!!! Shot a 50 birder yesterday, was very rusty...dropped a driven from a simo driven pair first stand, 3/8 second stand on bread and butter stuff, never touched the b bird!!! 7/8...8/8...7/8...5/8 for a poor 39/50. 

Had a cup of tea, shot a round of OSK (properly) with on of the team members, 19/25...that was ok. Shot the compact to death...75 shell. Had another cup of tea, out and shot sporting practice, straight to the stand I couldn't hit the b bird on...set the delay and following a-b pair, smoked it...kept shooting the same pair, 19 pairs before I missed one!?!? By the time I was finished I'd shot another 150 practice...but I was shooting well!!!

 

[Jan Powell]

Does anyone else have a down time where they dont do clays for a bit and then return ? If so do you have a process for getting back into the swing of things for the clays?

Yep, no clay shooting through the winter unless the weather's conducive.

I shoot prone target rifle from the end of October through to the beginning of March. Training for clay starts in March ready for the first major event in May. It's not that you lose the fundamentals but I find I need a few hundred targets to sharpen up.

 

[westley]

Yep, no clay shooting through the winter unless the weather's conducive.

I shoot prone target rifle from the end of October through to the beginning of March. Training for clay starts in March ready for the first major event in May. It's not that you lose the fundamentals but I find I need a few hundred targets to sharpen up.

I think if I was lying prone between October and March, I might well lose MY fundamentals !        :bye:

 

[Jeremy Baker]

I take a massive break. 

May shoot 500 targets total, mainly Fitasc all winter.

Game days and fun days too.

Back to full on focus in March. 

 

[EdSolomons]

If I was looking to start getting competitive again I'd start by working on timing, maybe a mix of a round or two of trap just to get back into killing targets and steadier sporting/sportrap layouts focussing more on getting the methodology right rather than worrying too much about breaking the targets. Then moving on to shooting for a score and fine tuning technique.

 

[Ian Lawrence]

For the last few years I have only shot occasionally throughout the year, totalling maybe less than 500 shots per year. I prefer better weather, but my restrictions are now health related, so I take my chances when I can.

I am still at the top of my game despite this and find shooting like riding a bike. I have always been happy with my performances on clays or game, and always enjoy the day.

I am, however, realistic about my own abilities, and I refuse to think myself a legend in my own mind!  :wink:

 

[Will Hewland]

If I was looking to start getting competitive again I'd start by working on timing, maybe a mix of a round or two of trap just to get back into killing targets and steadier sporting/sportrap layouts focussing more on getting the methodology right rather than worrying too much about breaking the targets. Then moving on to shooting for a score and fine tuning technique.  

Sage advice. Regaining that subtle timing is so important I find. Also, the comfortable confidence that comes with having broken a few clays very recently is important. (Which is why I don't like to do a gruelling pool shoot as a warm up).  I shot poorly last Sunday just because I hadn't shot for 8 days and didn't feel in the groove. No target tripped me up badly, but 1 or 2 away on almost every stand. Conversely, my best shoot of the year was at Owls Lodge Prem league, which I did just after another shoot in the morning, which hadn't gone well but dialled me in. I'm sure different people have their own ways to dial in.