An epiphany in skeet...

SDC · July 17, 2001, 08:11 AM

Last weekend, I decided to give skeet a try (again), this time with a rifle-sighted 870 pump, which was the only firearm of any type that I have that I hadn't fired yet. I'm still not sure what happened, but I was hitting them left and right, singles and doubles, like there was no tomorrow. I guess the computer just needed to see what it looked like to swing through the target, pull the trigger, and see the bird come apart. Up until last weekend, I would've been better off tossing a box of shells in the fire than wasting them on a skeet field, but for some reason, it started to come together for me. I realize that a rifle-sighted slug gun isn't the ideal skeet gun, but I'm hoping that this can carry over onto an 1100. Has anyone else experienced this sort of "AHA!"?

Dave McC · July 17, 2001, 08:43 AM

Glad to see your post,SDC. And thanks.

The learning curve has humps and valleys, it sounds like you've started shooting "In the gun". Bet it feels like a body part now, right?

In my recent past(6 months), trapshooting has become a new passion. Starting out hitting maybe 13-15/25, I got stuck at around 19 for a month or two. This is while shooting a case of hulls a week. SO, I bore down, reviewed the fundamentals and ground out the targets to get through it. I ran three 25s in the last two weeks, shooting 100 rounds a week. My average is ballparked at 23point something.Not too shabby for an old fat guy facing cataract surgery next month(G)....

And no, a rifle sighted 870 is not an ideal skeet gun. But, if you're hitting them wittle clay frisbees, a whitetail should present no insurmountable problem. Or, defending your family effectively should be easier....

AdrenalineJunky · July 17, 2001, 01:55 PM

For me, It was kind of the other way around. I have been shooting skeet and hunting pheasant/duck for little over ten years, and absolutely love it. I never saw any real reason for shooting handguns or rifles until last fall, when I met a guy who didn't see any reason for shooting skeet. We both had the proverbial "aha!" and I have since purchased a 9mm, 45 and, last Sunday, a ruger PC9. I can't wait to get it.

Rottweiler · July 17, 2001, 08:49 PM

One of the guys I shoot skeet with would LOVE to hear about this...He's the guy who shows up with different old beat up old gun from some long gone era each week and shoots a 25

and just smiles and says it's not the pricetag on the gun or the name on the sideplate that breaks clay to the guys shooting high dollar Ljutics,Kreighoffs ect while they turn in 18's. You know, I think a couple of those guy's heads were going to explodethe first time he did it to them. Keep up the good scores

Kingcreek · July 17, 2001, 10:56 PM

My situation last week was opposite. (new to skeet this year)I've been cheerfully shooting 20/25 or better pretty consistantly and last week just fell apart and couldn't hit squat. I should have stopped after the first 16/25 and gone home but I kept shooting, missing, and getting frustrated. Hope it is behind me this Thursday night or I'll be home early. Don't know what was wrong but my fear is that I'm just reinforcing the fault.

Dave McC · July 18, 2001, 08:19 AM

Rott, on occasion I'm known to take Frankenstein down to Pintail Point and shoot some Sporting or 5 stand next to some Yuppie with a Perazzi,etc. and make some shots he doesn't. I also remark someplace along the line that it cost about $140 to build. A gentle little mind**** from the working class(G)...

Kingcreek, work on the fundamentals and your concentration. When I slump a bit, it's one, the other, or both.You CAN work this out...

One shotgun Satori I had was when Frankenstein was still "New', I took it on a Quail hunt. When I found out it was a fasthandling and pointing Quail deathray,as well as a decent Turkey gun, there was an AHA experience.In two weekends, it took a Brant, some Quail, one refugee Hun, a Lesser Canada goose,and back to back Mallards.

PJR · July 18, 2001, 08:24 AM

Kingcreek:

Everyone slumps from time to time. Getting frustrated is only you defeating yourself. Been there done that. For trap, shoot one target at a time, don't think in groups of 5 or 25 or 100. One at a time. Most targets missed in trap are shot over, concentrate on smooth instead of fast. Don't overthink the targets. You are a natural computer, blessed with hand to eye coordination, lock your eyes on that bird and let your mind do the rest. I like to look down when I'm not shooting. An instructor told me that I should clear my mind when others were shooting and concentrate on the next bird and nothing else

If skeet is the game and you are missing then you are most likely missing behind. Extend your leads, decide to miss in front. Once you know you are missing in front start gently decreasing your leads. Before you know it, dead bird.

The lion share of the target games is mental. Put your mind in the right place and your body will follow. Sounds like New Age hooey I agree but it does seem to work.

July 17, 2001, 08:11 AM	#1
SDC Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2001 Location: People's Republic of Kanada Posts: 1,652	An epiphany in skeet... Last weekend, I decided to give skeet a try (again), this time with a rifle-sighted 870 pump, which was the only firearm of any type that I have that I hadn't fired yet. I'm still not sure what happened, but I was hitting them left and right, singles and doubles, like there was no tomorrow. I guess the computer just needed to see what it looked like to swing through the target, pull the trigger, and see the bird come apart. Up until last weekend, I would've been better off tossing a box of shells in the fire than wasting them on a skeet field, but for some reason, it started to come together for me. I realize that a rifle-sighted slug gun isn't the ideal skeet gun, but I'm hoping that this can carry over onto an 1100. Has anyone else experienced this sort of "AHA!"?

July 18, 2001, 08:24 AM	#7
PJR Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2000 Posts: 1,127	Slumps and bumps along the way Kingcreek: Everyone slumps from time to time. Getting frustrated is only you defeating yourself. Been there done that. For trap, shoot one target at a time, don't think in groups of 5 or 25 or 100. One at a time. Most targets missed in trap are shot over, concentrate on smooth instead of fast. Don't overthink the targets. You are a natural computer, blessed with hand to eye coordination, lock your eyes on that bird and let your mind do the rest. I like to look down when I'm not shooting. An instructor told me that I should clear my mind when others were shooting and concentrate on the next bird and nothing else If skeet is the game and you are missing then you are most likely missing behind. Extend your leads, decide to miss in front. Once you know you are missing in front start gently decreasing your leads. Before you know it, dead bird. The lion share of the target games is mental. Put your mind in the right place and your body will follow. Sounds like New Age hooey I agree but it does seem to work.

July 17, 2001, 08:43 AM	#2
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Glad to see your post,SDC. And thanks. The learning curve has humps and valleys, it sounds like you've started shooting "In the gun". Bet it feels like a body part now, right? In my recent past(6 months), trapshooting has become a new passion. Starting out hitting maybe 13-15/25, I got stuck at around 19 for a month or two. This is while shooting a case of hulls a week. SO, I bore down, reviewed the fundamentals and ground out the targets to get through it. I ran three 25s in the last two weeks, shooting 100 rounds a week. My average is ballparked at 23point something.Not too shabby for an old fat guy facing cataract surgery next month(G).... And no, a rifle sighted 870 is not an ideal skeet gun. But, if you're hitting them wittle clay frisbees, a whitetail should present no insurmountable problem. Or, defending your family effectively should be easier....

July 17, 2001, 01:55 PM	#3
AdrenalineJunky Member Join Date: July 16, 2001 Location: Ukiah, CA Posts: 47	For me, It was kind of the other way around. I have been shooting skeet and hunting pheasant/duck for little over ten years, and absolutely love it. I never saw any real reason for shooting handguns or rifles until last fall, when I met a guy who didn't see any reason for shooting skeet. We both had the proverbial "aha!" and I have since purchased a 9mm, 45 and, last Sunday, a ruger PC9. I can't wait to get it.

July 17, 2001, 08:49 PM	#4
Rottweiler Senior Member Join Date: January 30, 2001 Location: Texas Hill Country Posts: 391	One of the guys I shoot skeet with would LOVE to hear about this...He's the guy who shows up with different old beat up old gun from some long gone era each week and shoots a 25 and just smiles and says it's not the pricetag on the gun or the name on the sideplate that breaks clay to the guys shooting high dollar Ljutics,Kreighoffs ect while they turn in 18's. You know, I think a couple of those guy's heads were going to explodethe first time he did it to them. Keep up the good scores

July 17, 2001, 10:56 PM	#5
Kingcreek Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: rural Illinois Posts: 590	My situation last week was opposite. (new to skeet this year)I've been cheerfully shooting 20/25 or better pretty consistantly and last week just fell apart and couldn't hit squat. I should have stopped after the first 16/25 and gone home but I kept shooting, missing, and getting frustrated. Hope it is behind me this Thursday night or I'll be home early. Don't know what was wrong but my fear is that I'm just reinforcing the fault.

July 18, 2001, 08:19 AM	#6
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Rott, on occasion I'm known to take Frankenstein down to Pintail Point and shoot some Sporting or 5 stand next to some Yuppie with a Perazzi,etc. and make some shots he doesn't. I also remark someplace along the line that it cost about $140 to build. A gentle little mind**** from the working class(G)... Kingcreek, work on the fundamentals and your concentration. When I slump a bit, it's one, the other, or both.You CAN work this out... One shotgun Satori I had was when Frankenstein was still "New', I took it on a Quail hunt. When I found out it was a fasthandling and pointing Quail deathray,as well as a decent Turkey gun, there was an AHA experience.In two weekends, it took a Brant, some Quail, one refugee Hun, a Lesser Canada goose,and back to back Mallards.