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Old September 19, 2001, 02:28 PM   #1
Dave McC
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Join Date: October 13, 1999
Location: Columbia, Md, USA
Posts: 8,811
Back in the saddle again!!...

Well folks, the surgeon had told me to give my eye at least two weeks before shooting a shotgun again. That was up at about 9:30 AM this morning, so at noon I was on the line at AGC, grinning like a possum eating hot, uh, roadkill.

Being an incurable tinkerer,I'd filled the downtime with reloading, practicing my mount, and subjecting my perfectly good 870 TB to some small mods and changes.

These include adding a weight to the end of the mag tube and balancing it with some under the pad.
The total was about 11 oz, so this TB now runs very close to 9 lbs. Balance is similiar to previous. I can handle the weight in a premounted game,and the little kick I felt is now practically non existent.

So, the guys at AGC were glad to seem me, and not just because I help set up. I took my place on the first line kinda hesitantly. Besides the equipment mods, I'd also changed my shooting to two eyed, and had picked a higher hold point because of that. Nothing like changing a good set of habits and equipment all at once, huh?

So, the first bird appeared and I smoked it. Quietly laughing, I went through the course of fire and got 23/25. Not bad, considering all the changes and the layoff.Both of the shots I missed were hard rights, a shot I periodically have to work on. A couple more hard rights busted on the trailing edge, showing me I need a bit more lead on that one.

Shooting every other line and calling a couple for the guys, I kept going, determined to get things back to normal. Next two rounds were back to back 22s, but the last one had all three misses in the first 6 shots,so I knew I was starting to groove in again.

So, it was approaching time for me to return to Daddying, so I went up for my last round. After the usual stretching exercises I do to keep my much misused back supple, I stepped up to Post 5, and waited my turn.

Concentrating fiercely, I ground out all 25. Most of them went into itty bitty pieces, only a coupla chippers in the bunch. Feeling pretty damn good, I made a show of bringing the TB up to my face and kissing it, as the other Geezers made jokes about bionic eyes and asking in jest for the Ph# of my eye doctor.

I left feeling rather good, and still am. It's gonna take some more practice to get me grooved in, but I'm started.

Also, got invited to a dove and pigeon shoot, will let you know how I do.

Have a good'un, and thanks for letting me brag a little...
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Old September 19, 2001, 02:56 PM   #2
C.R.Sam
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Join Date: October 29, 1999
Location: Dewey, AZ
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Jest my foot........who is your eye doctor ?

Tinkerin and loadin are great unto themselves but just a tad below the feel of recoil, the sound of bang, the scent of fresh fired hulls and the feeling of makin the birds look like soot farts. 'Specialy with witnesses.

Welcome back Sir.

Sam
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Old September 19, 2001, 03:06 PM   #3
DorGunR
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Join Date: January 13, 2000
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Dave
Glad you're back to smokin em again.
Take care.
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Old September 19, 2001, 08:20 PM   #4
Guyon
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Dave: Glad to hear you're back in action and that your eyes are healthy. Have fun getting your groove back!

C.R. Sam: Who writes your material? May I have permission to use the phrase "soot farts" in the future? That one got a chuckle.
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Old September 19, 2001, 08:41 PM   #5
Ledbetter
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Join Date: February 23, 2000
Location: California USA
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I'm happy for you

Good results from the procedure and a good day's shooting. Glad to hear about it.

Started two-eyed shootin' myself and got personal best back to back 21/25's last weekend. So there
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Old September 19, 2001, 11:37 PM   #6
C.R.Sam
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Guyon, go for it. Think I got that from John De Long around 1940.

Sam
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Old September 20, 2001, 06:17 AM   #7
Dave McC
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Join Date: October 13, 1999
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Thanks for the support, guys. A coupla things...

First, someone asked about the stretching exercises I do. I'm gonna start a new thread about that, since it may help others not terribly interested in trap.

Next, Sam, a great line. Thanks. And, watching those suckers bust is almost as much fun as folding a Canada into the decoys. IOW, as much fun as I can have fully dressed(G)...

And, I took a big chance making so many changes at once. I'm gratified it paid off, but if a glitch had surfaced, I'd have a lot of deconstruction to do. I do NOT recommend making more than one change at a time. Consider yourself warned....

It still will take hundreds of rounds and a fair amount of perspiration to get it all grooved in. By New Year's, it may have happened.

Led, good work! Considering my 40 years lead, you're catching up fast.

Thanks again...
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