Warm Fuzzies at the range....

Dave McC · May 21, 2001, 08:15 AM

I'd been working until the wee smalls Saturday Night/Sunday Morning, but two cups of Powersludge and 5 hours of sleep sufficed. So, I headed to AGC for a few rounds of trap. Weather here in Md was moist, and the crowd was a little sparser that usual, with the guys owning the high dollar guns being in large part absent. Most shotguns in the rack were field guns, various trap 870s(We ran an 870 line here once, I took second) and some O/Us. One of those was a Beretta with the Precision Fit "Robostock" owned by an elderly shooter I knew who had some guests there for their first try at trap, and maybe first time at shotgunning. The old shooter greeted me and we talked a bit until the line was over, then set up for our turn.

One guest of this shooter was a young man in his late 20s, at a guess. He set up on Post 4 with my acquaintance coaching. He was using a loaner gas gun, and the stock was a bit long, but workable if he placed his support hand close. Unfortunately, he wasn't using good form, and hit exactly ONE bird out of 25 and seemed less than pleased. I can identify with that.

A little conversation and coaching before his next round had him leaning into the gun, raising his elbow so the butt stayed in place better, cheek firmly on the stock,etc.His coach told me the guy was lefthanded, right eyed, so he was shooting RH.

He, I later found out, hit another 1/25, and was thoroughly disgusted, though acting in good manner.

I shot another couple of rounds, scoring one good and one bad, and was ready to leave when the Robostock guy asked me to coach the young guy through a round. I gathered this coach was out of ideas, and I wasn't pressed for time, so I returned to the line and started working with the man.

He had again shifted his weight to his rear foot and dropped his R elbow. So I corrected that, and we commenced to go for it.

NOTE: All of the 4 other shooters on the line has been asked if this was OK first. Nobody had a problem with it. Many veteran trapshooters do. Ask first....

He was missing them widely,and getting more disinterested.

Imagine being a young man in your prime, and doing miserably at something while those around you, some in obviously poor health and of great age, do much better. I could see the motivation draining out of him, and nothing seemed to help.

So, finally I did what I should have done right at the start, checked his eye dominance instead of going on what I was told. I instructed him to close his left eye. He shot, the bird busted. I slapped him on the back and we grinned at each other.

And so it went, he had been through at least 10 birds before this Satori and missed them all. He hit most of the rest, finishing up with a 12 for the round instead of 1 or 2. And quite a few of the hits shattered the clays, he was centering them.

He walked off the line looking taller and obviously enjoying himself. I returned him to the RoboStock guy and told him that it looked like while the guy was right eye dominant and left handed, he probably wasn't strongly right dominant,with the left eye trying to take over in times of stress, and some further exploration should show whether he should shoot R or L handed.

I got my hand shaken several times, and filled with warm fuzzies, I climbed into the Dodge and let the pony run for home...

Dave R · May 21, 2001, 09:30 AM

Good work. Isn't it amazing how often we fail to check the basics, in all pursuits.

C.R.Sam · May 21, 2001, 10:14 AM

You well deserve to feel warm n fuzzy.

Sam

Ledbetter · May 21, 2001, 01:18 PM

I will tell my warm fuzzy story of last weekend. At the rifle range, a thirteen or so year old boy and his grandpa were shooting 22s. We said hello and I went to shooting my M1A, which the kid was really, really eyeing. I noticed him behind me watching me shoot, so I asked him if he wanted to shoot it. He said, "Let me go ask my grandpa," and ran off. Grandpa and 'son came over and the boy shot three shots with iron sights at 100 yards, and two of them went into the black. Grandpa was real proud and grandson was really smilin'. Everybody was happy.

Happy days to all.

Dave McC · May 22, 2001, 05:18 AM

Thanks, folks.....

Good job, Led. Another High Power shooter in training(G)...

May 21, 2001, 01:18 PM	#4
Ledbetter Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2000 Location: California USA Posts: 4,533	Good job Dave I will tell my warm fuzzy story of last weekend. At the rifle range, a thirteen or so year old boy and his grandpa were shooting 22s. We said hello and I went to shooting my M1A, which the kid was really, really eyeing. I noticed him behind me watching me shoot, so I asked him if he wanted to shoot it. He said, "Let me go ask my grandpa," and ran off. Grandpa and 'son came over and the boy shot three shots with iron sights at 100 yards, and two of them went into the black. Grandpa was real proud and grandson was really smilin'. Everybody was happy. Happy days to all.

May 21, 2001, 08:15 AM	#1
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	I'd been working until the wee smalls Saturday Night/Sunday Morning, but two cups of Powersludge and 5 hours of sleep sufficed. So, I headed to AGC for a few rounds of trap. Weather here in Md was moist, and the crowd was a little sparser that usual, with the guys owning the high dollar guns being in large part absent. Most shotguns in the rack were field guns, various trap 870s(We ran an 870 line here once, I took second) and some O/Us. One of those was a Beretta with the Precision Fit "Robostock" owned by an elderly shooter I knew who had some guests there for their first try at trap, and maybe first time at shotgunning. The old shooter greeted me and we talked a bit until the line was over, then set up for our turn. One guest of this shooter was a young man in his late 20s, at a guess. He set up on Post 4 with my acquaintance coaching. He was using a loaner gas gun, and the stock was a bit long, but workable if he placed his support hand close. Unfortunately, he wasn't using good form, and hit exactly ONE bird out of 25 and seemed less than pleased. I can identify with that. A little conversation and coaching before his next round had him leaning into the gun, raising his elbow so the butt stayed in place better, cheek firmly on the stock,etc.His coach told me the guy was lefthanded, right eyed, so he was shooting RH. He, I later found out, hit another 1/25, and was thoroughly disgusted, though acting in good manner. I shot another couple of rounds, scoring one good and one bad, and was ready to leave when the Robostock guy asked me to coach the young guy through a round. I gathered this coach was out of ideas, and I wasn't pressed for time, so I returned to the line and started working with the man. He had again shifted his weight to his rear foot and dropped his R elbow. So I corrected that, and we commenced to go for it. NOTE: All of the 4 other shooters on the line has been asked if this was OK first. Nobody had a problem with it. Many veteran trapshooters do. Ask first.... He was missing them widely,and getting more disinterested. Imagine being a young man in your prime, and doing miserably at something while those around you, some in obviously poor health and of great age, do much better. I could see the motivation draining out of him, and nothing seemed to help. So, finally I did what I should have done right at the start, checked his eye dominance instead of going on what I was told. I instructed him to close his left eye. He shot, the bird busted. I slapped him on the back and we grinned at each other. And so it went, he had been through at least 10 birds before this Satori and missed them all. He hit most of the rest, finishing up with a 12 for the round instead of 1 or 2. And quite a few of the hits shattered the clays, he was centering them. He walked off the line looking taller and obviously enjoying himself. I returned him to the RoboStock guy and told him that it looked like while the guy was right eye dominant and left handed, he probably wasn't strongly right dominant,with the left eye trying to take over in times of stress, and some further exploration should show whether he should shoot R or L handed. I got my hand shaken several times, and filled with warm fuzzies, I climbed into the Dodge and let the pony run for home...

May 21, 2001, 09:30 AM	#2
Dave R Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2000 Location: Idaho Posts: 6,073	Good work. Isn't it amazing how often we fail to check the basics, in all pursuits.

May 21, 2001, 10:14 AM	#3
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,858	You well deserve to feel warm n fuzzy. Sam

May 22, 2001, 05:18 AM	#5
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Thanks, folks..... Good job, Led. Another High Power shooter in training(G)...