Shooting with a lady....

Dave McC · June 13, 2002, 05:21 AM

Her hair and nails looked beauty shop fresh, her clothes "Business Casual", but her well worn vest had her name stitched on it along with some straight patches.

I had skipped dinner to go to PGC, my trap jones was kicking bad,and my #$%^&* schedule had my time orchestrated until next week. It was hot,humid and a variable breeze up to 20 MPH was adding to the challenge.

She was shooting a round solo as I unpacked my stuff, and smoking them. Finishing up, she racked a gleaming new Beretta 682E Gold Trap w/ 30" bbls and lit up a Capri. 50-ish, she had a cultured voice with a Southern accent.

When I asked her how she liked her 682, she replied that she liked it a lot, tho she hadn't had it long. It replaced her husband's K 32 for doubles, which was getting loose. We shot the bull, hefting and swinging each other's shotguns.

She mentioned that she had started shooting at 16, and met her husband at a shoot.

I told her the Beretta felt light, and she remarked that it kicked her more than her BT 99 or that K gun. I suggested she go to a 1 oz load (Sound familiar?) and gave her an extra one of mine to try. She smoked that target also and after a bit of Q&A about 1 oz loads, we set out to shoot a round.

She ran it.

She ran the next one too.

On the third one,she dropped a pair,in a gusty wind that switched directions frequently.

She sat out my fourth round, and I shot it with a father and son who showed up with a handful of shotguns, including a classic 50s 870 field gun they wanted about $100 too much for.

After a few more minutes of conversation with the lady,I loaded up my stuff.And as I let the pony run for home, I got to thinking....

I like being big and strong, able to rassle a 9 1/2 lb gun around like it was a 20 gauge.

But the lady outshot me.

She grossed maybe half my tonnage. She admittedly didn't like the kick of her lighter shotgun and heavier load.

But she outshot me.

She centered target after target, turning them into a mist of particles a good 5 yards closer to the house than I was.

She didn't know about 1 oz loads being good for trap singles, or the first shot in doubles.

She didn't know much about stock fit, the effect of heavy triggers, or reducing kick by adding some weight to the shotgun.

But she outshot me.

She didn't have fancy tinted shooting glasses. She didn't use a tuned and polished handload she has meticulously developed through patterning.

But she outshot me.

Now,this happens with some regularity. I'm fairto middlin, but don't expect to see my pic in Trap and Field or Shotgun Sports. Remington will never bring out a Dave McC Signature Model 870.

I shoot Sporting better than most trapshooters do, trap better than most hunters do, and birds fairly well. I'm a shotgun generalist,doing a little of a lot of wildly different things. My recent focus on trap is a bit of an anomaly.

So, how did she do it?

I doubt it was the equipment.

My guess, some natural talent and lots of practice, practice, practice....

Al Thompson · June 13, 2002, 05:38 AM

LOL..... Dave, there's always another gunslinger a tad faster..

I love teaching ladies. Like painting on new canvas, they have no bad habits to unlearn, no ego to be leery of. Sounds like someone actually sent her to school.

Lil Stephenson is in her '70's and still smokes most men at skeet. She and Fred Misseldine were the top skeet shooters in the 50's/60's and I am lucky enough to have known both. Lil just flat out has better reflexes than I.

I've met several people who were natural shooters. One business associate of my Dads' was an incredible shot with a handgun. But he didn't own one and had little interest in them. I was shooting at long (handgun) range with a .44 one afternoon. He stopped by for a drink with Dad and walked out back to chat. He watched me shooting at millk jugs at 150 yards. Ran six rounds through the gun and hit as many as I did.

I was on a NG pistol team at the time, 21 yo and shooting bunches.

My shooting buddy is a IPSC grand master, IDPA master. I can shoot as fast as him and as accurately as him. I just can't do both at once.

KSFreeman · June 13, 2002, 08:21 AM

Gizmo, women are much easier to work with; men already know everything (because they are men

).

dfaugh · June 13, 2002, 03:42 PM

that there is some natural ability involved, with some people..I was always really, really good with a shotgun, although I never competed seriously or anything....First time out (14 years old), old mossberg 20 gauge field gun, I shot 18 or 19 outa 25...shortly would routinely shoot 98-99% (same gun)...OTOH I absolutely SUCK with a rifle, and spent mucho $$$$, practicing with variety of guns....and I still pretty much suck...Embarassing to show up at range w/ GF, and she shot groups 1/2 the size of mine, even the first time she ever fired gun! But there's something about the moving target thing that comes easier to some people, in others it takes more effort (and it might be genetic....my dad was also really good, they made him a tail gunner in a B-17 'cause he was so good at hitting moving targets, in this case w/ a BMG!)

C.R.Sam · June 13, 2002, 03:49 PM

Dave

If that had been 60-80 years ago and the gun was L.C.Smith or Browning.......coulda been my mom. She preferred her guns but shot everybody elses well enough to more often than not take their money. She had little interest in the mechanics of the guns, just enjoyed makin soot farts. Bout five two and light.

Sam

Dave McC · June 14, 2002, 04:52 AM

Thanks, guys. A coupla things...

First, based on my years of instructing, by and large women are easier to teach shooting to than men.

Mrs McC attributes this to "Testosterone Poisoning".

IMO, it's better eye hand co-ordination, less to unlearn and the willingness to follow instructions.

Second, Mom was Runnerup in the Md Small Bore Championship in 1943. She didn't like shotguns, tho.

Third, I guess the point is that good shotgunning is not dependent on size or strength, any shooter can do well when matched to a well fitting gun of a weight they can handle.

C.R.Sam · June 14, 2002, 11:22 AM

How bout....
Good shooter can do will with bout any gun.
Any shooter will do better with gun that fits.

Never bet against a stranger.

Sam

KSFreeman · June 14, 2002, 12:08 PM

Hmmm, I don't know, Sam I Am. I am pretty strange and it's usually a safe bet to bet against me in skeet.

Dave McC · June 15, 2002, 02:39 PM

Amen, Sam.

KS, don't worry about being strange, just means you're adapted to your environment(G).

CMichael · June 17, 2002, 01:24 PM

Obviously Dave the lady cheated

Dave McC · June 18, 2002, 04:50 AM

Only if regular and long practice is cheating(G)...

June 13, 2002, 05:21 AM	#1
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Shooting with a lady.... Her hair and nails looked beauty shop fresh, her clothes "Business Casual", but her well worn vest had her name stitched on it along with some straight patches. I had skipped dinner to go to PGC, my trap jones was kicking bad,and my #$%^&* schedule had my time orchestrated until next week. It was hot,humid and a variable breeze up to 20 MPH was adding to the challenge. She was shooting a round solo as I unpacked my stuff, and smoking them. Finishing up, she racked a gleaming new Beretta 682E Gold Trap w/ 30" bbls and lit up a Capri. 50-ish, she had a cultured voice with a Southern accent. When I asked her how she liked her 682, she replied that she liked it a lot, tho she hadn't had it long. It replaced her husband's K 32 for doubles, which was getting loose. We shot the bull, hefting and swinging each other's shotguns. She mentioned that she had started shooting at 16, and met her husband at a shoot. I told her the Beretta felt light, and she remarked that it kicked her more than her BT 99 or that K gun. I suggested she go to a 1 oz load (Sound familiar?) and gave her an extra one of mine to try. She smoked that target also and after a bit of Q&A about 1 oz loads, we set out to shoot a round. She ran it. She ran the next one too. On the third one,she dropped a pair,in a gusty wind that switched directions frequently. She sat out my fourth round, and I shot it with a father and son who showed up with a handful of shotguns, including a classic 50s 870 field gun they wanted about $100 too much for. After a few more minutes of conversation with the lady,I loaded up my stuff.And as I let the pony run for home, I got to thinking.... I like being big and strong, able to rassle a 9 1/2 lb gun around like it was a 20 gauge. But the lady outshot me. She grossed maybe half my tonnage. She admittedly didn't like the kick of her lighter shotgun and heavier load. But she outshot me. She centered target after target, turning them into a mist of particles a good 5 yards closer to the house than I was. She didn't know about 1 oz loads being good for trap singles, or the first shot in doubles. She didn't know much about stock fit, the effect of heavy triggers, or reducing kick by adding some weight to the shotgun. But she outshot me. She didn't have fancy tinted shooting glasses. She didn't use a tuned and polished handload she has meticulously developed through patterning. But she outshot me. Now,this happens with some regularity. I'm fairto middlin, but don't expect to see my pic in Trap and Field or Shotgun Sports. Remington will never bring out a Dave McC Signature Model 870. I shoot Sporting better than most trapshooters do, trap better than most hunters do, and birds fairly well. I'm a shotgun generalist,doing a little of a lot of wildly different things. My recent focus on trap is a bit of an anomaly. So, how did she do it? I doubt it was the equipment. My guess, some natural talent and lots of practice, practice, practice....

June 13, 2002, 05:38 AM	#2
Al Thompson Staff Alumnus Join Date: May 2, 1999 Location: South Carolina Posts: 3,611	LOL..... Dave, there's always another gunslinger a tad faster.. I love teaching ladies. Like painting on new canvas, they have no bad habits to unlearn, no ego to be leery of. Sounds like someone actually sent her to school. Lil Stephenson is in her '70's and still smokes most men at skeet. She and Fred Misseldine were the top skeet shooters in the 50's/60's and I am lucky enough to have known both. Lil just flat out has better reflexes than I. I've met several people who were natural shooters. One business associate of my Dads' was an incredible shot with a handgun. But he didn't own one and had little interest in them. I was shooting at long (handgun) range with a .44 one afternoon. He stopped by for a drink with Dad and walked out back to chat. He watched me shooting at millk jugs at 150 yards. Ran six rounds through the gun and hit as many as I did. I was on a NG pistol team at the time, 21 yo and shooting bunches. My shooting buddy is a IPSC grand master, IDPA master. I can shoot as fast as him and as accurately as him. I just can't do both at once. __________________ http://www.scfirearms.org/

June 13, 2002, 08:21 AM	#3
KSFreeman Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2001 Location: Lafayette, Indiana--American-occupied America Posts: 5,418	Gizmo, women are much easier to work with; men already know everything (because they are men). __________________ "Arguments of policy must give way to a constitutional command." Payton v. New York, 445 U.S. 573, 602 (1980).

June 13, 2002, 03:42 PM	#4
dfaugh Senior Member Join Date: January 17, 2002 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 1,715	I think.... that there is some natural ability involved, with some people..I was always really, really good with a shotgun, although I never competed seriously or anything....First time out (14 years old), old mossberg 20 gauge field gun, I shot 18 or 19 outa 25...shortly would routinely shoot 98-99% (same gun)...OTOH I absolutely SUCK with a rifle, and spent mucho $$$$, practicing with variety of guns....and I still pretty much suck...Embarassing to show up at range w/ GF, and she shot groups 1/2 the size of mine, even the first time she ever fired gun! But there's something about the moving target thing that comes easier to some people, in others it takes more effort (and it might be genetic....my dad was also really good, they made him a tail gunner in a B-17 'cause he was so good at hitting moving targets, in this case w/ a BMG!) __________________ "If you Listen to Fools, the Mob Rules" "No one has the answer, but one thing is true. You'e got to turn on evil, when its coming after you. You've gotta face it down,and when it tries to hide, you've got to go in after it, and never be denied. Time is running out...Let's roll. Let's roll for freedom, let's roll for love. We're going after satan, on the wings of a dove. Let's roll for freedom, let's roll for truth. Let's not let our children grow up fearful in their youth."

June 14, 2002, 12:08 PM	#8
KSFreeman Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2001 Location: Lafayette, Indiana--American-occupied America Posts: 5,418	Hmmm, I don't know, Sam I Am. I am pretty strange and it's usually a safe bet to bet against me in skeet. __________________ "Arguments of policy must give way to a constitutional command." Payton v. New York, 445 U.S. 573, 602 (1980).

June 13, 2002, 03:49 PM	#5
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,858	Dave If that had been 60-80 years ago and the gun was L.C.Smith or Browning.......coulda been my mom. She preferred her guns but shot everybody elses well enough to more often than not take their money. She had little interest in the mechanics of the guns, just enjoyed makin soot farts. Bout five two and light. Sam

June 14, 2002, 04:52 AM	#6
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Thanks, guys. A coupla things... First, based on my years of instructing, by and large women are easier to teach shooting to than men. Mrs McC attributes this to "Testosterone Poisoning". IMO, it's better eye hand co-ordination, less to unlearn and the willingness to follow instructions. Second, Mom was Runnerup in the Md Small Bore Championship in 1943. She didn't like shotguns, tho. Third, I guess the point is that good shotgunning is not dependent on size or strength, any shooter can do well when matched to a well fitting gun of a weight they can handle.

June 14, 2002, 11:22 AM	#7
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,858	How bout.... Good shooter can do will with bout any gun. Any shooter will do better with gun that fits. Never bet against a stranger. Sam

June 15, 2002, 02:39 PM	#9
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Amen, Sam. KS, don't worry about being strange, just means you're adapted to your environment(G).

June 17, 2002, 01:24 PM	#10
CMichael Senior Member Join Date: November 12, 2001 Location: MI Posts: 1,516	Obviously Dave the lady cheated

June 18, 2002, 04:50 AM	#11
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Only if regular and long practice is cheating(G)...

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