Couldn't hit nothing today

[KHickam]

Fired about 25 shots at trap targets - I was unable to hit any of the targets.

I was using 60 gr of FFFg with a 1/4 felt wad on top of powder and shot - didn't do any good

Pretty bummed about it now :cursing:

 

[torn moc]

I had one of those days too! but in a different way,.....a new "Public Shooting Range " WAS JUST OPENED in my county...I drove around and around 3 times (21 miles) and cant find the darned thing!
I read the instructions in the local paper 6 times...directions were written by the DNR, MAYBE THATS WHY they dont make SENSE!
AT LEAST YOU WERE ABLE TO SHOOT TODAY...
I leftwith enought powder & balls to shoot ALL day
and I brought it all home with me too...
DOUBLE BUMMER :cursing: :cursing:

 

[roundball]

Man your honesty is refreshing
:thumbsup:
I missed the first 15 in a row a couple weeks ago trying out a new GM .62cal barrel from the 16yd line :grin:

 

[Many Klatch]

I can't hit a trap thrown bird to save my life. Now skeet, I can manage. I hate to shoot those poor little birdies in the back, it just don't seem sporting.

Many Klatch

 

[PreglerD]

I think at this time the problem was the gunner and not the gun. Even with a modern shotgun it is difficult for a newby to make some hits, but with a ML it is far more difficult because of slower ignition, slower velocity, etc.

Haven't tried it yet, but will do it. But first steps will be done with a cartridge shotgun using bp shotcartridges.

Regards

Kirrmeister

 

[No Deer]

Thursday afternoons/evenings my club has trap shooting just for fun, no scores are kept. Trying to encourage blackpowder shotguns, but even modern shotguns are invited on these shoots. I don't shoot trap very often, but I went out this past Thursday with my 20 ga. flintlock trade gun. Shot at about 30 clays, and managed to hit probably just over half of them. I was shooting 75 gr. 3fg, one over powder card, about 1/3 prelubed wad, 1-1/4oz. #7-1/2 shot, and one overshot card. Gotta do it more often, I really need the practice. :rotf:

 

[KHickam]

Not much of a newby at trap - in my youth I carried a AA rating with a 27 yd handicap. It was "normal" for me with my trap gun to break 25 targets straight, several times in a row on occasion. Even with my field grade Remington 1100, I am able to break mid 90s out of 100 targets.

I just got to get the lock time, and lead a bit better - what was frustrating is the many times that I had just a clatch.

Will try again tomorrow.


:thumbsup:

 

[KHickam]

That was the local club rating I was given - based on "Known" ability - not an ATA or PITA rating.

 

[mike alexandre]

There are several referances for sorting out a good powder/shot load for bp shotguns - main thing I learnt was that LESS powder and more shot gave my gun a better and bigger hitting pattern. Have you patterned your gun.?

 

[KHickam]

Unfortunately, my trap/skeet club doesn't have a patterning board.

If it did, I would have done so. Like shooting in the dark, have no idea if it shoots low/high or left/right.

I will get out and shoot skeet today I think.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I took my flinter trade gun to the dove field once. After using up most of my powder and shot without a hit I dusted one that fell like a rock, a collective cheer went up from everyone hunter in the field. I rank that kill right up there with my first deer, 5 quail I got on a covey rise once and pass shooting three gadwalls flying(smoking) by in less than 2 seconds.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Try shooting your gun at stationary clay birds set on an embankment, to find out where your pattern is striking.

Then have someone help you with your footwork and stance. Those are the usual reasons for missing so many targets at trap. If you are rifle shooter, the stance is rather different for pointing targets.

 

[KHickam]

Paul - Even though you may not mean to - several posts you have made to me struck me wrong. Patronizing is a kind word.

Here's a little background on me just for info - I have been shooting shotguns for over 30 yrs (if you read my profile that is 3/4 of my life) I have been hunting birds (ducks,geese and upland birds) for over 30 yrs - across the US and even in Turkey, Japan and Korea. I have and do make money guiding quail hunts in TX, and before that waterfowl hunts and chukar hunts in the NW, as well as train bird dogs for a living since 1999, which involves a fair amount of shooting.

Since, I was about 15 yrs old - I have shot semi competitively in local leagues - but those leagues generally had some pretty big names shooting in them too. I have shot with - even out shot on rare occasions Marv Underwood, Clyde Simmons and others that are pretty well known in the Pacific NW. I was the Fairchild AFB Base Trap Champion in 1991 (avg over 500 targets 24.08, which although my math is rusty means I shot about 96%) I worked as the Assistant Range Officer at Sun Valley Shooting Park near Yakima,WA. And I was also in the same position at Fairchild AFB. Most recently, I was on the team that was the Waco Trap and Skeet Club Spring League Champions.

I am not world class, heck I don't even know if I would call myself state class but I know my way around a skeet, trap and sporting clays course pretty well. And, I suppose if I devoted the time and money necessary, I could be very competitive at State level, but I shoot for fun - but like anyone - I take pride in what little I have accomplished when I shoot competitively.

Back on topic - I thought it would be fun to shoot with a fowler and see what I could do - which was pretty dismal, compared to what I do normally. :cursing: :wink:

 

[paulvallandigham]

Yeah, I did read that you are an experienced trap shooter. And, I have been there, and done that, too. And, I have also been frustrated at missing targets with a ML shotgun, until someone pointed out that my footwork is different than when I was shooting my standard Trap gun! :redface: I also found out that the ML shotgun was shooting much lower than my Trap gun, which was why I was missing the targets by shooting under them, I found out by shooting at stationary targets on an embankment.

I am not patronizing you, or anyone. Sorry if it comes across like that. I thought I would be able to just shoot my new ML shotgun and break targets as I did with my trapgun, but I was very wrong. I have since made some stock adjustments so that my ML shotgun DOES shoot higher, like my trapgun, so I don't have to use a different POA with it.

Yes, I was personally embarrassed, because I could have known all this if I had patterned my gun before going to the trap range. It was even worse on the Skeet field, BTW. :rotf: :thumbsup:

 

[KHickam]

Thanks - We'll see today - I am about to get my gun and go. Wonder what the other guys will think when I show up in a tricorn, neckstock, knee breeches and mocs to shoot skeet :blah:

But, you are right - I generally shoot trap and skeet low gun, mostly because I shoot continental trap and prefer to shoot low gun on skeet because I am able to see the targets better and my follow through is better - mounting when I see the target - I shot the fowler mounted yesterday - may try low gun again - see if that helps

 

[roundball]

I generally shoot trap and skeet low gun, mostly because I shoot continental trap and prefer to shoot low gun on skeet because I am able to see the targets better and my follow through is better - mounting when I see the target - I shot the fowler mounted yesterday - may try low gun again - see if that helps

I use a low gun positioin for trap and skeet as well...not the official international position down on my hip, but more or less at port arms as if walking in behind a pointer on quail, ready for a covey rise.

Like you, I found it much more natural and instinctive to start the gun moving up and into position with my body rotating in synch with the birds movement...and visibility is far better.

Shot trap and skeet for enough years for it to become so routine it lost it's shine...playing at it a little with Flintlocls is fun...I'm not actually shooting "rounds of trap" with a ML, just getting a trap field at my club to myself early in the morning and seeing what a Flintlock with do, etc...fun stuff!

 

[KHickam]

Well, my score improved by 700% today.

Will try it more often next fall. No trap range in SD nearby.

 

[Capt. Jas.]

roundball,
Try a well set sporting clays course since you become bored with skeet and trap. Nothing dull about sporting and trap a skeet are good "warm-ups" for it.

 

[MercerLake]

:grin: You didn't say if you were using any other wads with your load than the felt-wad. If this is the case the pattern is likely blown to pieces. A hard cardboard wad over the powder will generally result in better patterns.
I occasionally go shoot or try to a round of Sporting Clays, with my 10 bore double and do about as well as I would with a cartridge gun. I'm not a great wing shot and have problems picking up the thrown birds at some stages. However, with the second barrel I generally have a dead bird call by the spotters. The thick smoke seems to help hide my misses. :wink:
But a muzzle-loader shot gun is a real pleasure to hunt with, slower pace and all. :v

 

[fraungie]

follow through has a whole new meaning and I couldn't help but notice the longer you wait the farther the shot becomes a little different than skeet.Don't give up the satisfaction is well worth it.I have had to eat an awful lot of humble pie plus the heckeling from the cartridge gang.Victory is so much sweeter with a muzzleloader.