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diy training with clays


fieldwanderer
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It's very quiet on "my" patch just lately, I bought a single clay trap off of a kind chap on here a few weeks ago and intend to try to improve my shooting a bit. I've modified it with a solenoid for solo use and still intend to get some proper lessons.

 

For now though, I'd like to structure what I'm doing a little as I know "throwing lead down the range" is of limited benefit. I've had a go already and, knowing crossing shots to be a weakness I concentrated on that, however, I found I could hit almost every one and packed up feeling I hadn't really gained anything.

 

I might have another go tomorrow, anyone got any suggestions on what I can concentrate on? And any other advice would also be very welcome

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Just a few thoughts based on a small clay ground I shoot on from time to time which is in a wooded downhill valley.

 

Are you able to vary where you place the trap? For example high on a bank behind you for passing overhead birds, (or rest the front of the trap on a few concrete blocks) then vary the direction of flight so the clay passes overhead going either direct ahead, or 45 degrees to left or right. Better still get a mate to press the button to catch you by surprise. Similarly, stand behind the trap for rising going away birds at different angles and then stand in front for varying angles of incoming birds.

 

The permutations are endless. have fun

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Yes, I can place the trap in various places etc. What I'm looking for though is a way to progressively work to improve, as opposed to just having a blast at some clays. My rifle coach would say that's the difference between practicing and training.

 

I don't really know what a school would do but I'd imagine you start off on easy shots concentrating on shooting right rather than how many you can hit. After a while, I suppose it becomes second nature and you find the only shots you miss are when you didn't shoot how you were shown. From there I guess you'd start shooting at more difficult targets. This is the sort of structured training I'd like to do for myself, as much as I can with what I've got and little knowledge - which is why I asked for help

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Tricky with a single trap but perhaps workout an ATA/Skeet effort sohave 3-5 pegs then another 3-5 10 yards back then another

 

Start off on peg 1 and work your way round to3/5 then back. Skeet was designed on this basis by a chicken farmer with 2 traps..... to improve his game shooting.

 

http://www.nssa-nsca.org/index.php/nssa-skeet-shooting/about-nssa/skeet-history/

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Put a full choke in . Then try

 

Well, I went today as I had nothing much else to do. I've been using my trap gun as it fits me properly wheras my other two don't (I've also taken to using it on live quarry for the same reason) it's got full and extra full stamped on the barrels but I could do with checking it's not been altered.

 

Trap was on an 8' ish embankment and I started with the clays going about 90 degrees to me and 30yds or so out (I need more wire). I hit just about all of them but sadly couldn't work out why I missed some. I moved on to the clay coming straight at me and hit two out of two both with the first shot - before deciding getting showered with broken clay with no eye protection was a bad idea :oops:

 

so, on to 90 degrees from the opposite side (right to left), I struggled a little partly because of where the sun was but I did feel a little less comfortable swinging that way too which I suppose is natural? Then 45 degrees both ways and finally with clays straight over my head from behind all with at least 8 out of 10 hits, mostly first barrel. So, in a way, a lot like skeet but a bit sloppier and slower (great minds think alike HDAV :good: ).

 

.

 

"Well, what's wrong with that" you may ask :/ I can't do it on live quarry and I don't know why :sad1:

 

My guess; I'm making a point of doing it right with the clays but slipping back to bad habits on pigeons etc

 

The big question though is what can I do about it?

 

loosly, the plan at the moment is to stop shooting live quarry (not that there's much about) and aim to have a bit of a session with the trap weekly if I can and in the mean time I'll chop the spring bracket off the trap and weld an adjuster on so I can speed them up a little and get a longer wire for my remote pedal. Whether that's the way forward or not, I really don't know :/ any help, as always, is much appreciated

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WHY do you not bite the bullet and go and have a lesson with a decent Instructor ? The suck it and see self instruction (destruction) method usually ends up with countless bad habits or expensive waste of cartridges. You have already stated that you "do not know why I am missing". An Insructor should see straight away what you are doing wrong.

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the problem with own simple trap is you just get good at shooting same bird...it tells you nothing about mount/feet/movement........as a beginner go try skeet(cheap) but ultimately have a lesson or 2...you will learn more 10x of the right things in a lesson than blasting away in a field at 1 target.

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You're missing the point a little; I've already said I'll have some lessons, the piggy bank's a bit light lately though.

 

I'm not a beginner, I've been using shotguns for 14 years now. While there's a quiet spell on my permissions I thought I'd try to polish up a bit.

 

The whole point of the o.p was to try to structure what I'm doing a bit to avoid the "same bird" over and over or "blasting away in a field". As it turned out, I was standing at virtually any angle to the trap, the wire on my release pedal restricts the distance but I can pick any angle I like. I also varied the vertical angle of the arm - in my opinion, the variety 's good. Obviously it won't do as much good as a few lessons but I have cartridges, I have clays and I have a trap; it's costing me nothing and hopefully doing some good.

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You're missing the point a little; I've already said I'll have some lessons, the piggy bank's a bit light lately though.

 

I'm not a beginner, I've been using shotguns for 14 years now. While there's a quiet spell on my permissions I thought I'd try to polish up a bit.

 

The whole point of the o.p was to try to structure what I'm doing a bit to avoid the "same bird" over and over or "blasting away in a field". As it turned out, I was standing at virtually any angle to the trap, the wire on my release pedal restricts the distance but I can pick any angle I like. I also varied the vertical angle of the arm - in my opinion, the variety 's good. Obviously it won't do as much good as a few lessons but I have cartridges, I have clays and I have a trap; it's costing me nothing and hopefully doing some good.

I'm thinking it probably isn't doing you much good at all. If you were a beginner I think it might, but you've been at the game for many years. Maybe you've just reached your 'level' and won't improve now.

I would suggest the only way you might improve is to go and seek out the best coach you can and take it from there.

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It only takes one pellet strike to break a clay whereas it may take several more to bring down live quarry. Not saying this is the reason why you struggle on live quarry but you need to take this in to consideration.

 

Plus you trap will be throwing the clays at pretty much the same speed and trajectory. Have you tries different size clays.......Mini's, midi's or battue's? Ask someone to load these different size clays randomly as each will fly at different speeds and trajectories. also a clay will only ever slow down and drop where as live quarry has no constant speed or direction.

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Pop to Pinewood shooting ground at Blyton - not far from you - & have a go on their layouts as said above Clays follow the same line & are slowing down, pigeons are unpredictable to,say the least as you well know. You could also try something like ABT wher you have no idea where the clay is going until you see it.

Edited by V8 90
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Now knowing that you have some 14 years experience of shooting, it puts things in a different aspect. Again, I would say that you are not going to learn anything by using a small trap stuck in a field, use it simply for amusement. If, on the other hand you are struggling with a 'right to left' crosser or any crosser for that matter, take yourself to a skeet range and for the small cost of 50 clays, repeat the target that you are struggling with shooting from peg 4. Obviously you will need someone to button for you, as you will not find a delayed release on a skeet layout. When I ran a shooting ground, I used to encourage pigeon shooters to practice on crossers whilst sitting down. This makes you turn your body to 45 degrees to where you are going to shoot, to allow for swing. All good practice, but not something that you can do with a small trap. If all else fails, wait until you can see an Instructor.

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Obviously you will need someone to button for you, as you will not find a delayed release on a skeet layout.

 

IIRC Fauxdegla/Few others have accoustic skeet i think as do some other grounds, no button man needed!

 

What trap have you got? is it electric? Could you make/buy a wobbler base for it?

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  • 3 weeks later...

Thanks chaps, I decided to give up on the idea except to have a play from time to time

 

 

I made the spring adjustable and found it quite a lot more challenging with faster clays, the plan for the next session (when I get round to it) would be to use that adjustment but build up slowly; crossers at minimum speed from either direction, then when I'm happy tighten the spring a few turns and so on until I'm hitting the fastest consistently - then start adjusting it all over the place to build on what I've done by having a slow then a fast then a medium or whatever so I'm not just learning a set lead for whatever I've set the trap at. Then onto the same but from anywhere between 7o'clock and 11 and 1 thru 5.

 

But, I'm half waiting until I've had a few lessons before I do much more - roll on payday :rolleyes:

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Lead? You have time to calculate range, velocity and lead? Swing is important. Through the bird and keep going. Pattern kills. Swinging through the bird determines the lead automatically and shot string with a good pattern does the rest. I would think you are not continuing your swing on live targets - the most common reason for a miss, if on target and feet are in the right direction.

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