nuttyspaniel Posted August 24, 2011 Report Share Posted August 24, 2011 I got myself a Winchester XTR as Ive shot well with other XTR's Ive used in the past and they fit me well for an off the peg gun. Now Im not the best shot at Sporting Clays but Ive always enjoyed making a noise and scaring them, Im better with game. When I 1st got the gun my scores starting increasing slowly but each time I was out they were getting better, an odd 7, 8 or 9 out of 10 at some stands, scores started to hit the high 30's out of 60 birds, and I was taking loupers with confidence. I was happy with this and could see the improvement. Now the last 3 shoots Ive been out at my scores have taken a huge tumble to the low 20's at the highest!!! Now gun fits, eyes are Ok although I did doubt this for a bit, but it was in the brain as I was looking for a reason. This where it gets totally get confused . com!! Lets say the 1st bird out the trap gets hit, Ive got a sight picture established in regards to lead etc, then the next 2 or 3 are missed then the next is broken then again broken. Now the lead and sight picture etc is the same as the 1st bird through out the sequence. What possible could have caused the misses? Now I shoot gun un-mounted as I find it ackward to mount the shout pull, it doesnt feel natural for me. Again gun mount isnt a problem for me. There's something not right and I just cant work out whats going wrong, and to finnish Ill also say the lads who I shoot with who are better shots than me are stumped aswell.......... thanks for reading Nutty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sg1 Posted August 24, 2011 Report Share Posted August 24, 2011 (edited) I'm new at this but the only two things I can think of would be 1:eye dominance or 2: cartridges throwing irregular patterns!! Now assuming you're using decent cartridges and you're right handed, do you think it's at all possible that your left eye is taking over every now and again and causing you to see the clay further forward than it is making you miss in front which wouldn't be obvious to most as it's more common to miss behind, so anyone watching you will see you most 'definately' swing through but swing too much?? (I think I got that right) atvb sg1 Edited August 24, 2011 by sg1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAL S Posted August 24, 2011 Report Share Posted August 24, 2011 its you not the gun you think you are seeing something that you are not. it could be you are stopping the gun or slowing it down. try closeing one eye and see if it makes a difference if that does not work get a coach to watch you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ste12b Posted August 24, 2011 Report Share Posted August 24, 2011 It could be your expectation levels are too high. If you have a look at http://www.clayshootingsuccess.co.uk/, it may give you some pointers. I believe the idea is that you should "live in the moment", i.e. shoot each one/two without applying pressure to yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdSolomons Posted August 24, 2011 Report Share Posted August 24, 2011 Without seeing you shoot I can't say but I'd say If you shoot mainly game then it's an inconsistency in your approvach. If your pick up, gun hold and visual hold are not exactly the same each time, you can use the same lead but will have effectively changed your kill point so it is no longer correct. Also something to bear in mind is as confidence decreases people often shift more focus onto the gun/bead and less on the clay. This also leads to a miss. There are lots of potential problems but my money is in one of the above. You should not be hitting 20 ex 60 If you have shot a few times before. Try an hour with a quality coach who specialises in sporting (not a local club coach who does the corporate stuff) and see what unfolds. Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clay shooter123 Posted August 24, 2011 Report Share Posted August 24, 2011 You may be seeing the same lead but are you shooting it in the same place? You will more instinctively shoot your 1st bird and then for your 2nd and 3rd pair try making sure of it and trying to get your lead correct. This either causing you to shoot it in a different place where the bird may be doing something different, i.e dropping. Or you may be looking at the bead trying to get the correct lead and therefore stopping your gun. Im sure after about 10 shots with a very good coach they will be able to put you right and tell you where you are going wrong. These would be imo the most common reasons for your problem but as Ed say without watching you shoot it is very difficult to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuttyspaniel Posted August 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2011 Thanks for the input lads. Picking out what i can relate to from the replies there is 2 or 3 reasons that seem to be very close. 1. A couple of times Ive thought my eye dominace had moved whilst shooting as Ive seen done the side of the rib. I have checked my eye dominance on returning home and a couple of days later and it did seem OK. 2. Trying to hard, and focusing on the gun/bead to get it right. This may be causing point 1 to a certain degree. 3. Again due to trying to hard Im not getting the correct Kill point every time, when Im missing I do try either to take the bird quicker or slower to try and hit it, and as stated this would affect the amount of lead. All interesting food for thought and practise. cheers Nutty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clay shooter123 Posted August 24, 2011 Report Share Posted August 24, 2011 No Problem (Y) Just next time you go out don't try and think of the points we have provided otherwise you will most likely do them! Try and be as natural as possible and let the gun do all the work An update on your progress would be nice so best of luck this weekend or next time you are out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spara Dritto Posted August 25, 2011 Report Share Posted August 25, 2011 (edited) This is only a guess but keep your cheek on the stock, chances are you are raising your head to see if you have hit the clay and missing above (you will very rarely notice you are actually doing this). Focus on the clay and believe it's a real bird this may help you with being smoother and more in tune with the clays flight path, as apposed to just seeing it and shooting. Edited August 25, 2011 by Beretta Italy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loomer Posted August 25, 2011 Report Share Posted August 25, 2011 (edited) I suffer with similar problems with consistency (i am left eye dominant, but those opaque patches seem to do the job). For me it is not being relaxed enough and overthinking everything (I hope anyway, there are probably huge flaws in the way I shoot for all I know). I can score 2 or 3 on a stand sometimes when they are thrown up as singles, but if they go up as a pair I have less time to think about it and my scores will generally improve as instincts take over. I'm very new to the sport so I think it is just about getting a routine/ habit nailed down. Lessons are on their way too, which will hopefully make a big difference. Edited August 25, 2011 by loomer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timps Posted August 25, 2011 Report Share Posted August 25, 2011 Thanks for the input lads. Picking out what i can relate to from the replies there is 2 or 3 reasons that seem to be very close. 1. A couple of times Ive thought my eye dominace had moved whilst shooting as Ive seen done the side of the rib. I have checked my eye dominance on returning home and a couple of days later and it did seem OK. 2. Trying to hard, and focusing on the gun/bead to get it right. This may be causing point 1 to a certain degree. 3. Again due to trying to hard Im not getting the correct Kill point every time, when Im missing I do try either to take the bird quicker or slower to try and hit it, and as stated this would affect the amount of lead. All interesting food for thought and practise. cheers Nutty I think you have just summed up and answered your own question with that post, focusing on the bead can and does shift eye dominance. As has been said it could be , first shot you are looking past the bead for the clay, on the 2nd shot you know where the clay is coming from and try too hard to replicate the first shot so focus on the bead then try and put it on the clay. Doing that will cause all sorts of problems affecting timing, lead, eye dominance, pick up and kill points over the first shot. Pick an object such as a tree or telegraph pole & focus on it, then mount the gun and focus on the bead and swing and aim at it, repeat the process while focusing on the object itself with the bead in the peripheral vision never focusing on it, you will see the difference in the two sight pictures if its causing you dominance to shift. This is just my guess at your problems, going seeing a well respected coach is the best way but this is a forum after all and it would be pretty boring without some content. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poontang Posted August 25, 2011 Report Share Posted August 25, 2011 Lets say the 1st bird out the trap gets hit, Ive got a sight picture established in regards to lead etc, then the next 2 or 3 are missed then the next is broken then again broken. Now the lead and sight picture etc is the same as the 1st bird through out the sequence. What possible could have caused the misses? Nutty To be fair Nutty the lead isn't the same or you'd hit the other targets, (assuming they're thrown the same). You may be 'seeing' it as the same as the first bird, but it obviously isn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted August 25, 2011 Report Share Posted August 25, 2011 Go see a good coach as game shooter your instinctive and that can make life hard on the clays but a good coach will be able to sort it far better anyone on a forum can Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark0 Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 I think anyone having problems like this is best to get on a skeet range Shoot alone with mate watching would be best Use your 25/ or more targets on different stands. Dont leave a stand till you have mastered both targets If you think you have a master eye problem try shutting one eye and see if hit rate improves (hard to change shoulder you shoot from but can be done) Once you have mastered targets on each peg try shooting a proper round of 25. Once you can get around 20ex25 consistently thats when to move on to the sporting course again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuttyspaniel Posted August 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Cheers again for the replies. Im going to get out and try focusing on the clay and let instinct take over, and get back out on the local skeet shoot. I am getting myself seriously down over this and I am contemplating selling my XTR sporter and just getting myself a decent SxS and forgeting the clays altogether, but thats going to be the last ditch resort. cheers Nutty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulos Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Sort you out, a coach will Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poontang Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 If you point your gun in the right place you'll never miss again. A good coach should be able to help you with this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Take along a good coach and point your gun in the right place and you'll get an MBE in no time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poontang Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Take along a good coach and point your gun in the right place and you'll get an MBE in no time True story I got a Purple Heart for taking out a particularly tricky looper with my "Hummer" at half a mile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustJon Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Give it more lead... that's always the answer. It needs more lead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Are seagulls on the general license? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulos Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Are seagulls on the general license? I don't think you're taking this seriously Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poontang Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Are seagulls on the general license? I think only the Lesser Black Backed Gull is on the OGL now But if ANYTHING so much as looks at my poults I'll ******* kill it :yp: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timps Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 A good coach would take it seriously though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Take it seriously a good coach would Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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