How did we all do today

[simonp]

First full day for me at Lakenheath with the new 682 Gold E I had from Mungler.

 

21ex25 on the skeet, which I was bloody chuffed with, esp as its the first time on the skeet with the gun and 4th time ever overall (glad I bought that 2nd skeet choke now )

 

Sporting wasn't fully scored as they had some FITASC shoot off thing going on from stands 8 through 19, so we just stuck to the early stands. Straighted 2 of em and didn't embaress myself at all on the rest. Very very chuffed with the purchase and the day (not bad considering I forgot the choke colour chart and had to guess the 1/2 and 1/4, LOL ).

 

Cheers Mungler

 

Si

[Mungler]

45/50 at the Stock scrapyards today. Bit of a tough set up with two away overhead from a manual trap which meant no two were the same. Anyhows, quite pleased with it all told.

[Catamong]

45/50 at the Stock scrapyards today. Bit of a tough set up with two away overhead from a manual trap which meant no two were the same. Anyhows, quite pleased with it all told.

 

Well done Mungler, that's AAA class scoring, I'm now expecting a 195 from you at the Essex Masters.

 

I did a "dawn raid" on Barrow Heath today to shoot the Les King Memorial Shoot. I remember Les well, he was a real character and a damn good shot, he died in a car accident whilst travelling with other shooters on the way to a shoot. This years shoot was run over 2 days, Colin Saich shot an 89 yesterday, with Philip Thorrold one behind on an 88.

 

It was a tricky layout over 12 stands, there were literally no gimme's, every bird really had to be worked for.

 

I lost concentration on a couple of stands, and had to shoot another couple into the sun, which is never ideal, because you're often forced to shoot a target in the "wrong" place either before or after it crosses the sun.

 

I know I'm beginning to sound like Suffolk Shooter with all these excuses, but I could only manage an 82, so well out of the running there. I reckon that 89 could well have won it, it was that tough.

 

I then motored across to Kibworth, always a good layout, plenty of people there but you didn't have to wait too long as it was a 14 stand layout, again, very tricky in the wind, Ben Husthwaite was going like a train, he told me he'd not shot any clays since last September, perhaps I ought to take a break..??

 

The targets really were bouncing about on the wind, again another lacklustre performance , but I did straight what everybody was saying was the hardest stand on the layout, so it wasn't all bad, and I finished on an 84.

 

The old school report memories came flooding back on the long drive home, "could do better", "must try harder", ah well, roll on next weekend, I'll probably head down Wiltshire way, to tackle Wylye Valley, always a good layout there..!!

 

Cat.

[MC]

I shot at another local clay club tonight, Suffolk shooter was meant to be coming but he stood me up.

 

Some interesting birds and finished on 32/40. Missed 1 silly rabbit and another battue, straighted the one stand that everyone else was struggling on.

 

There was an evil going away and dropping midi that I just could not find so dropped four there. The other two were silly misses, one was a going away pair (midi and mini) the first pair I shot the midi first as I saw it first and then the mini was miles away. I swapped round and shot the remaining 3 pairs the other way round and just flicked over the top of the midi.

 

All in all a good hour spent on my way home from work.

 

Looking forward to the next few weeks of shooting prior to the Essex Masters. I'll be shooting at least twice a week with at least four different shoots planned in the week prior.

[Catamong]

Martin,

 

Cock on the block time Matey, how do you reckon you'll fare at the Essex Masters..??

 

150 ex 200, 160 ex 200 170 ex 200, or better..??

 

Cat.

[MC]

Cat,

 

If I do better than 140/200 I will be pleased. I still do not feel consistent enough on faster/ distant clays. I am however well pleased with my Blaser and they way it shoots where I am looking, unfortunately I am not always looking in the right place.

 

On the fast going away and dropping midi last night I know I shot at it with the same lead 3 times as I was convinced that was what was needed. On the last pair I increased the lead but still by not enough.

[Catamong]

It's good not to set your expectations too high for this one, as it will be tricky, with some very deceptive birds, and it won't be distance that beats most people, more likely misreading the speed and line of the target.

 

It will be a very good layout, but I always come away thinking I could have done a hell of a lot better.

 

If you've not been to the ground make sure you know where it is before you set off as it's not easy to find and it's not well sign posted.

 

Cat.

[MC]

I didn't think that 140 was too high, more like realistic. I seem to be able to consistently kill around 75% on all sporting layouts that I have shot in the last 6 months apart from one small blip last saturday.

 

In all honesty I have never shot there, or anything like that so whatever I score will be good. As long as I beat Suffolk Shooter otherwise I'll never hear the end of it.

[pin]

I've set myself 70 for the "easier" layout and 50 for the harder one - like you say cat its good not to set yourself impossible targets, 50% has to be achievable I think even on the harder layout

[Suffolk shooter]

As long as I beat Suffolk Shooter otherwise I'll never hear the end of it.

 

MC,

 

Lets face it mate, if that happens (and it isn't so I wouldn't worry about it), then I would trade in that ***** gun and cartridges you use for a comfortable pair of slippers and a nice woolly tank-top, because your time must be nigh.

 

In all seriousness, having rethought my strategy in the last week or two, I hvae acquired the use of my mates vehicle to shoot from at the Essex Masters. Did I mention he's an Apache pilot

 

I am looking to get 100 plus ex 200 after recent events, although I must admit I felt happy on Saturday knowing I had my preferred choice of Cartridge rather than the ones I had been using as a result of me misreading the label. Not a lot of difference between Eley First and Olympic blues, but it is a confidence thing with me preferring the Olympic blues over everything else I shoot with for clays.

 

SS

[Mungler]

Cat,

 

I have lived in Essex all my life and neither I nor anyone I know has the foggiest as to where Hepworth House is and the Google results looks a bit hap hazzard. Do you have an address or post code to hand?

 

The clock is ticking and I have planning my pre-match training which consists of a Big Mac meal the night before (super size of course with a cheeky cheeseburger), a good night's sleep and then 2 cans of Red Bull 20 mins before the off. Job done.

 

Briefly, on the subject of chokes, I have taken to following MC's lead of using a 7.5 high velocity load but with open and 1/4 chokes and the results have been very pleasing. Any tips?

 

Mung

[MC]

Mungler,

 

I have a reasonable idea where it is and I was going to suggest a full english before we start anyway. How about we all meet for breakfast first.

 

At least then we won't have to endure Pin after about an hours of shooting.

[Dunkield]

Any tips?

 

 

Use 8's, those extra 50 pellets could make all the difference

[MC]

Any tips?

 

 

Use 8's, those extra 50 pellets could make all the difference

 

Stuart,

 

I always do, don't know what munglers up to.

 

9's on closer birds to get the pattern.

 

Oh and Mungler it is Hepworth Hall not house which is probably why you can't find it. Next time you are in Essex Gun ask them for a map.

[Mungler]

Hells bells - an extra 50 in 8's..... that's where I have been going wrong.

 

We should meet up prior for a nose up deffo.

[Catamong]

The ground is here:

 

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=58...p=newsearch.srf

 

Look for Hepworth Hall at the top of the page.

 

You need to get to Halstead on the A131, and then in the town centre roughly at the top of the hill turn left, (if coming in from the South), onto Hedingham Road, the ground's on the right about a mile down that road, on a very sharp bend.

 

You will have to park in a paddock, then walk up into the farm to book in.

 

As for tips, watch the crossing coloured birds, they are white or sometimes green and can be very fast, (I missed all 4 white crossers behind on one stand last year.. ), I generally favour open chokes wherever possible, I probably will use a combination of Skeet & 1/4 on 90% of the stands, with light Mod, (3/8) going in very occasionally.

 

Cat.

[Suffolk shooter]

So Skeet gun it is then with 10's. Just to get the pattern you understand???

 

Jesus, I thought I was one for excuses. If I was you lot, stick to what you know and are comfortable with using and have confidence in. So in my case, I might as well go with a Banjo and a picture of a cow's backside

[MC]

Banjo and cow's backside hey?

 

You'd still miss

[Suffolk shooter]

Nice avatar, shame about the owner

 

Hey, I'm coming to the conclusion that unless I get loads of practise in it isn't going to happen, so why worry about it.

 

Speaking of practise are you coming over to shoot on BH Monday?

 

SS

[Jonsey]

I skived off yesterday afternoon and a friend and I went to Treetops (Litts) Shooting ground in Newport. We both needed a bit of practice so we shot 100 competition style for concentration I shot 76 my friend 80 and then another 100 or thereabouts on various targets we’d struggled with. For me it’s driven targets so I shot a fair few of those at varying heights and speeds. They’ve got some brilliant targets on at the moment. I suppose there are about 20 stands at the ground so you don’t struggle to find a target you want to shoot. Also most of the stands have radio buttons so you can take the buttons to other stands and shoot that same target elsewhere. There are a couple of really fast blaze targets on that really make you swing your gun. You have to move quickly. All in all a very enjoyable afternoon and the weather was splendid, first time this year I’ve shot in my skeet vest and not my winter coat.

 

Treetops is an excellent shooting ground, they are investing quite a lot of money there this year to improve the ground. They are having new high towers too which will be great. You can only shoot by appointment in the week as Saturday’s are club members shoots and they’re not open Sunday. If any of you find yourself over the water one day I recommend a visit.

 

Wylye Valley on Sunday, another brilliant shooting ground. It’s the County English Sporting Championship so I expect the targets to be tough.

[Catamong]

Well done Jonsey, glad to see you're practising more on those bogey driven targets...!!

 

Treetops sounds like a good ground, I envy you having such quality targets close to home.

 

I hope to make Wylye Valley on Sunday, haven't shot there for some time, I'm going to try and make it, so hopefully we'll meet up../? :(

 

The weather was so good today, I decided to play golf at my local club, I invited Pin along, because I had heard he was a pretty good golfer, and despite the fact that the course wasn't in best condition, he truly ripped it apart, very steady off the tee with the 3 wood, short game was a joy to watch, with very subtle chips rolling up so close to the hole, he hardly needeed the putter..!!

 

I struggled big time, having done far too much shooting over the last 6 months and hardly any golf, despite the fact that I've been a member there for the past 3 years , Pin really showed me how the game should be played, and he finished a full 7 shots ahead of me, with a superb finish on the final hole, a tricky 354 yard par 4 dogleg left, where he made the green comfortably in two, then two putted for a superb finish to save par.

 

Well played Matey, someday I may well beat you..!!

 

Cat

[pin]

You are very kind, I started terribly

 

You get all sorts of thoughts in your head, but a 3 year lay off and too many pies have taken their toll on me

 

Cracking day, couldn't have hoped for better weather. The course was excellent, very demanding off the tee requiring very accurate placement to be in any sort of shape. Interesting teeing off over roads, never done that before

 

Really appreciate you taking me round, next time its on me. If the chance ever comes up again I would love to play that course again, after my legs stop aching though

[Mungler]

 

18 holes works out to about 5 miles walking.

 

Get a buggy

[Catamong]

No buggies allowed here matey, only shanky's pony..!!

 

Cat

[pin]

They hire them out at sporting targets up bedford way, we got told off like a couple of schoolboys last time up there after my dopey mate reversed it into a hedge twice, then nearly ran someone over

 

Good fun though