How did we all get on today

[Jonsey]

I went shooting at Widdington Farm (Upavon) yesterday although I loosely use the term shooting. What I really did was wave the gun widly around, sort of in the direction of the clays. I just couldn't get myself together , I was all fingers and thumbs. Tried to get my act together several times but I couldn't so in the end I just gave up. The layout had the potential to be something very good but on the fourth stand of slow floaty left to right crossers I was beginning to think Upavon were bored with setting targets. I got midly excited at one stand, driven battue. You don't see many of those in competitions. It needed no more lead than a standard clay complete waste of a battue. 6 of the stands were the same as the last registered shoot which again is a shame.

The pool shoot was excellent though, very testing and speedy targets it was fun to shoot.

Saying all this I did enjoy the morning shooting with friends and the weather was very nice and we finished off with a very agreeable glass of vino in the garden when we got back so the day wasn't a complete waste.

I finished on 64 or 63, somewhere around there. Could have and should have been more.

[MC]

I shot 25/30 at my local tuesday haunt, wasn't particular difficult and to be honest should have been a straight 30. Nothing that couldn't be dusted with open chokes and 9's.

 

Still it wasn't meant to be :unsure:

[Dunkield]

Mr Faulds and Tanya(?) did turn up, when we left he was trying to straight the pool.

He was smoking them all apart from one, I would imagine he hit that not long after we left . .

Checked the Four Counties site earlier, just out of curiousity, well 'he' didn't win the pool but he shot a 69/70 and then a 70/70

A clay shooting machine...

[Markio]

Last Sunday i shot at St Osyth GC for the first time. 50 bird sporting and managed and mediocre 26 but i personally thought it was a tricky layout. They had a bumblebee on one stand, It looks like a flying jaffa cake and as such was quite deceiving as it look very quick and far away but actually didn't require as much lead as first thought.

[Catamong]

Last Sunday i shot at St Osyth GC for the first time. 50 bird sporting and managed and mediocre 26 but i personally thought it was a tricky layout. They had a bumblebee on one stand, It looks like a flying jaffa cake and as such was quite deceiving as it look very quick and far away but actually didn't require as much lead as first thought.

 

Yes, Minis are very deceptive and most people give them too much lead.

 

They come out of the trap very fast, but slow up very quickly due to their light weight.

 

Cat.

[Suffolk shooter]

Today I shot at High Lodge in the Army Benevolant Funds Clay Championship. I was captain of a team of Four with Martin Cavie and Farmerguy.22 and a friends young lad (drafted in to make up for the sorry state of PW members who had family commitments) .

 

The format was 100 birds over twelve stands (10x8 and 2 x 10). The weather on the way up was atrocious to say the least and was stil raining when we arrived. Luckily after the safety briefing we emerged to find the rain had stopped and it had become rather humid and muggy.

 

The plan was to have each team of four paired up in order that they could mark the other teams card, but there were an unequal number of teams, so we opted to go it alone. With a young lad I didn't want him to be any more nervous than he was after meeting some of PW's Usual Suspects

 

We all started a bit rusty, but soon found the hang of things finding that as we had to start on Stand 8 first we had drawn a Hard stand first up (All Bidwell's stands are marked Easy, Medium or Hard). The usual PW banter flew (Not sure what the young lad thought), and birds were missed and most were hit.

 

The scoring was being done individually as well as team wise and at the end of the day the scores were as follows:

 

MC - 73 ex 100

SS - 64 ex 100

FG - 59 ex 100

YL - 51 ex 100

 

Total 247 ex 400

 

The day was an interesting one and the charity is a well deserved one.

 

High point of the day - Just being there and enjoying the day

Low point(s) of the day - I borrowed my Bosses Miroku to try and broke the firing pin on the top barrel

- MC had problems with his F3 (***** Gun) Blaser

Gamesmanship of the day - MC saying well shot after I had shot the first 8 on a stand of ten thinking I had finished when I still had the last two birds to go. I promptly dropped one 9 ex 10. :o

Quote of the day: No surprises it was me "I could do with a softer butt" in reference to the hard rubber butt pad on the bosses miroku :look:

 

The High gun on the day was 93 ex 100, the Vets High Gun was 92 ex 100. FG.22 won Junior High Gun, with the other lad shooting with us getting Junior runner up. The winning Team Score was 339 ex 400 :yp:

 

I'd like to thank both MC and FG.22 for taking part and being a good laugh as always. The young lad for stepping in for some of our not so brave PW Members.

 

We will have to organise a PW trip up to High lodge sometime

 

SS

[Suffolk shooter]

.

[MC]

No excuses for the lack lustre performance today, yes my Blaser was playing up nearly all the way round and was playing on my mind. One minute it was misfiring, then it wouldn't shut. Then I couldn't get it open :look: :good:

 

And all the time it was winding me up.

 

It was a good day and I thoroughly enjoyed it although I would have enjoyed it even more with a few more K's on my scorecard but that is clay shooting.

 

I believe I have found the problem with my Blaser and only tomorrow will tell, it seemed to have a build up of **** on the bolt that keeps the gun closed. A bit of squirty oil and some reshaped cotton buds seemed to get it clean.

 

I have completely wiped every speck of oil and grease off of it and sparingly applied some clean stuff.

 

If that fails then it will have a trip to the gunsmiths.

 

Well done Ben on the win and to Tom for runner up.

[Suffolk shooter]

You may have gathered MC that we did not win anything on the raffle. Mick's team got runner-up in the Military Stakes.

 

Forgot to post earlier, had a quick Chat with Geoff Garrod, him of Keeper's Diary Fame Hob Nobbed it with Lord Howard of Risen discussing the re-sleeving of his old grandfather's Side by Side and found out that I beat the three other members of the Syndicate that were invited quite comfortably, which is worrying for the forthcoming season, as I ain't the best shot either :look:

SS

 

PS Merlin (MC's ESS) came along for the Day and wanted to retrieve all the clays. Couple of the stands we'd have been better off letting him shoot as well

[MC]

I shot the Beckingham Bell clay shoot this morning in the pouring rain and finished on 45/50. It was their annual shoot against Tollesbury wildfowlers who I also shoot for and I decided to shoot for the Bell this time around.

 

I missed 3 sitters on the first stand and thought that it was going to go the same way as yesterday at High Lodge. But after straighting the next 3 stands and dropping 2 long range low crossers (unusual at the Bell) I was pleased. With 2 guys there who have shot for Essex at FITASC I knew that I would not be high gun, but having watched one of them straight the stand with the long crosser I was very suprised to find that I was only 2 birds behind them both as they finished on 47/50.

 

My Blaser performed faultlessly throughout the shoot so at least that is one problem done with, concentration is the next thing to crack. As the shoot at the Bell has never been straighted by anyone I think it was about time it was.

[Suffolk shooter]

I shot the Beckingham Bell clay shoot this morning in the pouring rain and finished on 45/50. It was their annual shoot against Tollesbury wildfowlers who I also shoot for and I decided to shoot for the Bell this time around.

 

I missed 3 sitters on the first stand and thought that it was going to go the same way as yesterday at High Lodge. But after straighting the next 3 stands and dropping 2 long range low crossers (unusual at the Bell) I was pleased. With 2 guys there who have shot for Essex at FITASC I knew that I would not be high gun, but having watched one of them straight the stand with the long crosser I was very suprised to find that I was only 2 birds behind them both as they finished on 47/50.

 

My Blaser performed faultlessly throughout the shoot so at least that is one problem done with, concentration is the next thing to crack. As the shoot at the Bell has never been straighted by anyone I think it was about time it was.

 

Glad to hear about the ***** Gun working properly again MC. :look: Yesterday there were too many distractions for you so glad you had a good morning. Where was the invite though???

 

SS

[MC]

You might get one when you drop the ***** gun comments they are wearing a bit thin now, you can carry on with them when you can beat the combination consistently :blink:

[Mungler]

I didn't get out at all over the weekend and my local was well and truly rained off on Sunday.

 

If I don't get some shooting in soon then the really bad headaches will come back and the voices will get angry.

[Suffolk shooter]

You might get one when you drop the ***** gun comments they are wearing a bit thin now, you can carry on with them when you can beat the combination consistently

 

I have to say I can't knock your scores mate, and its only abit of friendly banter.

 

Little bit disappointed on Saturday only being 3 or 4 behind you going into the last two stands and the wheels came off big time on those. No excuses though, better man won on the day.

 

Not sure if I am going to make the rifle club tonight MC, as its me B'day and the missus wants the kids to give me my cards etc tonight. If I go I won't get home til 10:30 -11:00

 

SS :blink:

[Markio]

Got another 26 ex 50 on Saturday, not exactly a hard layout either. I have recently been watching at the stands and having a plan of what i'm going to do come my turn, this time i forgot as we were first group on each time and i was too busy waffling. Still, a lesson learnt.

 

I have some spare cash set aside for a lesson so i'll have to make that call to Braintree SG.

[Suffolk shooter]

Got another 26 ex 50 on Saturday, not exactly a hard layout either. I have recently been watching at the stands and having a plan of what i'm going to do come my turn, this time i forgot as we were first group on each time and i was too busy waffling. Still, a lesson learnt.

 

I have some spare cash set aside for a lesson so i'll have to make that call to Braintree SG.

 

Why not go and see Dave at Parkford?

 

SS

[Markio]

Got another 26 ex 50 on Saturday, not exactly a hard layout either. I have recently been watching at the stands and having a plan of what i'm going to do come my turn, this time i forgot as we were first group on each time and i was too busy waffling. Still, a lesson learnt.

 

I have some spare cash set aside for a lesson so i'll have to make that call to Braintree SG.

 

Why not go and see Dave at Parkford?

 

SS

 

I wanted to concentrate an a range of sporting stands. I can't take skeet too seriously and their sporting is all close quarters.

[MC]

Markio,

 

Go and see Tracey at the Fennes, she will soon have you dusting them. :blink:

[MC]

I have just shot the Colchester Gun Club, Club Championship and on the first 5 stands shot out of my skin dropping only 3 birds from 42, the last stand was a disgrace. It was a going away mini and a low crossing midi on report. Mini no problem ball of dust every time, low crosser no chance.

I shot over it, under it behind it and in front of it but I didn't bloody well break it.

 

Finished on 43/50 which is above average but I very much doubt it is good enough for a place. :lol:

 

Never mind there is always tomorrow night.

[Suffolk shooter]

I have just had a nice corporate clay day at Gaynes Park (Nr Epping). Turn up at 9.00am Bacon Rolls, Coffee/Orange Juice. 9.30am Pre-shoot brief. 10am On first stand and as I was only one of two in our squad who had shot before (My boss being the other), I go first.

 

The format is five stands 10 birds on each with the first four being practise and the last six being totalled for the fun competition.

 

1st stand left to right quartering incomer 9ex10.

2nd stand going away bird 9ex10

3rd stand Springing teal Wheels came off big time, just couldn't seem to find them at all, shooting over the top 5ex10

4th stand Low incomer (Similar to that white one at the Essex Masters in the afternoon) 9ex10

5th Stand Driven pair in Pine tree ride 9ex10 although i believe i shot all ten, the scorer some thirty yards behind (for safety reasons) had marked one missed.

 

The comp was won by a guy, Paul, an Essex Team shot with 49ex50, second was won by another county shot 49ex50 (lost on countback), my governor got third on 42ex50 and I got fourth with 41ex50. (Had to let him win and found it hard to drop enough for him to do so - that's my excuse anyway )

 

SS

[Markio]

SS, seek help professional help. 'The wheels came off'? ***? With an 82% hit rate it sounds like they stayed on and did you a service. Good shooting!

[MC]

Well done SS,

 

How did Darin get on? I hope you gave him plenty of stick about my invite. Because I certainly will next time I see him.

[Suffolk shooter]

Well done SS,

 

How did Darin get on? I hope you gave him plenty of stick about my invite. Because I certainly will next time I see him.

 

You know Darin, Scores changed throughout the day One minute he had shot 23 in the comp and by the end of dinner he shot 26ex30. Not sure how he did overall though, but the quick glance I had at his score card revealed alot of Duck Eggs. I certainly did give him lots of stick about tyou not being there, as well as giving loads of stick to young Phil about poaching Sunken.

 

Phil did his usual whilst I was on the stands MC, He started up with his Duck and Goose Calls, wished he had done it on the Teal, I really would have had an excuse then. The best bit about these days in my opinion is chatting to Phil, Micheal Aldis and Mike (The Coach), its nice to have a completely stress free days shooting whilst getting free coaching and good banter.

 

Food as always was delicious, Beef Bourginion with new potatoes, carrots, runner beans and mange tout, Fruits of the forest dessert and coffee and mints to finish.

 

Phil and Micheal both said to say hello by the way.

 

SS

[Emmsy]

Mini no problem ball of dust every time, low crosser no chance.

I shot over it, under it behind it and in front of it but I didn't bloody well break it.

 

 

if you never broke it how do you know where you missed it ??

i take it someone said where you were missing ?? i find a lot of people will tell you where they *think* you miss, but many have no idea at all, looking where the wad went is nowhere near where the shot is!

[MC]

How does anyone know where they miss? You know where you are pointing the gun in relation to the clay, and if it doesn't break then you know that was the wrong place. You then try another sight picture.

 

I am fully aware that a lot of people say where you missed and normally they haven't a clue.