Tackling a Looping Bird

[snowyhog]

Whats the best way to tackle a looping clay rising from the left to the right 40 metres out in front ??

 

Thanks

[AdamC]

Personal preference I think. Many seem to struggle with loopers bit for some reason I don't and find them one of the easier tagets to hit.

 

I pick the bird up just out of the trap and track it, wait for it to reach its highest point in the loop, over take it as it starts to descend, but stay on its path and pull the trigger when the lead feels right.

 

Some like to hit them at the top of the loop, but there were a few loopers that you need welding goggles as the top of the loop was in front of the sun. I know I guy that shoots everying the moment he see's it. He claims it is better to shoot it early than give it a chance to start doing too many things.

 

All the best with them.

Edited January 28, 2008 by AdamC

[Chard]

I agree it's a personal preference thing, but I don't think you should track it in the literal sense. I don't think you should follow a curving clay with your gun, if you follow in a curve, you'll miss. Either go straight to the top of its loop and whack it there, or cut across the loop in a straight line, to a point where you've decided to break it.

 

I didn't used to like loopers, but now the only ones I'm not keen on are very long range ones, where I still find it hard to estimate a break point with the lead and delay involved in a long distance shot. :unsure:

[tazkb]

i "ambush it" at the top of the loop

[Mungler]

For a Chandelle target wait for it to crest and start to fall and then shoot in front and under it - with far out ones you will be surprised how much lead it will need. I have seen them taken like a rising teal but most try to take it where it crests (and might appear to come to a rest momentarily) but I reckon that's hard to get right all the time.

 

For a looper which crosses in front of you, think of a box - the bottom corners of the box are where the clay enters and leaves the box. As the clay peaks / crest you want to be aiming and pulling the trigger for the bottom right hand corner of the box (where it exits). Difficult to type and explain, so you best bet is get a lesson!

Edited January 28, 2008 by Mungler

[shaun4860]

I normally take them about 12" behind while rising and about 24" above when falling....

and no i dont hit them either..... :unsure:

[alexm]

If it's a twisting battue looper it also depends on where in the arc it turns face on as shooting them edge on is obviously going to reduce your chances, but if I can I generally shoot them just after the the top of the curve like the others have said.

[the last engineer]

very tough one to answer as all looper chanttele and battue act differently, even the second pair, personaly i get very aggresiveon them, any target at velocity is a more predictable one then falling, going after a falling target creates all kinds of problems from rookie to seasoned shooter.

 

so my way is to see the target pick my killzone, shorten my swing to bare minimum, and attack with a positive attitude, stroke the target at speed, this for me is a more controled shot, i do give myself a zone where if the first move is off a quick check of muzzlee speed will pick it back up, kinda like having an a game and b game, tracking a target of this nature to me is fatal, they are not predictable at lower speeds, get down and get nasty, i akin it to a reactive shot in the field, dont think shoot. :unsure:

 

Martin

[paulos]

As said, a hard one to answer without seeing it. But my personal preference is to shoot them on the way up, just before they peak.