Another first.
This was my first visit to shoot trap at the MO Dept of Conservation (MDC) shooting range called "Lake City" in Buckner, MO. (Same state range system that JEBar visits near St. Louis). This is really a very nice trap range, close by the rifle and pistol ranges. With a pretty hot and humid afternoon, attendance was quite sparse. There was one fellow on the rifle range, no one on the pistol range, and I had the trap range to myself! Well, not quite. My Benelli 20ga PUMP was with me, and the MDC Range Officer (RO) was standing by.
A note about the RO.
Bob is a very nice retired fellow, and he is the primary trap/skeet RO at Lake City. Since we're both retired, we had some good chat time in between my trap rounds. If the range isn't busy (like yesterday), he uses his time well by doing wood carving. He was finishing up a wood puzzle of a VW bus for his grandkid while we chatted, but told me he thought he would glue it together and just make it a toy. He had other wooden toys already done in his sack, and they were nicely carved out of maple wood. He is also a long-time trap shooter, and I did get a few pointers from him. And boy, do I need those pointers being a green newbie to this sport!
Trap loads.
I shot my first round with Remington Game Loads 7/8oz. 2-3/4" #8 shot (1225fps), and second round with Federal Game Loads 7/8oz. 2-3/4" #8 shot(1210fps). Although I'm not that experienced with trap ammo, I liked the Rem loads better. Maybe that's because my score was higher in that round!
The range rules restrict a shooter to loading only one shotshell at a time (safety precautions), so I did have a lot of practice with my pump action loading and ejecting 50 rounds yesterday!I know this Range Report is missing photos of those all-telling targets. But without any video equipment, it's hard to bring you any images of those splashed targets, and even more often, those birds that kept on flying away totally intact!!
Scores recap.
Back on July 9th when I shot trap for the first time, I hit 9/25 birds. The second time out I hit 8/25.
Yesterday for round #1, I got 10/25. As most of us do, I like the improvement no matter how small.
Then big time "oops!" My second round was dismal, like the cloudy sky: only 6/25 birds taken. Those happen.
So it's easy to figure my percentage after four trap rounds: 33/100 = 33% hits! I recall from my teaching days that 33% is not quite passing. I'd say the same for my trap record thus far!
Bob's pointers; what I learned.
~~It was interesting to learn from Bob where to hold my POA just before I called "pull" for him to release a bird for me. There are 5 different positions you face the trap house, and the angles shooting downrange are all different. So you point the shotgun at different points aligned against the trap house, and at slightly different heights. Still much to learn about this positioning.
~~Then he said I'll do better if I continue my swing after I shoot -- to continue following the path I was on "chasing" after the bird. I found that I often stopped cold after I shot, and he said that may change the direction of the shot ever so slightly. It did feel like I was "jerking" the shotgun when I stopped the swing. Again, much to learn about "chasing" the bird and swinging that shotgun.
What I saw down the barrel.
~~What I've read about sighting when shooting trap states that I should get away from focusing on the double bead sights. Rather, "swing" the barrel and lead the target. It makes sense, but challenging when so accustomed to right-on aim when shooting the bull at 50 yards! Again, I've still more to learn about aiming this new shotgun when shooting trap!
Summary of learning experience from my 3rd and 4th trap rounds!
~~Much to learn, and need to practice, practice, practice! After I finish practicing, practice some more!
I have found this to be a challenging sport, yet definitely much fun! I will keep after more birds on another day!!
Enjoy the upcoming weekend, Everyone!
