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I finally went straight in skeet today. It felt great. The next round I wanted to duplicate my long sought after, elusive straight.

Missed high 2 on the doubles.

What a dumb stupid game. I'll be back on Tuesday though to try again. Dumb stupid shooter.

The best part is I did it with my Browning 525 16 gauge. Love that gun.

Congrats on your first 25. I'm still waiting, so for now I will have to live vicariously.
Best,
Ron

Great job. Very Happy

Savor the accomplishment. I've never done it. Watched a guy at my club do it with ease many times - shooting a .410! Seems like I'm stuck between 21 - 23.

Feel confident that you will do well hunting - for me, that's why I skeet.

16's RULE (sort of Smile

)

Member Joined: 31 Aug 2007 Posts: 238 Location: Lodi, CA

Congrats Art!

I know how frustrating it can be. I am first and foremost a bird hunter and I am always fiddling with different guns, loads, gauges, shooting styles, leads and so forth on the skeet field. I consistently shoot low to mid 20s, but very rarely a straight 25.

Then I'll jump in and shoot a few rounds with a bunch of competition shooters who want the bird simultaneously on "pull", no talking, shoot the bird over the center stake, pre-mount the gun, measure so many feet to this stake, hold the gun over that stake, put feet here, pivot on the hips, after saying "pull" count to three and pull the trigger, and its like "o.k. I have had enough!" But, then again, these guys shoot lots of consecutive 25s and all to often, I have to admit, I get suckered into their game and seek that perfect 25 too. When it happens, it sure feels nice!

But then again, thank God for guys like Gene Hill who said "I'd rather shoot a 24 with an old Parker, than a 25 with a repeater or an O/U."

In fact, I shot skeet this weekend with one of my buddies who was riding me for shooting a 16 ga. with my 7/8 reloads. He said he'd sell his gun and buy a 16 ga. the day I beat him at skeet. He is a very good shot. He was shooting a 12 ga. autoloader with 1 1/8 ounce factory loads. Well I smoked him on the next round with my 16, beating him by 9 birds (my 24 to his 15). Admittedly he just had a bad round, but nonetheless, I started giving him a bit of his own razing and teasing him about using an 1 1/8 ounce a simple clay target.

Then, one of the "competition shooters" over heard all the banter and walked over and said "Don't worry fella, you keep shooting your 12 ga. 1 1/8 ounce load, and don't let this guy bother you...hell, I'd shoot a pound of lead if they would change the regulations to allow it." Next, he turned to me and said, "son, skeet is about breaking targets, plain and simple." Then he just turned and walked off.

Well perhaps so, just ain't my philosophy I guess.

Member Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 425 Location: Maine

Congrats Art!

It took me 8 years... first time was with a 28g M12 repro. Then the 25's started happening regularly.
I also hunt, and play with about 20 different shotguns, in all gauges (except 24 and 32), and really like it that way. Very few shooters at my club are "serious", and although I can play their game, I much prefer to shoot with those who constantly banter, and try to out bulls--t one another.

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

Congratulations, not that you got it out of the way it will be easier to repeat.

I went forever without breaking 25 and kept saying that I dod not care, it did not matter. But subconciously it must have cause every time I'd get around to station 6 or 7 clean I'd think about it and start missing.
After I finally broke 25 I repeated it a bunch of times inthe next coupleof outings. So the first is an ice breaker and you'll find it easier to just relax and do it over again.

I regularly shoot 7/8 oz through a full choke and if that costs me a target or three who cares. It's not just about breaking clay. It's about having fun, doing it your way with a gun you enjoy handling.

Pity the guys that have to break every target to have a good time.

Jeff

Art, congratulations. I've never done it. I seem to be stuck at 18 to 23 for a score. I tell myself that it's because I don't live close to a skeet range and don't get to practice much. But I keep going back. It isn't bad to have a goal as long as you have fun getting there.

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

There's nothing like watching a guy break his first straight.After the first ten or so the mood goes from carefree to serious to downright nervous on the last five-especially the last one Razz

The joy and celebration take over from there Cool

Now you can work on that fifty Wink

Hope they shot your hat up Very Happy

Hoashooter, I wasn't wearing a hat but if I had one it would certainly look like Swiss cheese today.

Member Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 972 Location: Keller,TX

Please accept my hearty congratulations on a job well done. I'm still awaiting my first 25. It is all the much sweeter shooting the 16, isn't it. Wink

Art,

Several years ago I got one of the Ithaca Model 37 16 gauge 'Classics' for a test and article.

Took it out to the skeet range, screwed in the IC choke tube, dumped a box of 1 ounce 8's in my bag and stepped to the line, wondering how I'd do on doubles with a pump gun. That Ithaca pumped slicker than snot on a door knob and I got to station 8 with 22 straight. Took my high house bird, took my low house bird. Called for a low house bird and had such a major brain fart that crap came out of my ears and the bird sailed on!!!!!!!

I've shot 25's with that gun since, but OH how much I wanted to be able to say in the article that I took it right out of the box and shot a 25.

I still have that gun and it is one of my favorite 16 gauges. I used to get a lot of comments from the 'score only' shooters when I would be shooting low gun, a pump and a 16 gauge to boot. Usually by the end of the round they were asking me why I didn't shoot competitively. I always told them that skeet was something to do with a shotgun when the bird seasons weren't open.

Congrats on your victory. Keep it Up (with a 16 gauge OF COURSE!)

TMB
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