doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com National Sporting Clays Nationals with Leighton

Once again, I had the fortune of squadding with Leighton Stallones in the Side-by-Side event at the NSCA Nationals. Though Leighton and I have both had some success there in years past, it wasn't to be this year. That didn't keep us from having a nice time shooting together. He's a charming fellow and I hope we can make it happen again.

When I arrived home, Joe from Charlotte picked me up and we went by his house where Toby Barclay met us. We talked guns for a while and looked over some of Toby's latest treasures. Always great to spend time with fellow doublgunshop friends.

How do we contact Toby and give him some work?

Tom; I am glad you are keeping a toe in the water: I love side by sides, and will probably die loving them.
Sam Ogle, Lincoln, NE

You can reach Toby at info@heritageguns.co.uk . He's headed back to U.K. Today or tomorrow so it might take him a day or so to reply.

Thanks, Sam. No real plans to the contrary, though that could change should nothing appear on the horizon. I really didn't intend to be retired so early in life.

Thanks Tom, for the report. I, too, know the pleasure of squadding with Leighton. Maybe we can all get together for the Open next year.

BTW, my friend Bill gave them all a lesson there, didn't he? After it was over Bill said Anthony and some of the other young top shooters asked him was he about ready to retire. He told them he figured this was a good place to start over!

SRH

Thank you Tom for the kind words. Yes had fun and shot poorly. I shot the worst in SxS ever. Last year I shot a 90 and this year a 73 at the NATLS. I HAD A LIGHT HEADED NO FOCUS PROBLEM caused by shooting too many heavier kicking loads in my O/U in the prior event.
I am sticking to 2 3/4dr x 1 oz loads from now on.

I've got to remember that one...
JR

I have known that for years, but my increase in scores from the lighter loads has been marginal. However, it has been noticeable.

I have recounted this before, but it's been awhile and might have been over on Shotgunworld. Years ago I developed a very bad flinch when shooting sporting clays. I was convinced it was not recoil related, which I later proved. I was shooting 1 oz. reloads at the time, moderate velocity, in a heavy 32" barreled O/U. My flinch was not a jerking of the trigger, rather an inability to get my trigger finger to move when my brain said "Shoot!". It was like a short circuit between the brain and the trigger finger. I would recover in a second, and often break the bird almost as it hit the ground. I got quite a reputation around this part of the state for my ability to "call 'em back". It got so bad that I was flinching 7-8 times out of a 100 bird round, missing maybe 3-4 birds a round because of it. I became convinced that the trigger on the gun I was shooting had led to my flinch, as it had way too much travel before a clean break. I even had a gunsmith try to help it, but to no avail.

About that time I bought the MX 8 that I now shoot. Wonderful trigger in that thing, but the flinch persisted. In frustration I switched to 1 1/8 oz. factory loads, just to change up something. That was the combination that "cured" the flinch. It went almost 100% away immediately. So, a good trigger and heavier recoiling loads fixed a flinch that I was convinced would never go away. Now, it occurs maybe once every 200-300 targets.

SRH