doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Manners cost $150.00 per lesson.

Quaint story if you believe it...

Well, if you told it, I wouldn't. But it's Jon, not you, so I do.

The man told his story; I see no reason not to believe it. I don't believe a lot of people I know, but I don't know the OP. If that's what he said happened I'll go along. If it had been me though, I'd have been the one losing $150...Geo

No I wouldn't have lost any money. I'd never bet a .410 against 12ga.

First thing is never bet a man who is offering to shoot a 410 against a 12 gauge.

That is good advice!

"The gauge of the gun is an index to the ability of the man to prove his manhood. If it is a 12-gauge, he is so-so. If it is a 16, he is pretty good. If it's a 20-gauge, he is excellent, and if it a .410 he is bragging." � Robert Ruark, "The Brave Quail"

I don�t even want to know what you charge for a filling.


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Emmylou!
https://youtu.be/1fYdVsHN0Sw

Thanks for the post Jon!

I had a noted Trap "Hot Shot" refuse to shoot practice with me one time to the extent of going to another field because I might taint him. I think it may have been because I was practicing "low gun". No doubt the guy is good having placed highly at national events. No big deal.... I kicked his ass at Sporting Clays.

Every club has one or two shooters who take themselves too seriously. They think they are just that close to being a champion or All American. They work at it like it is a job making themselves and others miserable. They try endless equipment changes, trying to get over the top. They go to shooting instructors to perfect their game. They worry about everything around them like their misses are the fault of whatever distractions occur. They will scream, rant and rave when they miss like it makes a difference. It does not. I love to see them taken down a bit. It's a game people unless you are the top 15-25 in Skeet, Trap or Sporting Clays it is not your job.

Fifty years of shooting has taught me a few life lessons on shooting. Never make a bet that requires you to shoot a perfect score. Get a few birds for a cushion. You are going to miss eventually, no matter what you do or how hard you try. Every long run string of hits is started and ends with a miss. You never beat anyone else shooting, you just shot better than them for awhile. All my misses are my fault. Act like a grown up when you miss and move on. No one likes a shooter who complains or acts up when they miss so just shoot the next bird like nothing happened. Treat new shooters or fellows who do not shoot that well with respect. Everyone starts out missing birds and if you live long enough you'll end up missing birds. But by then you will be so happy just to be shooting the misses wont matter to you at all.

The best shooter I ever shot with and the very best .410 shooter I ever saw was the late Wayne Mayes. 200, 100 straights with a .410 in registered targets. Who knows how many in practice. In a class by himself and one of the nicest fellows to shoot with you could ever find. When he missed, the few times he missed, it was like nothing odd had happened. He'd load his option and start his next long run. He made his living shooting and teaching others. Equipment meant nothing to him. He shot in any weather conditions. He'd shoot at any club he could make money if he won. His chances of winning was more than 50:50 I'd say. I watched him load targets for his squad one day and he did not take out the broken targets. Said a broken target should never bother a good shooter. Would not even bother to clear the trap after a broken target. He was a real good shooter who was a pleasure to shoot with and be around.

KY JON, since you know me and you shot in MD, I'll tell this Wayne Mayes story. At the old now closed National Capital Skeet and Trap club, we were hosting the North South shoot, the oldest continuously run NSSA shoot in the country. Wayne Mayes, Todd Bender, and the rest of their regular squad, minus one, were signed up. My friend, Pat, went up to the sign up desk to sign up to shoot, but was not with a squad. He filled in Wayne's squad. The first gun they shot together was the 20 gauge event. Pat had never run 100 before and was a bit apologetic about joining the squad. I was cooking dinner for the shoot, so had some time to watch the squad shoot. It was evident that Pat was a bit apprehensive, so Wayne and the squad took him under their wing and shot every bird with him. One station, Wayne would stand with Pat, next station, Todd or one of the others would stand with him. At the 50 mark, the squad was straight. I took over for the trap loaders and started loading the Western traps after the rounds. At the end of the 100, there was quite an audience behind the field. The squad had run 500X500, with my friend, Pat, running his first ever 100. The rest of the squad were as distracted from their shooting as any squad ever had been, but they were taking care of their squadmate and didn't care about their individual scores. I later asked Wayne how often 5X5s were shot with a mixed squad. Wayne said that it just didn't happen with a stranger on board and hardly ever even with his own squad. The picture of that squad sat on Pat's desk at work until he retired. Wayne is gone now, but he will never be forgotten. I had a nice visit with his wife a few weeks ago and we shared some stories about the old days. Bill Murphy in MD.

What a wonderful story. Thank you.

SRH