doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Whippy little guns..............

Be like Mike! I shoot low gun for skeet and like Mike, I "straiten the shot" at high 2 and low 6. I admire those who can short stroke these two but most who can are shooting mounted or butt loose in the pocket and comb just barely below the cheek before the pull. 3&4 I can short stroke high and low before the stake with a slight shift to face the shot on the low, but at 5 I tend to either just kill the high with a snap intercept which ain't hardly fair or track over onto the right side of the field. Low 5, I'm always behind and swinging thru to straiten it much the same as I do at low 6. I have never been conscious of swinging up thru 7 low altho I am very conscious of doing exactly that at trap straitaways. I don't fool around at 8, am early and on, but I think I need lessons or a new right eye at low 5 and 6. I love it when the wind blows and they slide, rise, or hop. Depressing the muzzle adequately going to the left on a grass cutter is hard for me but have no trouble going to right. Low gun skeet is great practice for a gun mount from a lot of positions from international to straitup one-hand carry, whatever the efficacy of insertion in front and short stroke on feathered friends, but I don't think the American "face-the-shot" bit on a concrete pad helps much for field shooting. Sunday last, I shot skeet with my "new" Merkel 200e with PC post spreaders, the "Murphy modification" and a full 1 1/8oz. Darn thing is 42 and 48 points of constriction; 3 squads, high 21. Incineration effect was so pronounced I didn't even get smoke. Fellow shooter observed that he thought I incinerated only half of one flower pot and left the other half as one big piece (which I unfortunately couldn't shoot as it was a single and an empty top tube as I thought I'd give myself a little bit of a chance). Got to get chokes opened somehow but I don't think it can be thinwalls as the ID is .719 both barrels and the OD of tubes consequently is struck to only .798". I know Briley "wants a look" after which they'll decline, so I think the "tubing" will probably go to Orlen for a reaming. Hope no one minds me piggybacking the question of whether there might be a reason to hedge one side of the other of a nominal constriction on barrels with these tight bores? I can't afford "ream 'n shoot" tactics! I think I'd like to keep something like light mod in one barrel for 16yd (doesn't matter too much which one as I like going from rear to front trigger about as well as the other way despite the long semi-pistol which feels about like a strait hand stock) and useful old IC in the remaining. So I'll probably end with another middle-of-the-roader. Any opinions, advice? I don't hope to shoot geese or pheasants a county over.

jack

PS: To get back on track, at 6lb10oz, It sure ain't whipppy but bit like all property of Baby Bear. . .juuuuust rite!! And one of them amazin off-the-rack fits.

It took me several years to figure out that I don't shoot well with light, small gauge SxS's. For whatever reason, I shoot much better with shotguns that weigh 7+ pounds and sport barrels 28" or longer. I think it is follow-through and momentum.

Those little wand-like 20's sure feel great in the showroom! But I break a lot more clays with a Citori 12.

JERRY

Amen, Jerry. Unless we are grouse or woodcock hunting.
Best,
Ted

It's been my experience that most folks that complain about not being able to shoot light weight (so called whippy) guns consistently have just not learned the proper technique. They are prone to stopping or slowing the gun at the shot and invariably shoot behind the bird, either clay or feathered. With a heavy gun you have built in inertia to keep the muzzle moving, with a light gun you must keep the barrel moving with technique and muscle memory. As far as which technique I use I really couldn't tell you. I shoot best when I let my instincts take over and concentrate totally on the target. If I hit the target I could not explain what my lead was or what sight picture I was using but if I miss the target I can tell you every detail of the shot.

I try to do the same thing, TwiceBarrel, but I do follow the bird and I don't stop my gun. But swinging a small frame gun like my 20 gauge 870 or my Superposed is like swinging a wet noodle. It is just all over the place for me. Maybe using a 12 gauge with inserts is the answer. But a larger gun just feels natural to me. Thanks for all of the comments, guys. Not trying to insult anyone. I was just explaining the problems I was having. Good luck and thanks again.

Adding weight will certainly help make the light little gun feel like you're shooting the heavier 12 ga. The problem is muscle memory, for lack of a better term. When we shoot an eight or nine pound gun a lot, as we do during the off season shooting clay games, then going to the lighter gun, it "waves around" and won't seem to settle down on the bird without great effort and wasted time. I truly believe it all can be overcome by shooting the little gun enough for "muscle memory" to imprint with the light gun. Works for me. Anyway, what's wrong with shooting a lot?

Jimmy,
I had a little Winchester M24 in 20g and gave it to my brother-in-law. It weighs just under 6lbs. He couldn't hit anything with it. His shooting skills were not all that mature at that point. Frankly, I didn't do so great with it either. I added some adhesive backed car wheel weights to the underside of the barrels at the muzzle. I think it was only a couple ounces or less. What a difference! It's all out at the muzzle and changes the balance and inertia of the gun dramatically.