A year and a a half after starting trap, here's where I'm at, at the moment.
Generally, I shoot 22 or 23 each round of 25. Some straights, few scores lower than 22. I was getting more straights before my cataract surgery, but the difference is minor.
Most of the targets I hit are centered in the pattern. Lots of little bits going everywhere, some smoke. The ones I miss do not fall into one kind of shot, I seem to miss them all equally well(G)...
I do tend to overshoot straightaways, but not often right now.
I'm of the opinion that my misses at this point are more due to a loss of focus than bad technique. Working on that.
And as for form,I now shoot trap with an erect stance.Those light loads don't push me around like 00 and slugs do.By straightening up, I have more flexibility from the hips up.Front knee is still flexed a bit.
I've also switched to two eyed shooting.IMO,this is as much why I'm busting them closer to the trap as familiarity.
I've been messing with my hold points, right now I hold on the top left corner of the traphouse for Post 1, the top right for Post 5, and I hold for the straightaways from 2,3 and 4. This may change, but it seems to be working fine.
Equipment is as follows....
870 TB with a .733" bore and a .695" constriction for a X-Full choke. Stock's an M/C with a Morgan pad. Drop at cheek's about an inch, at heel close to three to accomodate my oversized frame and long neck. 3 3/4 lb trigger. After maybe 6K rounds in the last 17 months, no glitches. With added weight and springs, it comes in around 9 1/2 lbs. Balances nicely, smoooth swing. If I do one of the big dove shoots this fall, I may just take this hunting once.
Load's 1 oz of 8 1/2 shot at 1150 FPS(from the Hogdon manual). Depending on what the Hull Elf leaves under my pillow, the case's either an STS or AA. The STS seems to last longer. Similar load with 7 1/2 shot works very, very well on Preserve Pheasant and Chukar. Clays powder, Claybuster wads, Win 209 primer, and West Coast hard shot. This last is important.
Why 8 1/2 shot? Because an oz of 8 1/2s has a similar pellet count to 1 1/8 oz of 8s. A denser pattern, and maybe one with better effect at the fringes. I will never use 8 1/2s on any live game.
And the loader's still the much used MEC 600 JR I bought for $50 last year. It's built on the 870 principle, never needs fixing. Did have the bottle support bust, MEC sent me a new one within days at a nominal cost. Fixed the old one with JB Weld so I now have a spare.
Conclusion:
Right now, I've taken this as far as I can go w/o massive infusions of time and money. 9/11 saw us undergo a massive income drop,and I've limited my trap to 100 rounds/week most of the time since.
IMO, here's what I'd have to do to improve my scores,all of which cost money we do not have at present.Listed in the order of most important to least.
One, shoot more. I think going back to a case a week would see my straights become more frequent as of old.
Two, shuck out serious dinero and get lessons from a top pro/instructor.Kiner,Morgan, Handy,and Carlisle come to mind. Everyone I've talked to that has done this regards it highly as a means of improving.
Three, upgrading equipment. I'd stick to the 870 TB, but I'd have the choke opened to about 25 POC and the forcing cone done. This last for pattern improvement more than recoil reduction. I may do this, sometimes after at least one little McC graduates college and gets a job.At least a year away....
So, hope this helps......
Generally, I shoot 22 or 23 each round of 25. Some straights, few scores lower than 22. I was getting more straights before my cataract surgery, but the difference is minor.
Most of the targets I hit are centered in the pattern. Lots of little bits going everywhere, some smoke. The ones I miss do not fall into one kind of shot, I seem to miss them all equally well(G)...
I do tend to overshoot straightaways, but not often right now.
I'm of the opinion that my misses at this point are more due to a loss of focus than bad technique. Working on that.
And as for form,I now shoot trap with an erect stance.Those light loads don't push me around like 00 and slugs do.By straightening up, I have more flexibility from the hips up.Front knee is still flexed a bit.
I've also switched to two eyed shooting.IMO,this is as much why I'm busting them closer to the trap as familiarity.
I've been messing with my hold points, right now I hold on the top left corner of the traphouse for Post 1, the top right for Post 5, and I hold for the straightaways from 2,3 and 4. This may change, but it seems to be working fine.
Equipment is as follows....
870 TB with a .733" bore and a .695" constriction for a X-Full choke. Stock's an M/C with a Morgan pad. Drop at cheek's about an inch, at heel close to three to accomodate my oversized frame and long neck. 3 3/4 lb trigger. After maybe 6K rounds in the last 17 months, no glitches. With added weight and springs, it comes in around 9 1/2 lbs. Balances nicely, smoooth swing. If I do one of the big dove shoots this fall, I may just take this hunting once.
Load's 1 oz of 8 1/2 shot at 1150 FPS(from the Hogdon manual). Depending on what the Hull Elf leaves under my pillow, the case's either an STS or AA. The STS seems to last longer. Similar load with 7 1/2 shot works very, very well on Preserve Pheasant and Chukar. Clays powder, Claybuster wads, Win 209 primer, and West Coast hard shot. This last is important.
Why 8 1/2 shot? Because an oz of 8 1/2s has a similar pellet count to 1 1/8 oz of 8s. A denser pattern, and maybe one with better effect at the fringes. I will never use 8 1/2s on any live game.
And the loader's still the much used MEC 600 JR I bought for $50 last year. It's built on the 870 principle, never needs fixing. Did have the bottle support bust, MEC sent me a new one within days at a nominal cost. Fixed the old one with JB Weld so I now have a spare.
Conclusion:
Right now, I've taken this as far as I can go w/o massive infusions of time and money. 9/11 saw us undergo a massive income drop,and I've limited my trap to 100 rounds/week most of the time since.
IMO, here's what I'd have to do to improve my scores,all of which cost money we do not have at present.Listed in the order of most important to least.
One, shoot more. I think going back to a case a week would see my straights become more frequent as of old.
Two, shuck out serious dinero and get lessons from a top pro/instructor.Kiner,Morgan, Handy,and Carlisle come to mind. Everyone I've talked to that has done this regards it highly as a means of improving.
Three, upgrading equipment. I'd stick to the 870 TB, but I'd have the choke opened to about 25 POC and the forcing cone done. This last for pattern improvement more than recoil reduction. I may do this, sometimes after at least one little McC graduates college and gets a job.At least a year away....
So, hope this helps......