I competed in the Iowa games again this year. The first event I shot was skeet. I was did good except for one "minor" detail. If I was on station 2-6 and the bird was coming from the low house, I wasn't going to hit it. Never did get one, still don't know what the deal was, it just one of those days I guess. Trap went slightly better but left a bit to be desired. 21 (after completely crushing the first 16, I fell apart when I dropped the 17th bird) from the 16 and 20 from the 21. Sporting went ok, 35 for my score round, nowhere near being in the medals but ok for not shooting sporting in a year. After the score round we shot a "fun" round and I broke 41. I was satisfied at the course high was 45 and 41 would have put me in third for the 17-30 class.
Slug gun was the tear jerker. In this even you shoot free standing without slings at 8X10 metal plates at 40, 60, and 80 meters. I just mounted a Leupold 2x handgun scope of the barrel of my Ithaca 37. My father has one on a rifled barrels gun (I have a smooth bore) and it shoots way better than any pump gun has a right to shoot. My venture in scoped shotguns started off very poorly. 6 inch groups at 50 yards and we won't even talk about 100 yard groups. I was also experiencing extreme P.O.I. changes. Having not brought an allan wrench along so I could remove the scope, I followed the pricipal of "you run what you brung" and escaped with a embarrassing 4 of 10. As soon as I got home I dropped the scope and shot a group in front yard just to make sure........... A four shot group of 2 inches with iron sights restored my confidence in the gun and I will get some new rings in the near future as its obvious the old ones were slipping.
On to gun failures:
The worst was when a guys O/U went off upon closing on the trap range. My buddy was shooting beside the guy when he blew a hole in the ground five feet in front of him. Buddy was kinda shook up about it and I don't blame him as made me nervous and I was 30 yards behind the line. We are not sure of the brand as the shooter, after talking to the score, took it to his car and finished the round with a borrowed gun.
Of the 3 1100's I watched 2 had hang ups. One looked to be an older gun and one was a newer gun was synthetic funiture. Of the 3 malfuntions I noticed (newer gun had 2) they all seemed to be the action catching as the 2nd round was chambered.
I also noticed one shooter having trouble with his 870. Whether it was a gun or shooter problem I am not sure. In the defense of 870's I witnessed a 47/50 shot on sporting last year with one.
Sorry for the long post, just thought I would comment on this years games.
Matt
Slug gun was the tear jerker. In this even you shoot free standing without slings at 8X10 metal plates at 40, 60, and 80 meters. I just mounted a Leupold 2x handgun scope of the barrel of my Ithaca 37. My father has one on a rifled barrels gun (I have a smooth bore) and it shoots way better than any pump gun has a right to shoot. My venture in scoped shotguns started off very poorly. 6 inch groups at 50 yards and we won't even talk about 100 yard groups. I was also experiencing extreme P.O.I. changes. Having not brought an allan wrench along so I could remove the scope, I followed the pricipal of "you run what you brung" and escaped with a embarrassing 4 of 10. As soon as I got home I dropped the scope and shot a group in front yard just to make sure........... A four shot group of 2 inches with iron sights restored my confidence in the gun and I will get some new rings in the near future as its obvious the old ones were slipping.
On to gun failures:
The worst was when a guys O/U went off upon closing on the trap range. My buddy was shooting beside the guy when he blew a hole in the ground five feet in front of him. Buddy was kinda shook up about it and I don't blame him as made me nervous and I was 30 yards behind the line. We are not sure of the brand as the shooter, after talking to the score, took it to his car and finished the round with a borrowed gun.
Of the 3 1100's I watched 2 had hang ups. One looked to be an older gun and one was a newer gun was synthetic funiture. Of the 3 malfuntions I noticed (newer gun had 2) they all seemed to be the action catching as the 2nd round was chambered.
I also noticed one shooter having trouble with his 870. Whether it was a gun or shooter problem I am not sure. In the defense of 870's I witnessed a 47/50 shot on sporting last year with one.
Sorry for the long post, just thought I would comment on this years games.
Matt