Northern Virginia TFL Shotgun Shoot at the Bull Run Shooting Center

I guess this time I'm the NO SHOW!!! I could have gotten there in an hour and forty minutes but it took me an hour and 40min to get to Wilmington Delaware:mad: Everyone is going to the Shore and 95 South was packed. I turned aroudn once I realized I might not get there until after 3pm at the rate I was going. Whoa is Me:(
 
Soda,

We were wondering where you were. I left a note for you at the front desk just in case you got there late. Don't worry, we'll be doing this again.

There were 7 of us there.

We shot Wobble Trap, or 5-stand I guess it is also called. What a neat take on the game.

I have to blow my own horn and say I had a FANTASTIC day.

I haven't picked up a shotgun for clay sports in close to 8 years.

Well, I rented a Browning Gold Sporting Clays semi-auto, and I could hardly miss.

My first round was a 23 of 25, my second round was also 23 of 25, and my third round the recoil was starting to get to me, so it was only 20 of 25.

The only thing I can really attribute it to was the fact that the Browning fit me like a glove -- it came to my shoulder naturally, pointed like a dream, and hits were easy with it.

I didn't get a lot of really solid "smoker" hits, but I was hitting consistently.

I'm sitting here giving serious thought to trying to find one of these guns.
 
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I feel bad now:( I'm usually the one ridiculing people for backing out and not showing up:o Well I am long over due for a new shotgun. I'll have to get one before the next gathering.
 
We all had a great time. And like Mike mentioned we practically decided to make it a regular event, maybe every other month or so. Many thanks to Roadrunner for putting this one together.

We looked for you SodaPop and figured you would find us if you got there a little late. We'll let you know when the next one will be so you can join us.

I'll tell ya what - Mike was smokin'! No practice at all, rental shotgun, brand new to the Wobble Trap sport (as were all but one of us I think) and what does he do? 66 out of 75 that's what. I asked him if he was going to make an offer on that gun when he returned it.

When I got home I told my wife, "You know this trap stuff ain't so hard, heck I had a no-hitter going for a while but then one of those dang clay pigeons got in the way and ruined it!" :)
 
Ok so if its every other month. August in VA, Sept in PA, October in VA, December in PA, January in............. Its too cold in January;)
 
Next shoot

You guys might want to consider going to the peninsula to shoot one of the courses on Maryland's eastern shore. There are several great courses and it is not that far from you Va folks (Or me I might add:D )

I recommend J & P Hunting Lodge at the one to shoot. Although Pintail Point is supposed to be fantastic also,(I havn't shot Pintail yet). Some of my fellow Travellers have and they rave about it.


Geoff Ross
 
A near picture perfect Saturday afternoon to be shooting outdoors. It was another successful Northern Virginia TFL Shoot.

Mike was nearly unstoppable with that Browning Automatic with the days' high score of hitting 23 out of 25 two rounds in a row.

David did well shooting my Beretta o/u and saw LJ smoking the clays as well. Sodapop, sorry you couldn't make it.

Hopefully the NRA Range will complete their maintenance work and reopen on time. Until the next gathering -- see you on the TFL boards.
 
How long were you guys there? I figure that if I was suppose to be in VA by 12 noon and I was in Wimington DE at 11:45am I was going to be a little too late:mad:
 
SP, we were there from 12N to around 3 or 3:15. If you had continued on and arrived before we left, I'll guarantee there would have been several who would have stayed and shot a few more rounds. The center was practically empty on most of the trap sites when we left. It was pretty busy in the AM and early PM though.
 
You're kidding?! I pictured you as Mr. Blue Shoulder for a week or so the way the Browning was kicking the shot out of you.

David and I were sitting there watching you (ok we were laughing a little also) wince in pain and exercise your shoulder after every shot in the final round. I mean, it was so bad that you only shot 20 out of 25 for that round! Give me a break. :D
 
Well, my bony little shoulder isn't even bruised, so I can believe that Mike isn't feeling too bad. The light target loads helped a lot. :)
 
Mal,

Yeah, it was getting to me all right, I think in large part because I'm simply not use to shooting long guns anymore.

Honest to God, about half way through the third round I thought to myself "What the hell was I thinking?"

Those S&B loads were also a little on the heavy side for that, 1.25 oz shot and a 3.5 dram equiv. load. They're really field loads for dove.

Next time, if my car doesn't crap out, I'll be sure to pick up some lighter Federal or AA loads.

I also checked prices on the Browning Gold Sporting Clays semi-auto, which is what I was shooting.

Suggested retail?

$1,023 and change! :eek:

I'm going to see if Bull Run sells their guns at the end of the season to see if I can pick up one used.

But, no matter what, next time we go (which better be soon!)

SPORTING CLAYS! SPORTING CLAYS!

Oh yeah, you should have gone to lunch with David, Roadrunner, and me. I was feeling so giddy over my good shooting that I picked up lunch for us. Hell froze over at that moment, I think. :D
 
"But, no matter what, next time we go (which better be soon!)"

Ahem........

Sept 16th


SPORTING CLAYS SPORTING CLAYS

We have the field all to ourselves on the 16th now. They did a major screw up scheduling our Gathering, a Cowboy action Gathering, and a Sporting Clays tournament.

I'm too poor to spend a $1000 on a shotgun. I'm probable going to end up with an 870 if I can ever sell my Ruger MKII
 
Don't worry, Soda, I'm still trying to figure out if I can make it or not.

I'm just not certain.

I'd LOVE to go, but I've got two dogs that I have to worry about, and I don't like kenneling them.

I'm thinking that I may just head to my parents in Lewistown, drop aforementioned doggies there, and head down for the shoot. But there are some other factors that have to be considered.
 
I don't think I have any conflicts for the 16th (I hate to schedule things more than a week in the future because I always forget). Anyway, if any "locals" want to ride with me, you're welcome. I could probably use a navigator anyway. :D

Hopefully I'll have my own shotgun by then, although I've mainly been looking at HD-type guns. Will a 20" cyl-bore Mossberg work for sporting clays? As posted in the shotgun forum, a mounted bayonet could be handy for finishing off the clays if you miss them in the air. ;)
 
David - "Will a 20" cyl-bore Mossberg work for sporting clays?"

It certainly will work, however it probably isn't allowed at the range. Most ranges allow shotguns with 26" or longer barrels. I wouldn't be at all surprised if that's the case at the PA range, perhaps with a small variation. Someone who knows that particular range will have to verify this.

The option is to get 2 barrels for the Mossberg.
 
Thanks for the good advice as always, Mal. The problem is that, as far as I know, only 18.5" and 20" barrels are available for the Mossberg 590 series.

I just thought of another option, though. My aunt and uncle have a well-stocked gun rack, and my grandfather used to have a shotgun behind every door. I'm going to visit my parents sometime this week, so I'll see if I can borrow something suitable for clays. And there's always my Colt 1878, but I don't know where I would find blackpowder loads for it. :D
 
David,

Skip the 590 and get yourself two Mossbergs for the price of one.

5416901.gif



This model, 54169, comes with a 28" field barrel, 3 interchangable choke tubes, and a cylinder bore 18.5" riot gun barrel.

I've seen these at Wally World, and they're usually cheaper than the 590s.
 
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