jhog1 said:
Back in the day a lot of the best shooters used slide action shotguns model 12's and 42's where common place, so was a low-gun start position, which was required in American skeet before the gamesters came along and changed the rules to allow the gun to be shouldered prior to calling for a bird.
Yep, and when the Model 12s were winning Skeet tournaments, golf pros were still using clubs with wood shafts. They still shoot Olympic Skeet low-gun, and the O/U is the gun of choice. Times have changed -- have you seen any M-12s or wood shaft golf clubs lately?
What once was a game for hunters became an endurance test for target shooters who for the most part have no interest in hunting.
Most of the NSSA and ATA shooters I've competed with are avid bird hunters -- the club's fields are somewhat deserted the opening weekend of dove season. Comp shooters are usually more successful hunters than other shooters. When one of our senior members suddenly died during a Dakota bird hunt, the comment was made:
He went while doing what he loved the most.
Sadly, around here, many of the local hunting areas have been closed to shooting by the politically correct. Local comp shooters may be hunting less; but, that doesn't make them indifferent. It seems, golf has gone from a game for gentlefolks to a media circus of the celebrity pros. But, one thing remains, if you want to see how the games can be played to their fullest, check out the tournaments.
Traditionally, youngsters learned to hunt with a single shot. After they'd completed the basics, then they moved up to a repeater (and a younger sibling got captaincy of the family single shot). After getting comfortable with trap singles, they could progress to some skeet with crossing shots and doubles. These days, it seems adult new shooters wanna jump right in. I still contend that for new shooters learning the clay sports it's much easier if you don't have to contend with cycling a pump for a quick second shot.
These days, how often do we see a thread started by someone who's getting into shotgunning and wants help selecting between entry pump guns? When was the last time a newbie asked if he should start with a single shot or a repeater? Most seem to take for granted that a single shot is just for kids (and serious trap trap shooters).
If you're going to shoot clays,or birds, with a modern entry level pump, don't think it's going to perform like a classic M-12 Tournament Grade pump. On the bright side, you can easily get better results from your pump if you have your stock properly fitted and add a mid-rib bead to your barrel (the two work in concert for consistency).
