An Observation Today.....

[Dave McCracken]

As on most Fridays, the Geezer Squad met at PGC this AM, Range 9. I was the last of the four who attended today, and joined in the repartee.

We make lots of noise before the first shot is fired. Usually we talk about the weather, the government, shotguns, "Kids Today", vehicles, a war some of us took part in, shotguns, flyfishing, shotguns, you get the drift.

And good shotguns are in every hand.

I had my Beretta O/U.

Al had one of his Model 21 Winchesters, which is worth more than the Jeep I drive. Prettier too.

Doug as usual had one of his 20 gauge Parkers, this one a relatively plain VH. "Relatively" is a slippery term. It's as pretty as a Palamino filly.

And member Bobdog not only had his dog,Bob, but his Dad's first shotgun.

It jogged the memory bank so hard a drawer popped open.

This one went back 50 years.

Brian held a H&R single shot, very similar to the one that had been my first shotgun, and my father's before me. That one had been given to Pop when he was about 9. That one was a 16 gauge.

This one was Brian's father's first shotgun, and a 12.

It looked just the same.

28" barrel, brown patina, plain wood and no pad. A thin plate covered the butt, bringing back the memory of the very first shotgun accessory I ever bought, a slip on recoil pad.

I looked it over. Weight about 5 1/2" lbs, trigger to match. Handled like pointing a wand.

We jawed a little, then set up for Chinese Trap.

For those coming in late, Chinese Trap as WE do it is shooting at trap targets from Skeet stations 1,2,6,7 and the last 5 shots from any point of our choice BEHIND the 27 yard line.

Did I mention the variable delay after one calls for the bird?

Yup. Up to 4 seconds. Maybe more if we're full of mischief.

Or that Full Use applies? You can take more than one shot at a bird, and pump fans have been known to send three fast rounds downrange. Don't ask how I know.

Anyway, I'll cut to the chase.

Which gun scored the highest in that game?

Was it the Parker, the Model 21, the sleek Italian claycruncher?

Nope.

The old H&R.20/25, totally respectable for Chinese Trap.

I took a couple shots with it afterwards. After an 8 lb target gun, I shot over some birds but had fun reliving the long lost days of my youth.

The kick, even with my creampuff 7/8 oz loads, was noticeable. Brian was using 1 oz and getting hammered some. I did give him four words to think on.

"Slip On Recoil Pad".

As I headed home with one of Mr Richard Betts' soaring solos filling the Jeep, I mused on the irony.

Once again, reality proves that it's the Indian, not the arrow......

 

[sm]

*grin*

I was three years old and I had a wittle wooden folding chair, just like the big people did, and these were just like the ones that church had too.

I did not touch the metal parts of the guns , because that leaves fingerprints, but I did touch the wood on those nice shotguns those fellas had, as they put money in the cigar box I was holding.

That was fifty years ago, and one of my Mentors used a H&R single shot 12 gauge that had cha...charact....character.
I got to carry the cigar box , with all that money, all by myself back to the twuck, and I did not drop it.
Just like that Mentor did not a drop a bird.


Once again, reality proves that it's the Indian, not the arrow......

 

[Duke of Doubt]

I used to take my daughter to the trap range. She'd keep score and look cute. It was SHE, and not I, who figured out that it was not the words spoken but the volume and range of the sound which triggered the thrower; the speakers in the shack were mostly to help keep score and to pick up commentary or problems from the shooters. On her suggestion, rather than grunt "Pull!" into the microphone, I finally let out a huge belch. It worked!

 

[scottishclaymore]

That's a neat story. Good reminder. Thanks for that, Dave.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Thanks, guys.

Steve, youda liked it. And the game. You need to get to MD sometime.

DD, some of our guys are so loud that we turn off the Canterburys even when they're 30 feet away. Deaf old shooters.

This got me thinking. I need a stock for the NEF single in the basement. That was cut to a 12" LOP.

 

[rbernie]

Once again, reality proves that it's the Indian, not the arrow......

Always is; it's just easier to hyperfocus on the arrow.

 

[Bud Tugly]

If you've got lots of money you can buy lots of fancy arrows, but the only way to become a better Indian is through time and hard-won experience. Money alone can't buy that, which is why it's a rare and precious thing.

Neat story, Dave.

 

[sm]

Deaf old shooters.

Dave,
Everyone, I was raised to not be a programmed shooter.
Back then, everyone shot skeet from Low Gun. Few folks realize Pre-Mounting the gun came later in Skeet and one was allowed to do so.

Another thing Mentors did, was not call for the bird.
1. Quail, Dove, or Duck is not going to "present" itself afield if you holler out "Pull"
2. Trap machines make a noise just before they release the bird.
Not so much today.
So even back then, we had folks "programmed" in their shooting that knew every station, every hold point, flight path, and they "started" their programmed style of shooting at the sound of the trap machine.

These folks could shoot straights all day long, as long as the weather, was nice.
Add wind, rain, and the noise was not heard, and flight paths differed.
Afield, they could not shoot worth a flip.
I have seen A class shooters that shot a box of shells and only hit two doves, or quail.

When the new machines came to be the norm, they were Quiet. LOTs of folks had scores go down. I mean lose class status and everything.

1. Old School , like myself, did not have a problem.
2. Hearing Impaired did not either.

Not all hearing impaired were old Geezers.
We had our share of Military that did not use hearing protection back in the day. Then again "muffs" on a Carrier deck back then were not what they are today either.
We had some folks born without hearing, and some that lost hearing due to sickness, injury or accident.



One of many neat memories is a teenage gal from the Deaf School that came out and took up Skeet.
Downright funny to see the Geezers that could not hear, or know Sign and the Interpreter "hollering" what the teenager had Signed.

Me? I am dumb as a brick, I just had an understanding with her as I assisted her, to do what I did, and let the interpreter communicate with us.

My chest was not the only one all puffed one day, Hearing Impaired and Geezers were too.

Crazy Quail and the trap machine was quiet.
Now I pull this game well, I learned from the best. Still the old machines made that noise before release of the bird.

This teenage gal, with a 1100 in 28 ga, did extremley well. I can pull this game and drive a person nuts. Yes I took it a bit easy with her, as she was learning.
Dove- she did well. Sorta sad for me, as she could not hear all the hollering and razzing that goes on. Still she pointed and teased and razzed in her own way.

Quail- she could not hear the explosion at her feet, which startles many and they cannot get gun mounted to face.

Re: Impaired.
Depends on how one chooses to define it.

You cannot buy skill and targets. me, mentors...

One cannot shoot what they cannot see- Misseldine

 

[mgkdrgn]

I use to shoot trap in a Monday nigh league at that range oh, 20 years or so ago when it was called PG Winchester. (and me kicking out all those green Remington hulls from my 870)

That is a -real- nice facility ... wish we had something like it 'round here.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Thanks, folks. A couple things....

I'd rather shoot a Mossberg that fits than a Purdey that doesn't.

Of course, a Purdey could be sold to pay for many Mossbergs, but it's shooting we're talking here.

I recall a fellow years ago that hunted with a IJ single 16 gauge. He could get off two shots on a covey rise sometimes, and usually dropped what he shot at.

I also recall a couple folks from Gallaudet College, the school for the hearing impaired and deaf in DC. They liked to get right it front of the big speakers at Dead Concerts. They could hear the music then. One later did his MD CCW certs with me. He shot well.

MGK, everyone should have a PGC range close by.

Unfortunately, that's some infrastructure the current pols in power are probably not contemplating....