SHOTGUN 101 W/ Dave McC

[proven]

being new to shotgunning and eager to learn, i met mr mccracken at PGC on saturday for some shotgun 101. what a great experience!!

PGC's view of short barrels ruled out my 870, but dave was kind enough to lend me #6 for the day. after going over basic safety and mounting i picked up a book of trap tickets and a case of 7/8 oz loads in the clubhouse. we then headed for range 7 and i shot my first round of trap.

for this round dave stood by my side as i went through the positions, giving instruction on form, mount, and swing follow through. a combination of nervousness and dave's 3 1/2 lb trigger, my first shot nearly pepperd the back of the trap house. i adjusted quickly though, and the clays started to break.

after another round dave and i shot a "flurry". standing side by side at position 3, we loaded, called and shot as fast as we could for the whole round. talk about fun!! i must have had a smile from ear to ear. walking away i realized that i busted more clays that round than the previous two. dave's simple method of eliminating the thinking, and letting the instinct of shooting take over really helped me out.

we then shot a round of wobble, and a few more rounds of standard trap. all the while, i was getting great instruction and making improvements.

a note on fit: at one point dave and i accidentally swapped shotguns. taking 5 shots with frankenstein futher embedded the importance of fit. with its monte carlo style stock and lowered adjustable butt pad, i couldn't get a good cheek weld. although i may have broken one or two out of those five, shots with #6 came much easier.

at the end of the day i couldn't have asked for a better experience. i feel i walked away with a good understanding of the basics, and an appreciation for how important proper fit and form are. i now have the confidence that when i practice, i'll be practicing good techniques.

dave, i thank you again for putting me on the right path, it's greatly appreciated.

one last thing: after shooting #6, i'll definately be looking into having a good 'smith work over the 7 lb trigger on my 870p.

in the mean time, i'll be BA/UU/R

proven

 

[9mmMike]

Excellent post. I would love to pop down to Mary Land for some instruciton some day (since I can't Dave to come North!).
What is the barrel length issue at that range? How short is too short?
Mike

 

[anapex]

At PGC barrels have to be 23" or longer.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Wow, the BB's back up and a nice dose of warmfuzzies for starters....

Proven, it was a pleasure. Next time you make it down this way, we'll try a wobble flurry from low gun.Thanks to you, #6 got a nice workout. I exercise it rarely due to my contining infatuation with Ms Frankenstein.

#6 is now clean again and ready for the next foray.

For those that weren't there, Proven is a nice guy, and an apt student. Since he drove three hours to get there, I was expecting The Newbie From H*!!.

I figured wrongly.

He wasn't cross dominant, he was free of ingrained bad habits and he LISTENED. I couldn't ask for better students than I've been getting. Between anapex, dghboy 315 and proven, among others,I am blessed.Even if they lack Capital letters, they are good folks and good safe fledgling shotgunners.

And I had a blast after his walkthrough round. I had another student met there, a nice lady who was clueless but wanted to please her hubby. After we figured out the cross dominance prob, she too broke birds with regularity and aplomb. Then it was my turn to bust birds. Story there will be covered elsewhere.

Mike, if you don't mind traveling down, let's set a time. See the PGC thread if you can make it Saturday. You can exercise #6 if you wish.

And, I'm working on BA/UU/R iron ons. See me at PGC for some...

 

[dghboy315]

proven,

i had the exact same lesson a few months ago. dave is just the best teacher. and, it really is dave m. i tried to take a friend out shooting a few weeks after i started and i just could not get him to shoot like dave. i felt like ob-wan kenobi trying to teach like yoda (yes i was a geek in high school).

any ways, keep practicing the fundamentals. i'm consistently shooting 19s now w/ the occational 21 thrown in there.

and you're right, fit is very important. i'm having my stock custom cut to fit me better.


DAVE M,
as for capital letters, they just take too much time to type.

 

[sm]

Each one - Teach one

Great post!

Well you folks are both fortunate and wise to seek intructions from Dave.
I had "mentors" as well...sure makes a difference.

More to Responsible Firearm Ownership - than Firearms So I read about Dave, then El Tejon [ ever notice how El T posts about teaching ladies, I mean I enjoy teaching ladies and kids as well I but don't recall El T ever teaching a male...just an observation ]

So what is this about Iron Ons with BA/UU/R?

Humm, copyright by DMc...when do the pocket knives, ASP lights, coffee mugs , mouse pads...etc., become available?


pssst...I like green, and I like gray, in case anyone asks...

 

[Norton]

Grrrr.....reading all of this is making me so antsy to get back out to PGC. This end of the school year stuff really eats into my shooting time. .......can't wait for summer to get here.

I'm planning to just pitch a tent out at PGC this summer ......I've got the "twins" cleaned up, lots of store-bought shells, my new-to-me MEC Sizemaster, about 300 AA hulls.

All I need is some reloading tutorage and I'm going to be the guy that won't go home this summer One of the few advantages to being a teacher is the months of June, July and August......

BTW....just found out that one of my students is working the sporting clays range.

 

[Dave McCracken]

315, bring him along after finals. Teaching is harder than just learning. Ask Norton....

And a couple more wobble flurries will turn those 19s into 23s and 24s. Nothing I know about will encourage focus like that fast stuff, and focus is the hardest part.

Norton, be strong, summer's nigh. Note that they have a reloading class notice up at PGC. We will shoot together again, and I hope you spot me a bird or two to compensate for your height advantage.

As for iron/ons, when WW's cast comes off in 3 weeks, she says she'll set it up. When I have some, I'll charge a buck or two to cover cost.

At that time, sm, PM me an address. You've got one coming, gratis.

 

[Bostish]

Not so clueless

Dave,

Though by no means can I tell anyone the difference between a 7 or 8 shot, it doesn't really matter IMO. I do appreciate you taking the time to show my wife and neighbor a few tips. She started busting a clays after some reassurances from you. I think one of her biggest problems is she doesn't see them break. I think she closes he eyes after the shotgun goes off, and looks to me to tell her if she hit it.

She's not out to please me per se. It's a family thing; her, my two boys and I do. Often, more than not, she motivates us to go out and blast a few pidgeons.

She's trying to develop skills; which in one form or another I have had a great deal of experience with. Heck, I was in the 1st Infantry "Big Red One" during the Gulf war as a 60 gunner, and qualified expert on the M16. Which I quickly realized, requires some retraining on my part for shotgun sports, "Don't Aim, Point! at the target". But my comfort level is pretty good around firearms, weapons, guns, shotgun, and rifles, whatever the political correct thing is to say.

I would prefer not to call her clueless, just a mold ready to be formed. It is confusing with the quantity of people offering advice, whether bad or good. She participates in the Friday night "Learn to Shoot" League, and we go out on weekends and weeknights to hone skills.

It's kind of funny in a way. Some people say "point low on the house and chase the bird up", others say "stay level with the house and follow it up", then others say "stay above the house and side to side it". At some point, she'll figure out what works and it will be her style. Sometimes, I feel she so caught up with the form and not the function of enjoying the game for what it is. To have fun, break a few discs and meet people.

I think in the end, given enough rounds she'll be a lot better. Your techniques seemed to help her.

As for the boys, my intentions out there is to support them, and give them a healthy respect for firearms other than the TV fantasy weapons are for shooting people. Besides, I know my youngest son capable of shouldering a shotgun has actually realized as a sport it's easier to get recognition and fame than the NBA and some of the other hoop dream sports.

As for me, I hate station #5, those breakers seem the most difficult for me to hit. I think the wife and I will use your patterning information on a previous thread, to get an idea how our shotguns are doing. I tell ya this; it was reassuring to see fellows like you out there getting high 20s with a pump. Some of those guys out there look at it like if you don't have a $10k stock made out of Tyrannosaurs femur bones, your going to just suck.

Hope to see you out there this weekend. Please don't take offense to any part of this message; the term clueless was just a bit bothersome. I know you didn't mean any harm in the term itself.

 

[Norton]

For all: Does anyone know when the May reloading class is at PGC? I had the schedule but of course lost it....

Dave....I'm hangin' tough there as far as the end of the year. The seniors leave May 21, but be have the underclassmen for 4 more weeks

I'm keepin' the faith by getting out to On Target when it's raining and can't work on the deck. Plus, I'm reading the Migdalski (sp?) book a bit and studying the loading books for the shotgun.

If the rain holds off on Wednesday I may go over for some twilight trap shooting

 

[Dave McCracken]

Welcome aboard, Bostish. Sorry if the term offended. I thought it apt because she didn't know why she was missing. She is cross dominant, and had little confidence when I talked to her. I had to tell her when she broke them, either her gun shoots a little too flat for best work at trap or she closes both eyes at launch.Once she realized she was busting them nicely, things improved markedly.

I should be at PGC Saturday morn, I'll look for you.

Best way to deal with those right screamers from 5 is to go there when things are slow, bribe the trap help to lock the trap so it only throws those. Then stand on 5 and keep increasing the air between bird and barrel until the target's crushed. Repeat until learned. Same for one and left screamers.

Good to see your son busting them also.

Patterning's crucial. They've a patterning board set up down on Range 2. They'll also sell you patterning sheets and lend you the tape. From the board to the back fence is 32 yards.

Norton, I may stop by PGC tonight after work for a few rounds. I'll look for you.

 

[Bostish]

Pattering

Thank You Dave,

Wife and I will be out there by 10:30, that’s when the Scholastic Shoot Program begins for the boys. The one headed by Larry "BTW, Larry needs more young shooters to make a team". They usually set up on 7, that’s why it's not configured for wobble on Saturdays.

If we don't get out there earlier, we will probably pattern when they are shooting.

 

[Dave McCracken]

I'll look for you. Anyone else for Saturday?

 

[9mmMike]

At PGC barrels have to be 23" or longer.

What! All my pump guns are 20". Even the lovely Mrs. 9mmMike's Special Field 1100 came with a twin bead 21" barrel, stock from the factory, and it's for upland bird. What kind of carp (not the fish either) is that? Grumble grumble grumble.....................
I guess my side-saddle equipped shotties would be too scary, even with their beautiful wood funiture.
I will begin hunting for a "MD legal" barrel asap and, rest assured, I'll come visit this Summer.
Mike

PS. I just bought an old Wingmaster 2 3/4" receiver and I was wondering what to do with it. Now I know.........
It'll be my "go visit Dave in MD" gun!

 

[sm]

Mark the calendars folks...we actually have a "Firearm Restriction" that "might" be a good thing!!

<9mmMike to the Mrs.>
"Yeah honey , rules are rules you know, gotta buy some "Un-Restricted" firearms if we gonna go to PGC".

Let us know how that line plays out - willya?

Dave "will" probably inform us others if you show up alone , with a black eye and have to borrow a gun...that'll tell us - huh?

 

[Dave McCracken]

Mike, the 23" rule is designed to eliminate EBSs. They claim it's because of blast and noise. Pure Caca Del Toro, they allow ported shotguns.

Looks like you're going to build your own Frankenstein. Enjoy!!

sm, I certainly will NOT! It's wrong to mock the unfortunate, heh,heh.....

 

[sm]

9mmMike

I Strongly suggest you let the Mrs. handle, borrow and shoot a 28 ga O/U.

Umm...these have PGC acceptable length bbls...yeah that's it.

Just trying to help a fellow shooter out , and allow the Mrs the opportunity to shoot as well. Gotta take care of the ladies you know.

 

[9mmMike]

Thanks a bunch. Really.

Actually, she has already picked out her next shotty. A Berreta Silver Pigeon OU 20 ga. I just need to find someplace to donate a kidney so that I can buy it for her......................................

Poor poor me....................