Finally - After 30 years!
I did a lot of skeet shooting when I was in high school but after graduation it stopped because of other interests. Then, 30 years later, the high school where I now work as a school resource officer had a fund raising sporting clay shoot to raise funds for Project Celebration - an all night alcohol and drug free party at the school for students after their prom.
One of the kids, who, incidently is a nationally known shooter, asked me to shoot in the charity match and I agreed. Wow! In 30 years I had forgotten how much fun it was.
That turned out to be an expensive shoot because afterward I bought a Browning O/U shotgun, ear plugs, vest, lots of shells, etc., and started shooting again.
After only two months of shooting after getting back into the sport, I FINALLY broke my first 25 straight yesterday afternoon!! I'm a happy camper!
Here's the neat part . . . On Station #2 I realized that I had forgotten to change the chokes from last weekend's sporting clay shoot I went to . . . I was shooting skeet with I/C and Modified choke!!!! Since I didn't have the other tubes with me I went on and shot with the tighter chokes . . . viola! - 25 straight! I really think that knowing that I had tighter chokes made me concentrate more.
Anyway . . . it was a good day! Thanks for listening.
JDS
30 May 2005, 18:46
GatogordoAs you are well aware, high station 2 is the most missed target in skeet.
Here's a hint from lots of years of shooting. besides the beginner's misses, which can be anywhere, most shooters have a tendency to shoot over high 2. It starts out with what looks like a straight path and just about the time the shooter is "on" it, especially if you are a little older, gravity takes a bigger hold (not really of course, but that is what it looks like) and it starts to increase its parabolic course downwards....ergo, lots of shooters keeep their swing on the initial straight line course and shoot over it. Solution, try to visualize shooting at its "feet" and let it ride on the "top" of your sighting plane. Takes a bit of thinking and changing to find a plan that works for you, but it is really not a difficult target, if you find your initial gun start position so it doesn't "leave you at the station" when you say "pull". Hope this helps and have fun.
30 May 2005, 21:35
Customstoxjds,
Nice job, congrats.
I have been shooting a 28 Gauge Verona at skeet almost exclusively lately. I anguished over not haveing a skeet choke, I was shooting cylinder and imp cylinder. Finally got a skeet chokes from Verona and nothing changed except my fear of having the wrong chokes.
I bought a Charles Daly/Miroku O/U just recently and although it had Mod and Imp Mod chokes, I tried it at skeet. The first round was a 23 and the second a 24. I convinced myself then that if you are on, the chokes don't make the difference. Of course when you are off a skosh, they may. With 1 1/2 skoshes it definitely does.

JDS
You think things were expensive so far. I have news for you. Stay at it awhile longer and it will get a lot more expensive at the same time as it gets a lot more fun.
you will probably end up buying reloading equip. and then after awhile you will want a new gun, and you will always want all of the newer stylish clothes that you see in the outdoor catologs, etc. It gets real bad. But one only lives once, and its worth it.
(by the way, Im too cheap to buy extra chokes so I do all of my skeet shooting with a modified and a full, which is why I never shoot better than about 22) But who cares. Its fun.