27 yard targets

Kenny

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London Ont area
ok here it is ,,I have shot alot of clay but mostly skeet and sporting clay. Recently I have dove into trap and enjoy it. I shoot a sporting clay Citori with a adjustable ceek piece. I have rasied it a bit so that I see my mid bead is stacked under my end bead I break targets above the bead. It seems to only shoot about 10" high ,,not real high like some trap guns I have tried.
Anyway the short version of this.. is my 16 yard targets are coming along nicely. I am shooting about a 96% average. However I have tried some 27 yeard targets and I am hopeless. I switched to a full choke and close the gap a little on the targets but still can't seem to get consistant breaks. what is the secret for long range targets ,,?????
 
I know what you mean and I'm in the same boat. Here's my advice, full choke as you have done, follow through with the shotgun (keep tracking the target after you shoot) and lead lead lead, you may have to go as far a 6ft ahead and a few below if your shooting late and the target is dropping. Practice practice pracice. I always get knocked out in the long shots, 16 yard, no problem, 27 yard, not too bad, farther back, even worse. When we have a shoot out (tied for the round) to determine a winner, the first shooter picks a spot any where to shoot from. Sometimes it's in the parking lot standing on a pick-nick table, sometimes it's on the porch of the club house, where ever, they are always retardedly looooong shots and I loose. Annie Oakley's are typically shot out past 27 yards and I seem to be Ok for those ... well I last a little longer than some but never win.
 
When i move from 16 to 27yds. I almost double my lead including my lead for height......my Keighoff is set up to shoot 80/20 High......If I hold the same way as 16 for a straight away, I will shoot under it everytime! Once you know the leads you will have to fight with every shot to not slip into a mind induced return to 16yd. leads, because you(and I) have shot so many 16 yd. targets.
 
Just as a question, have you been punched to the back fence, or are you just shooting 27's for fun?

Generally shooters take a few years (decades for some ;) ) to work their way to the 27 yard line. To expect to shoot well from the back right away is a good way to mess with your head, and you may be changing things that do not need to be changed with your setup.

Perhaps try a few rounds at mid yardage to help you learn the distance equation for the back fence. If you are breaking 96 average from the 16, then it's a pretty good bet you have the skills to move back in the handicap.

I'd try a bit slower approach though. Over 80% of ATA handicappers are short yardage, but the last 20% shoot 80% of the total registered targets by volume. I'm not sure if these numbers are exact, but I found that to be an interesting stat. Practice makes perfect.
 
thanks

Thanks for all the advice, I will stick with it, and stretch out my leads. I am not shooting registered targets as of yet. We run turkey shoots every month and shoot offs are all done a 27 yards thats usally where the wheels fall my game.:D
 
Hi Kenny,

You are shooting a sporting clays gun and your point of impact is not high enough. You have made some adjustments and need to shoot the target quicker coming out of the house as well. Timing, higher point of impact and a full choke will get you there. I have taken a break from ATA shooting this past year to work on getting my store up and running in the Belleville area. I will be going back at trap shooting this year. I just got a reduction to 26 yards last year and I think it is a result of poor scores in the 89% average as well as not shooting much.

In order to shoot good 27 yd. targets you should have a consistent good average at 16's in the 96+ range. Most good 27 yd. shooters have that and have acquired the necessary skills to view target presentation in order to break the targets. Hopefully I am not confusing you and what I am trying to say in short is practice both 16's and be in the 98+ range and your 27 yd. targets will come easier.

Hope this is of help to you.

Best regards,
Sam
 
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There's been some good points made here. Take some time and practice at the 23-24yrd line first. That will make it eaiser going back to the 27yrd. I shoot from 24 1/2 yrds and jumping back to 27yrds needs a slight change but not huge. Most of it is in the timeing and where I'm focusing before I call for the target. Also you mention shooting skeet and sporting alot. What shells are you shooting at 27yrds. I know alot of skeet and sporting clays shooters use 1oz #8's. From 27 yrds 1 1/8oz of # 7 1/2 is what you'll want for consistant results.

Tim
 
Just for fun, pattern your gun at 27 yards on a black dot the size of a target. It will give you an idea of where your shot is stringing out. Note the aim point that you are taking on the test patterns. On the Oakley line you have to see a lot of distance between target and gun barrel to stay ahead. just think of the shot string as you swing out there. its a great $port
 
thanks for the advice

I thank everyone that replied. I have had some limited improvement at the 27 yard line. The advice on icreasing my leads on hard rights and left was spot on. I think I have doubled my lead and targets are breaking. The straight aways are still a struggle. I no doubt have to hold higher but I still seem to miss alot of them .. 27 yard shooting takes alot of concentration.
I shot last Sunday ran 50 straight at 16 yards. Then we shot a pratice round at 27.. I hit 19 .. I think everything I missed was a straight away or a soft angle. This is better than the 14s I was hitting few months back.
Thanks again I'll keep plugging away.
 
You have to realize as well that the majority of the 27 yard shooters maintain an average that would entitle them to a yardage reduction at any given time.It's not easy making the 27 yard line and it's even tougher being competetive from there.
Dave
 
Long range shots

since you first asked, I dug out my model 12 and noted the height on the monte carlo stock. It appears that the raised height allowed me to see the target "above "the barrel in clear view as the gun actually shot high with the shot string. At 16 yds, i used to shoot fairly quickly so the target was still rising. I do recall a few "ink spots" . I did shoot the 3 dram 7.5 1 1/8 loads from the oakley line. The high lite of my shooting career was to tie avery prominent Northern BC shooter in a PITA singles event in A class. At the end of the day he called for a shoot off. As I walked by the rack to pick up my mod 12, my old dad said "make him back up son". It was Annie Oakley distance plus. End result was he got 9 of 25 and I got 14 of 25. Every time I think of it , I just smile. Ahhhh, the good old days
 
I started shooting ATA trap a very young age and carried a AA singles average very quickly but it took a lot of practice to get to the 26yd. like about 5yrs. My point is Practice ,Practice , Practice. You all so need a heavy load 1/1/8 oz, of 7.5 Good Luck and have fun .
 
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An interesting point was made earlier about holding the gun higher to get on the bird quicker. It didn't seem to work that way for me when I tried both. So, I kind of thought that holding the gun lower and seeing the trap earlier was the ticket. I've started hitting the hard lefts from station 1 pretty consistently now and I have been holding almost on the corner of the trap house (both eyes open). I hold a little higher as I move across to station 5. On the other hand, I'm shooting at the 16 and 20 yard lines with a long way to go. Fred
 
since you first asked, I dug out my model 12 and noted the height on the monte carlo stock. It appears that the raised height allowed me to see the target "above "the barrel in clear view as the gun actually shot high with the shot string. At 16 yds, i used to shoot fairly quickly so the target was still rising. I do recall a few "ink spots" . I did shoot the 3 dram 7.5 1 1/8 loads from the oakley line. The high lite of my shooting career was to tie avery prominent Northern BC shooter in a PITA singles event in A class. At the end of the day he called for a shoot off. As I walked by the rack to pick up my mod 12, my old dad said "make him back up son". It was Annie Oakley distance plus. End result was he got 9 of 25 and I got 14 of 25. Every time I think of it , I just smile. Ahhhh, the good old days

Hmmmm? PITA requires a singles tie to be shot from yardage?:rolleyes:
 
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Lets not forget also that ATA stats show that only 1% of the reg'd shooters in this game make it to AA-AAA class or the 27 yard line. Shooting from back that far will do nothing to improve your handicap scores from your assigned yardage if it is less than 27. I have been a 25 -27 yard ATA shooter since 1987 and would give anything to be back up at the 20.As well there is no discernable difference IMO shooting from 16-25 yds but the game changes dramatically at 26-27. More lead?? Cant say it looks that way to me from behind the gun. As the distance back increases the angles of the stations decreases due to their fanning out wider causing less severely angled targets to shoot at. For myself, and I watch some of the topguns shooting, and you will see much less swing of the gun.The swing movement is very slight.A hard swing will put you off the bird every time. I hold my gun perfectly parallel to the ground which gives me about 24+ inches of hold over the house and simply let the target come up and pass me before lifting up to get it.Thats just my way.You must slow yourself down physically but be very focused mentally to consistently be on from back that far. As one guy pointed out most 27 yarders are maintaining averages that will get them a rduction if they desire.Do I take my reduction, damned straight I do, as soon as I am moved forward as far as I can be by ATA rules(24 yds) I can get into the $ again but it means see-sawing back and forth like a yo-yo. Its hard to win money from the back of the fence not to mention lonely back there!! LOL
 
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When you have shot ATA targets for about 5yrs 5000-8000 per year and not been punched back to say the 24 25yd line then you may have to look for the reason till then it is a learning curve . when you go to the club everyone will always shoot 16yds change it up shoot from the 22-24yd line you will become a much better shotgunner if you practice that format .
 
When you have shot ATA targets for about 5yrs 5000-8000 per year and not been punched back to say the 24 25yd line then you may have to look for the reason till then it is a learning curve . when you go to the club everyone will always shoot 16yds change it up shoot from the 22-24yd line you will become a much better shotgunner if you practice that format .

:agree:Struff, I got punched back to the 25 1/2 my second season and first 2 handicap events ever only!! That was at the Grand in '87. I never fired a handicap round again til '99, lol and went back to the Grand with my required # of targets and ended up with a 2 1/2 yard punch in the Preliminary Handicap. Since there is no 28 line they could only give me 1 1 /2 of the 2 1/2 gain!! God I hate handicap shooting, but the dough from that end of the field is much more rewarding....LOL
 
ATA trap is a game of repetition it is easy to beat your self to even stay at the 24 and 25 yd takes work I agree with BC Fred try holding a lower gun instead of the higher gun the lower gun gives you more time to see and track the bird when your eyes pick up the target the gun automatically will travel to the target .
 
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