Stuck in the 70ies

[rembolt]

Well since buying my Browning citori in janurary I have had the pleasure of shooting 8 scoring rounds of sporting clays(club events) .these were all 50 bird shoots except one which was 75 birds.when I first got the gun my scores came up fairly fast over what I was shooting with my pump gun usually in the 65% range.I now have seemed to platued in the 76% range with my best being an 80% in one shoot.the citori(micro) is a field gun with 26 inch barrels and a shorter length of pull .being a not so large guy I find the gun really fits me well .I realize that most sporting guns have 28 to 32 inch barrels .could the 26 inch barrels be keeping me from doing better or have I reached my own best ability.over the summer I hope to improve this some more and hope that it carries over into the bird season in the fall.

 

[stubblejumper]

I shot a 12 gauge Citori Skeet with 28" barrels for years and did reasonably well at skeet. This year, I found a very nice 20 gauge Citori Skeet with 26" barrels that fit perfectly, but I just can't seem to be consistent with it. As an experiment, I tried a longer heavier gun last weekend, and I shot much better. I just find that I shoot better with a longer ,heavier gun. However, I still like a shorter barreled, lighter gun for upland hunting.

 

[Koko83]

I would say it's possible. The legnth of the barrell shouldn't affect your accuracy for something like clays. That's down to the chokes. But if the gun doesn't swing nicely for you, or if it's too light, it could be a problem. Where do you miss most of your targets? In front, behind, below...?

 

[3macs1]

Well since buying my Browning citori in janurary I have had the pleasure of shooting 8 scoring rounds of sporting clays(club events) .these were all 50 bird shoots except one which was 75 birds.when I first got the gun my scores came up fairly fast over what I was shooting with my pump gun usually in the 65% range.I now have seemed to platued in the 76% range with my best being an 80% in one shoot.the citori(micro) is a field gun with 26 inch barrels and a shorter length of pull .being a not so large guy I find the gun really fits me well .I realize that most sporting guns have 28 to 32 inch barrels .could the 26 inch barrels be keeping me from doing better or have I reached my own best ability.over the summer I hope to improve this some more and hope that it carries over into the bird season in the fall.

Hi Rembolt. It takes a real pro shooter to notice any difference when shooting a 26" vs a 28". You will hear all of the crap about the longer sight plane but like I said a few will really notice the change.You are only losing 15 feet per second on the speed of shot on the 26" vs the 28" which in lead you are going to have to adjust is not worth mentioning.Now what does go on is the shorter barred gun is lighter and harder to keep swinging. My guess is that you are slowing down or stopping the gun. My next move would be to pick up a clamp on style barrel weight for that gun and give it a try.
I use the mag tube ones on all my pumps and it makes a hell of a difference in my scores but I am shooting 28ga with only 25" barrels.Take care

 

[rembolt]

Well I beleive most of my misses are do to rushing the shot.and as 3macs1 said stopping my swing .with more shooting I will hopefuly get better .the intentision was never to shoot clays competively but to better my shooting ability for bird hunting.so in one sence i have already done that by bettering my persentage of clays from 65% to 76% .by the time fall comes I think I will be more than ready if I continue to shoot as I have.no matter I am haveing fun and thats the whole point of shooting .

 

[3macs1]

Well I beleive most of my misses are do to rushing the shot.and as 3macs1 said stopping my swing .with more shooting I will hopefuly get better .the intentision was never to shoot clays competively but to better my shooting ability for bird hunting.so in one sence i have already done that by bettering my persentage of clays from 65% to 76% .by the time fall comes I think I will be more than ready if I continue to shoot as I have.no matter I am haveing fun and thats the whole point of shooting .

Hi Rembolt:
A guy has a clamp on barrel weight that may fit your gun on the EE priced very reasonable may be worth an try. I know for me a few ounces on the 870 is the difference.take care

 

[stubblejumper]

I tried my new Citori 12 gauge with 30" barrels at skeet today, and shooting doubles at each station, I shot my best rounds of the year so far. The heavier gun seems to have improved my swing noticeably, and I still have no problems catching doubles on stations 3,4,5.

 

[Covey Ridge]

or have I reached my own best ability.over the summer I hope to improve this some more and hope that it carries over into the bird season in the fall.

That is up to you to decide if you reached your best. I think you have just reached a plateau. Many good instructors will tell you that a plateau is an opportunity to either stay at that level or to do what it takes to get better. All you have to do to stay at your present level is to keep doing what you are doing. The only risk it that you may take a dump and go down hill. To prevent staying or taking a dump you may have to change something. This may require someone to critique the way you shoot and for you to work out changes. With qualified instruction and practice you will leave this plateau but you will probably climb onto another plateau, and another. Most of us level out because of $$circumstances$$ and being un willing to make changes.

 

[hnachaj]

Lets look at the facts of the good shots. They ALL shoot 30 or 32 inch O/U or 30 inch Semi which is really a 34 inch gun. They ALL have the gun fitted to them as there is no rifle sight! Have you ever looked at the glove when catching a baseball? Or, looked at the hockey stick while picking up a pass? Looking at the tennis racket while playing tennis? NO! The gun has to fit you so that you can aim with your periphal while HARD focusing on the target. They also ALL evaluate ammo performance at distances that they shoot clay targets!

If you want to shoot skeet sustained lead, a 26 or 28 is OK! Any other clay game, you will need to up the firepower and get some serious instructions to hit clays and birds. The best coaches and instructors are the Brits. They will fit you a shotgun BEFORE ANY instruction. They will also teach you proper stance, a most important lesson. Shooting clays is not much different than playing golf: Shoot position, Hand Position, Insertion point, Head down, Follow through! When palying golf, does one look at the club or the ball? Unoff said!

Regards,
Henry
Be prepared to spend some $$$ to get ahead!