Tracking the clay

guninhand

guninhand

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I just started shooting SC and I usually can see the thrower. So is it good form to watch the clay from its launch, or pick it up later with eyes already looking down the barrel?

Another question. At my range the clays always land softly and can be re-used. Is there any value to dry-fire practice, i.e. my buddy launches the clays and I shoot 'em with an empty gun?
 
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I'll watch targets right off the trap arm... if I can ... but the barrel "hold point" needs to be further along and on the targets flight path ... as the gun comes to your face you need to be focussing on the target ... not the barrel ... swing smoothly establishing the lead required in whatever manner is appropriate ... whether "come from behind", "track and pull ahead" or "sustained lead". Regardless, you need a plan to break each target or pair of targets, consisting of a (muzzle) "hold pont", gun "insertion point" (mounting the gun into the targets flight path) and "break point" (or points) where you will ( or attempt to) break the target(s) . Generally, your eyes are further back towards the trap or where the target first can be seen than where your hold point is, and as often as not, the break point should be somewhere in the middle of the target presentation window. You will need to adapt for true and following pairs.

' Bout the best I can 'splain it without being there.
 
Excellent answer BB.

In my own case I want to see the targets as long as I can. What I look for is the focus point which is when the target becomes clear in your vision and not a blur. The further back you can see, the sooner the focus point arrives. Around the focus point I build the hold, insertion and (hopefully) breaking point. I helps to be able to shoot gun down on certain targets and while my eyes may be back towards the trap my gun may well be much further forward.

The longer I can see the target the better my chance of breaking it. If I can't see it off the thrower I will reference where it appears against the background or foliage. The only target that I don't watch as soon as possible are rising teal. I let them come past my barrels and shoot them near the apex when they are near motionless.

As for the unbroken clays, commonly called pick-ups, why not just shoot them? We sometimes do a pick-up shoot for reduced rates because the targets have already been paid for by someone else.
 
Thanks guys for the great sanswer on tracking.

The question about unbroken clays: what I meant was can you get in good cheap practice by having a partner throw your clays and you do the hold, insertion, and break without actually firing a live round, just droping the hammer on a snap cap instead. You then retrieve your unbroken clays and practise with live rounds.

So if you and a partner go to the range with 100 birds each, instead of just practising wth say 150 rounds to get your 100 clays, you "dry fire" 50 or 100 times on thrown clays in addition to the 150 rounds.

Of course you'd have to do that towards the beginning of the practise session while there were still enough undamaged clays.
 
A question that may be better, 'Is there practice (read unbreakable clays) that can be thrown from a launcher to be used for the dry fire session. As we all know in NB, guninhand requires some trigger time :p :p
 
At my club's range the grounds have thick sod and grass, so if any clays are launched and only Abman is shooting at them they can be re-used.

I suggest that to improve his scores, Abman not seek out an indestructable clay target, but rather the precise diametric opposite to that object, that is, a target that self-destructs in midair upon the mere sound of gunfire. :rolleyes:
 
I've often wondered if: I shoot, therefore it is broken; mentality would work. Next saturday I think I will try this theory. 12 ga. blanks only, eyes blind folded, and I shall just "ZEN" the targets. What do you think 40/50????

7.62mm
 
Don't worry about money... they make more of the stuff every week ...
Just shoot more clays, more often. Nothin' like live practice.

Unbroken clays are jinxed ... stay away from them !! ( LOL )

I'd be afraid all that dry firing will lead to a bad flinch once you start
with the live stuff....
 
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