2015 progress.. Or not..

There used to be a thread on here to discuss how people were getting on with their learning curve or their shooting in general. (A nice ucontentious thread in theory). So it's back!

One month to go in the classification period (for those that care about their CPSA registered result). Anybody looking good for classification progress? For me, it's been 6 months of getting back to where I was, after time spent dabbling with different guns. It had to be done, I learned some stuff, but nice to settle back in now. Hoping for my best ever Sporting average by next May.

You lot?

Started well up from 2013 autumn bottom. Sold my B Ultra Trap gun in the Spring - got the mk70 sporter, had to re-learn to cover the rising targets (some downtime with springing teal (vertical) targets) but managed to get them under control eventualy just to be cursed by rabit spell - getting back lately.

All in all scores are up - in Trap as well as in Kompak  - from last years 20-21/25 to 22-23/25 regulars this year with an odd 19 here and there to keep me grounded.

Yes, progress is a spiky upward graph..

Only my third six month classification (did mainly game / club shoots before). Baptism of fire for me. Went from good club shooter to very poor reg comp shooter. Needed to get more out of shooting as was getting bored with the club scene.

Stuck with it doing the hardest shoots around here, got a top dollar instructor the "Edmaster", met and shoot with some new buddies some who are quite knowledgeable and all are helpful. In 18 months I have progressed to A class not far of AA shooting 1 - 200 per week sporting. Had a blip when gun broke a few months ago so had to use semi's.

Won a lot of money, shells, free entries, caps, etc, that all seems to stop when you hit AA as all the top boys win it all but at least you are rubbing shoulders with them and you never know - like me you might even beat some of them sometimes, very satisfying.

So if your thinking of comps just do it, enjoy the ups and forget the downs. Upwards and onwards.

Think I've only shot one registered since the last classification so will remain firmly in C class.  Plans to do more registered shoots haven't materialised, but my average at club shoots is gradually creeping up to the mid-70's and managed to win the Kent and East Sussex Clubman League ladies class by a very clear margin.  Definitely need to overcome the inertia involved in travelling further to get more registered shoots in.

Steady progress for me this year in the three fast trap disciplines. Up into B from C for ABT and up from D to C in both OT and UT although B was looking on for UT at one point.

Really steady start to the year (downwards) but found something in March (with the aid a welcome intervention from someone on here) which initially improved my scores dramatically but have since dropped a little but still better than previous.

Keep setting myself higher goals (which don't always come off) and need to improve my performance at 200 target selection shoots as these scores are usually lower than my regular 100 target comp scores (percentage wise).

Just got to keep pugging away I guess?

DT

Well steady improvement for me with the odd relapse which I think is due more to the way I approach shooting each stand rather than my ability.  I am trying to think more about my time in the stand and using it wisely rather than just going in and pointing the gun in the general direction of the clay.   I have had some moments of glory (only really relevant to the way it makes me feel).  I have ventured into Fitasc well basically jumped in with two feet as to date I have chosen two West London Fitascs, The Troy Fitasc, a BarrowHeath England Selection Fitasc and just recently one at Southdown.  I won't move out of C class or any other bottom class that I happen to frequent depending on the discipline - Im just not ready although a few of my scores have ventured into B class (sporting) and beyond over the last few months but there will always be Garlands to bring be crashing down - my goal is to get to grips with that ground.  I have finally decided to have my stock changed into an adjustable stock just got to work out logistics of when it goes away.  Onwards and upwards.

Is Garlands really tough?  Off on a shooting road trip soon and will be based around the Market Harborough area, so Garlands could be a potential on the list.

After getting my license in February I have only shot at 6 registered comps. I try to get out and do 50-100 clays a week.

My goal for 2015 is to actually get my registered shoot attendance up in to double figures! That will do more for my skills than going to the club shoots that I tend to go to each week. I regularly get 70%+ at club shoots, but you can see how the scores take a nose dive when I try shooting Steve Lovatt's courses!

On the few occasions that I have been out to reg shoots I have been lucky enough to shoot with some fantastic shots (Choke), its a great way to learn how to approach the targets. I need to do more of that, but time is a finite resource it seems.

Goal for the first half of 2016 is to get into B class. Will see how that goes I guess....

Good goal RDP. I did hear Prescott was a bit soft! With respect, set a goal of improving your average by 3-5 clays in 6 months rather than going up a class which is a fairly tall order to do quickly. Keep at it! As you go forward, 1 clay per 6 months becomes reasonable to expect..

All in all, not a bad year scores wise. I sit on the edge of the top 20 and have shot a fair few big scores including quite a few 100s. It's not won me anything more than class prizes though. I've always been just a few points short at the majors.

Like everyone, there's good days and bad days. Thankfully the bad'uns haven't been too bad. The shotguns away for the winter now. Target rifle from here on in.

Bebo said:

Is Garlands really tough?  Off on a shooting road trip soon and will be based around the Market Harborough area, so Garlands could be a potential on the list.

Click to expand...

I personally find it tough although to be fair I have not shot it as much as Steve's other grounds but I have shot a lot of his targets and I don't do as well there.  Again I should take into consideration the type of shoots I've done there which  arent just a Sunday 100 reg so perhaps a little trickier.  Also I'm sure my own negative thoughts interfere.

For me I've a pretty good year by my standards. I'm not cpsa registered so I only have myself to beat. But this year I have beaten my personal best a couple of times by doing a 79 at Orston and an 87 at Grimsthorpe. Also shot the Essex masters which I'd never shot before. All in all I've really enjoyed my shooting this year, shot some very good grounds and met a few nice people on the way.

After a nice run of rising scores,   i had an utterly abysmal  shoot sunday

Looking at my scores, I reckon ive hit D class 

:santa:

Well for me at the end of November I will have reached the end of my first year of Clay Shooting.

I did not really get into the Club scene as I found CPSA registered shoots less hassle as there are trappers etc.

Rightly or wrongly I have been charting progress on a monthly basis so for September only four shoots EJC 73/100 Weston Wood 70/100 Sporting Targets 71/100 finishing off the month with a tough shoot at Honesberie on Sunday 71/100 which was a wining score for "C" Class.

The first year has been fantastic as I have met some great people and only wish that I had discovered the sport sooner.

My goal going forward is to improve my overall game and most of all enjoy myself.

The last few months since April have been fantastic for me.  

Started shooting registered sporting comps as the Sunday morning shooting wasn't challenging me as I was shooting the same targets over and over gain and quite frankly I became bored.

First few shoots weren't the best, I even had a 49 at Hornet but then everything changed after I had an afternoon with Mr Solomons as it gave my shooting some structure and discipline.  Couple this with practicing at EJ Churchills most Saturday's with quality, registered type targets my shooting has improved and is improving.

Looking at my scores from August onwards quite a few are in the 80s most are in the 70s and I shot a 91 in practice which was massive for me.  The main thing I do is to try and take a positive out of it every time I shoot, for example last Saturday I shot 75 at Owls which is my highest ever there.

Ive been incredibly lucky to meet some really fantastic people along the way. The coaching with Ed gave me so much confidence and I've become really good mates with Rosso, shooting with him most weekends now. 

This is a very good topic.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. By that I mean it is what you see and what you want out of it.

If I can use Will Hewland as an example , very methodical, very focussed on maintaining his  average, but when he moved to Blaser he had an acceptable expected drop in performance and could justify it  and once back on track with his Perazzi , onward and upward.

DT highlighted the noticable slump in 200 bird competitions . Could this be fatigue , lack of focus , loss of concentration? Perhaps if he used the psychological approach of 2 x 100 birders he could see an improvement???

Really we are missing the point , " Is it enjoyable?" if the answer is yes , relax . If No , do something about it . Focus, motivate .

I now rarely shoot , but in the last couple of months I have gone out twice and last week I compared my scores . Two different 100 bird  competitions 10 and 12 stands , straighted the first six and the first eight stands and then suffered (and I mean suffered ) 2,s  4,s & 6's ex 8  . Is this fatigue, dehydration, or possibly in my case total lack of interest because I am too busy talking  or as my learned friend Eduardo  Solomons would say  " total ineptitude ".

The point I am trying to make is , don't pressure yourselves , relax , take a chill pill , but most of all enjoy.

This is a funny old game and I will never ever forget the very first Clayshooting / Growler at Ian Coley's , Maxum , who is a fabulous shot and I along with Andy Ferret shot the course , I was on for a straight , but Maxum who I had travelled with had missed a handful. " That's it , let's go , I've had enough " . So off we went back to the Clubhouse for the presentation with my card uncompleted. Thank God  I won a bottle of Highland Park kindly donated by Tony.

Results are important , but enjoyment is far more so.

I have undoubtedly made progress, too many have told me so to be otherwise, really fortunate that some now good friends are themselves very good shots and it's in the company of these one learns much, any goals I've previously had are long forgotten, although the aim of one day being A class before I'm a pensioner remains!

I can only say one thing about my 2015 form  "whores drawers"