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Newbie Question - Straight Away Targets

5K views 23 replies 20 participants last post by  dhip 
#1 ·
I have been shooting trap now for about 3 months. All things consdiered, I suppose I am doing ok, but I can not seem to hit a straight away target. Everyone tells me that it is because these targets arent really straight away and that I need to keep my gun moving. This is great feedback, however it does does not seem to be helping me smoke them.

Any suggestions or insight is appreciated. Thanks,

Mike
 
#4 ·
Is your face firmly into the stock and are you keeping it there? Get a coach or good shooter at the club to stand behing you to see what you're doing wrong. In the mean time, pattern your gun so you know where it's shooting.

Some shooters get mesmerized by straightaways because they look easy and give the illusion of extra time. Keep your eyes RIVETED to the target - never the bead - and try to get on the bird and shoot rather quickly. Never "ride the target" thinking you have extra time to precisely "aim." When you aim, or bead-check, or think hard, you miss.

Stick to it and straightaways will soon be breaking for you. Good luck.

-Gary

PS: If you happen to be using a Hi-Viz sight, you might want to remove it for a while.
 
#5 ·
You are probably viewing the 1/4 angle targets as straightaways. This is a common mistake. Be sure you are identifying the target correctly and shoot the leading edge of the target be it a right 1/4 or left 1/4. You don't need much lead but If you shoot at the 1/4 angles straight on, you have missed it.
 
#7 ·
If you arent picking your head up. (Which you probably are) You need to find out exactly the point of impact of your gun. Once you are totally , confident, positive of how high your gun is shooting. Then you need to make absolutely you are shooting where you are looking. That is........not moving your eyes, your head even just a little bit.......if you do....you just shot under it. you move your head to get the sight picture , not move the gun to get sight picture. Even the very best shooters do this once in a while. Dont feel bad. Its an easy fix.
 
#9 ·
Try having the thrower set to only throw straight away targets then stand at station 3 and shoot nothing but straightaways. Shoot as many as you want until you get comfortable hitting them and develop a memory of what they really look like.

Mark
 
#10 ·
This may seem like a dumb question, however I have to ask it. Lets assume that you are right and I am shooting under the targets on straight aways. If this is the case, then why am I smoking most of my angled targets and wouldn't raising my comb just make me shoot over the top of those that I am alraedy hitting?
 
#11 ·
This is a tough question to answer without seeing you shoot. You may be "barrel shooting" your angle targets (sweeping the barrel through) and "aiming" at your straightaways, which would cause you to shoot under them, especially if you see the entire target when you pull the trigger.

Best thing to do is set the trap on straightaways and raise or lower your comb till you inkspot them. Then try the angle targets.
 
#13 ·
Where is your barrel when you call for a target? Is the bird coming out under your barrel? Are you a one or two eyed shooter? These questions all have a bearing on what your problem may be. If you hold your gun over the top of the trap house, is it in the center, or is it off to the side a bit? If it is above the front edge of the house, and centered on the house, try holding a little to the right, presuming you are a right handed shooter. This is important if you are a one eyed shooter,as a straightaway coming out under your barrel will surprise you when it pops into view, and if you get a glimpse of it before it is truly clear of your barrel, you will usually lift your head to see it more clearly. Lifting may not be a gross movement, but may just be a subtle change of head position on the stock. In the same scenario, if you are a two eyed shooter and it comes out under your barrel, your left eye may see it first, and try to pick it up by becoming the dominant focusing eye, which throws off your sight picture relative to the back sight (your right eye) and the front of the barrel, guaranteeing a miss.

To begin to find a cure for your problem, first pattern your gun to see exactly where it shoots. Next, practice on a machine set on straightaway, and try holding just below the lip of the house. Keeping in mind how your gun patterned, track through the bird as you shoot. If you keep your head welded to the stock, your straightaway scores should improve. If your gun shoots relatively flat, remember that it is a rising target, and you will have to get close under, or maybe even cover the target, depending on how quickly you shoot. If it shoots high, you can float the target a little. Take the extra second each bird to review the basic points you are trying to instill in your shooting, call and shoot the bird, then review your shot to see how you did. Did you hit it squarely and smoke it? On top and drive the pieces down? Underneath and drive the pieces up? Remember the sight picture on the dustballs, and try to copy that picture every straightaway bird. Good luck.
 
#14 ·
Mike, the first thing any successful shooter learns is to be careful who you listen to. Find a good A class or above shooter and ask them to watch you a little. Getting advice from someone who can't shoot is a lot worse than no advice at all. I have personally seen a shooter who just broke a 69 from the 18 yard line giving advice to a guy who just shot a 93 from the 20. Doesn't make sense does it?

I cant offer any advice without watching what you're doing and I'm not going to tell you to start changing everything without knowing anything about you and I'm not a shooting coach anyway. What I can say is what works for me. When I miss straight aways it's usually because they look easy and I don't give them as much attention as the angles so I will sometimes just snap shoot at them. To break a target that looks easy you have to shoot them just like you do when they look hard. Get a good look at them and make a smooth move to it just like every other target. The most important part is to not lose control of your gun by jumping at it. Hope this helps. Feel free to send a PM if I can help further.
 
#15 ·
very good and thorough answer sailor
The part about a straightaway being a rising bird and to shoot at it as such is very important.
Every bird has to be led, It's rare to have one that you can shoot "right at"
If it is truly straight away then you still have to account for the fact that it is moving up and also away.
If you don't have a traditional trap gun that is set to shoot a little high, then you WILL have to cover the bird.
Bill
 
#16 ·
When I miss an easy straightway and replay it in my mind's eye I realize most of the time that the last thing I saw very clearly was the white thing at the end of the barrel. When you shift hard focus off the bird and back to the gun you do one of two things, stop or slow down. Either one will put the shot under a rising bird.
 
#17 ·
IMO, WHERE you are missing them is more important than WHY you are missing them. Get a good, experienced shooter to stand behind you to inform you where...then you can adjust the why. OBTW, setting a trap for straightaways only will get you there also.

good luck,

milt
 
#18 ·
I will add one other thing. Several years ago I was having a real problem with one station and mentioned it to an experienced shooter and he said, that bird is scaring you, you are not looking at it hard enough. I shoot that station with confidence now. Best free advice to date.
 
#19 ·
, "then why am I smoking most of my angled targets and wouldn't raising my comb just make me shoot over the top of those that I am alraedy hitting?"

Yes , it would. You may simply be stopping the gun on the straight-away targets. That means you would be shooting below them. Keep the gun moving. You keep the gun moving on the hard angles. Have to do the same on the straight- away targets.
 
#20 ·
I had the same problem. I was shooting under them. The only thing I can think of is because I am shooting straight aways quicker than angled targets. It takes less time to get on a straight away than an angled target. It is still rising. I had to aim higher than normal to break straight aways. Using the same aim point on the angled targets, but aiming higher on straight aways. With a Beretta 682 top single, I could cover the bird with my bead and break it every time.
 
#22 ·
The hardest target to keep the gun moving through the target. Also, the "That is an easy Target" syndrome. Two most common reasons for missed "Straight Aways".You have to keep the gun moving on the follow through. Concentration still has to be 100%. Usually, they are done together to compound the problem, along with lifting your head. It really comes down to concentration!
 
#23 ·
It's very easy to get a good shooting lesson over the internet, it's even easier to have some old CULL giving you lessons also at your club for free. Find and instructor and take a lesson or two. Everyone has there own style of shooting, but how many understand your style of shooting, that is where the problems arise. Or invest in a video, I would go with the Leo Harrison "Biggest Winner" since he doesn't promote a certain style. Harlan Cambell uses a style that fits him.
 
#24 ·
All very good advice.Especially saying to get a better shooter to watch and help.One thought here though about missing,but not missing angles.Your follow through.Think about it,following thrugh left or right is a somewhat natural thing to learn to do.However,on a true straight away,it is a rise,not a swing to left or right,possibility is stopping gun,not following through,which is actually a lift not a swing,unconsciously not following through on straight aways.Now,don't everyone jump me,but think about it,it is a possibility.

Doug H.
 
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