[Drew Hause]

After each of us are gone, it is our contributions that endure.

Tim Bruggeman's eulogy
A Few Words About Neil
Neil was a verifiable genius, and his relentless pursuit of the science of trapshooting is unsurpassed. It was his passion. And he wanted to share his knowledge with anyone who would listen, for the betterment of the sport.
In one of my phone calls with him, he asked that I let the community know, that he continued this pursuit of knowledge, literally, until the end. Over the past several months, we spoke often, and he would share bits of knowledge with me. Details about testing this or that. Pass/fail criteria.
The last time I spoke with him was a little over a week ago, and even at that time, he was "schooling" me on patterning and how to best utilize Shotgun Insight, even to the level of detail of what settings to use on his camera to get the best photographic image for the program to "find" the pellet strikes.
And on that note, I will also share with you that Neil was an incredibly generous man. Once he knew his demise was imminent, many of the scientific "items" in his collection found their way to the people whom he thought would make best use of them. I am one of those fortunate recipients. I now have his notebook with his handwritten notes in it.
The trapshooting community has lost a great resource.

Condolences and comments from the Forum
Neil Winston finished his last event.

Neil Winston Trapshooters.com 10-2014
"The fact that many things have not been explained (does not) mean that no things have been explained, nor does it mean that if I don't understand everything, I can't understand anything."

J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership: Principles of Excellence For Every Believer
"Eyes that look are common, eyes that see are rare."
Neil had those eyes.

Neil's website link became inactive in 2021
www.claytargettesting.com

The site has been archived here
Clay Target Testing Home Page (archive.org)

Fast vs. slow powder pattern study
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/a-test-of-fast-vs-slower-powders-winston.68141/
Red Dot vs. Green Dot
???? question for Neil Winston

Small vs. large shot patterns; fast vs. slow fps patterns
Neil Winston
Neil Winston--Small Shot v. Large Shot
Speed vs Pattern

Recoil
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/recoil-test-of-powders-part-2-winston.79801/
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/recoil-aaaah-our-favorite-subject.834949/
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/powder-burn-rate-vs-recoil.651777/
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/perceived-recoil.493105/

Open choke tube comparison
http://www.trapshooters.com/threads/brain-beretta-muller-and-other-open-chokes-tested-winston.480601/

Full tube comparison
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/use-of-xtra-full-choke.828343/
http://www.trapshooters.com/threads/new-test-for-trapshooters-this-time-brain-briley-muller-tight-chokes-tested-winston.486281/#post-4800089
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/parallel-section-length-effect-on-choke-performance.806809/#post-7568875
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/herb-orre-and-the-super-choke.580033/#post-5826065

Reading the Breaks
Reading the breaks Ch 1. Center Hits (W&B)
Reading the Breaks, Ch. 2 Left hits (W&B)
Reading the Breaks, Ch. 3 Right hits (W&B)
Reading the Breaks, Ch. 4 Low hits (W&B)
Reading the Breaks, Ch. 5 High hits (W&B)
Reading the Breaks, Ch. 6, shot from side (W&B)
Reading Breaks

POI Testing
http://www.trapshooters.com/threads/testing-point-of-impact-at-13-yards-winston.49553/
http://www.trapshooters.com/threads/point-of-impact.609041/
http://www.trapshooters.com/threads/point-of-impact.611241/page-2

Pattern patchiness
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/pattern-board.824401/page-3

 

[K-Hornet]

This is a nice tribute to Neil , and a great way to find his work in the future. Thank you.

 

[timb99]

Very nice Drew. Thank you for that.

 

[FWP]

Thank for posting that. I often searched for info Neil posted when I had questions.

 

[grizquad]

Thank you Drew for taking time to do this.

 

[Ram Rod]

I would like to share how Neil has helped me .
My doubles game was inconsistent and I couldn't figure out why. I patterned the gun and it looked ok. I was not getting anywhere until I followed his advice on patterning.
It was alot of trouble but well worth the effort. The bottom barrel shot 6" lower poi than the top.
If not for the barrels being unregulated I would have not learned from the best shotgun ballistics expert while he was still alive.
I have and will continue to help others figure out where thier gun shoots using what I have learned from my friend
Neil.
He was always there when I needed help.
Thanks Henry

 

[saskbooknut]

Thank you for posting. Rigorous experimental shotgunners are few, and Neil stands tall among them.
A summary thread of his work is just what we need to remember him, and his contributions.

 

[WadHopper]

I too feel it would be a great addition and a fitting tribute, RIP NW.

 

[krieghoffkid27]

Thank you for posting. I've read a lot of his work and it's remarkable.

 

[George MT.]

PLEASE NOTE: Im sticking this to the top of the page so that this thread is always at the top so that the links and info is easy to find for all when the subject comes up.

Special Thanks To Drew for putting this together

 

[Drew Hause]

Thank you George.

We can add more as we find them.

The Effects of Porting
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/question-for-neil-winston.1596/

7/8 oz. loads
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/two-tests-of-7-8-oz-vs-other-loads-winston.51892/

Lite, Light, Heavy shell speed study
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/dram-eq-vs-speed-for-mr-winston.64679/

Shot stringing
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/the-effect-of-a-shot-string-by-ed-lowry.58089/

On Modified Choke
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/neil-winston-modified-choke.79543/

 

[George MT.]

Thank you George.

We can add more as we find them.

The Effective of Porting
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/question-for-neil-winston.1596/

Please do ! The thread is open and stuck to the top of the page so that way it is easy ref. for forum members looking for information and data. I was messaging Tim yesterday in regards to a thread of this nature for Neil's postings and you had it ready to go and must have been reading my mind, Thanks again George

 

[straightshooter1]

Please let me echo the other posters, thank you for posting this valuable information.

Bob

 

[Drew Hause]

Minnesota State Trapshooting Hall of Fame

 

[flyer47]

After each of us are gone, it is our contributions that endure. There are likely others that should be archived, and possibly the management could make this thread a sticky.

Tim Bruggeman's eulogy
Neil was a verifiable genius, and his relentless pursuit of the science of trapshooting is unsurpassed. It was his passion. And he wanted to share his knowledge with anyone who would listen, for the betterment of the sport.
In one of my phone calls with him, he asked that I let the community know, that he continued this pursuit of knowledge, literally, until the end. Over the past several months, we spoke often, and he would share bits of knowledge with me. Details about testing this or that. Pass/fail criteria.
The last time I spoke with him was a little over a week ago, and even at that time, he was "schooling" me on patterning and how to best utilize Shotgun Insight, even to the level of detail of what settings to use on his camera to get the best photographic image for the program to "find" the pellet strikes.
And on that note, I will also share with you that Neil was an incredibly generous man. Once he knew his demise was imminent, many of the scientific "items" in his collection found their way to the people whom he thought would make best use of them. I am one of those fortunate recipients. I now have his notebook with his handwritten notes in it.
The trapshooting community has lost a great resource.

Neil Winston Trapshooters.com 10-2014
"The fact that many things have not been explained (does not) mean that no things have been explained, nor does it mean that if I don't understand everything, I can't understand anything."

J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership: Principles of Excellence For Every Believer
"Eyes that look are common, eyes that see are rare."
Neil had those eyes.

Neil's website
Clay Target Testing Home Page

Fast vs. slow powder pattern study
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/a-test-of-fast-vs-slower-powders-winston.68141/
Red Dot vs. Green Dot
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/question-for-neil-winston.46902/

Small vs. large shot patterns; fast vs. slow fps patterns
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/neil-winston.184178/
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/neil-winston-small-shot-v-large-shot.189891/
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/speed-vs-pattern.541545/

Recoil
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/recoil-test-of-powders-part-2-winston.79801/
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/recoil-aaaah-our-favorite-subject.834949/
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/powder-burn-rate-vs-recoil.651777/
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/perceived-recoil.493105/

Open choke tube comparison
http://www.trapshooters.com/threads/brain-beretta-muller-and-other-open-chokes-tested-winston.480601/

Full tube comparison
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/use-of-xtra-full-choke.828343/
http://www.trapshooters.com/threads/new-test-for-trapshooters-this-time-brain-briley-muller-tight-chokes-tested-winston.486281/#post-4800089
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/parallel-section-length-effect-on-choke-performance.806809/#post-7568875
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/herb-orre-and-the-super-choke.580033/#post-5826065

Characteristics of Gaussian distribution patterns:
1. Pattern percentage - how many of the pellets in the shell end up in a 30-inch circle at 40 yards.
http://www.claytargettesting.com/Terms/pdfs/Pattern Percentage.pdf
2. Pattern Spread - how widely dispersed are they, as measured by 75% diameter.
http://www.claytargettesting.com/Terms/pdfs/SeventyFivePercentDiameter.pdf
3. Pattern concentration or "evenness" or "hotness" as measured by central thickening.
http://www.claytargettesting.com/Terms/pdfs/Central Thickening.pdf

Reading the Breaks
Reading the breaks Ch 1. Center Hits (W&B)
Reading the Breaks, Ch. 2 Left hits (W&B)
Reading the Breaks, Ch. 3 Right hits (W&B)
Reading the Breaks, Ch. 4 Low hits (W&B)
Reading the Breaks, Ch. 5 High hits (W&B)
Reading the Breaks, Ch. 6, shot from side (W&B)
Reading Breaks

POI Testing
http://www.trapshooters.com/threads/testing-point-of-impact-at-13-yards-winston.49553/
http://www.trapshooters.com/threads/point-of-impact.609041/
http://www.trapshooters.com/threads/point-of-impact.611241/page-2

Pattern patchiness
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/pattern-board.824401/page-3

Drew,
An outstanding idea. I have often went back to find one of Neil’s posts to refer another shooter to his explanation. It was always a pain to find the post I was looking for. There are some real classics buried in his posts.
Thanks

 

[Trooper25]

Thanks for posting these! I read his POI testing many times and a few of his others. Looks like I have a little reading to catch up on. I love reading his stuff! He was a genius!

 

[Gene58]

A special thanks to Neil's work and also to Drew and Tim,and thank you Jack for putting this where you did I love his readings.

 

[Knotlost]

Wow thats alot of great information all in one place, could be made into a sticky. A great source of testing and source of self education. I hope the information on his web site doesn't disappear.

 

[CactusJW]

he will be missed for a very long time. i miss him right now and never met him but read as many articles he put out. god bless you neil. jack mc

 

[2llc]

Thank you for the post Drew. Thank you Neil for the lifetime of work. Larry