[Shooting Jack]

I had the opportunity to shoot with J2jake and his wife in Jacksonville yesterday and boy did I have fun. My hat if off to folks that shoot high scores shooting doubles. I did fair but Jake and his wife did well. They both beat me bad. I think that it's a lot more difficult than I had expected. I have heard over and over that concentration is the name of the game and have thought that there's nothing to it shooting singles. Doubles is a different game all together. If you try to really concentrate on the 2nd bird then you might miss the first. At any rate it was really fun and I thank Jake for the opportunity. Jackie B.

 

[hmb]

Being successful at doubles depends a lot on your gun being properly set up for the way you shoot the game. Your POI has to match the speed at which you shoot the targets. Are you fast or slow? HMB

 

[Guest]

Doubles are best shot with a slide gun! It embarasses the O/U guys bad when you out shoot them.

ec90t

 

[Shooting Jack]

HMB, I normally shoot pretty fast but was kinda thrown off as I seemed to be shooting over the long bird. I was shooting a skeet choke for the first bird and modified for the 2nd. I feel like I should have used full for the second bird. What is your suggestions. Jackie B.

 

[hmb]

That second bird is the key to good scores. For most shooters it has stopped rising or is dropping when you shoot at it. It is best to have your gun set up to shoot flat for the second shot. This will help stop the common miss which is shooting over it. Are you using an O/U. HMB

 

[Shooting Jack]

I was using a 686 SP and I believe you hit the nail on the head. I was shooting for a rising bird and it was starting to level out when I fired or at least that is what I was thinking. Thanks for the info as I will definitely be trying that again. What choke do you use for second shots? Jackie B.

 

[hmb]

I use .023 whih is improved modified. The more doubles you shoot the faster you will get. The birds will be closer and you can use less choke. In the beginning you are probably better off with light full or full for the second shot.

You can also use 8 1/2s or 9s for the first shot and 7 1/2s or 8s for the second shot. 1 oz for the first shot and 1 1/8 for the second shot also helps you stay on the gun after the first shot. HMB

 

[j2jake]

Ole Shooting Jack is modest! For his first venture he shot well! Picked the game up quick. He also shot singles well. With some practice he will be on the "board" often. He is also a stellar fella and a pleasure to shoot with. Jake

 

[Jeff P]

HMB..I couldn't disagree more.

The FIRST bird is the key to good scores in doubles - and you said it yourself when you typed "for most shooters it(the second bird) has stopped rising or is falling".

I agree with you...for most doubles shooters the second bird HAS stopped rising or is falling, and this is the root of the problem. The first bird has to be taken quickly...almost a spot shot. Very little barrel movement. So that you can get to the second before it peaks.

That comes from a refinement of your hold point, so that you can take that first bird quick enough to give you time to get to the second bird while it's still on its way up.

Too low a holdpoint, you have to chase the first bird - making you slow to the second, so now it's falling while you're trying to hit it.

Too high a holdpoint, you have to wait too long for the first bird to rise to where you're waiting for it...making you slow to the second bird.

Lastly...you should miss about half first birds and half second birds in a round (I said 'about'). If you get all 25 first birds, I know without looking at you that you're taking too long to shoot it. Spot it, smoke it, and move on. Don't admire the break...get to the second target.

Give me an hour and six boxes of shells and I believe I can have any decent singles shooter breaking over 40 per round on doubles.

 

[hmb]

Jeff,

We don't disagree. I trap the first bird with a skeet choke, no gun movement at all. I shoot the second bird while it is still rising. When I said the second bird is the key to good scores, I meant if you break them all you will have a good score. As far as first birds go I don't like to miss more than one a round. HMB

 

[OldGoat]

Doubles, clearly, are a fun game - I know they were when I shot competitive skeet...unfortunately, as much as I would like to try, there is no club nearby where you can shoot practice trap doubles and the doubles event are always LATE in the day - after singles and handicap. Just have to enjoy the fun vicariously reading the posts about it on TS.com. Regards, Ed

 

[canada]

A smooth move on the first one leads to a smooth move on the second one.

If you're missing half first birds in a round, then you're shooting them too quickly and out of control. This leads to missing second birds too.

Pat Lamont

 

[otnot]

Well hell Jeff if that is all it takes I will come up to Anchorage for a few lessons. LOL

 

[Shooting Jack]

Jeff P, you would have your work cut out for you with me. I ended up with a 78 but just imagined I would shoot at least a 90. Boy was I surprised and in my mind I knew I was shooting over the 2nd bird but couldn't seem to compensate for the drop. The first bird should be just about like the low house on station seven in skeet and I usually break it halfway to the stake because you know exactly where it's coming from. Oh well, I loved it and now that I've had some time to think about it and some help from you guys I believe I can do better. Jackie B.

 

[hmb]

Most people shoot that first bird like a skeet bird from station 7. That puts you at a slight disadvantage because your gun is moving away from the second bird. You then have to change directions in mid stream and go after the second bird.

If you can learn how to trap the first bird with no gun movement and a load with very little recoil you can get on the second target quickly. It is a skill which is not easy to learn, but well worth the effort. HMB

 

[Old Cowboy]

"What choke do you use for second shots?", Jackie B

FWIW, I use Beretta Optima "Mod" (.020") for the first shot......."IM" (.030") for the second.

John C. Saubak

 

[canada]

HMB, again with the spot shooting the first target..

It's easier to make a smooth move to the second target with your gun in motion, and swinging to the first target and making a smooth move to it allows for compensation when the target isn't pefect.

On an old thread, you told Sean Hawley how to shoot doubles, that he should try spot shooting the first target. He said you have to make a move to it, and you told him otherwise. Have you ever heard of Sean Hawley? His average is 0.985+ over the last thousands and thousands of doubles. If your tip helps him really learn how to shoot doubles, we're in trouble...

I can't think of any great doubles shooter that I've heard spot shoots the first target. Perhaps in international, but that's not ATA doubles.

 

[hmb]

He has a 99 average for the 2009 target year. Maybe he took my advice. HMB

 

[Jawhawker]

I totally agree with Pat as to making a move on the first target versus a static gun and trapping the bird. A gun in motion is easier and smoother to move on the second bird resulting in significantly higher scoring. I also do not know of any good doubles shooters that trap the first bird...

 

[hmb]

One of the fundementals of trap shooting is not to move the gun until you see the target. Static gun? What say you? HMB