Getting frustrated

[oldcrow]

To help my shooting this fall and for the fun of it I'm shooting league trap this summer.
I'm using a SBE, 1 1/8 oz loads of 8 shot
I have been getting in that 18 to 22 range but seem to be getting worse. Last round I shot 14 and 16.
The thing I notice I have to cover the clay for a good hit which tells me my gun shoots low. See, I'm thinking. Not good.
A couple buddies pointed out is I'm stopping which is probably the biggest problem.
How do I teach myself to follow thru?

[Buzz64]

Load 2 and if you miss shoot again, if you hit shoot the biggest piece.

[Novaking]

More practice. Follow the bird all the way to the ground even if you hit it.

[shogun94]

Oldcrow,

I recently got a Supersport CT 12 Ga and started shooting trap. I was getting just over ½ so last week I patterned the gun. The pattern is right on target but for a “clay gun” I thought the aim point should be just under the target so you don’t cover the target up with the gun while you are tracking it. The guys at the club asked if I could raise the comb and I remember reading you can but I just checked and the raised comb is ~ $100 for a piece of foam/rubber or whatever it is. If your gun shoots like mine, you are probably hitting lower than the point of aim. I did shoot the patterning board 2x and the second shot I attempted to make a figure 8 with the sights where the top of the mid bead was touching the bottom of the front “sight” but the pattern was still about the same. I’m not used to making the figure 8 with the sights and I really had to force myself to align it that way so I’m not sure what I should do. I haven’t had a chance to shoot again after I patterned the gun to see if I could improve. I may find it easier to shoulder the gun with the raised comb or maybe I could try adjusting the stock with the included parts. Any recommendations?

[4BFamily]

Oldcrow,

Nearly everybody stops the gun at some point. 2nd shell is a good technique. A cheaper one is to keep following the bird regardless if you miss.

Your gun probably doesn't shoot low, it may have a 50/50 POI; which is what you want in a hunting gun, or even a skeet gun. Trap guns usually run 100% high, for reasons you've just found out.

Most folks on trap work hard to see the bird break. Once they start looking it gets work. To get to this point this with your gun you'll need to raise the comb a ton as this raises POI. Remember once you move the gun it'll shoot differently in the blind. This is the reason competitive shooters have a dedicated trap gun. You just got permission to buy a new one.