Chasing a straight with a pump....

[.300 Weatherby Mag]

I don't know what it is... But I cannot for the life of me get a straight with a pump... I almost never miss the doubles but always drop a single on somewhere like high 7 (fail I know)... KlawMan, please slap me... I need it...

 

[TheKlawMan]

I almost never miss the doubles but always drop a single on somewhere like high 7 (fail I know)... KlawMan, please slap me

Try using 7/8 ouncers, standing on one foot, and humming the Marine Corps Anthem and you will get it. That is while shooting.

 

[zippy13]

My friend, shooting Skeet with a pump is like using a pair of pliers on a rusty nut when you have a box wrench in your tool box. It may work; but, you have a better tool for the job. Why are you messing with a pump when you have an O/U? Consider this: Every time you shoot a pump you're delaying your first 75-straight with your O/U.

For many years I shot .410-bore Skeet with a Winchester M-101 in .410. It was a very pretty little gun (the pick-of-the litter woodwise), but I never got a straight with it. One day, after missing something like high-7 for a 24, I was complaining that I just couldn't shoot the gun very well. One of the club's old boys made a comment to the effect that no one shot a M-101 .410 very well. Shortly thereafter, I got a new 12-ga O/U with a tube set. Like magic, I started shooting .410 straights, and the little Winchester was traded away.

 

[oneounceload]

If you are dropping high 7, it is because you are close to the straight and you have started thinking about it - once that enters your mind, your straight is as good as gone for that round............

Clear your head, go through your preshot routine, eye on the rock, head on the stock

 

[zippy13]

1-oz is correct, much of the shooting sports is a head game. And, some guns will mess with your head more than others.

 

[.300 Weatherby Mag]

My friend, shooting Skeet with a pump is like using a pair of pliers on a rusty nut when you have a box wrench in your tool box. It may work; but, you have a better tool for the job. Why are you messing with a pump when you have an O/U? Consider this: Every time you shoot a pump you're delaying your first 75-straight with your O/U.

I need to get a straight with a pump just to do it... Dad can shoot straights with double guns, pumps and autos... I need to do it with a pump just to get the monkey off my back... Its disheartening to see the old fart shoot these straights with my guns in some instances ... I always do it after I'm done shooting the O/U for the day... I doesn't seem to degrade my O/U shooting if I do it after shooting my rounds with the double... If I do it in rounds before I shot the O/U I wholeheartedly agree it negatively affects my O/U shooting...

While I agree with everything you said Zippy... Its just something I have to do... I grew up shooting pumps and the only better pump shooter I know is my dad... So that fact that I've watched him shoot numerous straights with pumps including sub-gauge pumps, makes me want to do it.. That said, he shoots the Perazzi best by far... It makes sense as its the best tool for the job...

1-oz is correct, much of the shooting sports is a head game. And, some guns will mess with your head more than others.

My Browning is a cruel mistress... Your either on or off with it... It definitely messes with you...

 

[BigJimP]

As soon as you relax...so shooting the pump is 2nd nature...it'll happen. For me its more of a weight / swing characteristics issue...vs my O/U's than anything else...( cycling the gun isn't that big a deal ).

I don't shoot a pump often anymore ...but once in a while, my buddies and I make it a "pump gun day"...and it isn't like I shoot that many 25's anymore .../ and 50 straights are very tough for me to come by - with any gun these days ...but especially with a 12ga BPS on Skeet...25's still happen often enough / that I still enjoy these pump gun days.

Stay with it ...it'll happen ...as soon as you relax.