Trap Doubles Intimidation

Guys just laying this out there. Not sure if I’m asking a question or looking for an answer but any and all comments you have are greatly appreciated. I want to make it perfectly clear that I’m no Harlem Campbell or Gil Ash. Never will be. Just Joe Schmo a shooter.

In this order is what I like to shoot for the most part. Pretty much up for shooting it all. I have some great friends I shoot with and we are up for anything. Trap, Sporting Clays, Wobble, Wildcat, 5-Stand and Skeet.

You guys know as well as I do and probably better than I that Doubles are the mainstay of these non trap disciplines. Simo pairs. Some days you wish they were all simos vs. having a mix of reports.

Again, no Gil Ash, but I’ve seen many combinations and angles of these doubles and anxiously want to have at it. In Wildcat you don’t know what you are gonna get. All simo pairs. There is no poster telling you what coming. Man in scores chair has ultimate control. *if you have never tried this, it is a must*.

So why is there so much intimidation revolving around Trap Doubles for me? They are not easy, or gimme targets. You have to work at it, keep your head in it. But I have this real phobia about them. I keep telling myself that I should be able to fall into this part of the trap game without issue. Just not sure.

Majority of the time at the trap club they are not even throwing them. That may have something to do with it. I’ve shot them before but most of those times it was at like an Iron Man type shoot. Were Just part of the program. Maybe I have to get someone to open up a Doubles Trap for me and just go at it. There has to be a set of basics that you have to learn. True positioning at each station. Just rambling. Don’t find any other targets intimidating. My head is not right I guess.

 

I am not Dr. Phil nor do I want to be but my favorite game was (is) Handicap because at one time that is where the money was ... The first time I got in a shoot off for singles I was ready to hand it over to the other shooter when he missed and I didn't so I won after all was said and done (seemed like it went on forever), this happened so often I totally lost interest in singles and the pay off didn't make it any more interesting for me ... I didn't get involved with doubles when I first started shooting because it was not affordable and boiled down to feeding the kids or shooting doubles ... I paid close attention to the pay outs and again it didn't seem worth it to me ... I shoot doubles for kicks (sometimes with a Model 12) but never got seriously interested, seemed to be like singles but with 2 targets and weak payouts after long dragged out shoot offs if you got lucky ... I got lucky on occasion and got a few big pay outs on Handicap and the options involved with them (25's, 50's, long runs etc) which sparked my desire and interest ... To this day I still shoot 16's and doubles only for kicks but remain interested in Handicap (Calcutta's) and or games ... Different stokes for different folks I guess, good luck with your doubles ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

Your doubles score will be determined to a great extend on how you shoot the first target. Either too slow or two fast will cause you to miss the second bird. Doubles is a timing event. Watch most good double shooters and you will notice hardly any gun movement on the first target and then the second target is shot with a swift move too the bird.

The key is take your eyes to the second target and the gun will follow. Point don't aim is a must. Timing is the everything, and the only way to get that is shoot a lot of practice. Once you figure it out you will never forget it.

I can lay off doubles for years and get back into the timing of them very fast with hardly any practice. Doubles are a learned event, of course you must have the principles of gun mount and trap shooting under your belt but once you figure it out it's like a light being turned on.

 

I believe I can get some in on Tuesday after work. I have no plans to shoot it in big events or anything. Would like to get comfortable shooting them at anytime I see them opening a trap for doubles shooters. I'll shoot them solo if i have to, maybe one of the doubles shooters will let me shoot with him/her. And possibly pick up a couple of things along the way. Its not like I've never shot them but like anything else. There's a right way and many wrong ways

 

Brad is of course spot on. I will add that for myself learning to shoot doubles required quite a bit of repetition, When I really learned to shoot them we were coming in two hours early to weekly registered shoots and shooting 150 pair every Saturday and Sunday. I progressed slowly and getting consistent was at times frustrating, but at the end of that winter I was breaking mid 90’s regularly and in 1980 that would be at or near the top of most local shoots. I think doubles are the most fun trap event and frankly have always felt no pressure shooting them. I’ve shot great targets, poor targets, windy targets and they are all fun.

 

I’m gonna see if I can get some in on Sunday. If they feel like opening that trap up. My main objective is to get into a comfort zone about shooting them. Getting that game of angles down. I need to watch some good shooters also. My previous experiences with them (not the best experiences) has been on the fly stuff. The way I go after the second target seem correct. The hold point and first target approach I think I’m making it Harder for myself. I really don’t want to compare it to sporting doubles because it’s not. But the trap double is a fixed constant set of angles. BUT with that said I am not implying the degree of difficulty is any easier. I tend to shoot on the quick side on singles. Was not always like that but shooting those other disciplines that has created that now. Have to try to use that on first targets. I don’t hold a real high gun normally. Holding a higher gun on the first shot may be necessary. But for right now I don’t want to make it out to be more than it really is. My main objective is to comfortably shoot them without being a head case. Just odd for me to be Bonzo to trap doubles when shooting sporting, Wildcat or wobble they are all dubs. I’m not putting blame on any clubs or anything and don’t want to make it seem that way but for the most part it’s not part of their shoot programs. So exposure has some to do with it. But that’s not excuse and I’m not using it as one.

 

I think young eyes are a big factor --They are braking the first bird when I am still seeing a streak -and at my age I'm only dealing with a 20 watt bulb!

 

Timing event.

Shoot a lot of practice

 

Spanky, Doubles is not a hard game. Once you relax and quit making it difficult, you will enjoy it more than singles.
If you can get a club to let you set a field of only one target and practice just shooting the first bird. Get used to where you should hold for the first bird of a pair. shoot that bird as fast as you can, with practice you will get very good at it. If you are not missing a first bird now and then you are not quick enough. Then set up for two birds and you will be surprised how much time you will have for the second shot. If possible take lessons from a top shooter, this will also help. Roger C.

 

I could only get one round in on Tuesday. 38/50, I can hear y’all laughing. This coming I’m gonna get another round in. I did a lot better on my first shots then expected. I don’t want to make this out to be more than it is but this weekend I’m gonna reload a few boxes of light 8 1/2. For that first shot. Something to tame the muzzle flip some. And on that 2nd shot I need to swoop my barrel down and bring my barrel back up to the bird. Not all the way to the ground but a nice easy swoop. Maybe step up shell speed of second shot. 1200 FPS. Maybe not. Practice is first thought. Other stuff is more refining things. Exposure is my issue. Will be seeing more sporting doubles Saturday for sure. Flyers or rabbits will be there. But that’s a whole different game. I can most likely get some more in on Tuesday. Right now with the Covid BS I can only get in 3 rounds. That equates to 3 tickets. So I can’t shoot doubles with 1 ticket. Need two tickets for 50 birds. Found that out prior week. Eventually everything will go back to normal.