The recent clay shooting session ended into a little bit of forensics on my part. I secured an embarrasing 1/25. I only broke one clay in the air, rest were landing on the ground intact. I was using Shaheen #8 cartridges.
After I was finished, I examined the clays on the ground. What I observed was an astonishing as well as disappointing experience. There was nothing wrong with my mount, swing or lead - that was astonishing. The clays were stubornly stiff and thats why they didn’t break, that was disappointing. Almost all of them had pellet marks on them, but they didn’t break – that’s the forensics.
I picked up one clay bird and found it intact despite having ten pellet marks on it. Other clays had similar stories.
The clays I am using are made locally and have no plaster of paris in them. They are a little heavy, move fast but give a nice trajectory. They cost me Rs 7 ($0.09) a piece whereas the imported ones are around Rs 30 ($0.35) a clay.
Should I use heavier loads (short in number) for mid-air clay-busting?
PS: I am also planning to shoot the hard clays with 000 buckshot next time:)
After I was finished, I examined the clays on the ground. What I observed was an astonishing as well as disappointing experience. There was nothing wrong with my mount, swing or lead - that was astonishing. The clays were stubornly stiff and thats why they didn’t break, that was disappointing. Almost all of them had pellet marks on them, but they didn’t break – that’s the forensics.
I picked up one clay bird and found it intact despite having ten pellet marks on it. Other clays had similar stories.
The clays I am using are made locally and have no plaster of paris in them. They are a little heavy, move fast but give a nice trajectory. They cost me Rs 7 ($0.09) a piece whereas the imported ones are around Rs 30 ($0.35) a clay.
Should I use heavier loads (short in number) for mid-air clay-busting?
PS: I am also planning to shoot the hard clays with 000 buckshot next time:)
 |
| Around ten pellets and still flying. |
 |
| I counted five pellet marks on this clay bird. |
