I've always believed that buying a high grade gun wasn't the key to breaking more targets but I wonder.
A year ago, after some fortunate turns I found myself for the first time in my adult life to be debt free. With no pending expenses of any note, I had the werewithal to buy the target gun of my dreams.
I owned some good guns already. Good, solid, workmanlike like target guns that were bought used. But I had an itch for what I considered to be the ultimate gun -- a Perazzi MX8. So 9 months ago I wrote out a check for a shotgun that was worth more than every other shotgun in my safe combined. It wasn't one of their fancy grades, just their base model with a custom stock and modest wood upgrade.
I bought a sporting clays model because I was transitioning from shooting mostly trap to sporting clays. My previous sporting efforts weren't much to write home about so I started spending time with a good instructor who gave me very good pointers.
Because I like this gun so much I didn't shoot anything else save for hunting. The one time I did bring out another gun I wondered why I had done so when I had a much better gun sitting in my safe. Instead of switching two or three guns often on the same day I shot only one gun.
I shot more, lots more because I truly love shooting this gun. My scores began to respond. A couple of weeks ago at an annual mixed clay competition where I usually languished in the bottom half I finished a close 3rd (and actually hadn't thought I'd shot all that well).
One of the other shooters remarked that he should buy a new gun considering how it's improved my scores. Several others remarked at my improved shooting and cited the new gun as the reason.
My response was along the lines of, "Yup, it's the gun."
But it, of course, wasn't. I believe I could have done as well with just about any gun had I got instruction, shot the same gun all the time and shot more often.
It's like those diet products you see advertised. They tell you that in addition to drinking their low cal shake to eat balanced meals and get some exercise. In reality it's the balanced meals and exercise that actually drop the poundage.
Revelations are where you find them.
Sometime in the near future my other target guns will probably find new homes. I can't abide guns that aren't being used.
However, the Remington 870 won't be among them. Some things absolutely won't change.
Paul
A year ago, after some fortunate turns I found myself for the first time in my adult life to be debt free. With no pending expenses of any note, I had the werewithal to buy the target gun of my dreams.
I owned some good guns already. Good, solid, workmanlike like target guns that were bought used. But I had an itch for what I considered to be the ultimate gun -- a Perazzi MX8. So 9 months ago I wrote out a check for a shotgun that was worth more than every other shotgun in my safe combined. It wasn't one of their fancy grades, just their base model with a custom stock and modest wood upgrade.
I bought a sporting clays model because I was transitioning from shooting mostly trap to sporting clays. My previous sporting efforts weren't much to write home about so I started spending time with a good instructor who gave me very good pointers.
Because I like this gun so much I didn't shoot anything else save for hunting. The one time I did bring out another gun I wondered why I had done so when I had a much better gun sitting in my safe. Instead of switching two or three guns often on the same day I shot only one gun.
I shot more, lots more because I truly love shooting this gun. My scores began to respond. A couple of weeks ago at an annual mixed clay competition where I usually languished in the bottom half I finished a close 3rd (and actually hadn't thought I'd shot all that well).
One of the other shooters remarked that he should buy a new gun considering how it's improved my scores. Several others remarked at my improved shooting and cited the new gun as the reason.
My response was along the lines of, "Yup, it's the gun."
But it, of course, wasn't. I believe I could have done as well with just about any gun had I got instruction, shot the same gun all the time and shot more often.
It's like those diet products you see advertised. They tell you that in addition to drinking their low cal shake to eat balanced meals and get some exercise. In reality it's the balanced meals and exercise that actually drop the poundage.
Revelations are where you find them.
Sometime in the near future my other target guns will probably find new homes. I can't abide guns that aren't being used.
However, the Remington 870 won't be among them. Some things absolutely won't change.
Paul