Slowhand

Sad but true. We used to hunt after school with our football coach and shop teacher. In college I kept a rifle and shotgun in my dorm room. My biology professor provided me with a great place to hunt. I too am grateful to have grown up in the time that I did.

.18 average

I have all the respect in the world for Favre the man and the way he has handled his off the field issues. Brett Favre is a football player's player.

Doug, I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. God bless you.

I thought it was just me. That is how I ended up with a safe full of 1911s.

I will never understand a shooter whining , arguing and or complaining in order to get a point when the rules clearly state the popper must fall. At our club matches ammo is never chrono'd. The steel is calibrated and if it is shot low, fails to drop, it is scored a miss. Period. After DQ'ing at my first big match I signed for a RO course. I signed up not because I disagreed with the call, (Ray Charles could have seen me break the 180), but because I hope to become a better shooter.

Looks like the infamous Portugese Man O' War. They have been thick here for the past couple of years. They are so potent that we get mild stings without getting in the water. When we are fishing offshore the line rubs across them on the retrieve. You don't see it happen and the next thing you know your forearms are on fire from the minute spray particles coming off the reel. A good offshore wind may move enough of them off the beach for swimming. If you happen to get stung hot water will denature the toxins. Ice is also a good remedy.

I am a long time bird hunter and an occasional skeet shooter. Having said that, I know enough about shooting clays to tell you AlamoShooter has given you some very good advice. Irrespective of shotgun brand you want to shoot at least a 28" barrel. If the O/U will be used exclusively for clays you would do well to try out a 30" gun. Go to the range and observe the better shooters.You will likely see very few 26" shotguns in any configuration.

I shoot a Browning Citori and a Beretta 686. I looked at most of the "cheap" O/U when I was hot for .410. I would do as others have suggested and find a used Citori. If your interest in shotgunning cools you can sell the used Browning without taking a beating.

Typically we load longer than the book so your usually good for a few extra tenths. I run 4.1 of clays with my lead swc bullets. Jacketed would be pushing it though as I would say you would need 4.3 but I still think you would be fine. I am loading with an OAL of 1.25 and have tested up to 4.3 gr. of Clays with no visible overpressure signs. On the other hand I do not want to see any indications of overpressure.

I have been shooting the 200 gr. SWC's and am going to work up some loads with the 230 gr. RN. TGO advocates heavy bullets and fast powders. A visit to his website will explain the rationale. I have been shooting Clays and can tell you it is significantly easier to make major power factor with the 230 gr. bullets. I have to load 4.2 gr. of Clays and my understanding is that I am close to a max load with the 200 gr. bullet.

Congratulations! As regards classifiers I know whereof you speak. I think I have tanked nearly every one I have shot. Brian's book is helping. It seems I have been "trying".

ESTP I took the test over 20 years ago and it seems nothing has changed. My employer packed me off to an "Intensive Executive Leadership" program for a week. The MB personality sorter was one of 5 or 6 similar tests we took. There appeared to be plenty of supporting data for the result of the MB test. We were given the book "Please Understand Me" which includes the MB test and includes in depth discussion that is useful in interpreting your personality profile.

Hence the term, "lucky dog". Actually I am not a big believer in luck or coincidences. You and your wife done good.

I would suggest considering the question posed by Carmoney. The longer I shoot the fewer guns I own with anything but a plain black rear sight.

L-10 Wilson Combat gov't. 4.2 gr. Clays 200 gr. LSWC WLP primer Win. brass 1.25 OAL 15# recoil spring 168 PF, Very accurate and comfortable. These same loads made 171 PF in my friends Kimber.

I know they are out there, I keep hearing stories similar to yours. You are a blessed man.

I bet dad's feet are a few inches off the ground too. Mine would be.

I am down for $50.00. Great idea!

I tried several brands of mag holders before buying the 771s from BENOS. I couldn't be happier with the 771s or the great service. If you havn't already do yourself a favor and buy some of the books Brian has available as well.

Amen. As wrapped up in myself as I was the issue of everyones safety was not lost on me.

After a couple of weeks debating the notion of posting my sad tale I decided that maybe it would help exorcise my demons. After shooting a few club level matches I got really fired up and decided to shoot the NC Sectional. A friend that I shoot with agreed to enter the Sectional match as well. We were both vibrating by the time we arrived the day before and spent some time checking things out. We were able to get comfortable with new surroundings and view a few of the stages as they were being shot. One particular stage that we reviewed on paper, (4), appeared to have a very high potential for breaking the 180. Close targets on the right and targets at varying distances to the left. The shooting box extended in a straight line at 90 degress to the targets for what seemed like forever. We started on stage eight and took our turn at the chrono after stage nine. The short version is that after I got over my initial jitters I began to feel more and more confident. Generally I was able to break the stages down and follow through with my plan. My scores and times were improving as I went and I was having a blast. When we arrived at stage 4 it was obvious that our asessment regarding the 180 was accurate. We both came up with a plan that would ensure that we did not break the 180. Here is where the wheels came off bus. When it was my turn to shoot the stage I felt prepared and very focused on the 180. My plan worked well until the very end. I hear the RO say "If you....". Immediately or instinctively I realize that to my right are two close targets I failed to engage. With the sound of the RO's words still in the air I turn and engage the first target, index on the second and knew as I fired that things were not good. Next I hear "That's it, you're done". I have been competing in offshore fishing for the past 15 years and am no stranger to rules and split second decisions made with regard to the many rules. That said, I have never experienced a feeling remotely like I was experiencing. As the reality of being disqualified sunk in I thought I was going to be sick. After all the preparation and anticipation my match was over. Immediately several shooters that were waiting to shoot this stage began to try to console me by sharing their experiences of being disqualified at larger matches including Nationals. While I very much appreciated their efforts it was quite a while before their efforts were any consolation. The guys in my squad could not bear to look at me. They looked as sick as I felt. I decided to stick around and help my squad pasting targets for the remainder of the match and encourage the other guys on my squad. The match director, (scirocco38s), was a great help to me in several ways. Thanks again Richard. Now that a few weeks have passed I am more determined than ever grow in the sport and compete again as often and soon as possible. I would not trade my experience for anything. I am once again reminded that I almost always learn far more form my difficult experiences than from my successes. That said, no matter how philosophical I try to be, the experience of being DQ'd is what it is. A 100% self inflicted mental error born out a reaction generated by my zeal to compete.

Great photos! Here on the coast the cloud formation in the second photo is referred to as a mares tail.

And just how hungry was the guy that opened an oyster and thought, "This looks good."

From my own experience I can tell you that a search in the General Reloading/Load Data section will provide you with plenty of what you are looking for.