Should I take a trap gun high game shooting?

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Should I take a trap gun high game shooting?

When it comes to high birds, shoot within your limitations.

By John Bidwell

Wednesday, 30 November 2011

I'm game shooting on a high bird shoot in January, and wondered if I should borrow a friend’s trap gun for the day, rather than take my Sporter which is only choked ¼ and ½.

What do you think?

GAME SHOOTING
John Bidwell
I’ve heard good reports about the shoot in question. It’s famous for consistently showing sporting birds which are high but killable, with a number of drives where some birds are seriously high, if not out of shot.

Note that I said some are out of range; plenty of others will be lower and a worthwhile challenge for anyone.

While it’s true tight chokes, heavy loads and large shot are needed on really tall birds beyond 45 yards I would recommend that you stick with the gun you know, and shoot well with.

Picking up a strange gun and hoping to shoot well with it first time out is a big ask, so drop the idea unless you’re prepared to put up with a string of frustrating misses on birds which would’ve dropped to your Sporter.

A 40 yard bird is a big enough test but ¼ choke and 32 or 34 gms of No. 5 shot will drop it dead as mutton if the gun’s held straight.

Beyond that range it becomes increasingly easy to miss, and the chances of wounding rise too.

Nobody wants to see that so shoot within your own capabilities and limits – and that of the gun too.