Return of the Booth Babes: The 2007 SHOT Show
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Bourjaily: Slow-Mo Skeet
This clip comes from “Time Warp,” a Discovery Channel show that applies slow-motion photography to cool stuff, in this case, shooting clay targets or “skeets” as the voice-over guy insists on calling them.
Mostly, this is just fun to watch – especially the part where they shoot balloons. What was interesting to me from a technical standpoint was the slow-motion photography of USA Shooting’s Sean McClelland absorbing recoil, especially compared to co-host Jeff doing the same. McClelland holds the butt quite low in his shoulder pocket, and he leans into the shot. As a result, you see the gun move straight backward; the barrels hardly come up at all and McClelland’s head scarcely moves. He’s unfazed by recoil and ready for a followup. When Jeff, a novice, tries a shot, you can see the gun jump up, knocking his face off the stock. His second shot moves him a step backward.
If nothing else, the clip shows how important it is teach new shooters to lean forward with their nose over their toes when they shoot. By the way, if you want to feel Jeff’s pain and experience what it’s like to be a new shooter again, try a few shots left-handed. Even a gun you know doesn’t kick very hard will spin you around when you shoot it from your off-shoulder.
I don't know if it's the pain killers I'm on after having teeth pulled, but I found that clip hilarious. I couldn't stop laughing. The laughing kind of hurts though.
Posted by: alabamahunter | December 22, 2008 at 12:23 PM
That was pretty freaken cool! I never knew how long the wad actually stayed with the shot, so that was alos informinative.
Posted by: sam | December 22, 2008 at 01:03 PM
I know it isn't correct to call the clays "skeet" but I hear tons of people refer to them as such, me included. I know a rub on a tree isn't a scrape, but since the bark is scraped off the tree, I still incorectly refer to it as such. Someday the media will all be as PC about hunting terminology as they are about race and gender etc. But until that day when pigs fly and clouds of ringnecks fly over my lake again, good luck.
Posted by: b | December 22, 2008 at 01:23 PM
b, it isn't about being PC, it's about using the correct word to describe what you are talking about. Skeet is a shotgun discipline that involves two traps, and eight post arranged in a semi-circle, with the posts distributed evenly about the arc except for station 8 which is located in the center of the diameter of the circle.
I shoot a lot of trap and skeet, and never hear any other experienced shooters refer to the targets as "skeets." It's not because we are being politically correct, but it is nice for others to be able to understand what you are talking about. Just like if you told me you found a scrape, I would expect to find a scrape, not a rub. Yes their is a difference, and it can make communication difficult when we knowingly use the wrong word.
I don't think the media is about to attack us because we say "skeets" instead of clay targets, or "scrape" instead of rub. Frankly, I don't think the media gives a damn what we call stuff.
By the way, I agree with your statement about the scrape. Ever since I was a little kid I thought the terms "scrape" and "rub" should be reversed. The deer is scraping the tree with his antlers, and rubbing the ground with his hoof, not the other way around.
Posted by: alabamahunter | December 22, 2008 at 02:44 PM
It was really neat to see just how tight the full choke shot pattern (more like cluster) was. Now I don't feel guilty about having rifle sights on my turkey gun...
Posted by: Beekeeper | December 22, 2008 at 04:04 PM
The short shot string of the tight choke vs the wide string of the open choke was interesting in that the wide string appeared to be longer judging progression of bursting balloons. I would like to see a heavy load from a open choked 3 inch 20 gauge compared to the 12 since I have always been told that the former string of shot was the longest. One shooter friend claims to have built in lead with his 3 inch 20 due to this perceived phenommena.
I can't say that I have found this to be true. Interesting video.
Posted by: ishawooa | December 22, 2008 at 11:11 PM
I love how Discovery Channel has been showing guns more & more in a positive manner, both with this show & especially Myth Busters!
A big thumbs up to Discovery Channel!!
Posted by: Scrap5000 | December 22, 2008 at 11:14 PM
Phil:
You weren't kidding about the way a gun can pound you when you shoot it from the off shoulder. Because of a right eye injury I had to switch shoulders some time back, and it was ugly at first. It's amazing how programmed you get after a while with regard to shooting form; you don't even think about it. Switch to your left side and you are a baby learning to walk again. So those of you who want to teach your wife or 12 year old kid to shoot, and plan on using a single barreled 12 gauge shotgun or 6 pound synthetic stocked .30-06, try shooting it yourself from the off shoulder first. Wear a tee shirt.
Posted by: eyeball | December 23, 2008 at 11:19 AM
this demo proves why a shotgun is the ultimate home defense weapon.
Posted by: firedog | December 24, 2008 at 12:20 PM
You should also check out the dragon skin segement, watching the bullets in slow mo is amazing, The saw stop table saw demo was hard to watch, as a carpenter it was making my insides twist, but I really sold on the concept.
Posted by: mt101 | December 27, 2008 at 01:03 AM
One point I guess no one else noticed, I wonder if we got a couple of new shooters out of the filming?
As I assume this was a first time shooting for those 2 guys I wonder if either or both have liked it enough to try it on a more permanent basis? Nothing sells target and other shooting sports better than getting someone to try it!
Posted by: Zermoid | December 27, 2008 at 06:15 PM
That show is still on my tvio. I've watched that clip over and over. It amazes me that so much can happen in the blink of an eye.
Posted by: Jack | December 29, 2008 at 01:29 AM
I've added a link to my blog for people wanting - no NEEDING - to see this great clip. I believe it will be a great instructional tool for some of my gun instructor classes.
Posted by: Rhonda | January 07, 2009 at 03:56 PM