Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Kaas
If you ever watch a squad of old timers shooting trap at least one of them will blow down his barrel after every shot. The younger guys laugh and say something about 'old farts'. The old timer remembers fibre wads and paper base wads and was probably one of the young guys on a sqaud in 1958 when the guy next to him blew up his Ithaca 4E single...he became an 'old fart' after that..
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I am usually the youngest guy amongst the folks I shoot skeet with, but the only "old fart". My target handload for high volume shooting utilizes the Federal hull with paper base wad. I have shot many thousands of them and never seen a stuck base wad, but once you develop the habit of routine - remove empties, blow down barrel, then look down them, it would feel strange NOT to do it. I do it in the field as well, without even thinking. Sometimes, however, a few birds in a covey will flush and shots will be taken, then it is realized the dogs are still on point and getting antsy - that is about the only time I might break the routine and reload in a hurry (a fairly scarce occurence) but even then I have feelings of "taking a chance" in the back of my mind.
Last year on a dove shoot, I got into a box of bad loads, and had about four squibs (no idea to this day as to why). I checked the barrel each time as I do after every shot and it was clear - except for that last one that left the shotcup about halfway down. Fortunately I always bring a rod with me, so a short walk from my stand to my truck was the only inconvenience to getting the bore cleared and back to shooting.
Jim