When shooting my PC match yesterday, I'm analyzing my shots, hold, and timing (as I shoot). I've noticed half my time (and concentration) is ejecting and capturing the empty casing (38spl from my Rossi 92 for me). My routine (after the shot) is:
-lower rifle
-cup hands over receiver
-eject casing into hand or pluck it out
- tap casing unburnt residue out on table and place into cartridge holder
- load next round and aim at next animal

It's not a bad routine, but, can be distraction. In smallbore-lever it's just eject the casing and forget-about-it.......

I know Bullseye shooters have these (I call them) 'butterfly' nets to catch the ejected .45 casings. But I see nothing similar in silhouette.

What ya'll do?

Wait until the relay is over, pick it up off the ground. Not a distraction at all.

I've had ejector spring weakened and use 1gal ice cream bucket, to catch the ejected brass,set on the shooting table/bench. Replace the lid and sort at home will hold enough for nationals compitition 120+ rounds. Steve

Do your self a favor and take the time to handle those cases. It will slow you down between shots and allow you to remount the rifle in a consistent manner for each shot. I find that I do the case transfer almost sub consciously while communicating with my spotter about the previous shot. It's all about finding a rythum. When I am in a good shooting rythum I will have about 25 to 30 seconds left on the clock and that includes handling cases between each shot.
Another thing I see shooters do is load quickly after the ready command and shoulder their rifle and stand there for an eternity till the fire command is given. I load my rifle and don't raise it till there is 6 seconds left of the ready time.

Al Foust

I agree about the time between shots. I take two breaths after each shot while storing spent brass in ammo box lid. Then mount and shoot about 2 to 3 breaths later. I tried using a cut milk jug to catch brass but it looks a little weird and really doesn't help me much. If I have a problem during a string, then I go to eject on the ground to save time. Storing the brass in their holes in the ammo box comes after the fifth shot.
T

I've seen shooters use the "almost eject" method, that is stopping the lever just as the casing is coming out of the port but is not being fully ejected. When it's at this point you can grab it with your free hand and continue with the lever eject movement and have the casing in your hand when it's completely ejected. This takes a little work to get the sequencing right but after about two seasons of practice I think I 've got it about 90%.
ppkny

Seems to me that once you're in your position to shoot you wouldn't want to lower the rifle to eject, catch casing, tap it on table and then set into loading block.. How many of you guys keep the rifle on your shoulder and just crank out the empties to land wherever they might?

ALPHAWOLF45 wrote:Seems to me that once you're in your position to shoot you wouldn't want to lower the rifle to eject, catch casing, tap it on table and then set into loading block.. How many of you guys keep the rifle on your shoulder and just crank out the empties to land wherever they might?

Listen to Al (ClscAl) above... He's pretty good and I'm sure his shooting process is the result of some pretty calculated/efficient ergonomics... Heck, if he told me he wins by having mustard and anchovies on his hamburger, I'd be the 1st in line to order mine that way (and I don't even like anchovies), LOL!


-Tim

ALPHAWOLF45 wrote:Seems to me that once you're in your position to shoot you wouldn't want to lower the rifle to eject, catch casing, tap it on table and then set into loading block.. How many of you guys keep the rifle on your shoulder and just crank out the empties to land wherever they might?

All of the good shooters I watched take the gun down between each shot. Some don't seem to care about the empties, just let em fly, others take them out carefully, but everyone takes down the gun and remounts it.

Of course I haven't seen everyone in the world shoot, so I'm sure there are exceptions. But most shooters talk to their spotters (or look at the board showing their hits) between every shot.

OldRanger I have only shot the one match and didn't watch the other shooters.. Think I will sit out the .22 match next Saturday and watch/see what the master class shooters do. I have just now gotten a Marlin 1892 .22 ready for the match but haven't had time to find ammo it likes or get the sight settings so it will probably do me more good to observe other shooters than to shoot and miss a whole lot of targets..

As for ammo in your 1892 I have several that I shoot, and they seam to prefer Standard Velocity ammo. My have done well with CCI Standard, but better with SK either Magazine or Standard Plus.

Just my 2 cents worth

ALPHAWOLF45 wrote:OldRanger I have only shot the one match and didn't watch the other shooters.. Think I will sit out the .22 match next Saturday and watch/see what the master class shooters do. I have just now gotten a Marlin 1892 .22 ready for the match but haven't had time to find ammo it likes or get the sight settings so it will probably do me more good to observe other shooters than to shoot and miss a whole lot of targets..

Nah shoot the match! Go as early as you can to try to get some settings, then blast away and have fun! Watch the other relays, shoot yours.
Its too much fun to not shoot, besides whats the worst that can happen? You get the settings figured out during the match then you are ready for next week. And use whatever ammo you have this week, try to figure out the best ammo later.

100% of targets not shot at do not fall.

Grizz61 wrote:As for ammo in your 1892 I have several that I shoot, and they seam to prefer Standard Velocity ammo. My have done well with CCI Standard, but better with SK either Magazine or Standard Plus.

Just my 2 cents worth

I would like to talk 1892s with you Grizz .Should start a thread. I have an early 1892 handed down thru my family and then this one I will compete with is one that I built from barstock copying the old one. I will eventually shoot the old one but I need to reline the barrel and fix some problems. Honestly I didn't expect that anybody would be using an 1892 in one of these matches.
Thanks for posting.

OldRanger Yeah you are right that I should just shoot the match. I am not serious about the .22 anyway. I used my spotter/friends Marlin 39 for my first match and fired a 17 putting me in class A.. My expectations are not so high that I should worry about anything so trivial as sight settings.

ALPHAWOLF45 wrote:OldRanger Yeah you are right that I should just shoot the match. I am not serious about the .22 anyway. I used my spotter/friends Marlin 39 for my first match and fired a 17 putting me in class A.. My expectations are not so high that I should worry about anything so trivial as sight settings.

Exactly! Sighting in is for whimps!