Fauxdegla DTL Grand Prix 2022 – Day 3 - Sponsors Day 5/6/22

Click here for the full list of today's scores

Today, the weather finally decided to make us cold and wet. Friday was a close call and we got away with it, but today was steady and persistent rain until lunchtime. Even then, it stayed mizzly until about 5pm.

My nemesis from the weekend - I dropped more points on layout A than any other over the last 3 days!

After the last 2 days of not really performing as well as I wanted, today was more of a “go out, have fun, and see what we get with a different clay disassembling machine.”

The have fun part was certainly achieved, even though the result was yet another 97. This time though it was a 288 “built the right way”, and everything that wasn’t a 2nd barrel or a miss was absolutely destroyed. I’d forgotten just how awesomely savage that Miroku is!

The first round was a 23/69. The first loss might have been because I was looking at the bead and not the target (down to being a little unsure of the gun and re-learning where it shot – the last time I used it seriously was 2017). The second loss was because I had a brain wobbly and shot right over the top of the target both times.

The second round was twice as good – just the one miss instead of two giving me 24/72– probably caused by being jittery and jumping the trap.

Then it got better still, a nice 25/73 in the third round to start the back 50.

And finally, in the last round of the entire weekend competition, everything came together, and I found my focus, concentration, and timing. Apart from one target that I rushed slightly and needed the second shot to break, the rest were blown up with authority. The last one was hit so hard it smoked orange.

It’s only now that I realise just how “at sea” I’ve been this weekend, and I don’t know exactly why. Perhaps I’m worrying needlessly about getting my coaching off the ground, and how long everything is taking. I certainly haven’t been properly comfortable until this afternoon.

The main objective has been achieved though. While I wanted to do some damage and give the top shooters something to think about, it was more important to shoot out any gremlins before heading to Bywell next week, which I feel I have.

I must also say that I’ve been impressed with how well the Hull Comp X cartridges I’m currently using have performed. The clays at Fauxdegla tend to be on the harder side, and when I’ve connected with them properly, the Comp X have absolutely annihilated them with very little recoil.

A fine example of what we were shooting at all weekend. This one escaped punishment!

Before now, I didn’t really like them much, but after using them for 3 days solid, I now think that they are definitely a cartridge worth considering for DTL. Another test will be next week, because Bywell might also have some harder clays waiting for us.

In other results from today, well shot Paul Chaplow – High Gun with another 100/300, closely followed by Alan Evans who was 1st in AA class with 100/298.

A class was won jointly by Clive Weston (98/294) and Russ Hufton (99/294).

B class went to Mervyn Turkington with a 97/289.

C class was won by Emlyn Davies with a 95/278.

Well shot to all class and category winners, and thank you to Mike and Debbie Faux, and the team of ground staff who kept all the traps topped up all weekend and gave us something to shoot at. Also, the kitchen staff who kept us all fed and watered, and all the referees who had to sit and watch us do our thing.

Everyone going to Bywell next week, I’ll see you there when we do it all again at the English and Dougall weekend.