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I have waited for someone else to mention it, but since no one has, I will bring it up. As far as pressure is concerned, nothing, in my opinion, beats competitive shooting.

Consider the pressure generated by high power rifle competition with a bolt action rifle: the first stage consists of 20 rounds fired standing, unsupported, at a target 200 yards distant, with a 7" ten ring, for a possible score of 200, using a rifle which may weigh from 10 to 14 pounds and metallic sights, in a time limit of 20 minutes. If you shoot, as I do, a .308 Winchester, there is some recoil to deal with, enough to assure that you will be punished for an unbalanced position. To add to the fun, you may be shooting under wind conditions which make you feel thankful that you are able to hit the 6'X 6' target, or heat conditions which may have you virtually dehydrated by the end of the 20 shot string, or heat and light conditions which create a mirage which may distort the target to a blob. When I was younger, I could expect to shoot in the high 180's or low 190's, but now, at age 68, I have to be content with a 175 or better.

The next stage is rapid fire, sitting from standing, two strings of ten shots each in a time limit of 60 seconds, at a range of 200 yards. Sitting is naturally a much steadier position, but assuming the position quickly and efficiently takes practice and the manipulating the bolt in such a way as not to desturb your natural alignment and aim takes even more practice. Each shot has to be lined up carefully and the trigger squeeze executed rapidly, but not so rapidly as to disturb the sight picture. After five shots, the shooter must remove the rifle from his shoulder and reload, an action which allows for no fumbling. If I do my part, I can be expected to be rewarded with a score in the high 190's.

At 300 yards, the rapid fire stage is the same, except the position is standing to prone, and the time limit is increased to 70 seconds, although the size of the scoring rings on the target remains the same. Again, if I have judged the wind correctly and have done my part, I should score in the 190's.

The fourth stage consists of 20 shots, slow fire, at a target incorporating a 12" ten ring, at 600 yards, in a time limit of 20 minutes. Again, wind and heat play important roles, with wind speeds often sufficient to move the bullet impact up to 24" and temperatures which can raise the pulse rate to 130 and beyond. I try to fire my string in 12 minutes or less, having concluded that my eyesight begins to fail due to the effects of overheating on a firing line where the temperatures are often well above 90 degrees. With perfectly loaded ammunition, outstanding bullets, and adequate wind doping, I can expect a score of 195 or above.

More to the point for double rifles specifically is international skeet shooting, where the targets move about 100 mph., the gun stock must be touching the hip bone when the target is called for and cannot be shouldered until the target appears, and there is a variable delay of 0 to 3 seconds between the command "Pull" and the release of the trap. If you are using a S/S double rifle with double triggers, try shooting this course with a similarly configured shotgun, preferably one with barrel inserts for a smaller gauge, which increase the barrel weight to more closely approximate the balance of a DR. Most skeet fields are not set up to throw international targets and do not have the delay feature, but asking your friend who is shooting with you to vary the release times works just as well for practice purposes. There will be no problem creating increased adrenaline flow and rapid breathing, especially at station 8, where you face the trap houses and the targets fly almost directly overhead. The time for reaction is virtually nil.

Last Sunday was the last day of our deer season. I was walking back to the vehicle after a fruitless two hour wait in a ground blind and another hour's wandering through my property, when I noticed movement and the flicker of a white tail on the farm road in front of me. I put my BRNO 21H 7X64 Mauser to my shoulder and peered through the Unertl 4X scope. I could make out a good sized doe about 100 yards away, standing broadside in the path. There was a slight rise between me and the deer, so there was no possibility of using the kneeling or sitting position. Using the same technique of trigger control and aim I have practiced for years on the rifle range, I set the trigger, lined up the post reticle and squeezed off the shot. The deer dropped in its tracks.

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