Thoughts on a Shotkam ?

[Rod]

I've owned and been shooting a Blaser F16 for about a year now and quiet like it. I've never been much of a shotgun shooter and my marksmanship with a scatter gun has been at best...slightly below average. But with the F16, I surprised myself and found that I could hit the odd clay fairly consistently, when shooting "down the line" and on simulated field traps set up with easy targets...those set up for "corporate" events , bucks and hens party sort of things.

Anyway, for the past few months I regular shoot sporting clays at Brisbane (BSC) which I find a challenge and enjoyable. I'm told by others it is a very tough course (corporate targets excluded). I believe them. Well, 2 weeks ago I attended a 5 stand competition at SSAA Ripley...100 target event. It was my first fair-dink um shotgun competition. And my third go at 5 stand, but first time at Ripley. I shot 11, 13, 13 and 5 . The first round I missed what should have been a couple of easy targets....but a couple of targets I couldn't see because of the sun and a couple I just plain fucked up. Looking in the wrong place The 2 rounds of 13...well I was hoping to do better but 13 was sort of respectable (in my eyes). The 5...fornicate I was just tired, didn't set up right, didn't mount right, didn't have a game plan in mind for each bird. I was lucky to get a 5.

The week before that competition I shot a couple of social rounds of skeet (from the gun down position) and shot a 23 and a 16.

So, I need to improve my scores ! I've been YouTubing Ben Husthwaite till I get sore eyes. I now have a clear picture in my mind of how to set up, maintain lead, swing through and pull away. But, putting it into practice consistently I find a challenge. fornicating loopers, rabbits and high overhead birds are my main enemy I've had a couple of coaching sessions with the club coach and will get some more and I shoot with a fairly knowledgeable bloke who can shoot and is happy to give pointers. (He's generally right too )

Back to the topic...SHOTKAM ? I can buy a new one for AUD$850 delivered. Is it worth it ? I'm thinking so...well hoping so. Or, maybe not really.... I don't want to spend $850 on a thing to hang off my barrel unless it will improve my shooting.

Who here has used one and what are your opinions of them as a training aid.

Cheers
Rod

[SPEEDY]

I'm actually going to shoot 5 stand tomorrow actually, I'm going to work on shooting with both eyes open again.
Since I started shooting slugs I shoot a shotgun more like a rifle, with the high front sight it shoots really low if I try to aim with it so I'm going to shoot with it until it's instinctive fir me again.
Might keep going just for fun and practice.

[stokesrj]

I have one and like it a lot but more for the enjoyment of watching my hunting shots than for training.
I thought that most of my use would be for training on the sporting clays course because there is a twelve station 48 machine course less than ten minutes from my house and I shoot it three or four times a week and go through a flat or two every week. But once I learned some of my basic mistakes I rapidly improved to the point there is very little value in the ShotKam. When I miss now, I know why, without reviewing any video. So it served its purpose and is just for fun now.

[Rod]

I'm actually going to shoot 5 stand tomorrow actually, I'm going to work on shooting with both eyes open again.
Since I started shooting slugs I shoot a shotgun more like a rifle, with the high front sight it shoots really low if I try to aim with it so I'm going to shoot with it until it's instinctive fir me again.
Might keep going just for fun and practice.

5 stand is as addictive as sporting clays...you'll be back I'm sure. As to "rifling" the gun...well it's a sure way to miss you'll need to break that habit fast!

Over the last few months I've begun to wonder why anyone bothers to put a bead on a shotgun (especially one of those mid mounted beads) and I can't for the life of me figure out why I'd want a high vis bead/sight on a shotgun ? But who knows? I freely admit I know more about flying the space shuttle than I do about shooting shotguns....for the time being anyway.

Rod

[Rod]

I have one and like it a lot but more for the enjoyment of watching my hunting shots than for training.
I thought that most of my use would be for training on the sporting clays course because there is a twelve station 48 machine course less than ten minutes from my house and I shoot it three or four times a week and go through a flat or two every week. But once I learned some of my basic mistakes I rapidly improved to the point there is very little value in the ShotKam. When I miss now, I know why, without reviewing any video. So it served its purpose and is just for fun now.

Thanks mate sounds like it might be the go.

Looks like you shoot a heap of clays. Excellent .

Thanks
Rod

[SPEEDY]

I'm actually going to shoot 5 stand tomorrow actually, I'm going to work on shooting with both eyes open again.
Since I started shooting slugs I shoot a shotgun more like a rifle, with the high front sight it shoots really low if I try to aim with it so I'm going to shoot with it until it's instinctive fir me again.
Might keep going just for fun and practice.

5 stand is as addictive as sporting clays...you'll be back I'm sure. As to "rifling" the gun...well it's a sure way to miss you'll need to break that habit fast!

Over the last few months I've begun to wonder why anyone bothers to put a bead on a shotgun (especially one of those mid mounted beads) and I can't for the life of me figure out why I'd want a high vis bead/sight on a shotgun ? But who knows? I freely admit I know more about flying the space shuttle than I do about shooting shotguns....for the time being anyway.

Rod

I used to take the bead off, I picked up so many bad habits shooting slugs, I'm switching to full instinctive shooting now.
I also need to practice mounting the gun over and over until it's automatic.
Keep the head down and don't break contact until well after the shot or follow up shot.
Fix those up and I should be right.

[mchughcb]

Some things to know about Shotkam 2018. I have 2 and been using them since 2017.

1. They are well made and expensive.
2. They will add extra weight to the barrel and may upset your balance
3. The rubber mount may pull off some bluing, or you may get water under there and the barrel may start rusting before you know it.
4. Both mine have been sent back to get the battery replaced, circuit board replaced and the firmware updated, and one had problems with the USB port cracking and the first one they forgot to put the O-ring seal on the camera lens protector with the body.
5. After some time, 12-18 months I've had problems with downloading the videos which won't download or stops downloading and says device cannot be recognized, which is about the time I've sent them back for repair.
6. Repair of battery and circuit board has been up to $300 with shipping
7. I have missed several game, generally foxes or ducks because I've been trying to get the camera out of sleep mode.
8. Calibrating the unit POI with my Samsung S7 android is very easy and I can do it in a few minutes. Swapping to other shotguns generally doesn't require adjustment.
9. For training I've found it great to replay the shot and see exactly where the POI when I pulled the trigger.
10. After a shoot I will replay several times to see the ones I hit and exactly what lead I had.
11. My technique has changed over the last year and I can see how via the shotkam.
12. I have found the shotkam handy to improve my technique and also replay my hunt videos.
13. The picture is very clear, focused and the 100 frames per second in 1080HD is what you need to see the lead and the shot on the way to the target.

So the fact that I bought 2 and I am seriously considering a 3rd is my endorsement of the product.

[Rod]

Some things to know about Shotkam 2018. I have 2 and been using them since 2017.

1. They are well made and expensive.
2. They will add extra weight to the barrel and may upset your balance
3. The rubber mount may pull off some bluing, or you may get water under there and the barrel may start rusting before you know it.
4. Both mine have been sent back to get the battery replaced, circuit board replaced and the firmware updated, and one had problems with the USB port cracking and the first one they forgot to put the O-ring seal on the camera lens protector with the body.
5. After some time, 12-18 months I've had problems with downloading the videos which won't download or stops downloading and says device cannot be recognized, which is about the time I've sent them back for repair.
6. Repair of battery and circuit board has been up to $300 with shipping
7. I have missed several game, generally foxes or ducks because I've been trying to get the camera out of sleep mode.
8. Calibrating the unit POI with my Samsung S7 android is very easy and I can do it in a few minutes. Swapping to other shotguns generally doesn't require adjustment.
9. For training I've found it great to replay the shot and see exactly where the POI when I pulled the trigger.
10. After a shoot I will replay several times to see the ones I hit and exactly what lead I had.
11. My technique has changed over the last year and I can see how via the shotkam.
12. I have found the shotkam handy to improve my technique and also replay my hunt videos.
13. The picture is very clear, focused and the 100 frames per second in 1080HD is what you need to see the lead and the shot on the way to the target.

So the fact that I bought 2 and I am seriously considering a 3rd is my endorsement of the product.

Thanks mate. I appreciate the effort that went into that reply

I reckon I’ll bite the bullet and get one.

Rod

[mchughcb]

Looking at your shotkam video's beats listening to some old drunken washout with failing eyesight telling you, you missed because you are too far behind when the shotkam shows you are 10 feet in front but too low.

[Rod]

ShotKam ordered

[mchughcb]

Its only money.

[Rod]

Yep.

[Rod]

I'm actually going to shoot 5 stand tomorrow actually, I'm going to work on shooting with both eyes open again.
Since I started shooting slugs I shoot a shotgun more like a rifle, with the high front sight it shoots really low if I try to aim with it so I'm going to shoot with it until it's instinctive fir me again.
Might keep going just for fun and practice.

How did you 5 stand go ?

[SPEEDY]

Not good, my poor little dogs Labor went bad and I was up with her all night.
Just before the shoot the vet called and she needed to go into immediate surgery and I would have to pick up the two surviving pups (two died) and hand rear them.

But I got one round in, the fellas I shot with set the traps up harder for training and the best I managed was only 7/25.
Although considering the Perazzi packing regular shooters only got about 12-14 /25 it maybe didn't go as badly as I thought.
All I know is I definitely didn't have my mind on the shoot, but hopefully I can get out for a couple of rounds again next Wednesday.
Trouble is I've got to feed these pups every 2-3 hours so time will be limited.

[Rod]

Hope your dog and pups are well and strong soon. Probably best to leave the gun in the safe until you can fully put your mind onto the job of busting clays.

As to a score of 7.....well it’s better than a 6....and it’s not too hard a score to improve upon next time. Every cloud has a silver lining

Cheers
Rod