Engaging clay targets

[kellyn]

Brian, when you are shooting clay pigeons w/ a shotgun:

1)  Do you swing through the bird and break the shot when you feel that the lead is right or do you establish a sustained lead and then break the shot?

2)  Do you use the bead (or the popular fiber optic front sights) or do you solely look at the bird?

3)  What do you focus on when mounting the shotgun from the ready position?  Do you mount and then swing?  Or do you do both simultaneously?

4) How do you hold the shotgun with your weak hand?  Do you point w/ your weak index finger?

5) Any tricks for keeping the face on the stock?

6) What is the meaning of life?

[BigDave]

When I shoot clay targets or pheasants (or morning doves for that matter), I break the trigger as I just pass the front of the intended target with my muzzle.  I visualize it to making a painting brush stroke just (it depends on the distance to and speed of the bird, as well as angle) ahead of the target.

At a local trap club, we shoot a game called Protection.  In this game, you and your partner get a shot at bird from 27yds (10 birds in a round)  If I am the first shot, and I miss, my partner is to back me.  If we miss, its a miss.  If it is my shot and my partner shoots before me or at the bird I broke, its also a miss.  In the event of a tie, we drop back to approximately 50 yds.  Yes, 50 yds. This is for the shoot off.  Imagine the lead on a hard angleing target (standard american trap target) from 50 yds behinde the house.  You better have a mag load of #4 or #5 shot to have a prayer.  From personal experiencem #7 1/2 won't cut it!!!

[benos]

Kelly,

1)  Do you swing through the bird and break the shot when you feel that the lead is right or do you establish a sustained lead and then break the shot?

Every situation, for me, will dictate a different approach. Some shoot the same technique at every shot, which I don't find as productive. I have enough notes to compile quite a volume on that subject....

2)  Do you use the bead (or the popular fiber optic front sights) or do you solely look at the  bird?

I do not use a fiber optic, for the reason that it will tend to encourage me to look at the gun instead of the target. SEE THE BIRD!

3)  What do you focus on when mounting the shotgun from the ready position?  Do you mount and then swing?  Or do you do both simultaneously?

I'm looking for "movement," but not so close to the source of the bird that it could get past me before I see it. Simultaneously is correct.

                                   

4) How do you hold the shotgun with your weak hand?  Do you point w/ your weak index finger?

Yes, definitely. I dig that routine.

5) Any tricks for keeping the face on the stock?

LOOK AT THE TARGET!When you Peek, you are trying to see more than the target.

6) What is the meaning of life?

Haven't you heard? It's in the livin, man.

be

[38supPat]

Is a red dot allowed on shotguns for Team Challenge? How 'bout Sporting Clays? I'm not too up on the shotgun sports right now (at least as far as rules go...hehe) But I've been busting clays with one, on my IPSC pump gun, and I like it.

Pat

[benos]

Pat,

That's a huge topic you opened up. I have a personal view which is colored by the fact that I am a purist, especially when it comes to shotguns. I once made the statement - If I ever have to put an optic sight on a shotgun to be competitive, I'll quit shooting shotguns.

They are legal in the sports you mentiioned, but not many use/ win with them. This may change with time - I hope not.

The seem to work OK on targets that are basically repeatable, especially Trap. The probem is: because of the ease of seeing the dot, your eye tends to want to "measure the lead," which is not what you want to do, especially on "hard," or unpredictable targets. What you want to do is LOOK AT THE TARGET, and let the gun/red dot remain peripheral, which allows your mind to "point" the shotgun, without aiming. The mind's ability to do this is incredible, if you let it happen. With a shotgun, the target is ALWAYS MOVING, so that is where you need to have your attention.

be

[38supPat]

Guess I'm a bit gamey, but I've had a dot on my IPSC shotgun since about '86-'87, before I shot pistol even. Been playing with it on clays the last 3 of 4 years and thought it was cool. Guess I'm not much of a purist although I love shooting iron sight rifles and pistols at long distances.

Pat

[kellyn]

I've heard that Frank Glenn put a dot on a shotgun and it improved his scores.   I've tried it at skeet but not sporting clays.  It was definitely different.  It did not improve my scores though.  I found myself using the dot as a front sight.  I started to lose attention/focus on the clay target.  I may not be the purist that Ghost Dog is :)but I am inclined to agree.  Plus a red dot really makes a shotgun look ugly!

[benos]

kelly,

It's funny that you mentioned Frank G—it was him that I made the statement to about "I'll quit shooting shotguns."

be

[WayneBullock]

Kelly, I definitely swing through the target and break the shot at that time instead of establishing a lead, then the shot.  If you are shooting American Trap or International Trap, that applies to every shot...except one.  

In American Trap, doubles shooting can be quite a different game.  For instance, I shoot the right target first on all the posts.  This is not too common; most people (right-handed) shoot the right target on posts 1-3, and shoot the left target on 4-5 first.  I switched to the right target first all the way across the last year I was on the All American Team.  I got my average pretty high that year using this technique. Doing this, however, meant that I had to trap the first target on 4 and 5 (set up where I was going to break the target just right and above the house and move my eyes back to the house to see the target as it left the house).  That is about the only time the swing-through does not work.

Interestingly, when I won the prelim doubles in my division at the Grand the last year I shot, it was not until I got back to my truck that I noticed that my front site on my doubles gun had come off in the case and I shot the entire match without it.  Guess that shows how much I concentrated on the site.

Wayne

[Les Snyder]

Kelly...about keeping your head on the stock... when I started shooting some recreational skeet an older gentleman patiently watched me, went to his car and presented me with a gizmo  designed to guarantee that you would keep your head on the stock... two  fish hooks on a piece of 30# test mono...insert one hook into your right cheek, insert second hook into your scrotum, adjust length of mono... I laughed so hard I had to walk off the field, but all I have to do is think about it, shudder a little, and I involuntarily keep my head down.. regards

[kellyn]

Ok, I'll keep my face on the stock!

Lately, I have been shooting some skeet and clays w/ a dot on my Benelli (sorry Brian).  One thing that I have noticed w/ the dot is that I can really call my shots.  Scores are about the same but I can tell that the shot is right on or if it will hit the front of the bird or the rear of the bird.  I've never been able to do that by simply looking at the bird.  

[benos]

kellly,

I can see that. I still hate it though.

be