Love Beads for Flying Clays

[Ross Carter]

A couple of things to think about. Beads are almost universally condemned by good shotguners but why are adjustable poi ribs so hot on high end guns? If you never ever use the bead why is an adjustable poi rib needed or even wanted? Ever try to teach a brand new shooter to hit a clay bird without mentioning the bead-bird relationship? If you shot without a bead and then changed to a 1/2" high bead do you think you would shoot to the same poi? If not why since you don't use the bead?

I tried a very high shooting shotgun once and shot over the top of everything no matter how hard I tried. Just for THOI I stuck one of those big ole magnetic fiberoptic beads on it and shot my average with it then. The magnetic fo bead was much taller and lowered the poi even thou I wasn't aiming with the bead or so I thought.

I think if the bead is seen in the periphery by the subconcious you have a good chance of shooting well. Maybe many people don't realize they are actually using the beads subconciously? I know for sure the best I have shot is when I had both eyes open and had an intense focus on the bird, but I could also call every shot just like pistol shooting, it reminded me of the best open runs I've had.

[Irishlad]

but why are adjustable poi ribs so hot on high end guns? If you never ever use the bead why is an adjustable poi rib needed or even wanted?

One reason, I believe, in trapshooting where you see these shotguns on "steroids", is the shooter wants to confirm the relationship between the middle and front bead. That tells them that their "head" is on the stock properly. If the stock is raised, "they" often want the "fiqure 8" on the beads maintained which means the rib would have to be raised.

[sargenv]

I never really thought of it like this but I'm pretty sure I use it to make sure my mount is right. I shoot all clays from a low gun position so this is one aid that, usually after I've fired, tells me if I did or did not mount it right. When I shoot sporting clays and there is a gap of a second or two between targets, I find that I can't keep the gun mounted and must drop back to low gun and re-aquire the next target. I don't have any fiber optic bead or other kind of sights on my shotgun as I see this as getting too used to fluff.. I want to be able to mount any standard shotgun and shoot it as good as the gun I use all the time. I've not tried shooting a shotgun beadless.. Never really had the chance to try.

When I was training myself years before I went to the low gun start, I used the bead to make sure my mount was good, close my dominant left eye to get my right eye focused, open the left eye and then call for my clay. This made it so that the left eye was not so dominant and made my right eye equal to my left. To this day I aim and point with my right eye until such a time when some evil stage designer throws in a stage where I need use my left eye.. Obviously the need for this doesn't really bother me all that much since the left eye now gets to play.

Edited May 8, 2008 by sargenv

[EkuJustice]

If done right the bead is definately a huge help. You don't stare at it but its nice to have a reference point out there. I know one every shot I take in skeet I have seen the bead as a reference point out of the corner of my eye for singles as well as doubles. I also blink the left eye closed once I first pick up on the target and actually will take the shot with the one eye closed and I still break a good amount of targets on the skeet field so it can be done.have seen guys start moving the gun on the pull call instead of waiting to see the bird so whatever works best for you

Edited July 19, 2008 by EkuJustice

[JD45]

My all-around clay target gun has a white front bead. All I can tell you, Eric, is that I believe people make to much of the whole bead thing. I have not tried a fiber optic yet, but many shooters do well with them.

Shoot registered ATA trap matches for a year, and you would freak out if someone removed your bead.

It is used for reference on other games too. Find me a guy that can shoot 35-45yd. crossers consistently, anyday, anywhere. And not when he is grooved in shooting swing through and practicing five days a week. I'll bet he uses a bead of some sort.

I believe that a shooter with solid fundamentals, shooting sustained lead, needs a bead for precision. But you don't look at it. You are aware of it, but focus is on the target.

We watched a kid at our club become a nationally ranked sporting clays shooter that can and has beat Jon Kruger and Bobby Fowler in some matches. I've seen the kid shoot dropping teal targets at 40yds. from the hip. His dad used to buy him shells by the pallet, and he once had ammo sponsers. However, his K-80 has a fiber-optic bead.

You can do a lot without a bead, if you have a huge supply of practice ammo.

[warpspeed]

They came with the gun/s.

Patrick

My thought as well.

It is there when I take it out and there when I put it back but I don't remember seeing it in between.