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Readers' shooting questions

Some people swear by red lenses.

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By Mark Russell

Thursday, 14 June 2007

Sporting Gun's shooting coach dips into his mailbag to sort out some more readers' enquiries.

It's always great to get letters from readers seeking coaching advice, but sometimes I can't always devote an entire article to a specific topic. As such, this time I thought I'd try and cover a few of the questions I've received recently…

GUN FIT
Q: How important is gun fit?

A: A gun that fits you properly will obviously help maximise your scores – if the gun isn't pointing where you're looking you're always going to struggle to hit targets consistently. That said, if you don't mount the gun in exactly the same manner, every time, the positive effect of a properly fitted gun is diminished.

The best advice I can offer concerning gun fit is to take your gun along to a good gunsmith. He, or she, will be able to tell you almost instantly whether there are major problems with the fit and how it can be altered and rectified.

Over the years my experience can tell me when a specific gun is simply wrong for the shooter – the stock's miles too short or long, for instance – but I reckon the finer points and recommendations should be left to a competent gunsmith.


COLOURED VISION
Q: Why do some people wear coloured sunglasses when shooting?

A: Some shooting grounds already insist that eye protection – obviously along with ear defenders – must be worn when shooting. I think one day this will be the norm at all shooting grounds so we all might just as well get used to it (incidentally, it's rarely falling shot, but fragments of broken clays that cause problems.)

Personally I prefer clear lenses when I wear shooting glasses. Having said that, I know people who swear by red lenses, (they say that the increase in contrast makes it easier to see the target) especially when they're shooting in really bright sunlight or attempting bright orange/red targets against a dark background.


LEADING ISSUE
Q: Is there an easy way to assess how much lead you need to give a target?

A: In a word, no. Experience and a good mental library of 'sight pictures' for a variety of different types of target is what will count when you want to improve your scores. You can't buy that experience so all I can suggest is maybe have a couple of lessons to brush up on your technique… and shoot loads of cartridges!

On a more specific note, always remember that the angle of lead will never change - irrespective of the distance of the target from the shooter. This is what confuses a lot of novices. Sure, your experience and sight pictures will ultimately tell you what that angle needs to be, but it will never change.

I'm a firm believer in shooting instinctively; let your brain make all the subliminal calculations for you. If someone chucks you a ball to catch - high and crossing - you don't need to work out how high or to one side you need to jump to make sure the ball ends up in your hand. Instinct takes over and you do it all naturally. In my view shooting can be just the same.


STRINGING ALONG
Q: Why is shot in a 'stream' or 'string' and how do chokes affect my shooting?

A: The best analogy is to think of a hosepipe. Turn the tap on and the water will flow out - but it won't go very far (open choke). Pinch the end of the pipe, however, and the water is concentrated and sprays further (tight choke). In exactly the same way, a tight choke of, say, full or three-quarter will give you tight shot pattern at a distance, whereas a more open choke will deliver a good open spread of shot, but closer to the gun.

Shot will always travel in a string, or stream, but how the gun is choked will affect the length of this stream. Remembering the hosepipe principle, an open choke will throw a broad pattern, but the length of the string will be relatively small, whereas the tight choke will keep the pattern smaller but the length of the string is far greater.

In theory, assuming you're shooting ahead of the target, using the tighter choked barrel should give you more chance of hitting a bird that's a fair distance away - simply because the clay has more chance of colliding with the longer shot string.

At the end of the day my advice is not to be too concerned about chokes and shot strings. Stick to one gun, cartridge, choke combination and concentrate on your technique.


OVER & AWAY
Q: Why do I always struggle with overhead birds that come from behind the stand?

A: You're not alone with this problem - I find it a common concern with lots of shooters, and novices in particular.

The best tip I can offer is to know exactly where the bird is going to appear. Ask to see a target from the stand – if possible – or watch other shooters before it's your turn. When you're sure you know the flight line, position the muzzles high and mid way between the visual pick-up point and your chosen kill point. A few practise swings won't go amiss.

If you're standing, say, in a clearing and the clay is whizzing between the trees there's only going to be a small 'window of opportunity' to kill the bird. In this instance it's always better to keep the 'gun up' if the discipline allows. I find that the 'pull away' shooting method often works well for birds of this type.

If it's a really rapid bird, though, shooting 'maintained lead' might be the best option - if you're confident with this style. Keep your weight on the back foot, your head back to look for the target, then get your face on the stock and start your swing when you see the bird. When the muzzles are ahead, remembering to keep the gun moving, simply pull the trigger. If you're still having difficulty and the situation allows it, you could always turn through 90 degrees and treat the bird as a crosser.

A lot of novices talk themselves out of hitting a bird that's presented this way long before they pull the trigger - I'm never really sure why, as, in reality it should be quite an easy target to clobber. If this is your particular bogey bird, only practise will help you overcome your worries. I guarantee, though, when you get the correct sight picture lodged in your mind, you'll always hit a lot more than you miss!


ON THE DROP
Q: How do you shoot a teal target when it's on its way down?

A: Quite simply, you don't - unless it's a second-barrel shot because you missed it on the way up! Always try and kill this target when it's 'under power' and going up. At worst take it at the very top of its flight when it reaches its apex.

As the bird drops it will gradually accelerate, getting faster all the time. As such, your swing will have to accelerate to keep in pace and ahead of the target. Make sure the muzzles stay on the line of the clay, watch it closely and be ready to compensate if it drifts off to one side because of a side wind. The trick is to shoot well below the bird and keep the gun moving well after you pull the trigger.


GOING, GOING, GONE!
Q: Why are going away, DTL type targets, generally easier than others?

A: Shooting this type of target is easy if you've got the basics right: stance, gun mount and swing. If all these come as second nature to the shooter, your scores should be incredibly high. In fact, the swing is the tricky part and, because of the type of clay presented, that's minimal anyway.

A good tip, and a general starting point is to rely on the way the shot travels from the gun. Generally, most sporting guns will fire a pattern 60% above the bead, 40%underneath. It goes without saying that if a shooter swings the gun and pulls the trigger when the bird sits on top of the bead the result should be a smashed clay. Don't rush. Get the basics right and this stand will really help improve your overall score on a sporting layout.



Have you got a problem with your shooting? If you drop us a line, maybe Mark can help.
Please write to our usual address: Sporting Gun, PO Box 157, Stamford, Lincs. PE9 9FU or email: sportinggun@ipcmedia.com
We're afraid Mark can't give personal replies, but he'll do his best to tackle your subject in future articles.

For enquiries about tuition at Grimsthorpe Shooting Ground, Mark can be contacted on 01778 591268.