Shotgun Training

[NCTrees]

Looking for a class to break bad shooting habits with the shotgun. I’m decent on instinctive “snap” shots but with any moderate time behind the bead it can be damn embarrassing. Not looking for a beginner hunter safety type class, have over four decades shooting. I’m looking to break bad habits that I just keep repeating on my own, suspect professional advice is in order. West coast - Nv, Ca, Or preferred if anyone has recommendations I’d appreciate it.

 

[gearguywb]

Go to your local sporting clays range and look for a NSCA approved instructor.

 

[2ski]

I dont know a ton about it but what if you make everything an instinctive snap shot? Don't mount the gun until shooting is going to happen right away. I wouldn't be surprised if you're overthinking because you're giving yourself too much time.

 

[Elk97]

The longer you track the clay you're more likely going to miss. I drop the end of the barrel and then pull it up if there is going to be a delay in shooting. I took some training and it was OK, but really it's just a matter of repetition. Shoot the stations you miss most at until you figure it out. A good coach (better than the ones I went to) would probably be able to get you pointed in the right direction.

 

[Rich M]

I shoot w/o thinking w shotgun, been doing it for about 46 years for fun and hunting. Funny when i catch myself holding into the wind on a breezy day and the duck tumbling. As my dad says, i learned to let my body react and kept my mind out of the way. He shoots trap competitively.

Simple fix is just go and do. Start shooting 100 clays weekly or biweekly for a couple of months. If that doesnt help, hire a coach and then do it some more.

If flinching, get better ear muffs and a soft recoil pad. 20 ga doesnt really kick much less w trap loads as 12 ga.

 

[gearguywb]

Many (most) flinches, with the exception of new shooters, are caused by the eye/brain relationship not recoil.

Shotguns are shot with the eyes. When your eyes adjust to the proper forward allowance (think swinging a bat), there are times that the shooters brain takes over and says "no way do you need to be that far ahead of the target".

This causes the sudden movement in the barrels just before the shot to give a sight picture that the brain likes.

 

[loganwayne]

Nctrees I was hoping you were in nc or SC with that name. There is a day long clinic with James rutland.
I can hit bird but when I go to shoot clays I always over think it and I'm pretty horrible.

 

[Rich M]

Many (most) flinches, with the exception of new shooters, are caused by the eye/brain relationship not recoil.

Shotguns are shot with the eyes. When your eyes adjust to the proper forward allowance (think swinging a bat), there are times that the shooters brain takes over and says "no way do you need to be that far ahead of the target".

This causes the sudden movement in the barrels just before the shot to give a sight picture that the brain likes.

Never looked at it that way before.

Majority folks I know miss cause they stop the swing when they shoot. Definitely a mind thing.

The "guy" who shoots clays (or rifle or handgun) say 3-4 times a year and wants to do better. IMO, the best thing to do is put a couple thousand rounds downrange. It is no diff than bowling or golf - the more you do the better you get. You can get lessons and smooth the edges but the main thing is doing it over and over and over again.

Skeet might be good for a newbie - not a lot of time to think but you do know where the clay is going. Trap allows folks to wait too long...

 

[gearguywb]

I work with a lot of different folks and the one thing that I see across the board is that shooting more doesn’t make you a better shooter.

Oftentimes, its the exact opposite. You end up ingraining poor habits.

The best shooters in the world work with coaches. Someone that can work with you, see what is happening, and make suggestions for incremental change is the key to getting better

 

[Rich M]

I work with a lot of different folks and the one thing that I see across the board is that shooting more doesn’t make you a better shooter.

Oftentimes, its the exact opposite. You end up ingraining poor habits.

The best shooters in the world work with coaches. Someone that can work with you, see what is happening, and make suggestions for incremental change is the key to getting better

The guys who shot a lot as kids are often better shots when compared to adult onset shooters. So, you're saying it was the coaching from whoever that made the diff, not that they have more trigger time?

 

[gearguywb]

Trigger time certainly helps, but really only when practicing good fundamentals vs. just launching rounds down-range

 

[SuspiciousFish]

Get some snap cap shells and find an open room or your garage. Have your wife or a buddy come over and use a laser pointer to simulate a clay travelling in a straight line vs curved etc. This will help train your eyes and muscle memory. I found the best way is to lock onto the clay with your eyes then bring the bead to the clay then lead based on trajectory.


As others have stated, dont shoulder the gun until the clay is released, its hard to do at first but your shooting will improve a lot. I found also standing heads up facing the range and keeping nice and loose helps too. It sounds strange but look off into the distance then focus on the clay, its faster for your eye muscles to contract to focus on something closer than to relax to focus on a further object.

At the end of the day shotgun shooting is a lot like archery where the more relaxed you are during the whole shot process the better you are. Having your gun fit you well makes a 110% difference too. I put a spacer in my butt pad and it made a night and day difference. Siberian Eleuthero is a natural supplement that regulates your adrenaline and that can help you keep calm as well.

 

[grfox92]

Looking for a class to break bad shooting habits with the shotgun. I’m decent on instinctive “snap” shots but with any moderate time behind the bead it can be damn embarrassing. Not looking for a beginner hunter safety type class, have over four decades shooting. I’m looking to break bad habits that I just keep repeating on my own, suspect professional advice is in order. West coast - Nv, Ca, Or preferred if anyone has recommendations I’d appreciate it.

I'm the same way. I never miss a jumped pheasant with the 12 ga or rabbit with the .410. But something coming flying from a distance? I have almost no chance of hitting it. I would be a terrible waterfowl hunter .

Sent from my SM-G990U using Tapatalk

 

[Thinkingman]

I grew up shooting bullseye competition as a kid...Couldn't hit sh*t with a shotgun.
Once I learned to forget EVERYTHING I learned shooting bullseye, I started scoring.
A shotgun shouldn't even have a bead.
It's useless.
Focus on the front of your moving target.."shoot the beak off the bird" is the best advice I ever heard.
When pheasant hunting, on the flush, I always look at the tail to see if it's a rooster and guess where I shoot...
I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that shoots instinctively much better than standing at the trap line.
Also, a shotgun that doesn't fit is a recipe for frustration.
Never listen to your buddy who insists you buy that 3.5" waterfowl magnum that doesn't fit you at all.

 

[Macintosh]

Get a coach. In person. Good shooter absolutely does not mean they are a good coach, take a lesson with a couple different nsca certified instructors and one will likely communicate better with you. Its going to take some work to let go of shooting with your brain and learn how to let your eyes do the shooting. Lots of truth in several posts up there^^ but ime putting it all together to understand how your eyes and hands work together, and what you are doing that is preventing you from shooting well, thats is nearly impossible to get without in person instruction from someone who is actually good at teaching people how to shoot shotguns. (As opposed to how to shoot skeet or how to shoot trap)

 

[MattB]

My knowledge of the shotgun world is small, but I know they have instructors at Coyote Valley Sporting Clays in Morgan Hill, CA.

 

[KenLee]

Nctrees I was hoping you were in nc or SC with that name. There is a day long clinic with James rutland.
I can hit bird but when I go to shoot clays I always over think it and I'm pretty horrible.

I understand your experience. I can hit birds and running deer. Suck at clays.
Suck at target shooting pistols, but standing 90 degrees to a 6 inch target 30 yards away, can fill the target with holes doing fast draw, mag dump never looking at sights. Anyone that sees it thinks I'm playing "sucker pool".

 

[JFK]

Go get a coaching session or two. A good one can pick out the problem(s) almost immediately and work with you to correct it. Get the problem corrected THEN go shoot a lot to reinforce it. I’ve taken a couple 1-2 hour classes and noticed a drastic improvement each time.

 

[Pony Soldier]

Over the years I have noticed my success diminish with me not getting into the gun. This really shows up as it gets colder and I add more clothes. The shotgun isn't adjustable so I have to work harder to take the time to get firmly into the fit prior to pulling the trigger. Hurrying the shot usually diminishes success.

I have also seen a change in dominant eye at times which also changes success especially late in the season.