Why FITASC? Why should I shoot FITASC? Well, the first and best reason I can think of is, it’s a blast. It is also, in the opinion of many, the most challenging form of sporting. FITASC is an acronym for the French federation that governs the international form of sporting clays. FITASC typically occupies fewer trap machines and less acreage than sporting clays and is thus more common in Europe, where wide-open spaces are less plentiful. A single parcour (or course) comprises 25 target presentations shot over three pegs (or positions). A 3-foot-diameter hoop usually … [Read more...]
Ask the Instructor: Drop At Comb
Drop At Comb I have lowered my adjustable comb as far as possible, and yet I still find myself being slightly high on the gun — I see the mid-rib bead with far too much separation to the end-bead. To compensate, I have to push forward more, and while I shoot OK like that, it’s not as natural as I would like it to be. What should I do? What should you see when properly mounted? You should be “no lower than snowman,” meaning that you should see the mid-rib bead immediately below the muzzle bead with no space in between. Many shooters I fit have the misconception that they … [Read more...]
Ask the Instructor: Winter Butt Pads
Winter Butt Pads If you wear heavy clothes or add a spacer to your gunstock to lengthen the LOP, it would seem to change the point of impact, as your face would be lower on the stock. So would sporting clay shotguns be better off using a parallel stock? The short answer is “no.” For shooters who initiate the gun mount to the cheek and shoulder after the bird becomes visible (game shooting, FITASC, International skeet), a sloped comb makes for a more successful mount and more consistent cheek/stock connection. Since the process of mounting a shotgun is dynamic rather than … [Read more...]
Ask the Instructor: Shooting Vests
Shooting Vests What should I look for in a shooting vest? First is fit. Not only must your vest look good, but it also has to provide you with unrestricted movement. Test your vest on crossing targets, overhead/tower targets and targets below your feet. A vest that fits well length-wise will also tend to have the front pockets at the correct height. A roomy vest with a drawstring comes in handy when adding winter clothes as under-layers. This adjustability also comes in handy immediately following overindulgences at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Then there is function. … [Read more...]
Ask the Instructor: Colored Targets
Colored Targets Many shooters have trouble picking up certain colored targets against certain backgrounds. Target setters can virtually eliminate this issue by using different target colors. Why is so little attention given to the problem of target visibility and its effect on sporting clays shooters? While target setters need to understand how to use target colors to maximize visibility, we can’t always blame the target setter. To your point, when targets are set in such a way that a round of clays feels like more of an eye test than a shooting test, it’s time to provide … [Read more...]
