Changing Chokes   I am currently a C-class shooter and I see a lot of shooters around me changing chokes and shot sizes. What do you prefer and why?   I personally shoot fixed chokes (mod and mod), which might give you some insight as to my bias. I shoot 7½ shot and, when competing, I carry 8½ or 9 shot for closer targets or those that show belly or face, like a battue. Chokes are a personal choice, as is the decision to change to affect pattern size. There’s plenty of technical evidence that changing chokes and/or shot size will change pattern density at a given distance. … [Read more...]

Crossing Targets   Yesterday at my club, I was practicing on a 30-yard left-to-right crosser. I tried to break the target at various spots along the flight path. My best breaks were shots where I hit the bird just before it started to fade and fall off the target line. When I tried to break the target a bit later, I had a lot of trouble. Why did I have so much trouble breaking this target as it was starting to slow down and fall?   Let’s eliminate eye dominance and gun fit and assume that the issue here is technique. Identifying a specific terrain feature to mark your break … [Read more...]

Custom Perazzi   I am in the process of ordering a new Perazzi and would like to know the pros and cons of a flat rib compared to a mid-height rib for sporting clays.   I really like Perazzi’s 4mm raised, ramped and ventilated rib. I call this an “elevated rib” because it is slightly higher than a flat rib yet much lower than most high-rib and even mid-rib shotguns on the market. I ordered my MX2000S with the 4mm, 11x7 tapered, ramped and ventilated rib, and I love it. The advantage of this rib over the standard flat rib is improved visibility over the barrel, particularly for … [Read more...]

Flinching   I have a flinch — a bad one. I used to flinch every once in a while, but since I changed guns about three months ago, I flinch constantly. What do I do?   Ah, the dreaded flinch. It is perhaps the most misunderstood affliction in shotgunning. Contrary to popular mythology, the flinch is almost never caused by anticipation of recoil. That’s right — if you have a flinch, you can switch to a lighter shell or even install sub-gauge tubes in your shotgun and shoot .410, and you will still have a flinch. The cause of a flinch is “visual interruption.” It occurs when … [Read more...]

Recoil Sensitivity   I am very sensitive to recoil. I want to continue to shoot a 12 gauge so I can compete in NSCA registered tournaments and don’t want to switch to a smaller gauge. I also prefer over-and-under shotguns compared to semi-autos. What do you suggest?   First, let’s understand the difference between “actual” recoil and “felt” recoil. The former is determined by physics. The latter is the shooter’s perception. There are two ways to reduce actual recoil: 1) increase the weight of the gun, or 2) decrease the energy produced by the projectile. To decrease energy, … [Read more...]