Visual Alignment "When I mount my shotgun, should the beads be lined up one behind the other or should I see some rib? I hear different opinions." Since we point a shotgun rather than aim it, a conscious awareness of bead alignment as we focus on a target is a bad thing. A better question might be, “When I mount my shotgun naturally, if I were to peek at the rib, what should I see as far as my alignment with the rib?” One of the steadfast principles of shotgunning is that the better the visual connection we have with the target at the break point, the higher the … [Read more...]
The Z
The Z "I’ve heard you talk about a ‘Z.’ What is the Z, and how should we plan for a target pair?" One fundamental principle of shotgunning is that gun movement between hold points and break points should always be straight lines. We plan these straight-line movements during pre-shot planning. When shooting pairs, the movement of our shotgun should be three straight lines between four points — like a Z. As you call for the target pair, you initiate your move from your initial hold point. You move to the break point of target #1,then to the hold point of target #2 and … [Read more...]
Aging Eyes
Aging Eyes "I’m 48 and I’ve noticed some changes in my vision over the past few years that I think are affecting my shooting. It there any way to compensate for this?" Age-related vision changes are usually noticeable in our 40s or 50s. Our ability to rapidly transition our focus between twoobjects at different distances is possible because of the flexibility of the lens located behind the cornea in our eye. Most of us need some form of magnification for reading by the time we reach this age because our lens has become stiffer and less flexible. We also may notice a … [Read more...]
Faster Shells
Faster Shells "I tend to shoot behind longer-range targets. Does a faster shell, say 1,325 feet per second, get the shot to the target more quickly and therefore reduce the lead I need?" For the overwhelming majority of shooters, there is no perceivable difference between a shell that is 1,250 feet per second versus one that is 1,325 fps as far as time-to-target is concerned. With all other factors being equal, does the faster shell cause the shot to reach the target faster? Yes, but again, as fast as the shot cloud moves to the target, the difference is minuscule, and we … [Read more...]
Forcing Cones
Forcing Cones Do longer forcing cones lower felt recoil? Yes, theoretically, but only to a point. The shotgun ballistics experts I consult with agree that most of the recoil from a shotgun occurs in the first four tofive inches forward of the chamber, as the shot and wad are expelled from the shell casing and reach the bore. As the wad and shot exit the shell casing, they encounter a short, tapered section of the barrel between the chamber and the bore. This is known as the forcing cone, because the shot and wad cup are forced from the larger diameter chamber (about … [Read more...]
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