I've been reading for years on this forum the pros and cons of the so called "crawling the stock". Europeans do it a lot when they shoot Olympic/ Bunker trap. I've been told they use that form as well when shooting FITASC.
I lived down in Spain for 23 years and I shot Bunker for just about 10. Back in the 80's it used to be pretty much the only game around although I've been told these days FITASC is catching on. I also traveled to Italy with my father in quite a few occasions when we were living in Spain and we shot Bunker over in Italy too. Folks here mentioned many reasons to crawl the stock including more aggressive stance to tackle the fast bunker targets and its pretty rough angles, better control of the stock using cheek pressure even more to accomplish that etc ... The cons have also been pointed out: more neck strain and fatigue, eye sockets not fully centered hence diminished visual function etc ... All of that is very true. However, over there most folks argue the main reason for crawling the stock is to avoid getting your central vision off the target and back to the muzzle when you swing through it. They think when you crawl you place your eyes closer to the receiver, so the gun including the muzzle, starts to get totally perceived with your secondary vision while your primary vision remains locked easier onto the target, out there. They believe if your face is farther back on the stock, both the target and the muzzle are closer together out there so speak, so when you swing through it's easier to switch from one to another with your primary vision since the muzzle moves faster than the target when you overtake that target with a swing through.
It's difficult to accurately explain these issues. Anyway that's their theory, not mine. I learnt to shoot bunker like that but not because I think that's right but because my dad taught me that way. These days I dont think about right or wrong shooting form anymore, for a host of reasons. I just shoot.
I lived down in Spain for 23 years and I shot Bunker for just about 10. Back in the 80's it used to be pretty much the only game around although I've been told these days FITASC is catching on. I also traveled to Italy with my father in quite a few occasions when we were living in Spain and we shot Bunker over in Italy too. Folks here mentioned many reasons to crawl the stock including more aggressive stance to tackle the fast bunker targets and its pretty rough angles, better control of the stock using cheek pressure even more to accomplish that etc ... The cons have also been pointed out: more neck strain and fatigue, eye sockets not fully centered hence diminished visual function etc ... All of that is very true. However, over there most folks argue the main reason for crawling the stock is to avoid getting your central vision off the target and back to the muzzle when you swing through it. They think when you crawl you place your eyes closer to the receiver, so the gun including the muzzle, starts to get totally perceived with your secondary vision while your primary vision remains locked easier onto the target, out there. They believe if your face is farther back on the stock, both the target and the muzzle are closer together out there so speak, so when you swing through it's easier to switch from one to another with your primary vision since the muzzle moves faster than the target when you overtake that target with a swing through.
It's difficult to accurately explain these issues. Anyway that's their theory, not mine. I learnt to shoot bunker like that but not because I think that's right but because my dad taught me that way. These days I dont think about right or wrong shooting form anymore, for a host of reasons. I just shoot.
