never aim my shoot gun MX8Dave

 

Aiming a shotgun will make you cross eyed dominant. Everyone knows that.

 

I'm a one eyed shooter... I have no choice but to aim my shotgun at any yardage... good luck,

Jay

 

Bill, I am a believer in Daro Handy's book. In the book Daro says the bird/bead relationship is very important but there is No place in his book where he says to LOOK AT the bead. In Phil Kiner's blog, he states the bird/bead relation is conscious for some shooters but definitely not all shooters. I try to be aware of my hooded fiber optic front bead when I call for the target but my soft focus is into the acquisition zone in front of the trap house. Sometimes when shooting trap Handicap, I am aware of the bird and bead before the moment of truth but most of the time it is after the fact. When I use the Daro Handy practice drill of shooting a round without live ammo, I am definitely aware of the bead and the bird during the whole track. You AIM a rifle; you line up the bulls eye with the front and rear sights and you squeeze the trigger.

 

Neither, I swing thru the target, release my trigger, and continue swinging until the target breaks.

Troy Ellis

 

miketmx, I called the question" controversial" b/c many said that b/c of the long distance to the target, from the 22y and more line, the target in smaller, the target "slows down", the shooting must be more precise!

 

I hope that Neil Winston will chime in and tell us what he means by aiming at a trap target but doubt that it means the same thing as aiming a rifle at a bulls eye. FYI I have to (like to) shoot at a pattern board with my left eye closed; the same story when I try to shoot with a compound bow with a sight, what does this mean ?

 

Never aim at a moving target, you point it out, take the needed lead...then bang...

 

I do not think that the word "aiming" has the the same meaning to all shotgun shooters. Certainly you do not aim at a flushed quail. Shooting trap with a mounted gun I suspect I so some form of aming even tho I don't look directly at my bead on mounting the gun. During the swing I bring the bead and the bird together and fire..aiming?? Maybe...Smokit

 

mike, for a still target"I have to (like to) shoot at a pattern board with my left eye closed; the same story when I try to shoot with a compound bow with a sight, what does this mean ? " is fine and is indeed, aiming.

Lets try in this way, what do you change in your shooting going from the 16y line to the 27y line,other than gun holding point!

 

Let your subconscious mind figure out how to hit the target. When your conscious mind tries to help is when you miss the target. HMB

 

Obvious answer.

When the puller hollers "lost", I was aiming.

When the bird breaks, I was pointing my shotgun.

Hauxfan!

 

The terms (pointing, aiming) do not matter as long as you break the target.

Clyde

 

I would forget the terms aim or point when talking about shotgun shooting. The ability to focus on the bird is one of the most important aspects of successful shooting. Hard focus on the bird along with proper gun fit will bring things together. How many times has the bead on station 3 straight way looked perfectly aligned with the bird and an easy target was lost? Shoot a gun that fits and hard focus on the bird, forget the terms pointing or aiming when talking shotgunning.

 

I had it put to me simply once..

Do you aim your finger or point your finger at an object?

Which ever one it is, is what you do with a shotgun...

Stan...

 

Aim..... Verb

"To point or direct (a weapon or camera) at a target."

Point.... Verb

"To direct or aim."


JMO, I am aiming at the space just below and in front of the target.

Wayne

 

Excellent example Wayne, that sight picture is what you see right before a dirt ball occurs. Scott

 

" what do you change in your shooting going from the 16y line to the 27y line,other than gun holding point! "

I look a little further out into the target acquisition zone where the bird changes from a streak to a whole object but do not look at the target breaking area; that is too far. I definitely do not slow down to get more precise but I still try to be aware of the fiber optic front bead. My comb is high enough that there is some rib showing between the beads so I probably use just the front bead and shoot off the barrel. (Edited)

 

Hey Wayne, that looks like Bob Andrews' left thumb. Is it? LOL.

-Gary

 

Your hold point at 27yds. should be NO different then it is for 16yd. shooting.
Shooters tend to hold a higher gun when they move futher back...Never hold your gun higher than half the height of the target...One eyed shooters always on the house...