[WNCRob]

In another recent thread, several shooters referred to their "Sight Picture"...some even encourage the use of illuminated beads to enhance their Sight Picture. Personally, I try to focus on the clay and when it is in focus, somehow my brain knows when I should pull the trigger...I have no or only very little awareness of where the bbl is, particularly on doubles. If I become aware of the bbl, my focus or concentration on the bird suffers, in which case a miss is assured. I'd really appreciate some input from those who observe a sight picture...exactly what is it that you observe and when do you observe it?

Many thanks.

WNCRob

 

[recurvyarcher]

In my case, illuminated beads caused bead checking.

If you are shooting well without the "sight picture" then just stick with your current method of shooting.

If you are trying to improve, the best thing that worked (for me) is to get some help from a good shooting coach.

After that, shoot a lot to ingrain what you have learned.

Just my opinion, and I've only shot for 2 years. I think Janessa Beamann, who shot amazingly well this year, started with some good instruction.

 

[shot410ga]

Rob: You are doing everything correct now. Don't change anything. Keep your eyes on the target, and only the target.

 

[miketmx]

Rob, about a year and a half ago we had an excellent thread about bird/bead relationship and I saved it on my hard drive since some of the best posts were deleted by the posters. You are doing the right thing by focusing only on the target but some people are more aware of the barrel or front bead in their peripheral vision than others. I will send you a PM with that thread in its entirety. Phil Kiner is the expert on the topic of crossfiring and he has videos of shooters that show this. I use the Uni-Dot because it helps to prevent the crossfire problem.

 

[hmb]

If you have a gun that shoots where you are looking and you focus on the target, everything will be fine. HMB

 

[otnot]

Try closing one eye when you shoot and you will see the barrel and the bird. It makes me dizzy to do so but you will get the idea.

 

[phirel]

I focus, at least I try to focus, on the bird but I have a fuzzy awareness of my front sight. I use a green Hi-Vis sight. I use green because I think it is prettier than the other colors. If I make the mistake of looking at my front sight I want to see a pretty color as I miss the bird.

Pat Ireland

 

[Hap MecTweaks]

"What is Sight Picture?" Pat's is different too!

It means different things to different people. To some, it means how the gun looks to you when the gun is mounted. For others it means how the relationship of the sights/beads/barrel or whatever method of seeing that relationship develop in breaking a moving clay or shooting a game bird.

otnot, Jim's idea is the quickest way to learn to see how that bird/bead/barrel relationship develops. Using both eyes is a learned method of properly using your peripheral vision and some aren't even aware of whats going on! A lot say they NEVER see the bead/barrel/bird at the same time! They may not be aware of it but they are using their peripheral vision to make that connection if they break good scores!

I've posed this test in prior posts concerning this topic and will again. Stand in total darkness behind the trap while only the front of the trap is lit up to see only the clay. Remember, you can't see your barrel/bead or any other reference to make the connection to that angling clay! How many targets will you break then? How close to your singles or handicap average do you think you'd break? I'd venture a guess, not very many at all or even come close to what you break when you can see, using that unknown peripheral vision skill! If that's true, why? Because there's no way to make a proper bird/bead relationship between the two moving objects thats why!! I wish the late and great Frank Little would have explained his method further than just telling us to make a "proper bird/bead relationship" with some of the complexities involved!

Learning to use your peripheral vision to break moving birds isn't a gimme either or even easy to learn how to do! When done properly though, you know in less than a nano second your bead/barrel is on the money side of that angle!

Bead checking is an entirely different matter, thats looking back at the bead to measure the distance between the bead and bird. Thats a real no-no, it will lead to stopping the swing while all that measuring is going on! Bead checkers have to take their eyes off the target to do that, another no-no with a shotgun!

I'm probably the last guy here to try explaining such a complex topic with my written words but thats the way I see it.

Hap

 

[Rollin Oswald]

The simple answer is, "the relative position of the muzzle/front bead and the target when the decision is made to fire.

As was mentioned several times, the focus must be on the target (or ahead of the target) where you want the center of the pattern will be when it arrives.

Rollin

 

[otnot]

Hap your right about shooting at night. I just hope I never have to have a shootoff under the lights because I can't hit the broadside of a barn. At night I'm lucky to hit 15-25. I need a white barrel at night.

 

[phirel]

Hap- At my local club it is not too uncommon for the mountain behind us to cast a shadow over the long yardage shooters but not the targets. This darkens the front sight/end of the barrel and it does make shooting more difficult.

Pat Ireland

 

[canada]

Personally, I dont look at the front bead, but I know what my bird-bead relationship is everytime I pull the trigger. I think that in order for any consistency, this is necessary.

Start your swing, establish a bird bead relationship, slow your swing for a split second (inside the "window of opporitunity"), and pull the trigger. The window of opporitunity is the area where you can pull the trigger and break the target. The faster you swing through this, the more precise your timing has to be. That is why I say slow down your swing.

The bird-bead relationship that is seen, and attempted to be replicated every shot is a "sight-picture".

Otnot, do you mean white barrel because you can't see your bead? If that is what you mean, you should try shooting under some lights one night. Your bead looks huge!

Pat Lamont

 

[otnot]

Pat I have shot under lights but for some reason I can't seem to get my brain to see what I see during the day. Now skeet under lights is a different story with a crossing shot. And ducks by moon light is even better but a target going away from me is pretty safe in the dark. ????? The problem is I never see my bead shooting trap but with skeet and ducks I see it the whole time.

 

[Hap MecTweaks]

Ever notice the times of the day the best shooters in the game seem to get squadded? Pay attention and learn something without firing a shot, cheap practice I say.

Like Pat says above, those shadows make a difference in how well the bead can be seen when that occurs. We don't like light changes when we're shooting but we have to learn why and how when it comes up!!Another time of day that demands (intense) looking at the leading edge of clays is at sunset. The off side (away from the sun) is tougher to lock on to also. Depending on how well we can see under those circumstances may tell us we have to take a nano second longer time to make that proper connection. Shooting under the lights can fall into the same category. Jim, the "look" we're used to seeing during broad daylight looks different at night under artificial lights. That subtle change in your ability to clearly identify the leading edge and bead just takes a tad longer for some to see. You might want to try that cause your gonna hafta do that soon guy, prolly at Tucson! Good luck too!

Hap