Friends who does not shoot well

[Gil Martin]

I have a friend and hunting partner who is a great guy, but cannot shoot very well. Last Wednesday, I threw 75 clay pigeons for him and he hit about five of them. I was trying to coach and throw birds, but that did not work very well. I have suggested he get some training from competent shooters. He does not want to admit he needs help. He says he just needs to get used to his gun. He buys a new shotgun every year and his shooting performance does not change. Anybody have a similar experience? All the best..
Gil

[skeet]

Dominant eye problem..What it sounds like..

[Gil Martin]

The fellow shoots off the right shoulder and can hit pheasants. I suspect that he does not lead clay targets properly, aims instead of points his shotgun and stops his swing. Other than that he does just fine.

To determine if it was a dominant eye matter, I had him shoot a rifle at a target at 50 yards and he shot a nice group. All the best...
Gil

[skeet]

Gil..shootin a rifle and a shotgun are two entirely different things. You consciously AIM a rifle and many close the off side eye..in shotgun shooting you do it differently .. There are many ways to check dominant eys..rifle shootin isn't one of them.. And another thing..even if it isn't an eye thing..he may be shooting the shotgun like a rifle...ie..trying to aim...and that won't work either..

[powell&hyde]

It does sound like a dominant eye problem, you can give your shooting buddy a test at home by having him hold out a finger at a target at least 20 feet away (picture on a wall) and closing one eye at a time. Upon closing one eye at at time, the one eye that has the target dead center is the dominant eye.

[skeet]

What P&H says is right..but also..rifle and pistol shooters take more time and try to squeeze triggers too. Ya gotta slap a shotgun trigger..just different kind of shooting. Being a shotgun shooter it is hard for me to be a good rifle shot. When ya shoot a shotgun..ya want to get it over yesterday..if ya know what I mean. when you shoot well over a million shotgun shells in your youth..and maybe 25,000 rifle pistol..hard to get over that trigger on a shotgun...even if it was 12 lbs..the sucker went off..

[buckhunter]

I had that problem once with a brand new 11-87. Went a wopping 0-25 on the trap field. Found out the gun was shooting about 4 feet low. Have him pattern his sg. May or may not be the answer. Also if he's shooting a 12ga have him try a 20ga. May help.

[skeeter@ccia.com]

Not sure but I shotgun with both eyse open..same as with all open sights..and pattern gun is big thing..I go 25 feet.(not yards) and aim at the X from bench rest with shotgun..you would be amazed how far off some are at that distance..I have one shoots a good 6 inches low and right at that X.. fixed sights..will work on it..but is good points as mentioned other posts..another one shoots 2" right..now go figure reach out with shot and how far off will you be?..this is a good way to sight in shotgun..now you have a little hole in target POA/POI as opposed to count BB in circle..works..

[skeet]

I had that problem once with a brand new 11-87. Went a wopping 0-25 on the trap field. Found out the gun was shooting about 4 feet low.

Some of the first 11-87 shotguns that had screw in chokes were messed up. The screw ins were mis-aligned. I also had one. Rem replaced the barrel. I also had an 11-87 that didn't have screw ins..They did make a few. That first Rem Choke bbl was off by at least 3 ft. I also had a fellow bring a Browning invector barrel to me that was off by that far too. One of the few things I sent to Browning that they didn't argue about..They replaced it..but it took 'em 3 months..or more.:rolleyes:

[Rapier]

I had a very long explanation for this but these guys tell the story much better:

http://www.americanhunter.org/articles/how-to-achieve-perfect-shotgun-fit/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLLnGM3DXE0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXo0WUiCx34&feature=relmfu

A properly fitting shotgun is 99% of the struggle and to never, ever, look at the bead.
Ed

[Adam Helmer]

Gil,

I have had problem shooters like your friend on my ranges in the past. The guys offered fine advice. I concur; pattern the shotgun first. Second, have that right handed shooter put masking tape over his left glasses lense and have him look AT the bird and NOT the front bead. Lastly, have him get in front of the bird he is looking at when he slaps the shotgun trigger.

Good luck.

Adam

[Gil Martin]

I agree and I also believe that friends probably should not train friends in the shooting sports. He needs professional coaching, but does not believe he has a problem. I have tried to get him to shoot stationery targets on the ground. He hits them OK. Aerial targets are a challenge. All the best...
Gil

P.S, Looks like you got your computer back on line. Well done.

[buckhunter]

Gil,

Hows his eye's. Being a little advanced in age I find it more difficult to pick up and react to the target. I had a older man I hunted with was deadly a decade ago. Now its scarey to go in the woods with him. He just can't see that well.

[Adam Helmer]

Gil,

One more thing to help folks who stop their swing with a shotgun: I had a hard case and got him to move the muzzle by sending doubles from my trap. Hope this helps.

Adam

[fabsroman]

Gil,

Good luck. Just like anything, to fix a problem a person needs to admit that they have a problem. If after hitting 5 out of 75 clays, he does not think he has a problem, then there is nothing you can do for him. If he thinks it is the gun, he had better go get a professional to fit the gun to him.

All my guns are pretty much set up the same way. Granted, it helps to shoot only Benelli and Beretta with the adjustable shims.

I also don't believe in getting a new gun every year. Yeah, nice and shiny is wonderful, but tried and true is usually the way to go. Still shooting a 15 year old SBE for wing shooting and a 10 year old Beretta Teknys for a lot of clays.

Simply put, if he thinks it is the new gun and possibly the fit, suggest he see a professional gun fitter for it. If he really cared about hitting the target, he would want an answer to the 70 misses. Some people are just out there shooting and hunting for the comraderie, and could care less about 70 misses.

[Dom]

Yes, maybe he is just shooting for the company and fun.

Make sure he shoots both eyes open, if he balks, tell him that when he drives home to do it with one eye shut. Depth perception will make a believer out of him. Getting the shot off the faster the better. Aiming and waiting for the pattern to open up will cause so many holes a hit is luck.

Some just don't pick up shotgun shooting no matter how many rounds or birds they shoot at, at least he's out there shooting. I have seen many get discouraged and quit practicing, never to be seen again!

[Adam Helmer]

Gil,

Besides patterning your friend's gun, check to see how much choke he has in place. I had another hard case with a Full choke gun. I put in the IC tube and he began hitting my thrown birds. After a few rounds, I put in the Modified choke tube and he was still hitting. Just a thought....

Adam