Advice from a Novice.

[Gary]

Bit of self indulgence here.
I've only been shooting about 6 months and been roughly a dozen times. All
I've tried is sporting. My scores we usually pretty poor with a best of
19/50, But hey I enjoy it. One local shoot has a 80 bird minimum and the 2
times I've shot there my scores have been 18/80 & 21/80.
This weekend, along with a friend I decided to have a lesson. What a
difference it makes to have one person advising you and spotting individual
mistakes rather than have 2 or 3 people giving different advice and then
coming off a stand thinking "Where was I missing".
All Instructors advice to me was "just give it more lead" cause everything
was missing behind. The difference was amazing after just the hours lesson.
I went back to the 80 bird today and shot a 39/80! Boy was I elated.
So if anyone has any doubts about taking a lesson, just do it. It could make
the world of difference

Gary

[David Christensen]

*Date:* Sun, 11 Dec 2005 22:35:03 -0000
Bit of self indulgence here.
I've only been shooting about 6 months and been roughly a dozen times.
All I've tried is sporting. My scores we usually pretty poor with a
best of 19/50, But hey I enjoy it. One local shoot has a 80 bird
minimum and the 2 times I've shot there my scores have been 18/80 &
21/80.
This weekend, along with a friend I decided to have a lesson. What a
difference it makes to have one person advising you and spotting
individual mistakes rather than have 2 or 3 people giving different
advice and then coming off a stand thinking "Where was I missing".
All Instructors advice to me was "just give it more lead" cause
everything was missing behind. The difference was amazing after just
the hours lesson.
I went back to the 80 bird today and shot a 39/80! Boy was I elated.
So if anyone has any doubts about taking a lesson, just do it. It could
make the world of difference

Glad you're enjoying the sport - welcome aboard. Instructors can make a
world of difference, but I wouldn't expect miracles from them every time.
I generally think I'm lucky if I take away one thing from a lesson.
Normally it will be something that lots of people have been saying to me
for ages, but when you're ready for it a particular fact will just slot
into place and you'll go "oh yeah, that's what everyone meant'. The other
thing I would suggest is get a variety of instructors; each will help with
different things.

DC

[Derek]

Post by Gary
Bit of self indulgence here.
I've only been shooting about 6 months and been roughly a dozen times. All
I've tried is sporting. My scores we usually pretty poor with a best of
19/50, But hey I enjoy it. One local shoot has a 80 bird minimum and the 2
times I've shot there my scores have been 18/80 & 21/80.
This weekend, along with a friend I decided to have a lesson. What a
difference it makes to have one person advising you and spotting
individual mistakes rather than have 2 or 3 people giving different advice
and then coming off a stand thinking "Where was I missing".
All Instructors advice to me was "just give it more lead" cause everything
was missing behind. The difference was amazing after just the hours lesson.
I went back to the 80 bird today and shot a 39/80! Boy was I elated.
So if anyone has any doubts about taking a lesson, just do it. It could
make the world of difference
Gary

Nice one Gary enjoyment is what its all about I have had times (as have
most of my firends) when I couldn't hit the side of a barn due to a variety
of problems. As you practice you become more relaxed and build confidence
the scores should continue to improve.If you get the opportunity go to a
shooting ground midweek with a couple of friends just to shoot practice, no
pressure, no one waiting behind. That way you can iron out those knotty
problems of lead on crossers springing teal or whatever just taking as long
as you need on a stand till you get the picture fixed in your mind.
Derek

[David Christensen]

*Date:* Mon, 12 Dec 2005 22:55:32 GMT

Post by Gary
Bit of self indulgence here.
I've only been shooting about 6 months and been roughly a dozen
times. All I've tried is sporting. My scores we usually pretty poor
with a best of 19/50, But hey I enjoy it. One local shoot has a 80
bird minimum and the 2 times I've shot there my scores have been
18/80 & 21/80.
This weekend, along with a friend I decided to have a lesson. What a
difference it makes to have one person advising you and spotting
individual mistakes rather than have 2 or 3 people giving different
advice and then coming off a stand thinking "Where was I missing".
All Instructors advice to me was "just give it more lead" cause
everything was missing behind. The difference was amazing after just
the hours lesson.
I went back to the 80 bird today and shot a 39/80! Boy was I elated.
So if anyone has any doubts about taking a lesson, just do it. It
could make the world of difference
Gary

Nice one Gary enjoyment is what its all about I have had times (as
have most of my firends) when I couldn't hit the side of a barn due to
a variety of problems. As you practice you become more relaxed and
build confidence the scores should continue to improve.If you get the
opportunity go to a shooting ground midweek with a couple of friends
just to shoot practice, no pressure, no one waiting behind. That way
you can iron out those knotty problems of lead on crossers springing
teal or whatever just taking as long as you need on a stand till you
get the picture fixed in your mind.
Derek

I'd also recommend a copy of "If it ain't broke, fix it" which you'll need
to order from the authors in the states (google will provide) but is worth
it IMHO.

DC

[+.com (A.Lee)]

Post by Gary
I've only been shooting about 6 months and been roughly a dozen times. All
I've tried is sporting. My scores we usually pretty poor with a best of
19/50, But hey I enjoy it. One local shoot has a 80 bird minimum and the 2
times I've shot there my scores have been 18/80 & 21/80.
This weekend, along with a friend I decided to have a lesson. What a
difference it makes to have one person advising you and spotting individual
mistakes

I took the plunge today, and spent £50 on a lesson myself - see my
earlier thread about not getting any better at skeet, despite 50 - 100
shots every week.
I went to Kibworth Shooting Ground, Leics., for a hours lesson, which
includes 50 shots (55 actualy, as I finished off the spares in my bag).

From the start, he (Steve Andrews) told me I was doing pretty much
everything wrong, and making it so hard for myself.
It started with mounting the gun - I was moving my head around to get it
right, when I should just stay still, Swinging the gun before a shot,
when there was no need to, leaning backwards, getting tense holding the
gun, so I couldnt swing smoothly,crunching up my shoulder so that I
could never swing on a level line,and it went on.
My gun was very low when I called for the clay, hence I was having to
move it up, as well as following the clays line, and doing this made me
have to move faster, with more chance of errors, and less time to hit
it.
He showed me that having the gun ready mounted can actually be harder
than mounting the gun once the clay is seen on some stands - he is right
- but putting all these things into practice is not easy. I've took on
board what he said, and will be practising mounting the gun, and having
a steady posture - apparently I was moving my head to the gun, rather
then the gun to me, hence the aim point was constantly changing.
Feeling a little better afterwards, I went and did a skeet round of 25
shots - I hit 15, my worst score for a couple of weeks! My excuse is
that I was trying to do so many things at once, that it made me worse.
I'll be going through all the advice in my head for a while, and I'm
sure it will take a while for it all to come together, but I know where
to start now.
It was worth the money to be given the pointers, but I couldnt really
afford that more than once every 6 weeks - perhaps best to get the
posture etc right, do some more shooting, get a bit better, than go back
for more advice.
Alan.

[Kemen]

I shoot Kibworth most weeks, skeet and sporting, if I know who you are
I would be happy to offer any guidance as would most people at
Kibworth.

Post by +.com (A.Lee)
I took the plunge today, and spent £50 on a lesson myself - see my
earlier thread about not getting any better at skeet, despite 50 - 100
shots every week.
I went to Kibworth Shooting Ground, Leics., for a hours lesson, which
includes 50 shots (55 actualy, as I finished off the spares in my bag).
From the start, he (Steve Andrews) told me I was doing pretty much
everything wrong, and making it so hard for myself.
It started with mounting the gun - I was moving my head around to get it
right, when I should just stay still, Swinging the gun before a shot,
when there was no need to, leaning backwards, getting tense holding the
gun, so I couldnt swing smoothly,crunching up my shoulder so that I
could never swing on a level line,and it went on.
My gun was very low when I called for the clay, hence I was having to
move it up, as well as following the clays line, and doing this made me
have to move faster, with more chance of errors, and less time to hit
it.
He showed me that having the gun ready mounted can actually be harder
than mounting the gun once the clay is seen on some stands - he is right
- but putting all these things into practice is not easy. I've took on
board what he said, and will be practising mounting the gun, and having
a steady posture - apparently I was moving my head to the gun, rather
then the gun to me, hence the aim point was constantly changing.
Feeling a little better afterwards, I went and did a skeet round of 25
shots - I hit 15, my worst score for a couple of weeks! My excuse is
that I was trying to do so many things at once, that it made me worse.
I'll be going through all the advice in my head for a while, and I'm
sure it will take a while for it all to come together, but I know where
to start now.
It was worth the money to be given the pointers, but I couldnt really
afford that more than once every 6 weeks - perhaps best to get the
posture etc right, do some more shooting, get a bit better, than go back
for more advice.
Alan.
--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.

[+.com (A.Lee)]

Post by Kemen
I shoot Kibworth most weeks, skeet and sporting, if I know who you are
I would be happy to offer any guidance as would most people at
Kibworth.

OK, thanks, I mainly do airgun shooting, but have taken up shotgun
shooting in the last 3 months.
I was finding it really difficult - mainly because I was trying to shoot
the shotgun as if it was a rifle.I'm getting the hang of it a bit better
now, but as detailed above, my technique is terrible, and I need to work
on it.
Alan.

[David Christensen]

Post by +.com (A.Lee)
From the start, he (Steve Andrews) told me I was doing pretty much
everything wrong, and making it so hard for myself.
It started with mounting the gun - I was moving my head around to get it
right, when I should just stay still

Try getting a penlight, or laser pointer or somesuch, that you can either
stuff in your barrel (with appropriate amounts of padding to make it fit)
or tape to the side of your barrel. Make sure it points where you are
aiming. THe tighter the beam the better, and laser pointers are great for
this, but they get through batteries like there's no tomorrow.

Then try - in a darkish room so that you can see where the beam is going -
pointing the gun at one ceiling-corner of a room with the gun in a
gun-down position. Now slowly move the beam along the wall-ceiling join
to the other end of the wall, with the objective of having the gun mounted
to your face when you get 2/3 of the way down the wall. Because you are
looking at the illuminated bit on the wall all the time in order to keep
it moving smoothly, you will probably find your head stays still and the
gun comes to meet your head. Do it as slowly as necessary to achieve the
result at the start, and speed it up as you feel comfortable. When you
get to the end of the wall, check your sight picture down the gun to check
the gun is pointing where you think it is, but not before; until then,
only look at the light on the wall.

Try that for 10 minutes a day for a fortnight (after all it's only costing
you batteries so in shooting terms it's pretty much free) then see what
happens to your scores....

DC

[Jethro]

One thing I do is watch the good shooters, look at the way they prepare
themselves before calling for the clay, how they stand, where their
feet are, are they leaning into the gun, where are they picking up the
bird from (stand behind the shooter so you can see).
One thing not to do is watch the poorer (for the sake of a better term)
shooter as you may unknowingly pick up their bad habits.
Don't be afraid to ask about lead from someone that hits the bird
consistently, they will be happy to help (unless it is during a CPSA
Reg competition were I believe it is against the rules)
I have been told many things to try to improve my shooting, some things
contradict what others have said, but the one thing everyone is
consistent about is mount the gun at home on a regular basis during the
week, just spend 10 minutes mounting & swinging (sounds a bit dodgy ;o)
). Picture an imaginary clay flying across the wall and follow it
although don't pull the trigger as you may damage your pins (or blow
the wall apart if you are really daft).
I have been shooting for about 5 months and my last shoot was at
Drayton Parslow near MK and I did 48/72 which I was very pleased with.
One new tip I have been given is to approach the bird from below rather
than above as it is easier to stop a climbing gun than a dropping one.

RK