Knowing how and where your gun patterns it's lead is very important and should never be over looked if your serious about your shooting. Something that every single shotgun shooter should know is that a shot gun is actually designed to shoot very slightly high if it fits properly. That is to say that only around 40% of the lead (led) shot leaves the barrels in a straight, flat line. The other 60% (70% if a game gun) rises very slightly just above the barrels or at least it should if fitted properly. This is done so that the shooter can actually see the target / bird killed without having to look for it by taking their head off the stock, which will of course end up with a miss, often over the top. As a result you often here an instructor tell you to shoot it's feet off or such like.

This is because if the site picture up the rib is correct when your cheek bone is on the stock, you will have to place the bead/muzzles so that the target just sits on the top of the barrels. That way the 60% will slightly rise and kill the target. If the target is a crosser you will also need to be in front as well of course. Swing through it's feet or start on it's feet before pulling way or following through. Game guns it should be said tend to place their lead 70% above the barrels because they are used to kill live targets so need a little more lead to do the job instantly and humanely......we hope.

Have a shot or two at a pattern plate and see where your gun puts it's lead, some of you will be surprised to find that it's not quite where you think it's going to be. Or you can try shooting at a large cardboard sheet in a field. Mark the centre of the sheet with a black dot about the size of a golf ball, then put your bead on it and shoot it from around 17/18yds. If all is well you should have a pattern that places about 60% just above the black dot and 40% dead central around the black dot. This should be done by shooting pre-mounted and also from out of the shoulder and as quick as you can (instinctively) to find a true reading. If your mount is not yet any good then just do it from the shoulder (pre-mounted) for now. If the shot pattern is anywhere else like over to one side or very high etc, get a qualified coach to have a look at the fit and your mount for you as soon as possible.

Believe it or not the position of your forefinger on the trigger is very important indeed for a smooth, gentle, minimalistic squeeze of the trigger. If you have your finger wrapped around the trigger or even in the first joint, you will find that the amount of movement of the finger you will need to both squeeze and also release the trigger (in order to cock the internal mechanism for second shot) is quite a lot. Too much movement can cause bad timing and inconsistent trigger pulling. The cure for this is to put the first pad of the finger (that's the one with the nail on it) on the trigger, but exactly half way across the finger pad. This will give a lot less movement in the finger and even help towards curing what's known as flinching, where you go to pull the trigger but don't so you have another go, all in an instant. Very frustrating is flinching.

Some guns have an adjustable trigger and may need adjusting to feel right when shooting this way. But it can be done on guns with fixed triggers with a little practice. This trigger technique will also help when you’re having trouble with shooting behind everything as your timing is better because it actually takes time to pull a trigger with your finger wrapped around it. Shooting with a shot gun is very instinctive and your instincts are spot on and you have to trust them when to pull the trigger.

So if you have a lot of extra movement in the pulling of the trigger you’re going to find that you will pull the trigger very slightly later than necessary, resulting in a miss right on the clays/birds tail. If you’re shooting game then it’s fine to have your finger on the trigger guard or the wood above it for safety but practice this finger technique before going into the field or you will have trouble. When Clay Shooting, put the finger pad on the trigger gently before you call PULL.

We talked in an earlier blog about gunfit. Today I would like to talk about the benefit of an adjustable comb. I am of the opinion that comb height is the most important aspect of a good gunfit. Obviously due to the normal contour of a stock the comb slopes down from the action to the heel (rear top of) the stock. So before we can actually set the comb height we have to cut or lengthen the stock to the optimum length of pull. Once we have done this we can then adjust the comb height by shaving wood off the comb or adding wood or suitable packing such as leather, rubber or moleskin to raise the level of the eye to look along the rib. As I also mentioned earlier it is a total waste of time, money and effort to attempt to get a gun fitting correctly unless we are skilled in the process of correctly mounting our gun to the face. Note I said mounting the gun to the face, NOT sticking the gun to the shoulder and thrusting our head down and forward. WHY?
As we all know the eye is a very fragile part of our body, floating in the eye socket attached by muscles and tendons with direct connection to the optic nerve. Have you ever had a blow to the head and seen stars? Obviously we therefore do not want to habitually knock ourselves about whilst mounting our gun.
What is the correct mount?
It is to raise the gun into the shoulder pocket ( not on top of the collar bone or onto the bicep) at the same time that the comb touches the fleshy part of the face between the zygomatic bone where it articulates with the maxilla and the lower jaw (mandible) which in layman's terms is along the tooth line. This combined with the trigger hand lifting the gun in concert with the forehand brings the gun into a receptive pocket made up of the shoulder pocket, and cheek.
Check photographs of George Digweed and you will see the comb of his gun firmly mounted into his cheek. Trap shooter Peter Wilson actually has hardened skin on his cheek where his gun mounts to his face. Obviously the two aforementioned shooters are fully sponsored by a gun maker and have made to measure gunstocks. We obviously all cannot afford to go that route, but thankfully we can have adjustable combs. A few percentages, only about 10% of the World population are Left handed. Only about 30% of shooters can shoot a gun off the shelf. So we now begin to see how important for consistant good shooting gunfit is. I firmly believe that every good shot has had their gun fitted or at the very least checked and slight adjustments made. I am convinced that the best value for money alteration to a gunstock is the fitting of an adjustable comb.
What are the benefits of an adjustable comb?
It allows the shooter to fine tune the gunfit to alter the point of aim and consequently the point of impact of the shot.

Try this simple check, mount your gun normally and look down the rib. 

How much eye can you see? All of it and some cheek? Your comb is too high. 

You can't see down the rib? You can only see the top lever? Your comb is too low and I 'll bet you have been guilty of lifting your head and missing regularly over the top
of targets.

With an adjustable comb you can dial out all these vagaries of gunmount.

Find a suitable safe place to test your point of impact, if you have access to a pattern plate, fine. Stand 16 yards from the plate or whatever you are shooting at and shoot at a mark set in the middle of the plate. Do it a few times to allow for errors of mounting and then go to the plate and check deviation away from where you aimed. depending on how many inches it is from your point of aim you can alter your comb height or lateral placement as follows:- For every inch high on the plate lower your comb 1/16 of an inch. If you are 3 inches to the left, move your comb 3/16 to the left. Move your comb in the direction you want your shot to go. If you want to lift your shot, lift your comb. As I said an adjustable comb is the best value for money modification as you can effectively alter your stock bend and cast at the turn of an allen key.
Good Luck & Good Shooting.

Peter Harris is well known in the shooting world and is renowned for his knowledge of guns and gunfitting. Peter is a qualified instructor and can be found on the clay layout and in the game field.

When you’re waiting for the clay and about to call pull, focus not so much on the area where you will see the clay first, known as your pick-up point, but on something behind it. It could be a 1/4 mile directly behind the flight path of the target, but focus on it.Do what? I hear you say.I'll explain.The way the muscles work in the eye is that in order for you to focus on a target some 30/40/50 yds away shall we say, the muscles have to make two movements or operations? But in order to focus back to the target from say 1/4 of a mile away only takes one movement/operation.That can have a dramatic effect on the speed in which you focus perfectly on the target.(Hard Focus)The object you focus on in the distance can be just about anything from a tree, a cloud, a cow, a fence post, a dandelion, a thistle, just about anything that is directly behind your pick-up point (The pick-up point is the place that you can first hard focus on the target.)Focusing on the distant object behind your pick-up point...the clay will go through your vision which will automatically latch on to the fastest thing moving it can see i.e. the clay. But the muscles only have one movement now to focus backwards onto it. The result is that you pick-up / focus on the clay about a second earlier which can have an effect that fools you into believing the clay is moving slower, giving you more time to get onto the clay target and shoot it smooothlyAmazing when used on battues as you can see them coming earlier.

The place that your muzzles are positioned before calling PULL is absolutely vital to good shooting. Every target has what's known as a pick-up point. The pick-up point is the place that you first focus on the target. You will also have a gun hold point where you need to hold the guns muzzles. That  place will be just a little ahead of the pick-up point. The exact place will be from your pick-up point X (times/multiplied) by your reactionary time. That is to say if you look at the pick-up point, call PULL and then bring your finger up to the clay as fast as you can as if mounting the gun, your hold point will be where you managed to put your finger on the clay target. This is where you put your muzzles. But always put them JUST under the flight line of the target, as you should ALWAYS come UP to a target. This way you will never lose sight of the target behind the barrels as it flies over the top of the barrels. If you have the muzzles too high it will cause all sorts of problems with your mount / swing / focus etc as you lose sight of it behind the barrels for a moment.
So remember to ALWAYS come up to the target (both clay and feathered).

Gunfit by Peter Harris

A good gunfit is the basic fundamental to good shooting.

In the words of the late Chris Craddock one of England's finest coaches.
"If a gun does not fit, a shooter stands no chance of being anything other than a mediocre shot"

So what can we do about achieving a good fit?
Well, for most of us the purchase of a gun represents a considerable expense, not to be taken lightly.
I would therefore recommend that you only purchase from a good friend or a reputable gunshop with a reputation for good customer relations and good service. Someone who has the knowledge to provide a basic gun fitting and advice before and during your purchase. Remember a gunsmith repairs guns, a friend wants to sell a gun, and a gun salesman sells guns and relies upon sales and commission. Buyer Beware. Before considering a specialist gunfit which will involve considerable cost to do correctly, we must be able to mount the gun consistently into the correct and same place
in the shoulder pocket each and every time. When we can consistently mount the gun correctly and we are generally happy with our purchase we may now consider a customised personalised gunfitting session.

What will this involve?
The fitter will measure and check the following dimensions.
Stock length (length from trigger to centre of Butt)
Comb height (at point where cheek touches)
Cast (at face, Butt toe &heel)
Pitch ( very often overlooked, misunderstood and neglected)
Cant ( Lots of people do it and don't know they do)

Length of Pull
I will say here and now putting the butt in the crook of your elbow and seeing if your index finger reaches the trigger is a waste of time. First stand correctly as you would when shooting, this can be different for Skeet, Sporting or Trap, slim people & stout people, Which are you? Take up your correct comfortable and usual shooting stance, now mount the gun to your face / shoulder (note: Lift the gun smoothly and bring to your face/ shoulder in a single smooth movement using both hands in unison) DO NOT Drop your face to the comb. Get someone to measure from base of your thumb to your nose; ideally this will be in the region of 1/2" to 1". Too short and the effects of recoil can cause your thumb to damage your nose upon firing the gun and also for the trigger guard to bruise the second finger of the trigger hand. Too long can result in the Butt snagging on your shoulder as you try to mount onto a high overhead shot (try a few practice swings at imaginary overhead birds) Mind
the lights!). Too long requires the stock shortening. Too short requires a stock extension.

Comb height (Drop at Comb)
This is I believe the most important dimension. Depending upon the rib configuration and eye alignment, remember your eye is your rear sight. Many people do not realise that it is the angle between the barrel axis and the line of sight your eye makes through the muzzle, determines the vertical position of the shot pattern relative to your line of sight. If the rib is angled down towards the muzzle you do not need to raise your eye as much above the rib to raise the point of impact.
It is therefore extremely important that once you have set the stock length to the correct dimension you should shoot a few patterns at the pattern plate to determine where the gun shoots, to enable you to set the comb height correctly. Too high a comb will position the eye high and probably result in patterning high, this will need the comb lowering (shaving off wood). Patterning low, or even worse if your eye cannot see down the rib and all you can see is the back of the receiver/ action will require the comb lifting or building up with temporary material (cardboard, carpet, foam).

Cast
Difficult to adjust
This is the amount that the stock (at comb, heel & toe) is to the right of the bore centre line.
To determine if you require cast setting into the stock, or indeed if you already have too much or not enough. With the length of pull correctly set and comb height correctly set, mount the gun with your eyes closed. Open your eyes. Are the beads correctly aligned on the rib? Do you feel that you are looking down one side of the rib or the other? If the answer is yes or you have to move your head
slightly to align you will need to have a cast alteration. A left handed person has the stock 'cast on' and a right handed person has the stock 'cast off'.

Pitch
Pitch is the angle that the Butt makes with the bore centre line. 90 degrees to the bore axis is Zero Pitch If we place the gun on its Butt pad with the barrels against a vertical surface if the barrels lean away from the vertical it is known as Positive Pitch
Note: Beretta users who suffer from Cheek slap may benefit by altering Pitch ( try putting temporary spacers between the Butt pad at the Heel )

Cant
Cant is the twisting of the gun when mounting, try mounting the gun with the eyes closed, open them and check alignment of the rib to bead or if you have them mid & front bead. Get a friend to observe by looking from the muzzle end you may need to alter the cast at the toe. The gun when correctly mounted should sit comfortably in contact with the chest /shoulder pocket, we do not want the toe of the butt sticking into our chest causing bruising or injury. If you are particularly long necked and you find that when mounted the majority of the Butt pad is above the shoulder you may well consider a device such as the 'Jones Adjustable Butt Pad' mounting bracket. Also you may find that your forehand does not sit comfortably on or around a beavertail fore end you may consider having your grip custom altered. Also your trigger hand may not sit comfortably on the hand of the stock, the nose of the comb may dig into the base of the thumb, the radius of the grip may be too open causing cramp in the wrist of your hand, and all of these things can be noted and addressed by a competent gun fitter.

Mount & Fit are inseparable.
A well fitted gun is of no benefit if the shooter does not mount it correctly. A shooter with an excellent gun mount will be hampered by an ill-fitting gun.
People ask me what a good sight picture is?
That is difficult to answer as we all have individual preferences, but try this, mount your gun and then place a £1 coin on top of the rib at the breech end, if you can still
see the bead you are not too far out. Trap shooters may prefer to see a little more rib to assist in addressing rising targets.

By Peter Harris – Instructor and expert on all things technical in the world of shooting.

SHOOTING TIP No2
Hard Focus.

From the second you first see the clay/bird/target you should be totally focussed on that target and nothing else. With your gun at the hold point, your eyes at the pick-up point and your leading foot pointing to your kill point, your all ready to go. From the first instant you see the target you should never take your eyes off that target what ever it may be, not for an instant. You need to stare hard at the target and nothing else at all while swinging. A good way of doing this is to try and read the name on the clay.

Most clays have a makers name written on them, quite literally try to read that name, you won't be able to of course but that's how hard you need to try. If it's a bird, try and stare hard at the beak and nothing else.

Once your swing is under way, never ever look at the guns rib/bead for any reason, it's usually fatal as it will stop or slow your swing for an instant and result in a miss, usually behind the target. Stay hard focussed on the target.

Rob Eaton begins his series of weekly tips:

So many shooters both game and clay miss targets simply because they have the wrong feet
position. You should always, always, always point your leading foot in the direction that your going to kill the
target. Or if you like, where your going to pull the trigger. In fact the perfect kill point is just up the
inside of the leading foot. The other foot should only ever be placed behind the leading foot if shooting driven birds over head
using the Stanbury or Churchill methods as they are known. Normally it should be placed not behind
the leading foot but just up along side it almost.

Once your leading foot is pointing to the kill point, place your trailing foot so that the first half of
it,(the bit with the toes on) is along side of the arch of the leading foot. You should have your feet no
more than 8-10 inches apart and the trailing foot should be pointing over to 2 o'clock or 10 o'clock if
shooting from the left shoulder. If done properly this will help place the gun squarely into the cheek
bone and shoulder, lining the rib up with the eye central above it. It will also help you to put the
stock into the correct position in the shoulder and not out on the arm or shoulder joint.
Your balance when starting your mount and swing should be 60% on the front foot and 40% on the  back foot.

Then and only then do you place your gun in the hold position and look back to your pickup point......PULL!....and hard focus on the target only.
This of course should also be done on game but will take a little practice to instantly turn onto the
bird and fire when on a crosser. Try it at home regularly. It can't be said enough that every shooter
should practice dry mounting and swinging etc at home at least twice a week for 10 minute if you want to be any good.