“It ain't what we don't know that gets us in trouble.

It’s what we know for sure that just ain't so.”

It was the early 1980’s. Hummelstown Field & Stream (HFS) was a small gun club in Hummelstown PA offering one Trap range and a 100-yard rifle range. I was there when an unknown game called Sporting Clays came to the US and HFS purchased a few manual trap machines. A 50 bird Sporting Clays course was born and open to the public on Sundays. Once the word got out, not only was the small parking lot full by 8:30 AM but there were no vacant spaces on either side of the long winding driveway. Lucky if we got to shoot the course twice that day, when I wasn’t shooting, I was perched behind a trap machine devising mischievous ways to present targets.

For us in the US, these were the prehistoric days in the evolution of Sporting Clays. Safely, of course, targets were flying everywhere. Then came the rabbits, midis and finally the minis and battues. It’s impossible to overstate the excitement we all shared on those Sundays. Once around the course and you were addicted. Target presentations were basic but totally new to everyone. Shooting “methods?” None of us shooters had a clue.

Now, before you leap out of your underwear and claim me wrong, the truth is, we were all using whatever experience we had and our God-given hand-eye coordination to break targets. And we did. Mostly. Sometimes.

It’s not that we weren’t all trying to get better because we were. The score was important. After all, reputations were at stake. That’s why we all used the limited warranty “trial and error” shooting method. What about Percy Stanbury’s book, “Clay pigeon Marksmanship?” Stanbury who? We were too busy changing our chokes and ammunition while standing in line to trade-in our gun choice of the week. As our gear collection grew and our credit card melted, new and creative explanations had to be prepared before arriving home. While actual shooting improvement remained a giant mystery, in our defense, we were dead certain of this: that improvement was “somewhere” on a shelf in our local gun shop.

If it was new, it had to be better. Likely a lost Commandment. For example, early on, scores at HFS typically ranged in the high teens to low 20’s. I distinctly remember when Bill Costello was the very first person to shoot a 30 out of 50 at HFS with his new gun!! Yeehaw!! A half dozen of us raced to our local gun shop and bought the same gun. Turned out, mine and all 5 others were defective.

We went through truckloads of ammunition, some of it factory, the rest hand loaded into 5-gallon buckets. What we lacked in knowledge we made up for in blind determination. Together, we broke countless thousands of those basic targets. And sure enough, as soon as we began to see a glimmer of hope on our scorecards, the target setters took great joy in bringing us back to reality. Still, while the excitement hadn’t waned, consistent skill advancement continued to be elusive for so many of us. Could there be any magic left in yet another gun, choke or load?

Over the decades, the answer to that question has become both yes and no. Yes, good equipment has real value, no question about it. Good equipment can raise scores, consistently and dependably. Here, however, is the condition: to post those scores, the equipment must be handled properly. Bill Costello proved that a very long time ago. As has Andy Duffy, John Kruger, Dan Carlisle, Smoker Smith, George Digweed and those of their ilk.

Numbering not in the hundreds but the thousands, today, there continues to be a bewildering array of gear, and ways, all promising to improve our clay and wing shooting. The magic pill? Indeed. This, however, can and has been a disappointing journey of discovery for the many of us who pursued those “guarantees.” Come to find out, it’s been us all along, not the tool. Thinking about taking the Gentlemen’s bet with today’s Big Dawg shooter, him or her using a 1965 O/U with 28” barrels, fixed chokes and 7/8 oz loads at 1,160 fps? Don’t do it. Your money will disappear faster than cookies in front of my Grandson Christopher. 

“Perfection is achieved,

not when there is nothing more to add,

but when there is nothing left to take away.”

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

The real truth is, the indispensable, necessary basics in our sport can all be counted on our fingers and toes. Add but a few dependable shooting methods and right there is our exact, textbook formula for scores in the 80’s and 90’s. That’s a truth. This whole improvement process is NOT complicated, nor is it a mystery. The skill improvement recipe is simple, a short series of fundamentals we can learn and assemble with our capable hands. Mental gymnasts need not apply.

“Clay target shooting is really simple, but we unintentionally make it complicated.”

Thanks for stopping by. Be safe and I hope to see you out on the course.

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About Dan Schindler

Dan Schindler is one of only 60 worldwide members of the Guild of Shooting Instructors (UK) and is one of the most highly respected Sporting Clays and Wingshooting Instructors in the US. Dan is an NSCA Level III Instructor (since 1995) and founded the Paragon School of Sporting with one goal in mind. Whether it be for the advanced competitor or providing the basics to the entry-level shooter, Paragon provides the simplest, most practical and most effective Instruction, Coaching and Mental Training for the Sporting Clays & Wingshooting enthusiast. Dan Schindler helps shooters alleviate a lot of their frustration by taking the mystery out of breaking targets, calling their own misses and make their own corrections. Lessons are fun, enlightening and our clients learn to shoot better in minutes!  

Dan Schindler's Books

 Yes, Dan's books help you take the MYSTERY out of missing targets and help you quickly learn steps to shoot more CONSISTENTLY!  Order Dan's 3 books NOW!

New Release...Take Your Best Shot (Book I), 3rd Edition is THE Gold Standard Primer...

and is all about the fundamentals, a requirement for good shooting. This book is used by high school and college shooting teams, recreational and competitive shooters from around the world. Solid, valuable, concise information that has helped thousands of shooters shoot more consistently with higher scores.

To The Target (Book II) Builds on the steps outlined in Book I. Emphasises Gun Management skills when the trap fires, creating a consistent, reliable, trustworthy swing.

Beyond the Target (Book III) is for shooters of all levels, filled with valuable information, clay target truths. Entertaining and a culmination of 3 decades of Dan' life's work as a teacher, competitor, published writer and much more.

A few Facebook comments Dan Schindler's and his Books:

Mark Engen These three books are a must read for all clay target shooters. They are clear, concise, logical instructions on how to shoot clay targets and how to improve your scores. Taking a lesson from Dan would be very advantageous & help hasten the learning process. He has been my instructor for 15 years. With each lesson I always come away amazed how much I have learned & how my scores improve. 
He also emphasizes how important it is to practice regularly & stay with his advice & recommendations to really learn new skills to improve your scores. He has helped me tremendously & I highly recommend him.

Don N Lisha Sante Got my three book set. Read Take Your Best Shot (Book I) and can’t put book II down. Can’t wait to apply all I’ve learned tomorrow now that the rains gone.

Steve Powers I got my copy about a month ago. I’ve read it twice, cover to cover & reviewed the sequence of steps multiple times. Good Book.

Jim Butler I've read my copies twice now and it has absolutely picked up my game. Joined a sporting clays league this spring. Increased my top score by 7. Thought them to be expensive at first, but now find them extremely valuable now. Thank You !!!

Telford Scott Great book !! Simple steps with great results!!

Randall C. Burl Best investment a shooter could make!

 David Parks Received mine yesterday and have one chapter left to read. Can’t wait to get to the range and practice the new techniques I have learned. Now I feel like I have a system to work with instead of shoot and hope.

Bill Fibelkorn Called the number on their website, ( leary of ordering through Facebook posts) and Mr. Schlinder himself answered the phone. One of the most pleasant people I have ever talked to about anything. Whenever I get a chance to get down his way, I am going to get in touch with him to shoot. Got my books this weekend, read the first one and it reminded me of the basics. Just started on the second one, going to keep reading them over and over. The best reading you have for shooting clays.