Why Slower Is Better
March 2007
Shooting
Tip
by: Dan Schindler
While certainly not easy by any means,
sporting clays is not a complex sport. But we can make it harder
than it really is. If you were to ask me to give you one tip that could
drastically improve your performance in the box, starting tomorrow, it
would be this.
“Blazing barrels” is a term I heard used by Russ Vowell, a well
known and highly respected Level III instructor. The term refers to
excessive gun speed, hence this appropriate name for a swing that’s
out of control.
Bill Appel, another well known Level III instructor who owns Thunder
Ridge in PA says, “Let the target steer the muzzle.” He is so
right. But blazing barrels prevent this from happening. So the whole
general idea is to slow things down during the swing. No,…even more
please.
As someone who works with shooters daily, a great deal of my time is
spent getting my student’s muzzle in harmony with the target before it
reaches the break point. This target/muzzle alignment is critical. While
this is not an overly difficult task, you would be amazed at how many
people are unaware of what is happening in the middle of their swing.
Concentrating hard on breaking the bird, raw determination fuels a swing
intent on swatting the target out of the sky. Unfortunately (please read
that word again), sometimes the target is hit. To the shooter, this
confirms his swing must have been correct. If the next one is missed,
more speed is usually added. This destructive cycle can yield broken
birds but never consistently and progress is mostly wishful thinking.
So here’s the tip: you’re setting up on the target, about to call for
the bird. At your call, the bird appears. Stop. At this exact
micro-second your muzzle is dead still, about to move. Let’s look at the
very first 2 or 3 inches of muzzle movement. Done incorrectly, the
muzzle bolts out of the gate, out of control. Done correctly, the
initial move of the muzzle is s-l-o-w-e-r. Because the muzzle starts
slowly, it can be more easily synchronized with the target, which is
critical to aligning the muzzle with the bird speed and
line. A softer, smoother push of the gun prevents your swing from
going out of control in the critical, early part of your swing when the
shot is being built.
While we can’t control the target, we can control our swing and
shot,…provided the muzzle hasn’t already blurred past the sight picture
you want, the target in one place and your muzzle in another. Advanced
shooters don’t have “blazing barrels.” There’s a very good reason for
that. If consistency is your goal, slow everything down, especially at
the beginning of your swing. Then, add speed, but only as needed.
A swing that starts under control yields much more consistency on your
score sheet. I promise.
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