To The Target

As a full-time, successful instructor and coach for more than three decades, I’m blessed to be working with students of both genders, all ages and skill levels. I’m frequently asked, do I prefer starting the swing from gun up or gun down? My answer depends on a) my student’s skill level and b) what type of shooting he or she is asking about. 

Wingshooting, of course, we’ll start with gun down. Trap and Skeet? Gun up, cheek on the stock. Sporting Clays, I prefer gun up with certain caveats which I’ll cover later. If my student spends time in F.I.T.A.S.C. events, we’ll be working from the required gun down.

OK…gun in place at the ready…we all know what follows next. Movement. Both the trigger hand and fore-end hand will be moving. How much? That will depend on where the gun started, up or down. If down, understandably, there will be more movement of both hands. Just as there will be less movement with the trigger hand if we start from the gun-up position. Still with me? Here’s what I’m asking you to consider.

From the starting position, gun up or down, what must remain constant is “muzzle control.” By that I mean…from gun up or down…during the gun’s movement, the trigger hand must not disrupt what the fore-end hand is doing, which is guiding the gun. Where? To The Target. That’s because a reasonable degree of accuracy is required in shotgun sports as well. Gun control doesn’t just apply to handguns and rifles. The truth we’ve all learned is, we cannot count on our shotgun pattern to make up for our swing mistakes. Not if we wish to be consistent. Feather or clay, every single move we make with our shotgun will very much affect the outcome of our shot.

To best demonstrate what actually happens when the gun movement starts, please take your left hand, palm up and place it under the receiver of your closed, “unloaded” shotgun. If it’s a semi-auto, make sure the action is open…you’re ready. The gun is stationary, now equally balanced front to back in your left hand. Now, take your right hand and place it under the toe (bottom) of your recoil pad. As you are getting ready to move your right hand UP, watch the muzzle of your gun. OK, left hand holding still, gently lift your right hand. As you can see, as your right hand slowly came up, the muzzle went down. And which direction did the bird go? This means the hands and gun have no choice now but to do a lot more movement, creating additional work to correctly place the muzzle. If we can?

This slow-motion drill shows us very clearly what can happen when our shotgun movement begins. While of course unintentional, all this excess movement proves to be not only costly…but the very reason for inconsistent shooting.

In the shooting box or afield, imagine yourself preparing to mount your gun from the gun down position. As the target (clay or feather) appears…doing what you’ve likely been asked to do for a very long time…you quickly lift your trigger hand to bring the gun to your cheek. With your trigger hand moving much faster than your fore-end hand, where is the muzzle now? Again, the answer is a) down and b) pointing in the wrong direction. You have no choice now but to correct everything, quickly lifting the barrel and chasing the bird. While all of this happens in milliseconds, the reality is that the gun is out of control. Valuable time is lost as our shooter races to correct the swing, to put the muzzle onto and ahead of the bird. It’s all this random movement…the inconsistent swing…that explains the inconsistent results. No more mystery here. None.

To create (not upset) gun control…from the gun down position…during the mount, the trigger hand should be moving at the same speed as the fore-end hand. Working together to maintain muzzle control. This harmony of the hands allows the muzzle to find and track the target with no wasted time or loss of critical swing precision…which opens the door to more success, more consistent shooting.

In Sporting Clays, putting the stock in the gun up position offers us a significant reduction in trigger-hand movements / errors. Gun up more easily allows the swing to be executed correctly, eliminating a lot of the unwanted, random muzzle movement. Remember though, we are not on the Skeet or Trap field. Before the call, from the gun up, shoulder down position, our head must be up as well, so we have a good, wide view of what the Sporting Clay target is doing over our barrel. At the call, head up, a simple shoulder lift brings the gun to the cheek, allowing the fore-end hand and body to do all the work…guiding the gun. To The Target. Efficiently. No wasted movements.

“Advanced skills come from the application of sound techniques.

Book II, To The Target, gives you those techniques."

Starting the gun from either up or down, there are pros and cons to both. To add consistency to our shooting, however, clay or feather, what can’t be compromised is muzzle control. And that control asks us to coordinate our movements, start to finish. Please see my 3 books: Take Your Best Shot, To The Target and Beyond The Target.

In closing…to we men…may I respectfully suggest we leave the testosterone at home. Watch her. That smooth and graceful swing applies to us as well. XX XX XX. And that’s not an accident!!

 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, Skeet, Trap & 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 making their own corrections. Lessons are fun, enlightening and our clients learn to shoot better in minutes!  

Dan Schindler's Books

"Recommended for shooters of all skill levels, Coaches, Instructors

and parents of youth shooters."

Take Your Best Shot (Book I), 3rd Edition is THE Gold Standard Primer It's 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's life's work as a teacher, competitor, published writer, and much more.

Here's what Shooters, Coaches and Clay Shooting USA saying...

Take Your Best Shot (Book I), 3rd Edition

To The Target (Book II)

Beyond The Target (Book III)