Guaranteed Xs? The Numbers Don’t Lie

“Explaining good shooting mathematically is hard.

Demonstrating the math’s effectiveness on a

Sporting Clays, Skeet and Trap target is not.”

How to score well in Sporting Clays, for some, is no longer a mystery. I say “some” because, unfortunately, most are still using, still being taught methods that have been outdated for decades. Will those methods work? Of course, yes, sometimes. All the time, dependably? Look around you. Watch.

Which asks the question: when executed correctly, are there shooting methods that can guarantee an X?

A while back, I was competing at the Seminole Cup in Florida with a good friend, one of my students. As the second day ended, he and I were having dinner, chatting about shooting. I mentioned how certain shooting methods – taught by Paragon – broke every single target when executed properly. Every student, an X every single time, no exceptions. Watched countless times, crossing, quartering and chandelle targets broke on time, as expected.

He asked me, “You know why this happens, yes?” 

Head down, after a long pause, I looked up and said, “No. I just know it does, consistently, without fail.”

He was surprised by my answer. So was I!! An engineer, this bona fide math genius looked at me and said, “Dan, the Paragon methods put the swing inside the math formula that breaks the target. It’s the precision in the swing that holds the math in place. Executed correctly, precision intact, the target has to break and will, each and every time.”

Learning and applying these methods – the skill – does take some time and effort. Second, while the math in the swing invariably works in our favor, compromising that same math – any Random Gun Movement (RGM) in the swing = Lost target. For everyone, that’s non-negotiable and explains the missing, plain and simple. Just like the X can be guaranteed, so can the miss be. 

For a swing to produce consistent X’s, the swing must be consistent. The math says so. Any RGM will be costly, regardless of the shooter's age, gender, or skill level. The math says so. These simple, highly effective methods are available to anyone who takes the time to seek them and learn them.

While typically fair, today’s Sporting Clays target presentations run on higher speeds, devious lines and longer distances, all presented to us with deception and trickery. The cunning target setter’s intent being: what we shooters see won’t always be what we get. Our answer to those challenges? 1) Know the right method. 2) Build the required precision into each swing. Those two steps guarantee more X’s.

The right swing, with the right precision, will deliver more XX’s – consistently. The math says so. But until a shooter makes the decision to change what’s not working, nothing changes.

We’d Love to Hear from You
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Looking Ahead
If you’re ready to move beyond confusion and guesswork—and toward consistent results—we invite you to explore a Paragon lesson. Every lesson is tailored to your individual success.