Nomercy

This is basically regarding shooting action sports with a shotgun....

I'm giving a friend of a friend private shooting lessons on all three firearm types to help a virgin shooter become a 3gun shooter by spring (I'm 4-H and NRA cert.)...Long story short, after safety and general gun handling, I started with the rifle, but when he picked up the shotgun, he used almost perfect rifle form. I started to correct him, but then raised the question...

Should we shoot action shotguns more like a rifle? I started paying attention to how I shoot action type shotgun games and I do shoot more like a rifle. I watched myself on video with my elbow straight out and my fore hand way back as I shot an 1187 at steel poppers, then again with a SxS coachgun at steel squares for cowboy action...I watched tape of myself shooting clays and I don't use this form then, only during action games, and I didn't even know it.

For wingshooting and clay games, typically the shooting elbow is dropped low and the fore hand is pushed forward in order to raise the muzzle and natural point of aim, but for action rifle form, the elbow is raised almost straight out with more hand on the pistol grip and squeezing the trigger, and the fore hand is drawn rearward compared to wingshooting, which brings the natural point of aim and the muzzle down, and gives better stability.

For action shooting, should we shoot shotguns more like a rifle? We don't want a high natural point of aim and typically want a steadier muzzle, all of which the above rifle techniques provide.

Granted we should also use a sight picture more like a shotgun picture even with the rifles in order to be fast, but should the rest of the overall shotgun technique really be rifle style?

driftrider

I would say go with whatever works for you. Try shooting both ways and see which one gives you better scores. I don't see the harm in using rifle technique when you are AIMING a shotgun at stationary targets on the ground, just as you would a rifle. I could, however, see how this would be a problem when someone, used to using rifle technique, switches over to shooting clays/birds and defaults to the learned muscle memory rifle form and can't hit anything moving/flying. But it doesn't sound like that's a problem for you as you've already established good wingshooting form, but could be something to watch for when your student gets to that point.

Mike

Nomercy

I left it up to the guy which way he wanted me to teach him, to wingshoot or to action shoot, when this came up. He wants to learn both, but thinks it's going to be easier for him to learn ONE way to shoot long guns for his 3gun matches, so he's planning to only practice the action rifle style.

For all intensive purposes, the two shooting styles are basically the same. Most action shooting "Guru's" teach a wingshooting type stance and target acquisition technique for both rifle and shotgun. However, nothing I've read or heard really points out the upper body mechanics for action shotgunning...everything I have learned about action rifle shooting suggests the same close forehand and 90degree raised shooting elbow over a wingshooter lower body, which works very well for me and keeps my natural point of aim at least on the same vertical level as my targets... it has also always worked for me for shotguns, but shaving milli-seconds is always important in these games, so I'll change ANYTHING if it's necessary.

I've never taught anyone how to shoot specifically action sports before (although pistol classes aren't too different)...especially never action shotgun, I'd hate to teach this guy something that's going to cost him time when he doesn't know any better.