Follow through

[GeordieTrapper]

Do members have any advice on how to ensure the gun is not stopped and there is a smooth follow through after pulling the trigger?

 

[paul b]

If youre shooting trap then yes ! Shoot the bits and even if its vaporized carry on as if you were going to shoot a piece on that line.

For sporting most times the gun needs to stop so you can get to the next shot.

 

[Will Hewland]

Interesting question. First of all, a stopped gun isn’t necessarily bad. It’s Ok on maintained lead or a diminishing lead shot, especially on a slow target. Mostly we all shoot swing through or pull away, where stopping can cause issues, unless the stopping is very consistent and the lead pictures learned are bigger to allow for it.

Basically you’ve just got to not do it! It’s mind over matter with some people. They just fixate on the kill spot and can’t help but slow as they pull the trigger. As ever you can’t coach on a website.. but assuming it needs solving for you, various solutions work better with various people, so try them all. My recommendations are:

Absolutely tell yourself that the shot is taken 80% of the way through the movement (of a swing through or pull away method). That may be enough for you. Just switching your mind away from “shot = stop”. However, do not develop some hideous extra flick as a way of adding the last 20% because if you flick early you’re screwed. Smooth always wins. Decide a kill point and then decide a later finish point for the muzzle and practice going there smoothly  

If the above doesn’t work than I suggest trying exaggerated lead and just trying hard to slow a little rather than stop.

I like to pull away from most targets, then consciously hold a gap and match the target speed before pulling the trigger, which assists in maintaining the gap

Practice a few clays with no cartridges in the gun. Without a cartridge your subconscious brain can’t take over in its desperate attempt to break the clay (causing the stop), so you can practice the full movement without that distraction.

 

[wynno]

And I thought this topic was about something else

my bad.

 

[Will Hewland]

And I thought this topic was about something else

my bad.

Some of the targets at Owls Lodge last shoot definitely left me experiencing the other meaning of the term.

 

[k80ben]

Completely irrelevant if you stop gun. I stop it almost every shot and it has zero effect 

 

[Robden]

They say to keep the gun moving but watching some (top) shooters live and on video (slowed down), the gun stops momentarily when pulling the trigger then carries on moving.

 

[Jan Powell]

Take a look at Todd Bender’s ‘Winning with the fundamentals at Skeet’. You’ll find short clips on YouTube. He talks about the importance or a controlled gun movement and good follow through after the shot.

 

[GeordieTrapper]

Completely irrelevant if you stop gun. I stop it almost every shot and it has zero effect 

Do you mean stopping immediately after pulling trigger or after you see clay hit?

 

[k80ben]

Sports evolved over the years it’s now about shot placements not swinging and hoping. 

 

[Freddypip]

I would guess you need to understand why you are asking the question. I occasionally find I think I stop the gun because of an obstruction close to the kill point or I've picked a kill point which turns out to be wrong (too early or too late).

I terms of ideas - get some snap caps and practice at home swinging the gun pass the point of pulling the trigger. Follow a wall/ceiling line etc.

The key is to repeat for a few days on the trot to create muscle memory and getting past that the point of - dare I say -  'expectation'.

I'm not getting involved in the discussion on whether its a good thing or not - I'm not qualified enough - other that to say if the reason the gun is being stopped is 'expectation' then it might be starting before you pull the trigger.

 

[Paul120]

It's might be  more about completing the shot properly. I've found if I feel I've stopped the gun it's actually more likely that my eyes have either come back to the rib/bead trying to rifle it or looking to see the break rather than staying with the gun through the shot. Basically not having enough confidence and trying to make too sure and messing it up. 

 

[Martinj]

Sports evolved over the years it’s now about shot placements not swinging and hoping. 

Interesting Ben, how should we achieve shot placements without swinging and hoping? For anything like a crosser, I tend to use Will's description " pull away from most targets, then consciously hold a gap and match the target speed before pulling the trigger" although I'm always open to suggestion.

 

[jonz]

Sports evolved over the years it’s now about shot placements not swinging and hoping. 

Ben, Would you please explain how you see thar the sport has evolved over the years, it’s still the person who breaks the most targets wins, we all have the same restrictions on guns and ammunition so would be interested on how you see where the evolution is.

Many thanks

Jonz

 

[westley]

I have to say that 'Follow through'   has occurred more often as I have got older  !     

 

[k80ben]

It's might be  more about completing the shot properly. I've found if I feel I've stopped the gun it's actually more likely that my eyes have either come back to the rib/bead trying to rifle it or looking to see the break rather than staying with the gun through the shot. Basically not having enough confidence and trying to make too sure and messing it up. 

Eyes coming back to the bead is a must to complete the perfect shot. Vital in fact 

 

[Jonny English]

Ben, Would you please explain how you see thar the sport has evolved over the years, it’s still the person who breaks the most targets wins, we all have the same restrictions on guns and ammunition so would be interested on how you see where the evolution is.

Many thanks

Jonz

I first started registered clay shooting at the age of around 16/17 around 1995 and used to shoot with my dad and a few of his mates.

In those days you went out and bought a 3800/mk38/686/682, a set of peltor ear defenders, a browning masters skeet vest and a thousand super comps and off you went. Glasses weren't a requirement so no pilla coloured back ground neutralising, light enchancing lenses, no electronic ear plugs, no aftermarket chokes. Kit wise things were a lot simpler in those days for the working man.

Technique wise we just shot at stuff and discussed lead. Never thought about hold points, kill points, line, angle, clay size, which method to use, gun movement or anything like that, if you missed it you gave it the wrong gap. There was no YouTube or online coaching, no magazine columns with coaching, no working man had professional coaching from a world champion.

So yes it is still the man behind the gun swinging it, and pulling the trigger but everything else around that has moved on.

 

[jonz]

I first started registered clay shooting at the age of around 16/17 around 1995 and used to shoot with my dad and a few of his mates.

In those days you went out and bought a 3800/mk38/686/682, a set of peltor ear defenders, a browning masters skeet vest and a thousand super comps and off you went. Glasses weren't a requirement so no pilla coloured back ground neutralising, light enchancing lenses, no electronic ear plugs, no aftermarket chokes. Kit wise things were a lot simpler in those days for the working man.

Technique wise we just shot at stuff and discussed lead. Never thought about hold points, kill points, line, angle, clay size, which method to use, gun movement or anything like that, if you missed it you gave it the wrong gap. There was no YouTube or online coaching, no magazine columns with coaching, no working man had professional coaching from a world champion.

So yes it is still the man behind the gun swinging it, and pulling the trigger but everything else around that has moved on.

I think I have 25 years more experience than you have, and you need to check your facts, there were several magazines around in the late 70”s and 80”s Sporting Gun, Shooting Times and Pull all of which regularly had articles about how to improve your shooting. Napier had a range of shooting glasses with changeable lenses in the 80”s Nigel Teague started his business in 1980 according to the website…. I had lessons from ex British and European Champions at Roundwood .. so sorry I don’t see that the sport has moved on to any great extent, more people now shoot which is great and there are more competitions and places to shoot which is also good but it’s still the sport you have to hit more targets than anyone else to win.

 

[Daz W]

Do members have any advice on how to ensure the gun is not stopped and there is a smooth follow through after pulling the trigger?

As many have already mentioned, stopping the gun isn't necessarily a problem if it's done at the right time and for the right reason.  Most instructors will emphasise the importance of the swing on to a beginner, as they can often switch focus from the clay to the barrels when applying lead, and a stopped gun if fairly indicative of this.

Try putting a piece of blutack halfway along the line where your wall meets your celling. Snap cap in the gun and swing along the wall/celing joint line. Curtains drawn if you've got nosey neighbours.   When the gun gets to the blutack, or a certain lead past it, pull the trigger and swing on.

Another way can be to count the bits of broken clay after it's hit. The bits are pretty much still moving along the original flight path, and as you're now moving with them to count them the gun shouldn't stop.