Gun up or down

[GeordieTrapper]

I shoot skeet with gun up but have been told to try gun slightly out of shoulder, what do members think about skeet and compact sporting gun positions?

 

[Martinj]

as a sporting shooter I'll shoot gun up and in the hold position most of the time because you lose time getting the gun from the down position to the shoulder.
Probable the same for Compac and Skeet, a better shooter than me once said that if you can shoot gun up, you should do it.

 

[donna]

Gun up 99% of time for me unless it’s fitasc. I do like gun out of shoulder though if it’s a slow incomer or crow, it stops me rushing it!

 

[JoostB]

Here in Holland always gun down in both Olympic and sporting skeet. If it makes you loose time it can’t be much. If your mount is right, it is done in the swing. A lot of time would be lost if the gun is first mounted before the swing is begun.

Shooting gun down also gives you a much better view.

 

[Westward]

There's gun down, as in the Fitasc rules and there's fully mounted with gun in the shoulder and cheek on the stock, and then there's the cheat mount where the gun is held close to fully mounted but not actually in the shoulder and with cheek slightly off the stock.

After 14 years of reffing I would say that almost all the top sporting shots use the cheat mount for the 1st clay of a report pair and sometimes even for the 2nd as well if there's a time or distance gap between the shots.

 

[vmax1010]

As I consider myself primarily a game shooter I shoot gun down or out of the shoulder except fast going away trap type targets. Personally I think sporting should take on gun down rules like fitasc

 

[Freddypip]

I have no issue with gun down - the biggest advantage in Sporting is the ability to see and follow the target without the gun in the way. It might not be a requirement of the rules but its a necessary skill.

Sporting Clays are however not game - it has become its own discipline and the gun up aspect allows for certain clay presentations which might be hard (or impossible) to shoot from a gun down position - anything with a very short kill window.

 

[chesterse]

Freddypip I normally agree with most of what you post but English Sporting Targets are no more difficult than Fitasc Sporting and the latter are shot gun down. Agreed certain targets can be easier to shoot gun up but not impossible.

 

[Freddypip]

I agree Stuart.

I am however expecting a few "now you see them, now you don't" at the Jack Pike this year !!! - the course setter expects them to be shot gun up and sets them up accordingly - no time for a normal person to mount after seeing the clay. Last year it was the "point blank" rabbit on stand three. Not saying that type of target is a good thing at all but that allowing gun up gives the option of them (and a rapid pair etc) existing.

My point, I suppose, was that I don't expect a rule change anytime soon when it comes to English Sporting though I understand VMAX's suggestion.

 

[ScotMac]

I find that gun in the shoulder, but head off the stock, prevents me becoming focused on the barrel before the clay appears. It also gives me a clearer sight picture. Probably not for everyone, but it works for me.

 

[perazman]

When I learnt to shoot a very long time ago, you started gun up as a novice but were taught gun down as soon as possible.

I've been swayed by others to shoot gun up but it's not for me. Gun down gives you a much better view of the target and for me personally, a much more fluid, smooth swing with better gun speed. Gun up seems to slow my swing and makes me poke at things.

The advantage of no mis-mounts with gun up shouldn't be a consideration. A competent shot should be able to mount correctly every time.

I will occasionally shoot a trap type bird gun up but it feels alien to me.

I also shoot game where shooting gun up isn't really an option!

PM