Shooting fast right to left crossers

[Gastro]

I know the obvious default to this is to get a coach to see/watch this - I thought I'd ask opinions on the group experts here.... I have a coach and had many lessons over the last 2 yrs.

Having made reasonable progress over the last 12 mtgs, the fast right to left clay presented at shoulder level and lower has become a major issue for me.

I'm right handed, right eye dominant.

My current state of play is usually hijacking the clay (wildly swinging through and then dropping back the lead before pulling the trigger) rather than following through and in front of the clay before shooting. Strangely, left to rights are not a problem and indeed slower, mid distance R to L's equally ok.

I suspect it's more practise and learning, but wondered if others have encountered this and how did they resolve it.

I'm hopefully going to see Ed to get his opinion, but my local coach has been fantastic.

 

[Rupert]

Can you see it coming?

 

[Will Hewland]

As you say, needs tobe seen in action; however, if in doubt always go back to pull away method. (Pull away at a gentle rate so you can see the lead clearly before you fire). If nothing else it is a visible method that you can adjust logically.

 

[Gastro]

As you say, needs tobe seen in action; however, if in doubt always go back to pull away method. (Pull away at a gentle rate so you can see the lead clearly before you fire). If nothing else it is a visible method that you can adjust logically.

Problem is when I force this method, I end up hanging on to the clay and missing behind..... Hmmmm

 

[Darkside]

Gastro, do you shoot them pre mounted?

 

[Gastro]

Gastro, do you shoot them pre mounted?

Yes...

Changed hold points and that helps a little.

In fact on Friday started to try shooting them out of the shoulder and it felt better, although Im then missing them behind rather than wildly in front

 

[Darkside]

Describe your method for shooting said crosser...how do you work out your hold point for them? What method do you use to shoot them? How do you know you are missing them behind?

 

[spuddog]

Try in the middle? Seriously are you trying to shoot them too early? Let the clay do the work. Pulling through always tends to work best for me.

 

[Jim Wheeler]

from what I can picture, what I have in mind is a close  target ,about 20yards away and fast.  hold point needs to be quite a bit to the left,and foot position facing where it disappears. you may be restricting your swing, then always be a little under the line of flight, a foot maybe.,,don`t try to swing through , sustain your sight picture to the target where you will `kill` the target., usually that will be at `2.o.clock` to where you stand, do not rush.

difficult to not be there,,sure Ed will get you on track.

 

[Hamster]

I can't quite get which distance R to L you're having trouble with, you mention mid distance slower ones are OK, so is it close or distant ones that cause the trouble ?

Close ones can be very tricky without the correct stance addressing the break point, the eyes need to work very hard to pick these up very early but the hands mustn't react quite as rapidly. Tight chokes can be a handicap too, my method is to collect the bird early with my eyes and track it with the whole body/gun/barrel fixed pretty much just below the clay then as it loses a bit of speed and nears the end/shootable window, flick in front and fire, lead is less than a foot or a miss will result as will no flick.

Distant bird would be tracked briefly before coming from behind to establish the line and speed, power past a couple of feet or three depending on actual speed and fire.

 

[Will Hewland]

Problem is when I force this method, I end up hanging on to the clay and missing behind..... Hmmmm

So you know what the issue is then! Don't hang on. Pull the trigger!

 

[Gastro]

Close and fast R to L crossers....

Even worse if they are low !

 

[Oldblaster]

You could try pointing your right foot to where you intend to kill the bird, instead of the left ,that way you won't run out of swing so quickly, and less chance of going over the top! Point at the trap and swing fast to catch up, pull the trigger just as you pass the bird, worth a try!

 

[Darkside]

Point at the trap and swing fast to catch up, pull the trigger just as you pass the bird, worth a try!

DO NOT DO THIS!!!

 

[Hamster]

Close and fast R to L crossers....

Even worse if they are low !

Stand facing the break point, hold gun low and midway but eyes close enough to the launch point to give you early pick up, (experiment with best point of first visual pick up while waiting) lean a tad forward into the gun and don't lift your head, follow the clay matching its speed and flick forward to kill. There is no way this will need monster lead if it's close.

 

[Salopian]

I think you are over complicating the issue .

Any decent instructor will identify your problem and offer a solution .

Impossible to diagnose correctly and solve on the internet , only opinions can be offered.

 

[Oldblaster]

DO NOT DO THIS!!!

"Swing through"is a well established method of shooting, DO NOT BE SO CLOSED OFF! There are different methods of shooting clays, they all have there place on the lay out!

 

[Darkside]

Point at the trap and swing fast to catch up, pull the trigger just as you pass the bird, worth a try!

I shoot swing through...what you have described is NOT how you should shoot swing through!!! It is in fact, how NOT to shoot swing through...

Gastro, it sounds like you have 'outgrown' your local coach, if he has not identified what you are doing wrong on this boggy bird of yours, it's time to change...after two years he should have taught you the correct method to deal with all the basic presentations!!!

 

[Oldblaster]

I shoot swing through...what you have described is NOT how you should shoot swing through!!! It is in fact, how NOT to shoot swing through...

Gastro, it sounds like you have 'outgrown' your local coach, if he has not identified what you are doing wrong on this boggy bird of yours, it's time to change...after two years he should have taught you the correct method to deal with all the basic presentations!!!

We are all anatomically and mentally different, you cannot say one way is right or wrong if it works, I cannot see another way to shoot "Swing through" other than swing faster than the bird come from behind, pull the trigger as you pass!