Shooting left

[powenb]

After a little play on DTL at the weekend, I missed one with my first shot and then missed it with my second with Full choke. So I decided to have a play and leave them for a second or two and try and hit them with the Full choke at a slightly longer range.

I was constantly missing them so I decided to play with a patten plate tonight.

As advised by my local gun shop, I set it up at a range of 16 yards and let rip with Modified choke.

The outcome is that I'm shooting to the left.

See below.

My eye seems to be looking "straight" along the rib, and the butt is in my "pocket".

What can be done to compensate for this?

What do you suggest?

Thanks

Owen

 

[Will Hewland]

IMO, first job is eliminate eye dominance. Slap some tape over the non-rib eye (No steak comments please..)

You say you are looking at the rib, but that may only be when you are looking at the rib! Try one eye, it's the obvious first thing to rule out.

Edit: I take it you are right handed? If left handed, left shouldered, then it's something else..

 

[powenb]

Thanks.

I am right handed and do have eye dominance issues so I have to shoot with my left eye closed.

 

[Will Hewland]

Thanks.

I am right handed and do have eye dominance issues so I have to shoot with my left eye closed.

Perhaps the left eye is peeking out from behind the curtain as you fire? Get the full pirate eye patch on to prove the point.

 

[Clynt]

Owen you could shoot a different gun at the plate ? this would go some ways to seeing if it's you or the gun. Guns which are too long in the stock and have little or no cast can affect P.O.A ? Pitch of the heel plate might be making the gun twist slightly on recoil ... what gun ? you never said

clever's point is def your first test.... 

 

[Hamster]

The pattern in question is no more than a few inches off centre, this can only be a result of insufficient cast and not eye dominance issues. If the left eye was involved the margin of error would be measurable in feet rather than inches.

I have had similar, if slightly more pronounced results in the past, off centre patterns are not at all uncommon.

 

[powenb]

I've got a Browning Ultra XS.

 

[Hamster]

Just to add, you may appear to be looking centrally along the rib but unless the barrel itself is off true, then the chances are you're very slightly off the left of centre of the rib.

 

[Will Hewland]

The pattern in question is no more than a few inches off centre, this can only be a result of insufficient cast and not eye dominance issues. If the left eye was involved the margin of error would be measurable in feet rather than inches.

I have had similar, if slightly more pronounced results in the past, off centre patterns are not at all uncommon.

I was going to say that it was not off far enough to be a full eye out, but there can be mid dominance issues. Hammy, you are right, but as Clynt says, the eye is job no 1 to eliminate. It will take a moment. If it ain't that, move onto the trickier next options on the list, including trying both barrels etc. etc.

 

[powenb]

The pattern in question is no more than a few inches off centre, this can only be a result of insufficient cast and not eye dominance issues.

I have just had a look at the gun and there is not cast to the stock at all.

 

[Hamster]

I have just had a look at the gun and there is not cast to the stock at all.

The easiest way to tell is (having checked it is empty) to view the barrels / stock relationship by resting the butt on the floor and looking from the barrel end down. There will be some cast, just not quite enough in your case - probably.

 

[powenb]

The easiest way to tell is (having checked it is empty) to view the barrels / stock relationship by resting the butt on the floor and looking from the barrel end down. There will be some cast, just not quite enough in your case - probably.

If there is any, I can't see any

 

[powenb]

So if it does need more cast, would that be a trip to the gunsmith to have it heated and bent, or would it be fitting a Jones Adjuster?

 

[Will Hewland]

So if it does need more cast, would that be a trip to the gunsmith to have it heated and bent, or would it be fitting a Jones Adjuster?

TRY THE EYE! I shot a gun that didn't fit me for years. It made me awkward, but it shot where I pointed it.

 

[Hamster]

So if it does need more cast, would that be a trip to the gunsmith to have it heated and bent, or would it be fitting a Jones Adjuster?

Assuming you really intend to keep the gun long term then yes a gunsmith should be able to make the cast adjustment required. Having said that make sure that really is the fix it needs, are you happy with the gun in other respects?

 

[Skeet UK]

I'm with Hamster on this.

What you need to do, is "move" the gun left, towards you body.  Are you broad shouldered?

This may be a cast adjustment but, as you pointed out, an adjustable butt plate may help.  I would suggest an ISIS one from recoil systems, because that could also incorporate a Green Pad for some recoil reduction...and they piss all over a Jones Adjuster from a great height!

You can try it for yourself, by temporarily moving the plate you have...jerry rig something up...try moving the butt plate over to the right (so moving the gun left) by a quarter inch.

If you catch my drift...

 

[powenb]

Assuming you really intend to keep the gun long term then yes a gunsmith should be able to make the cast adjustment required. Having said that make sure that really is the fix it needs, are you happy with the gun in other respects?

I love the gun and am not planning on changing it.

I want to understand the problem before I do anything about it.

 

[powenb]

What you need to do, is "move" the gun left, towards you body. Are you broad shouldered?

This may be a cast adjustment but, as you pointed out, an adjustable butt plate may help. I would suggest an ISIS one from recoil systems, because that could also incorporate a Green Pad for some recoil reduction...and they piss all over a Jones Adjuster from a great height!

I'm actually quite narrow in the chest and shoulders.

The ISIS system does look good, but I'd prefer to go the bend route if its needed as ideally I would like to not have the stock cut down and keep the factory look.

 

[Skeet UK]

I'm actually quite narrow in the chest and shoulders.

The ISIS system does look good, but I'd prefer to go the bend route if its needed as ideally I would like to not have the stock cut down and keep the factory look.

Well yeah of course.  Obviously any cut would depend on the pad thickness you have at the moment.  When I say ISIS, I don't mean the recoil reducer, I just mean the adjustable pad...which I think comes down to about 14mm thickness.

In an effort to help yourself understand the issue, see if you can move the butt pad you have temporarily, as described earlier.