Frequently Asked Questions

Shot Execution

Q: Why would a shooter have trouble with a bird, overcome it, and then start with trouble on another station, maybe not even with the same house?

A: It has been my experience that your aforementioned problem stems from very small breakdowns in fundamentals and form. This is very common, I see this on a daily basis. Because the mistakes are small, you get away with them most of time, and the misses bounce around, never centered on one particular target. It just bites you when the mistake crosses the line, becomes so bad that a miss ensues. Remember, you are shooting a shotgun at twenty yards, so you can get away with murder and still hit targets, which is exactly what most people do. The only solution is to find someone who is sensitive enough to these issues to identify and correct the underlying fundamental problems, otherwise the situation will persist.

Q: I am fairly new to skeet shooting this is my third year of registering targets. My question or problem is this, it doesn"t seem to matter what gauge I shoot I"m always in a range between 96 and 100. But I seem to shoot higher scores if I don"t practice for a few weeks, or months then just go to a shoot. Why is that?

A: You are experiencing much of what was just discussed above. Also, I believe that in a mechanical and repetitive game such as American Skeet, one can become lackadaisical in their approach and just “go through the motions", as the activity becomes monotonous and uninteresting. I find that after a break, I return to the game with renewed vigor and again start paying attention to the small details that help me enjoy higher scores.

Q: After watching your video and attempting to become a lower body shooter and place my weight on my front foot, while facing the high window (left hand shooter), turning with my body instead of my arms, I just fell apart. I am shooting scores in the low teens. I am really struggling with the turning with my body instead of my arms. I will say, that even though my fundamentals are not quite what they should be in your video, when I do get it together for a round I bust the targets much better, as opposed to chipping and missing. It is clear to me the mechanics are the reason. But I am still not back to the scores I was at before your video.

A: You said yourself that when you perform the proper fundamentals that all is OK, but when you break down, it all falls apart. Sorry, but the same thing happens to me, so the answer is keep doing the proper fundamentals. Obviously I execute good form probably more often than you do, but that is from a lot of practice. That"s what you need. Also understand that what you may be doing is an interpretation of what you are seeing on the video, and not what is actually required. Unfortunately, until I can get my hands on someone and actually view what is going on, it is quite difficult to solve any problems that you are experiencing now. Also, remember that as you make changes to your game, you can experience a downturn in scores, and because of lower scores, you are blinded to the potential ahead. Chances are if your were doing all that you said you were before viewing the video, you had or were going to hit a ceiling and may not of had any further progress.

Q: I just realized that I am lifting my head. I think that in trying to get a better sight picture, I was lifting my head to get a better view. I am 90% sure I am not checking the lead, since the bird is so visible now, more visible than normal! Other than having an experienced shooter/coach watch me shoot, how can I learn quickly if I am lifting my head?

A: First of all, check the height of your comb, if it is too low this will cause a head raise to get better view on a target. With the head firmly on the stock you should see a figure “8", middle bead underneath the top bead, for proper height.

Some upper body movement, too much use of the arms, can also be attributed to a head raise. The solution to this is a change in body mechanics. Other than that, keeping the head in the gun is strictly discipline. An extreme case of that discipline is Larry Woo"s classic style and exaggeration of staying in the gun. Not a bad example to follow.

Eye Dominance

Q: I am right eye dominant, but was taught to shoot with one eye and was never given correct info. I shot with both eyes recently and by a fluke and did well. I put on my glasses and did not realize the dot fell off. I did well until I realized dot was gone, then my brain took over and I fell apart. How would I go about learning to shoot with both eyes, and would it be worth it?

A: All discussions about eye dominance are strictly individual, meaning your situation depends solely on your relative eye strengths and the degree of eye dominance. Generally, you are better off using both eyes, that"s why God gave us two to use. However some shooters do not have that option, again based on degree of eye dominance. Your situation would be difficult to judge. Even if you are right eye dominate and right handed, the left eye can still become involved in some shots. Also understand that I could take a gun and cross-fire on demand, but to this, I would have to take my focus off of the target, look back to the barrel, and make or let my left eye take over. This means that we can circumnavigate cross-firing by keeping focus out to distance, on the target. This of course would not work in extreme case of eye dominance. Therefore each situation must be assessed individually.

Q: On Station 3 Low House and Station 4, I figured out I was leading them way too much. For years I saw close to four feet when shooting sustained lead. Now, I barely see any lead, less than a foot. Is this a factor of gun speed, or a change in perception?

A: It is either gun speed or eye geometry, more appropriately called a possible “eye dominance issue". To competently address what is happening to you, I would have to see the shot. I would however, lean toward eye dominance. Simple test, try closing the opposite eye, left eye if you are right handed, when you shoot Low Three. If the picture looks clearer and more defined, and you can then use a normal 3-3 1/2 ft. lead, it is probably the left eye taking over. If you are cross-firing the leads on the High Four and Low Four will look completely different. If the pictures appear the same to you, then dominance may not be the case. Unfortunately each eye dominance issue is different, and sometimes things do not appear as they actually are.

Leads

Q: If a person was shooting skeet to become a better hunting wing shot would it be better to use the come from behind swing through and establish your lead or learn to get out in front and stay there?

A: For competition skeet, I would shoot sustained lead, the generally accepted method, however if I wanted a good approach to any target, and apply it a field situation, I would use the pull ahead method. Pull ahead starts the gun pointing at the target at acquisition, and the lead is applied just before the shot is taken. One of the most difficult things to do in shotgun shooting is to determine target speed and angle. When the pull ahead method is used, target speed, angle is determined automatically as soon as gun speed is matched with target speed. Then all that is necessary is the application of the correct lead. Pull ahead is the accepted method used by the CPSA, England"s Clay Pigeon Shooting Association, and is referred to as “the method."

Q: How do I find the sustained lead if I keep my eye on the bird? I focus so hard, that all I see is the bird. Should I look ahead of the bird?

A: This nebulous idea of finding lead without looking at it can be easily demonstrated by the following. Look at an object at a distance and point at it, be it a tree, a car, or a clock on the wall. You should be able do this without effort. Now, point your finger upward and focus on the end of your finger. While continuing to focus on your finger, move the finger again to point at your chosen object. If you are still focused on the finger, you will find this to be difficult because the brain cannot clearly see what you are trying to point. This is hand eye coordination. When the eye was focused upon the object you never thought about where your finger was, it just went to your object. Now look again at your object and point, say, two feet to the right of it. In most instances you will be two feet to the right, give or take a few inches. But you looked at the object to judge that distance, not your finger. Learning to trust this innate ability of ours is the most difficult confidence to earn and keep in shotgunning.

Q: When I focus hard on the target, stay tight on the gun & just really crush the targets I have no idea when the barrel is in relation to the target. Am I just shooting lucky or is this the way it should be?

A: Even though you may not be aware of lead, you must be seeing something that the brain can recognize. If whatever you are seeing is repeatable, you do it time after time, you must be seeing something, such as a lead. If you have a hard focus on targets, the barrel and lead are seen in a secondary vision, but the brain still recognizes that at some level and enters it into the equation. Whether or not you realize this at a conscious level will depend upon the individual, his or her experience, and gun speed.

Q: Why do I see different leads than are in the DVD?

A: Lead to most shooters is a perception and can change from shooter to shooter. This is because different shooters have different gun speeds, which lead to different perceived leads. For me to tell you where to shoot, I"d have to see what you are doing, chances are, there are other things going on. I see actual leads, the distance the target moves until the shot at 1200 fps reaches the target, but I am matching gun speed with target speed on every shot, sustained lead. Ask ten different shooters what three feet looks like at 20 yards and you will get ten different responses. Some see three inches and others see 12 feet. Also, lead is not as critical as some may think, if your are approaching the shot with good fundamentals. Focusing only on lead can creates dangerous situations. Look at the target, trust what you are seeing, you might be surprised that the mind will find the correct lead.

Specific Misses

Q: Why is it that 95 percent of my misses are usually in the first round and how can I better prepare myself to be prepared for it? And what do you do to get in the moment to start off strong?

A: I wrote an article about this some time ago. One year I found that a majority of my misses were occurring in the first round, so I changed my routine. I see a lot of shooters who show up at the field 5 minutes before shooting time, and then race to get their stuff together and shoot. I am one of these guys who likes to get to the airport two hours early. I do not mind waiting, as long as I have all of my sh*t straight. So I started getting to the field at least 45 minutes before the start of the event. Put my gun together, watched the targets of the squad ahead of me, got my gear ready, and did it all at a leisurely pace. When I was up, I was ready. Problem went away.

Doubles

Q: I"m inconsistent on the doubles on Station 4, especially when taking high bird first. Recently I"ve made a couple of shoot-offs, doubles on 3,4,5 and the second bird is definitely more chips than smoke. I get caught out in front a lot, and then stop the gun.

A: Sounds like you are not shifting the eyes back to the second target. If you do not look back for the second target, the eyes and the gun will go to where the brain “thinks" the target should be, generally way ahead of where it actually is. This leads to the stopping of the gun to allow the second target to catch up with the gun, and a dead gun on a second target at four leads only to chips, that"s if you"re lucky enough to even hit it.

Shifting the eyes to the second target in doubles is the single most difficult thing to do in skeet, and a trait mastered by few.

Practice

Q: When I practice with people I tend to get distracted and lose focus of what I'm trying to accomplich. Do you think it"s better to practice by oneself? My club"s full of socialites and if I don"t shoot with them they"ll think I"m a snob.

A: Although you should learn to deal with distractions, my practice time is limited so when I practice I am there for a purpose. Shooting in a social situation would be a waste of my time. Don"t get me wrong, I would love to have time to go and shoot some days, and just have fun and enjoy the people I was with. Unfortunately my time is limited, and when I go to practice during the tournament season, I am going to practice for one, and only one reason. I tend to practice by myself for a number of reasons. Again my schedule, and more importantly so I can focus on the parts of my game that need to be addressed. Best is to probably have a healthy mix of both. I have a number of guys I shoot practice with also, but I shoot with them because there is little BS going on when we are shooting.

Stock Fit

Q: I currently shoot a Browning Ultra XS 28"³ Sporting gun for recreational skeet, the stock measurements are 1 1/2"³ drop at the comb, 2 3/8"³ drop at the heel, and 14 3/4"³ Length of pull. I"m having a hard time staying in the gun and am wondering if adding a pad adjuster and lowering the recoil pad might help with both staying in the gun and improving my view of target. Is the design of the Monte Carlo stock a boost to shooters with longer necks so that they may shoot with their head held more erect while maintaining good contact with the stock or am I looking at this totally wrong.

A: Yes, a Monte Carlo will benefit a shooter with a long neck. An adjustable butt plate will help the situation. What it won"t help is the extreme drop at the comb. Few shooters need 1.5 inches of drop, and anything over 2.0 inches is way extreme, even at the heel. Why Browning and Remington and others make stocks like that is beyond me, except they are trying to make a stock that fits everybody, which ends up fitting nobody. Your head raising problem can most likely be directly related to the height or lack thereof of your comb, although your shooting form could also be guilty, but I couldn"t say without seeing you shoot. The first thing you need to do is to raise the comb, then address the other dimensions of the stock.

Q: I like my gun to shoot flat, as in not much rib showing see one bead. Why is the figure eight on the rib, front bead on top of the middle bead configuration, so highly held with many shooters, and is the so-called right set up?

A: Three reasons. Number one, by seeing the figure “8", the eye is high enough over the back of the receiver to have good vision both over the receiver and around the barrels. Two, in this position the gun does shoot high, but instead of shooting 50/50, where half of your pattern is below your plane of vision, the gun will shoot 60/40 or 70/30, assuming normal point of impact, utilizing more of the pattern above the plane of the barrel. And last but not least, if it"s that"s high, you might think, “damn, this thing is high", and hopefully are doing everything possible to keep you head in the gun.

Equipment

Q: I am color deficient (blind) and have a hard time picking out targets at times. I have tried various colors but just wanted your advice.

A: I am partially color blind in the red and green part of the spectrum. I could tell you what color lenses that I use, but that may be useless information to you. You need specific colors that for “you" bring out the red part of the spectrum (orange targets), and “push" back others parts of the spectrum, on the east coast, green backgrounds. The best way to do this is to go to someone one like Allan Lehman who has an inventory of every color in the spectrum and, through trial and error, see which color achieves the above desired effects for you.

Q: Do competition shooters use fiber optic sights? Or would this tend to pull your eye away from the target?

A: Bingo! I am not a fan of anything that is bright and at the end of my barrel that would draw my eyes to it. However I have had two students who told me that the sight gave them the confidence to look away from the barrel and focus on the target. And during the day they truly did maintain focus on the target, but that"s only two guys. Generally I am not in favor of these. The top shooters using these products are paid to do so, and they are top shooters because they pay little attention to the front sight, no matter what color it is. If they were looking at the front sight, it is doubtful that anyone would want them promoting their products.

Q: How do you feel about shooting an auto-loader in the 12 gauge event and Doubles?

A: All of my 12 gauge World Championships were won with a Remington 1187. All of my highest HOA averages have all been shot with one gun, K80, shooting the 20 gauge in the 12 gauge event. I think shooting two guns in a game of perfection adds variables. Over the years, I have tried all of the above. Years ago, a gentleman asked me, “Don"t you think you are giving up something by shooting the 20 in a 12 gauge event?" I told that if I thought that I was giving up something I wouldn"t be doing it. Recently I have gone back to my Krieghoff 12 gauge Over/Under, I did so mainly for Doubles and because I do not receive a lot of recoil due to the mass of the 32"³ barrels. Should you shoot an auto-loader? Should you shoot the 20? 12 gauge Over/Under? Bottom line, shoot what you have the most confidence in, that"s what you"ll shoot better.

Q: I currently shoot a 12 gauge Browning 325. The gun seems to fit me well. Although after 50 plus rounds with Winchester 1 1/8oz. light target loads, my shoulder feels somewhat sensitive. Winchester Xtra-lites extend it to about 100 rounds. What would be your recommendation regarding the purchase of a dedicated skeet gun. I have thought about a 12 gauge Browning XS Skeet or 12 gauge Beretta 391. I do not shoot in registered events and consider myself a serious recreational shooter. The Browning is appealing due to the possibility of purchasing sub-gauge tubes.

A: There is nothing wrong with the gun that you are presently shooting, although a gas operated gun such as a Remington 1187 or the Beretta 391 certainly would reduce recoil. You have a number of options to reduce recoil in the Browning you are shooting. Adding weight to the gun will help. Most tubes set weigh in at the 8.5 to 9.5 lb range. The addition of tubes will immediately add around 14 oz should you choose the standard weight option. A recoil reducer can be effective. Also the porting of the barrels reduces a lot of perceived recoil. This means that (these are the numbers that I have heard) porting only reduces recoil by 15%, but reduces muzzle jump by 50%, which lessens perceived recoil. Any of the above, or combination thereof will help. I am presently shooting a Krieghoff K-80 in the 12 gauge, the weighs in at 10 lbs., and his ported. Recoil is negligible, shooting 2 3/4 dr, 1 1/8oz loads.

Q: I am contemplating purchasing a Krieghoff and would like a step rib. I noticed that you use one in your video. Did you have any problems with the point of impact being different on the step rib? Did you just change the hangers or not worry about it?

A: Believe it or not the only reason I shot a step rib is because I think that it looks cool. As for the point of impact, that varies between barrel to barrel and depends on how each barrel is set into the mono-block. I have two 32"³ barrels, one for shooting the 12 gauge, and one for my tubes, both hangers are different, a 4 and a 7, but both barrels have the same point of impact.

Q: I am considering buying a set of the short sub-gauge inserts so the kids will have something to practice with until they make a decision to stick with skeet and warrant a better gun.

A: Short tubes/Chamber Mate"s work well for what they were designed for, allowing the weekend warrior to have fun shooting smaller gauges. You will not get the same performance as their bigger brother the full-length high-end tubes, especially in the .410. If you are looking for something to have fun with and knock around with, cool. For scores and performance, I think they fall short.

Q: Should a person be concerned about the lead change between 1145 feet per second and 1200 feet per second in the 12 gauge?

A: No. The differences in speed and subsequent lead changes are so small, considering the given distances, the results are negligible. I am not good enough nor sensitive enough to worry about it.

Q: I normally shoot #9 shot when shooting skeet. I shoot a Remington 1100 with a Cutts. I was wondering if I shoot #8"s, is it effective? I seem to hit targets better with the larger shot. What do you shoot skeet with? I was figuring that 1 1/8 ounce #8 shot are as effective as a 1 ounce of #9 shot.

A: I shoot Remington STS, 1 1/8 ounce 8 1/2 shot. Remington tells me that the antimony content in number 8 or 8 à‚½ shot is higher than number 9"s, 6% vs. 4%. That"s why you are experiencing better breaks which is why I shoot them. The 8 1/2 gives me a little larger pellet count while retaining the hardness.

Q: I"ve recently bought a new 28 gauge Over/Under, and am currently shooting 2 3/4"³, 2 Dram Eq. 3/4 oz., number 9 shot target load. I"m on a learning curve and am wondering if number 9 shot is the best choice.

A: I prefer 8 1/2"s, because there is high antimony content in 8"s and 8 1/2"s than in 9"s. My experience on the field coincides with this statement. The only down side as that as you go to bigger shot, you lose pellet count which relates to pattern density. This is why I do not shoot 8"s in the 28 or .410. Although 8 1/2"s can be difficult to find in the 28 gauge, Remington makes a wonderful 8 1/2 .410 target load.

Bottom line, it doesn"t much matter. You could be shooting 6"s, but you still have to put the shot pattern in the right place. People spend too much time worry about ballistics and chokes when they should be more concerned with fundamentals and technique, which ultimately controls where the shot goes.

Chokes

Q: My chokes are .003 in each barrel. I shoot a 1 ounce reload with hard, 8.5 shot. This load had been chronograph tested at 1,200 feet per second. This combination actually smokes birds, even at station 4. But sometimes I"ll completely miss or chip targets too. I think these chokes are way too tight and I"ve even tried cylinder chokes, but the results are the same.

A: I am not a ballistics guy, and there are many variables that can affect what you are experiencing, so answering this question is tough. Briley will be the first to tell you that although they have a pretty good idea of what happens to shot as it speeds through chokes, and they have some control over it, they are not completely in control. Also the numbers that define chokes, i.e. .003, .005, are just for reference. Just because a choke has “skeet" or “.003" printed on it, doesn"t mean it will act the way you might think. Different chokes throw different patterns no matter what they are, and will act differently with different ammunition. Looking at what you"ve got on paper is step one.

All of the above could be a moot point, if there is some sort of operator error. No matter what the choke, or the size of the shot, or the length of the barrel, you still have to put it in the right spot. I"ve been around a long time, and I have only met a hand full of guys in the world whose fundamentals and mechanics were so good, that the only possible answer to their problems was in the ammo or the chokes.

Q: If I am not hitting targets as solidly as I think I should. Is practicing with tighter chokes a good way to learn how to be more on target?

A: Cliff Moller of Briley addressed this when Mike Schmidt suggested that he shoot tighter chokes in practice. Mike said that it might cost you a target or two in the long run but it would make you better and build your confidence. Well, it didn"t cost Cliff a target or two, it cost him six or seven. He was 180 degrees from building confidence. Cliff added that he looks at a pattern as being divided up by three concentric circles. There are a select few shooters who only operate in the innermost circle, and rarely use the outer edges of the pattern. Everybody else needs the greater area offered by the outer circles.

Everyone is motivated by different things, and they also build confidence in different ways. I shoot practice like tournaments and tournaments like practice. It"s all the same. I shoot practice to build confidence, and once I have built confidence with certain equipment, I am not going to change that equipment. This does not mean that this is the only approach, just mine. There are reasons for what I do, just as others have reasons for what they do. You must ultimately find what fine tunes your game, and what prepares you for the performances that you desire.

As for my chokes I have always tended to go tighter than necessary. I have in the past been tight, again to build confidence. If a choke is too open you have trouble building confidence and may not know where you are when off center. Too tight is pretty self-explanatory. Find a happy medium.

Success

Q: I have shot 25 straight twice in my life. I shoot 21 to 23. I would love to know how you guys get to the standard you do? I shot years ago with a guy, and I used to get more targets than him. He is now shooting skeet 100×100 almost every time. Is it a case of thousands of shells practice? Or is it a gift?

A: It is a combination of desire, dedication, and yes, time. Most of the guys pounding 400x400s these days are doing a lot things right, and most have 15+ years under their belts. Some have better form than others, that"s where dedication and desire kick in. Different shooters have realized success with different combinations of the above. Also, shooting one game well does not necessarily relate to another. Being a great grand prix driver doesn"t grant you greatness in NASCAR. They"re both car races, but the similarity ends there.

Q: How do World Champions and top All-American shooters maintain the success they do with consistent victories? What is it that is in them that"s not in the average shooter that makes them win?

A: Dedication, desire, intensity, and sacrifice.