Does one size fit all when it comes to shotgun barrels? No it doesn’t. There are suitable barrel lengths for different shooting disciplines, whether you’re shooting a variety of types of clay target or live quarry. Get your choice right and your shooting will be helped. Get it wrong and…
Improve your shooting
Want to improve your shooting? It is something we all aim for and every shooter could learn something new to refine their technique.
We asked Mark Heath, head instructor at West London Shooting School for some top tips. He has taught hundreds of people to shoot, both beginners and those who have been out in the field for years but who have fallen into bad habits along the way.
He says:
- Don’t underestimate the need for concentration when shooting, as opposed to aggressive speed and lack of focus. Lacking concentration will not get you anywhere.
- Shooting large amounts of cartridges can become expensive. Instead invest in a couple of lessons with an instructor who can analysis your faults and correct them for the future. This will result in less cartridges being used to perfect your shot.
- Having a well fitted gun is essential for this sport. If your gun is not shooting where you are looking you are playing shooting roulette. You may win and you may not.
- Follow a pre-shot routine that works for you, allowing you to build up your confidence and perfect your routine.
- Find a cartridge that you have confidence in and stick to it! If you keep changing and are swayed by the latest trend this will not help keep your consistency.
Read through the following articles for more tips on becoming a better Shot.
Do you suffer from stopping your gun? Here’s what you can do to correct it.
What does it mean when you’re told that you’re stopping the gun? Matt Clarke, editor of Sporting Gun says: “Stopping the gun means that are not swinging your barrels through the target, but are stopping the swing of the gun as soon as you have pulled the trigger. This will…
Becoming a good all-round Shot: here’s what you won’t learn on the peg
What does it take to become a good all-round Shot? We can all advise accordingly on how to improve your shooting, whether that be practice, finding the right instructor for lessons or having your gun fitted. But there are things that can’t be learned at a clay ground or standing…
Best clayshooting grounds in the UK (according to our reviewers)
Clayshooting is increasingly popular as people want to enjoy an outdoor sport that is healthy, inclusive and accessible. Whether you’re a keen clayshooter who enjoys the challenge of the different clay disciplines or whether you’re first and foremost a game shooter who likes to keep their eye in out of…
Shooting with both eyes open – why it’s something to aim for
Out of season is the ideal time to work on improving your shooting technique and one of the questions I get asked frequently is about shooting with both eyes open. One eye or two? There are two different ways of shooting — monocular versus binocular — which basically means with…
Beads on shotguns – do they mean you’ll shoot better?
Fore-sight beads on shotguns come in different colours – often red or green and are supposed to help with your eye dominance. But are they really necessary? If you find them a distraction, can you remove them? Shooting Times and Sporting Gun contributors gave their thoughts on the matter. Beads…
Practising for the next shooting season
For many, it must feel like you haven’t picked up a gun for months. For many game Shots, this could be the case, especially with the season being affected by COVID-19. Covid is no excuse for not picking up the gun, nor is a disjointed season. Regardless of what has…
How to make your airgun more accurate
Precise air rifle shooting The pursuit of precision is a big deal when it comes to air rifle shooting. Because air rifles have a relatively low power output, it is vital to be confident of landing your pellet in exactly the right place if you intend to shoot live quarry.…
How to find the right shooting coach
In these strange times while we’re all still in lockdown, some of you may have found yourselves thinking about how to improve your shooting, as and when we can get back to some sort of normality. Shooting instructors This is a subject that infuriates the proper professionals. It is a…
The most common mistakes on the shooting ground (and how to correct them)
So not long now until you can get out on the clayshooting ground (29th March) and smash some clays. Most of us want will want to improve our shooting by addressing the common shooting mistakes we know we make. Follow these tips from Bisley instructor Tony Bracci and you’ll improve…
Trigger freeze – or the ‘flinch effect’. Here’s how to cure it
Trigger freeze – also known as ‘flinching’ is becoming increasingly seen among shooters. For some Guns it only happens rarely, for others it increases over time. It can even cause some Guns to give up shooting altogether. What is trigger freeze or flinching? Flinching is the inability to pull the…
Judging speed of birds
It’s only when you drive down a country road and you have a pigeon fly parallel with your moving vehicle that you come to appreciate its true cruising speed — and it’s not, as published, 35mph. When last I glanced at my speedometer in this situation, it read 48mph and…
Why you should learn to visualise your shots
Visualise your shots I want to explore the concept of learning to ‘visualise your shots’ and replicate the ‘picture’ we see at the moment the shot is taken and how our mind’s-eye view is better than trying to estimate any given lead value in feet and inches. How far? How…
How top Shots minimise misses
Looking out of my window at a big cock bird picking his way down a hedge, just beyond my garden, it strikes me that I shot fewer days this season than in any other since childhood. In truth, it showed. Rather than getting into my stride, I frequently found myself…
How to think positively on a shoot day
We’ve all been there. We were shooting perfectly well and then, on one drive, we inexplicably have the equivalent of a batting collapse. Just as perfectly competent batsmen seem incapable of performing even the most basic functions under increasing pressure and are sent back to the pavilion, so we cannot…
Am I rushing my second shot?
Q: I have started to struggle with hitting two birds on the trot with a slight gap between them. I often kill the first bird and miss the second, is there anything I can do that will help? A: You are clearly doing something right as you say you are…
Why the best Shots start out as rough shooters
Very often you will see a person’s true character when you drive game over them on a peg. It’s difficult for anyone to hide it. If you are greedy, lack respect for your quarry or have a tendency to moan, it’s likely to show. We can learn a lot about…
How can I reload my shotgun swiftly with cold, frozen fingers?
Q: Can you recommend a way to reload a shotgun quickly that does not compromise safety? I’m all thumbs when the weather gets colder and was wondering if a stuffer or a reloading aid would be a good idea? A: This is a question I am asked time and time…
Five places to go clay pigeon shooting in Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a county of high downlands combined with wide valleys and offers shooters exciting variety. If you’re after somewhere to shoot clays in the country, here’s a list of shooting grounds in Wiltshire. We’ve deliberately included diverse experiences – some grounds are small and run by volunteers whilst others…