# Tips on wingshooting?



## fishndinty (Feb 13, 2010)

Guys,
As those of you who are on this forum know, I am not a great wingshot.

Any tips for how to aim or swing that will help me?


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## ngaduck (Feb 13, 2010)

Shoot sporting clays regularly during the off season


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## turky93 (Feb 13, 2010)

Practice. Lots and lots of practice. 
Thats the only way you can figure out your lead, swing, and follow through.


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## Dustin Pate (Feb 13, 2010)

Don't look at the bead and follow through.


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## BFifer (Feb 13, 2010)

Haven't tried but heard of a good way to practice w/out cost of shells. get a maglight that'll fit into your barrel, by a rubber shell for dryfiring and practice following the line between your ceiling and wall until you reach the corner. Fire at the corner and ensure you watch the light continue. If the light stops at the corner, smack yourself upside the head and try again.


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## slayer1 (Feb 13, 2010)

An old timer told me this some years back. Didn't believe it until I started doing it.  This really does work.   If you have mutiple targets coming in horizontally ( from right to left or vise versa) .  When you shoot start at the last bird first and work your way to the front bird.  My multiple kills have increased enormously since I started doing this.  I think the theory behind this is that you continue a consant motion instead of having to pick-up individual target every shot.  This work very well shooting sporting clays too.


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## zhasty (Feb 13, 2010)

First of all stop aiming.  Shooting a shotgun has to be an instinctive shot.  The way to do that is practice but crossing birds are the hardest you want to pic a specific lead don't do that just swing nice and smooth a pull the trigger just as you pass your target and follow through a longer heavier gun will force follow through.


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## Da Butcher (Feb 13, 2010)

1. Make sure the gun is the right size in the stock (LOP)
2. Try closing one eye, works for some, it does for me
3. Follow through
4. Shoot enough to understand your weaker angles/shots and practice them like crazy or avoid them when other shots are available
5. Shoot trap/skeet
6. Someone mentioned the instinctive quick shots. When I don't think I shoot better. Just mount, track and bang
7. Did I mention follow through. Probably the best tip out there

For what it's worth my shooting improved when I switched from a 26" to a 28" barrel but that may just be me.


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## Da Butcher (Feb 13, 2010)

slayer1 said:


> An old timer told me this some years back. Didn't believe it until I started doing it.  This really does work.   If you have mutiple targets coming in horizontally ( from right to left or vise versa) .  When you shoot start at the last bird first and work your way to the front bird.  My multiple kills have increased enormously since I started doing this.  I think the theory behind this is that you continue a consant motion instead of having to pick-up individual target every shot.  This work very well shooting sporting clays too.



good call, makes sense


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## injun joe (Feb 13, 2010)

Get a Red Ryder and file the sights clean off. Then hang some targets with fishing line in the backyard (I like coke cans). Hold the gun in front of you about eye level and fire without aiming, just look at the target and fire. You'll be able to pick up the flight of the BB and your brain will make adjustments to your aim point. This is a lot of fun, improves your hand/ eye coordination exponentially, and is a great way to introduce kids into wingshooting.


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## sowegaboy (Feb 13, 2010)

Make sure your shotgun fits. Close your eyes and mount the shotgun. If you have to move your head to look down the barrell, you probably need to try another gun. Always keep your head down. If you hold your head up to see the bird, you will shoot over your target. In my experience 90% of misses are due to shooting behind the target, and that is usually caused by not following through with the barrell after the trigger is pulled. If the bird shows no reaction to being shot at, you can be sure you shot behind it.


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## georgia_home (Feb 13, 2010)

My simple plan, shoot where they are going to be.

It's not so think as you simple it is! 

as the others noted, a well fitted gun and followthrough are important!

And knowing how to think the proper lead has to be 2nd nature!

This all said, I sit there more then half the time saying "What just happened? I was on 'em!"

same problem with dove too!


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## WOODIE13 (Feb 13, 2010)

Pattern loads, head down and swing through, works for me.

Or you can always buy a 10 gauge

JK


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## fishndinty (Feb 14, 2010)

WOODIE13 said:


> Pattern loads, head down and swing through, works for me.
> 
> Or you can always buy a 10 gauge
> 
> JK


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## DUhollywood1 (Feb 14, 2010)

fishndinty said:


> Guys,
> As those of you who are on this forum know, I am not a great wingshot.
> 
> Any tips for how to *aim* or swing that will help me?



that may be your biggest problem right there bud. You do not aim a shotgun at something on the move.


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## macdog82881 (Feb 14, 2010)

PATTERN,  it is always my biggest problem, esp. if you using diff. guns or loads throughout the season!


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## fishndinty (Feb 14, 2010)

macdog82881 said:


> PATTERN,  it is always my biggest problem, esp. if you using diff. guns or loads throughout the season!



I have patterned my gun...it's the hitting moving targets thing that is stymieing me 

FYI, after shooting a lot of shells this season, I have come to the personal conclusion that the Federal Speed Shok ammo patterns as well as anything, is water resistant, and sells for a good price.  I love those shells.  I have also seen mighty tight patterns from Black Cloud, as one might expect when paying for a premium shell.

Kent and Winchester shells don't pattern as well for me, and can't get near water without rusting out on the inside


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## Ole Fuzzy (Feb 14, 2010)

Join a club and get local instruction.  Chris Batha and others have some excellent schools, and his would have been a good prospect while you were in GA.  But a good instructor with some private time on the skeet range is hard to beat, you can really work on crossers, incoming, etc. that are giving you problems.

Pattern is not the first thing you want to test; rather, it is point of impact.  Does the gun fit and are you hitting where you are looking?  Most recommend 65/35 or 70/30 for the ratio above and below the target.

Check you private mail.  I know who can fill you in on clubs and instructors in the Columbus area.


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## Jaker (Feb 16, 2010)

I know it goes against what everyone is saying, but I shoot a very tight choke, a carlson full, and shoot 3 1/2"BB shot most of the time. I instinctive shoot if they are close or coming from the side with my first shot, but as they get further away, of if they are coming directly at or away from me, I shoot it like a rifle. I take my time and put it right on their beak. I'm not the best shot in the world, but most people I hunt with don't outshoot me on ducks. 

The best tip I can give you is don't get frantic after the first shot. a lot of people miss the first shot and freak out, and shoot the next two as fast as possible. if you miss take your time and make the next one happen, don't just start blazing


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## TDB (Feb 16, 2010)

I always try to shoot skeets regularly and that seems to help


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## jbrown50 (Feb 20, 2010)

When mounting your gun, bring the gun to your face instead of taking your face to the gun. Gun fit and gun mount most important parts.


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## Public Land Prowler (Feb 25, 2010)

BFifer said:


> Haven't tried but heard of a good way to practice w/out cost of shells. get a maglight that'll fit into your barrel, by a rubber shell for dryfiring and practice following the line between your ceiling and wall until you reach the corner. Fire at the corner and ensure you watch the light continue. If the light stops at the corner, smack yourself upside the head and try again.



Good tip,and looking at your avatar apparantly a trip to argentina will help too...lol

Im not that good dinty,but you definately need to hit the clays..Stan taught me not to "ready" yourself for the shot.Instead keep the gun down,and rush yourself to get it up,just like a real hunting situation.Wouldnt be a bad idea to have your gun ready on some of the shots too,as if you saw him from a distance coming to you..

Also dont aim with the bead like stated before,simply swing through,with the gun pointed in that direction.Instinctive..and keep swinging,dont stop the shot.

And last thing i learned is 90% of the time you are shooting behind the duck!So get farther out..At the skeet station the bird is moving 66mph where we are shooting.At only 10yds you may have to be 1-3ft in front of the bird.So imagine a bird at 40yds..you may need to be 10-12ft in front of him if he is getting pushed with the wind.

Different birds,angles,distance,and wind...all of that makes each shot different.It's tough man,but when you start getting it..ooh it will make the experience that much better.


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