Sight options on a shotgun

powdergun

powdergun

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Wing shooting has always been a challenge for me. I have tried and tried for over thirty years with a variety of different guns. Many have tried to coach me but for some reason it just isn t one of my strengths.

My question is do any of you use aperture sights or red dot sights in your wing shooting ? If so do they help with people like me and if so what are some of your recommendations ?

Thanks
 
I think something like a fiber optic like Smcx said or a red dot would be easier and quicker then an aperture sight , I base this on use of ghost ring sights shooting clays , it seems like you tend to line up on the clay with them instead of putting it where it's going to be , leading would be a lot easier with a red dot or just a front bead . YMMV
 
The first thing to confirm is which one of your eyes is dominant. In most cases when the shooter is truly horrible it's because they are shooting with their weak eye! If you are right handed but left eye dominant then you need to be shooting off your left shoulder! Once you know which eye is dominant, the next step is gun fit. If the gun isn't pointing where you are looking you will never do your best. Forgot sights, optics or fancy beads...they are all distractions! Make sure the gun fits you, focus on the target and practice lots!
 
a lot of people pause before the squeeze instead of continuing with their swing/follow through, a good fiber optic/ hi vis bead is all you need.
 
Honestly, I think fit is the most important factor. You're not aiming, you're pointing. It's intuitive shooting, like a recurve not like a compound bow.
 
My major problems occur with leading crossing or quartering targets. Targets that pop up and require a fast shot are easier for me to hit. I was told this is refered to as snap shooting.

It is funny that shots where I don't think and just shoot seem to go a lot better. If I have a lot of time to line up on a bird I seem to miss. I guess it just needs a box of clays and a bucket of shells and have at it. As for fit I had an old mossberg 500 that didn't make me look totally incompetent . Are the new ones the same dimensions as they were 20 years ago ?
 
powdergun said:
My major problems occur with leading crossing or quartering targets. Targets that pop up and require a fast shot are easier for me to hit. I was told this is refered to as snap shooting.
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This is a very common problem with new shotgunners. Is there a sporting clays or skeet club near you? If there is,join,and you'll get tips from the regulars that will help you a ton.
 
I have the same problem. I shot rifle & hand gun for many years before shooting shotguns.

I have to concentrate on not aiming, keeping my head down, not stopping my swing & above all focusing on the clay bird.

I will never be a great shot with a shotgun (seventy year old eyes don't help) but if I can break better than 20 birds in a round of skeet I'm happy. ;)
 
stubblejumper said:
You don't even need a bead for wing shooting, let alone sights, which would be a hindrance.
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This. You're a rifle shooter, aren't you. You do not need a sight on a shotgun. The sight makes you focus on putting the sight on the target, which in wingshooting will guarantee a miss.

Think about snowball fights when you were a kid. You could nail another kid easily when he was running, because you knew enough to lead him the right amount. You didn't line anything up, you threw it.

Step one is to actually spend the time with a patterning board and someone who knows how to hold a shotgun. When you mount the gun, everything should be aligned to where you are looking. This will figure out where the gun is hitting in relation to where you are looking. Guns can be adjusted.

Step two, once you know that you are hitting where you're looking, is to practice on moving targets. Trap is a good start, then move to skeet. Again, get someone who knows what they're doing. You need up to 3-4 FEET of lead on the skeet field. It's a hard thing to instill into your brain.
 
You don't need a sight, you need practice. Go to the skeet range when it is quiet... start on station one and shoot only high house clays... Stay on station one until you are consistently breaking the high house.... then move to station 2 and only shoot high house... don't move to the next station until you are breaking consistently... after station 4, move to station 7 and shoot only low house... when you are consistent move back to station 6 shooting only lowhouse, keep going until you are back at station four shooting lowhouse... bring a flat of light target loads and a friend to pull birds... in no time you will get a feel for the lead and follow through... make sure to keep the muzzle moving with the bird.

Do this as many times as it takes.

When you are comfortable, shoot regular rounds with the guys...
 
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