That's it! I'm getting rid of this shotgun.

R

Rugdoc

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It looked like a pretty good day for ducks so I thought I'd try again with this Browning Gold Hunter shotgun I 've had for about 8 years now. Every time I've taken it out I have been amazed at how poorly I shot it and I thought if I just got used to it, maybe it would work for me. I love shooting that gun, but I can't hit anything with it.

I had the extra long(for me) recoil pad taken off and made the lop the same as my Remington 870 and expected good results.

Well I had numerous chances to get some mallards today and missed every one I shot at.

I know from experience that if I had my 870 Express with me that I'd have taken some birds home. I'm no expert shot but with the 870 I get ducks and geese for the pot.

It's going in on consignment at my local gun shop asap!
 
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What do your patterns look like, and what kind of scores do you typically shoot with the Browning Gold?
 
if you don't have access to a patterning board, staples sells rolls of 4ft wide paper
homedepot sells framing lumber for a couple of bucks for a 6 or 8 footer
staplers and staples can be bought pretty much anywhere

and that's how you make your own take-down patterning board
 
I'm no shotgunner either, but have learned from experience too that I do better with certain shotguns over others. I am a left handed shooter due to eye dominance, and found that I can only hit about 40% of the birds on the shooting clays range with an over/under. I improved to about 60% with semi-autos and pump action shotguns. Looking at the different shotguns afterwards and talking with a friend that did a lot of sporting clays, he suggested that because the o/u had more cast and camber set up for a right handed shooter than the semi and pump did, and this was probably why I did better with them. They lined up better for me as a lefty than the o/u did.
The other thing that I learned reading up on the topic is that the shotgun's fit to the shooter is very important. Yes, lop is important, but so is the cast and camber of the stock, and the drop at the comb. Every shooter is built differently, but getting the fit right will allow your cheek weld to get your eye to line up behind the bead(s) better and help you with your sight picture and enable you to shoot better.
As mentioned above, patterning your load is also important, and is another part of the equation. Just like a rifle, each shotgun has certain loads that pattern better with the various chokes, than others, and some experimentation is in order to find that load.
As with other sports, a good coach will help teach you good shooting form, and the skills needed to become a better shooter. Should also be able to assist you in finding the proper fit with your shotgun(s), or help you find another that will fit you better.
 
They say fit is everything with a shotgun. If you're missing birds with the browning you know you'd hit with your 870, I suggest you find a shotgun that fits closer to your 870. LOP is only one of many possible ways your fit could be off... Height at comb, height at heel, cast...
 
Suther said:
They say fit is everything with a shotgun. If you're missing birds with the browning you know you'd hit with your 870, I suggest you find a shotgun that fits closer to your 870. LOP is only one of many possible ways your fit could be off... Height at comb, height at heel, cast...
Click to expand...

I believe you are right.

I've patterned it, aiming down the barrel like a rifle and if hits where I aim shooting at paper, but in the field something is really off.
 
they don't call it a wingmaster for anything else but what it is - had a BPS Field very nicely built shotgun after 1 season and less than a box of ammo decided it was time to sell it - i went back to an 870 and have not looked back. My current set up is an 870 wingmaster receiver on a newer 870 Remington Sportsman shotgun. Sweet jesus what an amazing set up - very smooth action that's seen lots of action in its 52 years.
 
Rugdoc said:
I believe you are right.

I've patterned it, aiming down the barrel like a rifle and if hits where I aim shooting at paper, but in the field something is really off.
Click to expand...

In the field, when birds are coming in and the pressure is on, you are not properly mounting the gun, and you are not properly pointing/swinging the gun... this is not terribly uncommon, it is called "buck fever" or in this case "duck fever." What happens is that in the excitement of game coming in and the shot becoming imminent your brain shuts down, focusing on the animal and short circuits your ability to focus on (remember, muscle memory) what you are doing with the gun. Fit "IS" probably an issue too. When you concentrate on the target at the patterning board, you make your body fit the gun, but in the field you don't have time (or the wherewithal) to wiggle your body into the gun, it needs to intuitively come to your shoulder with everything lined up properly. I am guessing that the Browning Gold does not fit you quite as well as the 870, in fact they do have a considerably different fit, many guys at the club are Rem-fit guys or Browning-fit guys, but not both.

You can do a test of this, by standing with your gun held down and a friend behind you... have your friend randomly and unexpectedly yell "shoot!" When he/she yells, quickly mount the gun like you are taking a shot at an unexpected mallard drake (pick a random target)... as soon as you are mounted, "freeze" and examine your positions, it is likely that you are contorted and misaligned.
 
hoytcanon said:
You can do a test of this, by standing with your gun held down and a friend behind you... have your friend randomly and unexpectedly yell "shoot!" When he/she yells, quickly mount the gun like you are taking a shot at an unexpected mallard drake (pick a random target)... as soon as you are mounted, "freeze" and examine your positions, it is likely that you are contorted and misaligned.
Click to expand...

That right there will help considerably. I would also suggest trying it with a slight variation.
Pick three spots, one to the left... one straight on... one to the right.
When they release you to shoot, have them pick which “target” your are lining up on.
Before bringing the gun up to shoulder, close your eyes. Shoulder the gun on target, freeze, then open your eyes.
You will quickly find where you want to anchor yourself by default.
Then adjust to where you would normally fire from when you are patterning successfully and pay attention to the difference.

In some cases some slight retraining of your muscle memory can be the answer, in other cases a new stock or gun is the answer.
 
You will get many recommendations as to "gun fit" ... but very little in the way of "how to" advice or explanation of what the various nuances are. All to often you will hear someone say "she comes up really nice", "I'm looking straight down the rib" or "she fits like a glove" .... but in reality, the shotgun doesn't fit them worth a damn

You can save yourself a pi** - pot full of money by a small investment in a good book, The Stockfitter's Bible, Second Edition by Rollin Oswald. "It explains in logical fashion and detail the interrelationships between shooting form, stock dimensions and a shooters size and shape. It outlines exactly how to go about patterning for fit ( not just choke performance or whether or not your gun "shoots straight" )

Try www. amazon.com stock-fitters-bible-second-edition/dp/1451570384
 
Quite a few years back, I went on a hunting trip to eastern Alberta. Brought a Winchester semi that was a hand-me-down from my uncle. The weather was warm and we shot the place up - getting plenty of ducks, geese and some Huns.

The next weekend I was back home in much colder weather. I dressed for it with a thick winter hunting coat. There were ducks flying everywhere, and I was punching holes in the sky. I must have shot a box of shells and hit nothing... with the same gun I couldn't miss with only a week earlier! It just didn't fit properly with the extra clothing. Lesson learned. Ever since, I've chosen a gun with short LOP when all bundled up for cold weather hunts, and it's worked out well.

Not the only factor in fit, as others have said... but a pretty big one that is fairly easily addressed
 
I believe the browning Gold came with a shim set to adjust drop at comb and cast on or off. At least the one I had did. As I recall you could use different shims or turn the one on the shotgun. Instructions in manual.
Neil
 
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