Shotgun bead covering clay bird

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OntarioHunter

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First off thanks for reading the post. Pretty straight forward question, but I don't personally know any very well informed shooters to give me the straight answer.

I picked up a Weatherby Element SA on here a while back, not a trap gun but it will serve as a multi use tool, anyways I brought it out to bust some clays at my club and I'm having a rough time finding the sweet spot. To hit my clay I have to completely cover the bird, almost with the tip of the choke, therefore I'm losing it as I follow or lead.

Any typical sight I would lower it down to bring the shot up but it's a super small light pipe sitting very tight on the rib.

If I installed a larger diameter light pipe further back from the muzzle would it help, or are my mechanics so far off I need to just adjust something in my technique.
 
Have you patterned the gun on paper? I suspect not, so shoot at a paper target at 13 yards ... this will confirm where the gun shoots. Based on your comments, you should see 50% of the pattern above the place you aimed and 50% below. This is typical of a field gun. Hopefully, your gun shoots straight.

So, moving forward, to adjust the point of impact you move the comb in the direction that you want to move the point of impact. Assuming that the gun shoots straight and the pattern is lower than you would like, you raise the comb. If you don't have an adjustable comb, you can use moleskin. Moleskin can be purchased at your local pharmacy. Place a strip or two on the top of the comb only, don't put any against your cheek ... that will have the same effect of moving the comb to the side.

Pattern it on paper again and see if you get the desired results.
 
beretta687eell said:
have you patterned the gun on paper? I suspect not, so shoot at a paper target at 13 yards ... This will confirm where the gun shoots. Based on your comments, you should see 50% of the pattern above the place you aimed and 50% below. This is typical of a field gun. Hopefully, your gun shoots straight.

So, moving forward, to adjust the point of impact you move the comb in the direction that you want to move the point of impact. Assuming that the gun shoots straight and the pattern is lower than you would like, you raise the comb. If you don't have an adjustable comb, you can use moleskin. Moleskin can be purchased at your local pharmacy. Place a strip or two on the top of the comb only, don't put any against your cheek ... That will have the same effect of moving the comb to the side.

Pattern it on paper again and see if you get the desired results.
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x2!
 
In simple terms what Beretta687EELL .is saying is you need to raise the rear sight . On a shotgun the rear sight is your eye .so adding height to the top of the rear stock should help bring your point of impact up .
 
FarmerDanz said:
You look down the bead sight?

It works a lot better if you use muscle memory.
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It is often said that you should be looking at the lead edge of the bird - and nothing else, but in this case, the rising bird is obsured by the muzzle in the sweet spot - meaning that focus on the bird is blocked at least on a straight away, , so muscle memory doesn't have much data to work with. One thing that might work is to stop plastering your cheek down onto the stock. Instead, raise the stock to meet your face in the normal upright and relaxed position. This should have the effect of you seeing more of the rib - meaning the point of impact will be higher. Raising the comb may still be required, but this different mount is free to try.

By the way, many of the best shooters actually remove the bead so as not to be distracted by it
 
Beretta687EELL said:
Have you patterned the gun on paper? I suspect not, so shoot at a paper target at 13 yards ... this will confirm where the gun shoots. Based on your comments, you should see 50% of the pattern above the place you aimed and 50% below. This is typical of a field gun. Hopefully, your gun shoots straight.

So, moving forward, to adjust the point of impact you move the comb in the direction that you want to move the point of impact. Assuming that the gun shoots straight and the pattern is lower than you would like, you raise the comb. If you don't have an adjustable comb, you can use moleskin. Moleskin can be purchased at your local pharmacy. Place a strip or two on the top of the comb only, don't put any against your cheek ... that will have the same effect of moving the comb to the side.

Pattern it on paper again and see if you get the desired results.
Click to expand...

As simple as this sounds it's definitely the first step I need to take, I should be starting on paper to learn the gun. Moleskin will be my first go to should he POI be off.

I appreciate the guidance, i will post again after I do some experimenting.
 
Stubblejumper has it right, the mid bead is not a rear sight, the rear sight on a shotgun is your eye, that's why consistent cheek placement is so important. The mid bead serves as an alignment check on pre mounted clay target games to provide a repeatable picture for elevation ( stack the beads), left-right alignment and cant. It serves no purpose once the gun starts moving and may actually be a distraction.
 
Ashcroft said:
Stubblejumper has it right, the mid bead is not a rear sight, the rear sight on a shotgun is your eye, that's why consistent cheek placement is so important. The mid bead serves as an alignment check on pre mounted clay target games to provide a repeatable picture for elevation ( stack the beads), left-right alignment and cant. It serves no purpose once the gun starts moving and may actually be a distraction.
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That also applies to the bead at the muzzle, if you concentrate on the bead, it distracts your concentration away from the target.
 
Trinimon said:
I'm just learning how to use a mid-bead on my shotgun to help with aiming and how it works. OP, is there one on your shotgun?
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The beads on a shotgun are only used to confirm that the barrels and your eye are properly aligned and that your mount is consistent. Once you confirm that everything is as it should be, then the beads don't enter the picture again until you mount the gun again. Most people shoot off the end of the barrel ... they see the end of the barrel go through the target and then pull the trigger.
 
stubblejumper said:
If you are using a mid bead to aim when shooting clays, you are creating more of a problem than you are solving.
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I worded it incorrectly. Yes, just for getting consistent mounting to keep your point if aim consistent/repeatable. When I first started using it, I was doing so improperly by using it like a rear sight and trying yo aim it like a rifle by focusing on the front bead.
 
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