Any tips for shooting dropping crossers?

[P1Fanatic]

These are rapidly becoming my bogey bird. Referring to edge on fast 90 degree crossers that never gain height and drop slowly e.g. following the terrain of a descending bankl. I always feel like it’s more luck than judgement if I hit them. When I miss I think I need to increase my lead due to it being a 90 degree target that’s moving fairly fast, but I think more often than not I am missing over the top. So how do people ensure they keep the barrels lower than the target as my brain seems to find it hard to achieve with any consistency?

Cheers

Simon

 

[MJJ]

Are you trying to take them in front of you? if so try taking them later - more of a quartering type then. start low, finish low. Without seeing the actual target and how you shoot, it is very difficult to really help. It could even be your approach, stance, gun hold position, who knows. 

 

[Bebo]

I'm no expert, but one of the grounds I shoot regularly likes to put on a particular target that is fast, edge on, perpendicular crosser that is moving towards the ground as it crosses.  To hit it I have my hold point much lower than the clay is when it passes the gun and then pull through the target intercepting it on its downward flight.  If I try to start at the same level of follow it downwards I always miss (I'm convinced over the top).

I suppose it's a bit like the way that I've seen recommended to take loopers - don't follow the curving line of the clay, come through it with the gun on a straight trajectory.

 

[Will Hewland]

I don't normally struggle with these, in fact I middled them at AGL recently; a fast r-l about 25 yards out and definitely dropping after the initial flash out of the trap.

I cannot make sense of being underneath it. All that is doing is compensating for incorrect line. It's usually swing-through method that makes this target difficult as it commits you to moving the whole thing in a straight line; usually parallel to the ground and therefore ending up above a dropping target. 

I let the clay come to the gun, go with it for a moment, then pull away, but on a downward line (about 20 degrees usually). I will be tilting my upper body over slightly to the angle needed, so I'm shooting it with my barrels perpendicular to the flightline. Now I'm committed solidly to the line, so I only have to work out the lead. Otherwise, you may be working out some horrible "spot the ball" point in the air. 

 

[P1Fanatic]

Are you trying to take them in front of you? if so try taking them later - more of a quartering type then. start low, finish low. Without seeing the actual target and how you shoot, it is very difficult to really help. It could even be your approach, stance, gun hold position, who knows. 

If there is time I try and take them later for that reason. Targets that come to mind dont give me that luxury as short window to take the kill before it disappears behind a bush.

I'm no expert, but one of the grounds I shoot regularly likes to put on a particular target that is fast, edge on, perpendicular crosser that is moving towards the ground as it crosses.  To hit it I have my hold point much lower than the clay is when it passes the gun and then pull through the target intercepting it on its downward flight.  If I try to start at the same level of follow it downwards I always miss (I'm convinced over the top).

I suppose it's a bit like the way that I've seen recommended to take loopers - don't follow the curving line of the clay, come through it with the gun on a straight trajectory.

I tried starting lower but that seems to accentuate the problem as tend to find myself coming up again to track it.

 

[P1Fanatic]

I don't normally struggle with these, in fact I middled them at AGL recently; a fast r-l about 25 yards out and definitely dropping after the initial flash out of the trap.

I cannot make sense of being underneath it. All that is doing is compensating for incorrect line. It's usually swing-through method that makes this target difficult as it commits you to moving the whole thing in a straight line; usually parallel to the ground and therefore ending up above a dropping target. 

I let the clay come to the gun, go with it for a moment, then pull away, but on a downward line (about 20 degrees usually). I will be tilting my upper body over slightly to the angle needed, so I'm shooting it with my barrels perpendicular to the flightline. Now I'm committed solidly to the line, so I only have to work out the lead. Otherwise, you may be working out some horrible "spot the ball" point in the air. 

Tilting my torso over to follow the descent of the clay is what I tried last and got me most success. Think I just need to spend some better practice time on these particular stands at my local club until I am hitting them consistently as at the moment a lot of it is just a mental block.

 

[Skeet UK]

I would definitely be inclined to "pull away" on something like that.

If possible, pick a "window" in the middle of its flight.  Like Mr Hewland says, collect the bird, move with it then pull in front. I would probably be underneath it.

If you want to ascertain how much it is dropping, open a cartridge box so you can look through it, and watch the clay cross through the box.  You will instantly see how much it is dropping...if at all.

 

[FreeShot]

 I will be tilting my upper body over slightly to the angle needed, so I'm shooting it with my barrels perpendicular to the flightline. Now I'm committed solidly to the line, so I only have to work out the lead.

Very well put - the devil is in the "dropper" part.