Checking Lead

[Robo]

Over the last few months Ive picked up a nasty habit of checking my lead when swinging through a target which causes me to miss.I just dont know why Ive started doing this and cant seem to get my self to stop doing it , any advice on how to get over this would be a great help guys . Many thanks Rob

 

[Fuzrat]

Will be watching this with interest, happened today. Longish l-r chondel followed by a teal nailed the first 2 pairs then checked the picture on the chondel on the next 2 pairs, missed /wp-content/forum-smileys/sf-frown.gif 2 birds away on a stand I was cruising. Think thats why I struggle on the longer crossers too, as Wylye has said somewhere else on here "you measure you miss" Bloody hard to stop doing it. I think the way to do it would be hard focus on the clay but its tough to not take a little peek at the barrels.

 

[Robo]

Yes Fuzz ..its the longer range targets that I do the checking  /wp-content/forum-smileys/sf-frown.gif Rob

 

[Will Hewland]

Im a measurer and proud of it!Its all terminology. How can you possibly hit long targets without measuring or 'checking'. You have to be conscious of the lead to hit the clay. It's only when you move the gun more slowly than before that it causes a miss. It's all about measuring but consciously maintaining the right speed through the swing at the same time. It's not 'if you measure you miss'. It's 'if you slow up or stop you miss' in my opinion.CSC3

 

[Outlaw]

I dont measure lead, I trust what it says on the cartridge case /wp-content/forum-smileys/sf-wink.gif

 

[Salopian]

That's why I call it Leed /wp-content/forum-smileys/sf-laugh.gif

 

[Fuzrat]

How do you measure Clever? keep hard focused on the clay and have the barrels in the peripheral vision or flick from bird to barrel and back?I see your point of needing to measure on the longer stuff but maybe its the method of measuring Robo and I are using that is causing us problems.

 

[Hamster]

I measure lead all the time, even on swing through. As Clever says it' s not the measuring itself that causes misses but if you try to be too clinical with it, that can cause minuscule hesitation. It's an unfortunate fact that it happens more on long birds because by definition we're all that tiny bit more about worried about missing harder stuff.

 

[Hamster]

Fuzrat said:

How do you measure Clever? keep hard focused on the clay and have the barrels in the peripheral vision or flick from bird to barrel and back?/////////////////////////   I know I'm not clever/wp-content/forum-smileys/sf-laugh.gif/wp-content/forum-smileys/sf-laugh.gif as such but measuring lead is being aware of what the sight picture looks like the instant you pull the trigger. It's a combination of seeing a gap and/or being in tune with the bead/bird relationship with swing through for instance. If I get a poor front break on a fast high quartering bird I'll try a nano second earlier trigger pull on the next bird. This almost always results in pulverised birds. Those who watch silly trap target videos who disprove this are not yet born, simples./wp-content/forum-smileys/sf-cool.gif

 

[optima]

I suppose i measure,or am at least aware of the relationship between barrels and target and if i,ve killed the first couple and miss i am usually aware of where i,ve missed as i,ve registered the gap being bigger or smaller,in my pherical vision, it,s when you start hanging on to check the sight picture that it starts going wrong, see the lead and squeeze,easier said than done though.

 

[Will Hewland]

Hmm. Had to have a think about this, following my finger around the room, then playing a shooting game on my iPhone to see what I do!I stare at the target until I pass through it. Then my eye shifts to the barrel bead which is how it remains until the clay is dead-or lost.. However, my focal distance is always at the clay distance. I am staring at the point in the sky that I need to get to before pulling the trigger. That's probably as well as I can describe it..CheersCSC3

 

[Will Hewland]

OK. Scrap the post above!!! Just been out shooting at RBSS and took note of what I do. I focus on the clay and nothing but the clay. All measuring / positioning of the barrel is in peripheral vision. Confirmed. Sorry! Mind you, judging by my score, you might want to try my earlier suggestion/wp-content/forum-smileys/sf-laugh.gif/wp-content/forum-smileys/sf-embarassed.gif CSC3

 

[Robo]

Thanks for your input on this thread gents /wp-content/forum-smileys/sf-smile.gif ...  I think that when I swing through a target I then check the distance from the target to the bead which causes me to briefly slow down and then I end up missing behind, over thinking the shot ??? Its something that I have to work on me thinks Many thanksRob

 

[Fuzrat]

Bit of a "eureka" moment when I read this earlier. I think when I check I look at the barrel then back again and when I hit its the barrels are just "there" I'm aware of them but not really seeing them. Next time out will just hard focus on the clay and let the barrels do as they please without checking up on thier progress /wp-content/forum-smileys/sf-smile.gif

 

[VicW]

I have always understood that if the gun fits you and your mount is right then the gun will shoot where you are looking.The amount of rib you see when you look at the barrels is a personal,style choice.Therefore,when shooting,you hard focus on the clay,be unaware of the barrels and work out your lead by your chosen method.I mostly shoot pull-away and am not aware of the barrels or bead.Having said that,I ain't no Digweed!. Vic.

 

[GavB]

Fuzrat said:

Bit of a "eureka" moment when I read this earlier. I think when I check I look at the barrel then back again and when I hit its the barrels are just "there" I'm aware of them but not really seeing them. Next time out will just hard focus on the clay and let the barrels do as they please without checking up on thier progress /wp-content/forum-smileys/sf-smile.gif

 have to agree with this, I suffer the same as Rob and cant get out of the habit, on the rare occasion i suprise myself and do well, lead takes care of itself. i am aware of the barrels but they will be in the right place with no conscious thought

 

[hnachaj]

Always hard focus on the target! Don't worry about anything else, why? When you catch a ball, do you look at your hand or the ball? Cricket, the bat or the ball? Tennis, the racket or the ball?. After shooting so many clays, our subconscience has a memory of targets. You need to focus on the target and "use the force" to let your subconscience do everything else! Your subconscience will use the method of shooting that is required. "If you think, you stink"! Also, because you are focused on the target, it WILL appear larger and slower! You will be in the zone! This is the best method to kill targets. Why, because it works when you hunt wild birds. You don't have time to think, you react and kill the bird! Please have somebody proove me wrong!  My hunting shotgun does not even have a sight. I can count on one hand minus a finger, how many birds I have missed last fall when shooting several thousand! The Lone Canadian,Henry/wp-content/forum-smileys/sf-wink.gif

 

[** Pending Removal **]

Oh balls Hen......... You got in before me I always use the tennis ball scenario with clients that I coach.Also on long crossers people tend to spot shoot ........ They think 6ft lead.......and go to that point. TOOTHACHE!!!!!!!!!

 

[ROBERT6500]

Long crossers, and as most on here will know that we have a few of these at Wylye./wp-content/forum-smileys/sf-laugh.gif I always use the term in my head "touch 'n' push" a form of pull away.Hard focus on the clay so much you can almost read the CCI written on the clay, then touch it and just push away to the right or left while still staring at the clay. If your still behind it then you have to push your Peripheral Acceptance further as the average shooter has only about 2 1/2 to 3ft of P.A.So get on it (touch) and push away keeping total focus on the clay the whole time but push away until your instinct says it's too bloody far, then squeeze the trigger while still smooothly (yes three O's) pushing. If you like, try and miss it in front.Trust your instincts to push it far enough and pull the trigger. Your instincts are far better that you/we are so use them, never fight them but accept them. It's why so many shooters hit the first pair and miss the second. The first pair were shot by instinct the second pair were being shot with thought, don't think/analyse just shoot. If it's good enough for Ben Husthwait and Becky Bream it's good enough for you./wp-content/forum-smileys/sf-wink.gif