My Left Hand

[steve204me]

Although a Game shot for several decades,(with a side by side, let me add), it is only a little over twelve months that I have attempted to shoot clays. At the end of May, I bought a dedicated "clay gun". An elderly Zoli Kronos, which I have taken to, like a duck to water. I found it a little muzzle heavy, maybe due to the 32" barrels. Adding about three ounces of lead in the stock, has the balance just nice. For me, at least.. My Zoli has an adjustable comb, so I am happy with my mount and fit, and I am hitting most of what I shoot at.

However, I have tried to use, what I am told is, a correct left hand placement, with my index finger straight, either alongside the forend, or under it. There is no way that I can do so, without experiencing pain in my wrist, as I turn it to the left. Maybe the trap style forend is an issue?

Being into my 70th. decade, I am of a mind to just shoot the gun as I am doing. Old joints tend to be a little reluctant to bend in a different direction. Is left hand placement likely to make a significant ( worthwhile) difference at my age? 

Steve.

 

[El Spavo]

Correct for who? I shoot with my left hand cradling the foreend like a baton in a relay race. Tried the finger pointing way, and technically it may be 'correct', but it doesn't mean it's the only way. Didn't really work for me, just didn't feel comfortable. Doesn't mean I wouldn't have another crack at some point, but there's more than one way to shoot a gun.

 

[Freddypip]

The idea behind the left hand being under the forend with finger pointing is to avoid it being unknowingly used during the swing - it's supporting the gun barrels not applying any sideways (or much less likley up/down) influence on them. if you use the left hand to drive or check the swing when twisting from the waist it can cause the gun to move in the shoulder resulting in a miss. The pointing bit is meant to work with the brain to help you know where the barrels are.

I'm sure a few will chip in but from my limited experience the left hand can take over the swing when you are near the limits of your core movement which is often caused by poor feet placement (and thus pre shot planning). The left hand is searching for that extra bit of movement and for right handers it is more likely to be on left to right crossers. Personally, when it does happen, I feel it more in the other hand.

So. I would forget about it but always make sure your feet are in the right place for the kill point. It you are doing that (and I expect you can tell if your left hand is moving the gun) then all is well.

The forend maybe a factor but I doubt it. Many like trap forends for sporting.

Finally, EL Spavo, is entirely right.

 

[El Spavo]

Thanks. Regarding feet placement, I'm in agreement with the above that, in my very limited experience, I occasionally find when I've missed a shot it can be cos I've not taken the time to move the gun to where I want to take the kill, work out how that feels with regards where my feet are, and set them properly. When it happens, it's cos I've been lazy, and rushed to shoot. Times like that, I probably unknowingly use incorrect parts of my body, like foreend hand, to drive into the shot... 99% of the time, once I've adjusted properly, I actually hit it! As such, I try to remember more to take my time and its starting to be eradicated from my game.

The upshot is my hands feel more comfortable with almost every type of shot nowadays, even if I'm not holding the foreend traditionally or mechanically "correctly" .

Oh, i do get the pointing at the target thing, and it is appealing, but like you, it just hurts my hands a little with the stretching, so I knocked it on the head for comfort. And I've got either 30 or 650 years to catch up with you, depending on how you read being into your 70th decade!

 

[westley]

I would suggest that as long as the left hand is in the same place on the forend for each shot, (yes I know we tend to move leading hand position on some targets ) it really wouldn't matter as long as it is comfortable. My left index finger does point forwards, but this is a 'leftover' from my game shooting and side by side days, when my left index finger would have been along the bottom rib. The only thing that I have seen happen and he still does it, is the straight left arm (again a S x S game shooter) on the front edge of the forend. This has the effect of making the stock 'longer'  and it occasionally bruises his upper arm. He does not do it on every shot, but has an occasional 'lapse' into bygone days with the S x S   !        

 

[balltrap]

I would suggest that as long as the left hand is in the same place on the forend for each shot, (yes I know we tend to move leading hand position on some targets ) it really wouldn't matter as long as it is comfortable. My left index finger does point forwards, but this is a 'leftover' from my game shooting and side by side days, when my left index finger would have been along the bottom rib. The only thing that I have seen happen and he still does it, is the straight left arm (again a S x S game shooter) on the front edge of the forend. This has the effect of making the stock 'longer'  and it occasionally bruises his upper arm. He does not do it on every shot, but has an occasional 'lapse' into bygone days with the S x S   !        

I thought you only pointed your finger due to your previous profession ? 

 

[westley]

I thought you only pointed your finger due to your previous profession ? 

Nah, that was my MIDDLE finger......................................through the flap in the cell door    !