Pre-mounting

[Bryn12]

Following on from the debate in General Matters I have a fairly simple question

In which disciplines can you premount and in which is it against the rules

Can you begin the mount as soon as you've called or do you have to wait until you see the clay

I grew up rough shooting so mounting on sight of the bird is instinctive but as we newbies to clays are taught to premount so I've worked hard on getting used to that, now I find for some disciplines that's not allowed AAARRRGGGHHH!!!

 

[Hamster]

Fitasc and ISU Skeet you must only begin the mounting process after you've seen the bird and not upon calling, DTL, ESP and domestic Skeet allow pre-mount.

 

[Will Hewland]

Pretty much only FSP and Olympic Skeet that demands gun down.

 

[** Pending Removal **]

Fitasc Sporting, Fitasc Combined Game and OSK yes you have to be gun down....but not for the other FITASC disciplines. You can be up or down for them.

 

[Bryn12]

Think in a couple of weeks I'll start on some skeet specific lessons and practice gun down.

A couple of years ago I had a short have a go session at the Drumlanrig game fair and was instructed gun up didn't hit much then asked if I could try starting with the gun out of my shoulder - BINGO!! for the last couple of months I've been working to get used to pre-mounting but it still feels a bit strange/awkward.

 

[Will Hewland]

Learn to do both. Gun up for targets that need shooting fast, like going aways. Gun down is fine for long crossers. That is the conventional wisdom, but find what works for you.

Personally, I have the gun up, but lower my face to the comb as the target is tracked.

 

[Bryn12]

Learn to do both. Gun up for targets that need shooting fast, like going aways. Gun down is fine for long crossers. That is the conventional wisdom, but find what works for you.

Personally, I have the gun up, but lower my face to the comb as the target is tracked.

yeah I can see the advantage of gun up on some things. Couple of the sport targets at Auldgirth you'd have no chance otherwise, very low with @15' between bushes to see/shoot and going like stink, haven't hit it yet but I will one day.

 

[ehb102]

I recommend a simulated game day. It's amazing how quickly you develop a gun down style minutes into the first drive.

 

[Bryn12]

I recommend a simulated game day. It's amazing how quickly you develop a gun down style minutes into the first drive.

Good idea, I think Forrest does them  :thumbsup: not so much a case of developing, more a case of scraping off 35yrs of rust 

 

[Dskize]

Being new to this I started shooting Skeet gun up ..

Once I'd had a bit of advice from a coach it was pointed out I was looking down the right hand side of the barrel, I figured out that if I was mounting the gun I was spot on it was when I pushed my cheek into the stock the problems appeared so I tried shooting Skeet from gun down and was scoring just as well/poorly so I now shoot everything gun down unless a sporting target that requires it..I don't think there's any rules that state you must shoot gun up ??? it just seems to be better for certain disciplines...I get more pleasure shooting from gun down myself it seems such a smoother motion..like you know what your doing ...

 

[Bryn12]

I think there may be a number of reasons why gun down work better for some people,

I think it clears the way for your peripheral vision to get on with spotting the clay early, then your foveal vision locks on and your autonomics can get on with calculating speed direction without your conscious brain having time to screw things up.

Of course this may not apply with the fairer sex as we all know how great they are at multitasking, whereas us poor blokes were only given enough blood to work one organ at a time.