How do I make him stop looking at the rib?

[Skeet UK]

Evening all.

So a buddy of mine that is new to shooting, has had some improvement.

He is a lefty with dominant right eye. Tried a shot spot, he has just acquired an easy hit.

This is not the issue though.

He admits that he looks at the barrels, even before the easy hit and he confesses he can't help it.

He also has issues with shooting empty space...but can still hit 50% on a straw bale.

Besides punching him in the eye...is there a trick to stop him looking at the rib?

I have told him he needs to see a proper coach.

 

[Fuzrat]

Personally, lose the easyhit and any bead completely and laser in on the bird, mostly stopped me checking. Caveat being I'm a righty with a right eye, might not work for a left/right combo?

 

[EdSolomons]

Early days, get him to switch shoulders!

 

[Skeet UK]

Early days, get him to switch shoulders!

This won't work, he isn't the most confident of chaps...just won't work and he has a left handed DT10 already!

The dominance thing isn't the problem...it is him looking at the barrels and not seeming to like shooting into empty space.

The easy hit, only went on yesterday. The hope was perhaps to train his eye, then remove it.

 

[SP Clay]

I've heard the same as Ed, might be worth a go ! 25 shots at an easy target see which shoulder wins!

 

[Hawkeye]

why not get 'your friend' to join shootclay so he can get knowledge first hand ?

 

[Will Hewland]

Just sounds like the usual problems for most beginners. No beginner is happy adding leeed and most want to line up the bead with the clay. Too early to worry. See if he gets better after another 1000 shells? He has to learn to stare at the clay by himself, or take up table tennis..

 

[Mick.J]

Get him on a skeet range! Station 1/2 or 6/7 get him to consistently shoot 5 in a row on each to build his confidence. Half closing/squinting his right eye may help. After all he is not going to learn to shoot overnight!

 

[EdSolomons]

This won't work, he isn't the most confident of chaps...just won't work and he has a left handed DT10 already!

The dominance thing isn't the problem...it is him looking at the barrels and not seeming to like shooting into empty space.

The easy hit, only went on yesterday. The hope was perhaps to train his eye, then remove it.

Sell it and get him starting off on the right foot! Very early days as I say; going to be a slow start which ever way he goes about it, and it will be better for him in the long run.

Even shooting it off the other shoulder won't be the end of the world for him at this stage.

Get him onto some birds that need a gap; if he shoots a load of stuff that he can shoot straight at to kill it will make progression even harder.

Nothing gets sorted over night!

 

[Skeet UK]

why not get 'your friend' to join shootclay so he can get knowledge first hand ?

Because 'my friend', is not great with computers and suffers Dyslexia.

@ED. Cheers, but it isn't the eye dominance that is the problem, so changing shoulders won't help.

I say new to shooting as it has only been about 6 months. I have managed to bring him on a bit, with some hard work on his part, so it isn't all bad...and I know he can hit 40/70 on a straw bale...so I know he has a concept of lead...but by his own admission he looks at the barrels.

He does tend to pre mount a lot. He hasn't quite mastered his gun mount yet. I think the gun is a touch long in the stock, and possibly low in the comb, but one has to be patient with these things

.

I am hoping that once he can be confident and consistent, gun down, that he will become more instinctive.

 

[Hawkeye]

Is the eye dominance diagnosis accurate?

 

[Emmsy]

im with ed on this one, anyone with a dominant eye needs to shoot from that shoulder. simples

 

[Harley]

If this is your mate, who I met at JJ's he seemed to be doing ok considering he's only been shooting 3 months more than me

I'd say stick with it, he's doing ok

 

[Alan Maughan]

Ive been shooting little over 6 months and only a month with my own gun. Until a month ago I thought I had eye dominance problems and again I looked down the barrels as I had shot rifles for years, I was always switching my vision between the rib/bead and the clay.

See if you/he can borrow an Arrow Laser Shot.

I found that by dry mounting at home by staring into the corner of a room/specific point then activiating the laser has quickly trained my eye to look at the target not the barrels. Again I had problems with lead/shooting into empty space, stand 4 on skeet very quickly helped me to accept shooting into space.

 

[Jan Powell]

I agree, shoot from the other shoulder. He is at the right stage in his shooting career to learn. Beads, patches on glasses and other techniques are fine but they're a compromise. Learn to shoot from the other shoulder (which isn't as difficult as it may seem once you're over the 'I can't do this phase') and he'll have a solid foundation upon which to learn.

 

[GavB]

definately make sure he is left eye dominant and not centre as changing shoulders wont help, also it may not be perminent as it does change

also the dry mounting, get an arrow laser shot or a cheap maglite or mount in the mirror. try to avoid doing this without these items as every time he mounts he will be looking at the bead/barrels to see if he is looking down the side or seeing enough rib and this habit will transfer itself on to the course

 

[Salopian]

He's already spent a fair sum of money on a gun. So go and get tuition off a competent instructor.

 

[Lesley]

My husband shoots right shoulder, with a dominant left eye. It is very hard for any adult who has so much going on on the right side of his body to suddenly try to do things left handed, it ain't normal. I tried shooting right handed when I started but, being left handed found it very awkward and so persevered with shooting left handed and am glad I did.

I also have trouble with my eyes. I am left handed, left eye dominant but still see either double barrels or double target with both eyes open. I have an eye dominance patch from TopGun. It's bigger than a sure spot, which I couldn't get on with, and fits on top of my shooting glasses. I can walk around normally with it up and then just bring it down to shoot and it works for me. Scores have increased since using it. Hubby has an easy hit bead and an average of 60% after 10 months shooting & has recently talked about maybe losing the easy hit as he thinks maybe he could now manage without it. Tell your friend it's early days, stick to the shoulder he is comfortable with and try something to completely block the right eye whilst shooting, & to carry on practicing. I've seen plenty of so called experts lately who don't often see above 50%

 

[Dog Tyred]

My 14 year old lad is a lefty (with a dominent left eye) but shoots right handed (closing his left eye). Fitted a Easyhit bead but he still feels the need to close his left eye). TBH he is a bit ambidextrous; writes LH but kicks a ball with his right foot?? He's shoots quite well (39 ex 50 at sporting yesterday and 21 at DTL on Saturday) but I keep thinking I must get him to try a left hand gun but not that easy as I only have RH guns. Bit expensive to buy a LH gun to find out he's better off shooting RH!!

I guess a visit to a dealer with shooting facilities is the only way to go really.

DT