Don Currie's Sporting Sentinel

Don Currie's Shooting Tips...

Nov. 8, 2021

What should you see when properly mounted to your shotgun? You should be “no lower than snowman” meaning that you should see the mid-rib bead immediately below the muzzle bead and no space in between.

Many shooters I fit have the misconception that they need be flat on the rib, with no rib visible at all. This is incorrect and will diminish your visual connection with the target. Other shooters, however, shoot with more “float” than others and see more of the rib, and that’s OK. Verifying POI on the patterning board, and particularly on actual targets, is the real test. If your shotgun shoot’s where you are looking, you are in good shape.

With that said, you should NEVER adjust your mount to make a shotgun fit. If you are, it is time for a gun fitting. Adjusting your mount to compensate for a poorly fitted shotgun can result in the formation of some very nasty habits, which can be very hard to break. If you have verified that you are shooting high when properly and comfortably mounted to the gun, you have three options given that your adjustable comb is already at its lowest adjustment: 1) sand down the top of your comb until your gun shoots where you are looking, but no further. Be careful not to encroach on the hardware inside your comb. 2) Raise your rib slightly by adding an aftermarket add-on rib.

There are a number of companies that will make a custom rib for your shotgun but you will need to have some idea of the height that is ideal for your fit. Using a piece of balsa wood to achieve the correct height is the technique I use. 3) Get a gun fitting from an expert gun fitter (not necessarily a stock maker) and have a custom stock made for your gun.

Don Currie is the chief instructor of the National Sporting Clays Association and one of the most sought-after shooting coaches and gunfitter in our sport. Competing in the shooting sports since age 8 and instructing as an apprentice at age 16, Don is that rare combination of Champion, Instructor, Coach and Gunfitter Don regularly propels shotgun enthusiasts of all ages and experience levels to breakthrough performance whether in the field or in competition. He also fits and equips shooters for custom shotguns. His instructional DVD “Focus – Movement – Faith” is the #1 rated sporting clays DVD on Amazon at https://amzn.to/3jEtt1u. For more about Don, visit his web site at https://doncurrie.com.
 

Pre-order Don Currie’s New Book “Gunfitting: Achieving the Ideal Fit for the Game and Clay Shot”

Don Currie is one of North America’s most respected gunfitters, shotgun coaches and an award-winning author. In his new book “Gunfitting: Achieving the Ideal Fit for the Game and Clay Shot, “Don delivers a groundbreaking reference work on the proper fit of a shotgun based on a lifetime of experience as a shooter, coach, and gunfitter. He takes the reader far beyond the pattern plate, to a detailed description of how the proper point-of-impact is evaluated on moving targets and how the shooter’s stance, mount, shooting discipline, and level of experience all factor into the final dimensions of the properly fitted shotgun. Don leads us on an informative journey into the stock maker’s workshop, the engraver’s studio, and the gunfitter’s kit bag to round out our understanding of the detail required to achieve the perfect gunfit. Gunfitting will prove to be a highly valued resource and a welcome addition to the book shelf of any shotgun enthusiast, instructor, gunfitter or gunmaker for many years to come.
Pre-order now at https://bit.ly/2UNkKBK
 

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