Don Currie's Sporting Sentinel

Don Currie's Shooting Tips...

Nov. 25, 2021

As a shooter softens focus on a target in an attempt to aim, the gun stops or slows down and the shooter misses behind. I’m also speculating that, at some point, an ill-informed instructor or well-meaning squad mate noticed that your friend was shooting behind targets and subsequently instructed your friend to “keep swinging the gun!”. Your friend tries it. The target breaks. A habit is formed! Your friend is now convinced that, in order to prevent the gun from stopping, he must add lead by pushing the gun at the end of the stroke.

Now he has a different problem. When he encounters a transitioning target, this “technique” fails him as he repeatedly misses high and in front. The reality is that, when a shooter’s shotgun stops or slows, it is the result of a lack of visual focus on the target, not lack of gun speed. To maintain proper gun speed, the shooter must maintain sharp visual focus on the target through shot execution. Otherwise, the gun will lose its pace with the target. If the eyes stay on the target, so will the gun!

One drill you can suggest to help your friend fix this problem is the “two-shot drill” on a target that is a slow-moving high-angle target that transitions at the breakpoint at about 30 yards in front of the shooter. If you have an O/U, use a Cylinder or Skeet choke in the first barrel and a Mod choke in the second. With the first shot, break the target. With the second, quickly shoot a piece of the broken target. Concentrate on ending the first shot at the planned breakpoint, watching the target break and resisting the temptation to push the gun after the shot. You can actually turn this into a fun and challenging game.

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.
 

Propel Your Shotgunning to the Next Level With Don Currie’s DVD “Focus – Movement – Faith”

Whether you are an aspiring Master Class competitor, weekend shooter or an improving bird hunter, NSCA Chief Instructor, National Champion and Master Shotgun Coach Don Currie will instantly propel your shotgunning to the next level and beyond.
Don distills the secrets of instinctive shotgunning down to three simple elements essential for crushing targets on the clays course: FOCUS, MOVEMENT and FAITH. 

The principles of sharp visual focus, subconscious application of lead, synchronized mount and movement to the target, shot planning and the mental game are all clearly explained and applied to guarantee higher levels of performance in competition and in the field.

As a special bonus for the sporting clays and FITASC competitor, Don introduces The OPTIMAL Process®: the pre-shot planning process and pre-shot routine that won him the National Championship title in Side-by-Side Shotgun. As a well-known writer and columnist for ClayShooting USA, Don clearly yet eloquently translates the essential truths of shotgunning into a proven formula and system for success.

Get details at https://bit.ly/3DhUu3u
 

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