Game/Ammo stance question

[Dot_mdb]

Do you change the way you stand or hold the gun depending on what type of ammo you are shooting or the game you are playing?

Today I was shooting skeet and one of the other shooters suggested that I was leaning into the gun too much (knee bent etc.) My one year of experience with shotguns has taught me that it is possible to get knocked off balance especially with heavier loads and I try to use the same stance all of the time.

Bill

 

[Kingcreek]

Do you change the way you stand or hold the gun depending on what type of ammo you are shooting or the game you are playing?

Generally, no.
I don't shoot trap and don't claim to be an expert on stances, but I shoot skeet and sporting clays (and upland birds) with a stance that is more on the balls of my feet than most shooters. I shoot from a low-mount and strive for a fast and fluid mount-shoot. Harder to explain than it is to do but it works for me. I used to call it "snap shooting" until I found that others apply different definitions and detest so-called snap shooters.
edited to add:
Your hard forward stance may restrict your arc or upper body range of movement.

 

[sm]

No.
I stand pretty much upright , left food forward , more weight on ball of that foot and that knee slightly bent. I shoot right handed.

Description for me is like catching me in mid-stride - natural.

Walking afield and a bird presents itself, just natural to come to this stance, smooth fluid mount from low gun, then "paint him" out of the sky.

I took up skeet to better and to keep my field skills up to par. I took on 5 stand then SC for same reason.

Same deal I learned with working with my hands being a craftsman. I figure it applies to shooting and most things in life. " Be comfortable and bring the work to you" Meaning - don't go the work and get all bent out of shape , contorted and uncomfortable. Stamina gives out quicker, being steady and smooth plays out quicker. Muscles twitch, get sore and ache, concentration goes south in a hurry.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Yes and no...

When I shoot trap, etc, my stance is more upright than when I shoot heavy loads or when the adrenaline flows.An upright stance is more flexible,a stance leaning well forward handles kick better and speeds subsequent shots.

I see some folks, including some VERY good skeeters, crouch. I wonder how the fatigue factor plays here.

As in most things, a moderate stance is probably best. I've a hunch that experience teaches proper stance for the shot.

For new shotgunners, I advocate pointing the front foot where you want to break the bird, and bending that front knee. Most new shooters seem to do better when they "Go after" the bird.

 

[kudu]

Trap stance is always forward for me, but stll balanced between my feet. When I shoot skeet I "wind up" a bit more to the right so I can go after the targets quicker. All my motion is from the knees and waistline. If their is any movement of the chest and shoulders it will affect your gun's point of impact. Remember skeet is all about movement and being smooth and balanced.

 

[Kingcreek]

Just to clarify, I shoot well upright but I come forward onto the balls of my feet as I mount the gun. I don't "wind up" and uncoil as much as some skeet shooters and I don't crouch but just enough to relax my back and hips and knees. When in the field after game I just shoot birds-stance? I'm really not sure. The hardest time I have is shooting geese in the field when my butts in the mud. I've been shooting shotguns at birds for almost 40 years. about 20 years ago I went to our little municipal range on the tuesday trap night with my shotgun and some shells to shoot real trap for the first and last time. I was shooting in my own style (mid-low mount) and breaking birds but the old flatulators there kept trying to get me to change my stance- told me I was doing it all wrong. They couldn't stand to see me shoot my way even if I was breaking birds. I walked off and never went back on tuesdays. later figgered out that all the fun was on Thursdays when the skeet happens. (IMO, those old trap shooters take themselves too seriously. cliquey also, atleast round here)
SC is fun and challenging and 5 stand is fast and humbling and nobody stops me from breaking birds to tell me I'm standing wrong or holding my gun wrong.

 

[Mannlicher]

Dumb ole me, when he said 'game', I thought he was talking about 'game animals'

 

[HSMITH]

I shoot everything the same way, regardless of game or quarry. Very much upright and somewhat narrow in the feet, but balanced and 'athletic' feeling. Narrow makes for fast weight transfer, fast weight transfer means fast acceleration of the gun and easy swinging, and also lets you change direction fast and smoothly. I don't crouch, nor lean into the gun, or wind up or any of that stuff, nor do I believe in it. I shoot in the position that free's my body up to move the most easily possible in ANY direction. The proof is in the pudding. Shoot a round sitting, and then one kneeling. If you shoot in a natural and free position standing your scores won't change a lot when you sit and kneel. If you don't you will suffer some really poor scores. Trap shooters are the worst at finding whacked out contorted unconfortable strain laden terrible positions to shoot from. 20 years of that garbage and they hit most of the targets and some poor newbie imitates it since he only hit half.......

Body type plays into it some though. A big fat feller isn't going to be able to point his toes just outside on each side and his belt buckle at the middle of the trap house and be able to shoot a hard right where a more athletic guy can easily do so. Shorter stocky guys like me (5'8" @195#) don't have to lean into the gun where a guy the same height and 50 pounds lighter will. We all have to take the best positions we can, and work around our bodies as best we can. Just don't handicap yourself with bad positioning right off the bat.

 

[Dot_mdb]

Thanks. A lot of experience here backing up great suggestions. I'm going to try loosening up and straightening up a bit.

Bill