The Middle Stations consist of a single high house and single low house at each station for a total of 6 shots, all unique or 24% of a round of skeet (6/25). All of these targets are crossing targets requiring significant lead.
Three additional tips before we start that apply to all targets, all stations.
- Know where the center of your shot pattern is so as to assure you line up the target to be in the center as you obtain lead and trigger. Most skeet guns have a pattern that is 60/40 or more, meaning 60% of the pattern is ABOVE the bead on the end of the gun – which means when you shoot the target, the center of the pattern is such that the target is just above the bead on your gun. To determine where your gun shoots, visit the pattern board and either use the grease or mount a piece of cardboard with a center point marked and shoot at it, then inspect the shot pattern. Repeat and confirm where both the top and bottom barrels are shooting. If you feel there are issues, please visit Gunsmith, Inc, and discuss with Kelsey Doleo.
- Breathe – through the round, you should be breathing regularly. (Do not hold your breath.) Holding your breath negatively impacts your eyesight and may contribute to you obtaining the proper lead and follow through causing lost targets.
- Break Points – as you develop your skeet game, a reminder that optimal breakpoints are plus or minus 20’ to each side of the center stake. Targets are broken on the same side of the field as you are shooting. For station 4, the high house is broken on the left side, and station 4 low house is broken on the right side.
Station 3 – High 3:
- Stance - Use a stance that allows you to turn smoothly and completely with the legs. Right Handed shooters stance, facing your belly button slightly to the left on the low house window, left-handed shooters face belly button slightly to the right of the high house.
- Hold Point– 1/3 of the way from the high house to the center stake, level with the bottom of the window so as to allow your target acquisition and the beginning of the move to keep the target behind your gun at all times.
- Look point – Halfway back to the window up on the flight path of the target
- Shot Execution - settle your eyes (.5 - .75 sec), call for the target, when the target comes into your look point, begin your move, match gun speed with target speed, obtain 3’ of lead and shoot.
Station 3 – Low 3:
- Stance - same as High 3
- Hold Point – 10’ to the left of the low house window, level with the bottom of the window
- Look point – halfway back to the window, up on the flight path of the target
- Shot Execution – settle, call and when the target comes into your look point bring it across to your side of the field, matching gun speed with target speed, obtain 3’-3 ½’ of lead, shoot and follow through with your head on the gun. (This is another long incomer that requires a smooth, patient move matching gun speed with target speed, keeping our head on the gun all the way across the field.)
Station 4 – High 4:
- Stance - Use a stance that allows you to turn smoothly and completely with the legs. Right Handed shooters stance, facing your belly button slightly to the left on the low house window, left-handed shooters face belly button slightly to the right of the high house.
- Hold Point– 1/3 of the way from the high house to the center stake, level with the bottom of the window so as to allow your target acquisition and the beginning of the move to keep the target behind your gun at all times.
- Look point – Halfway back to the window up on the flight path of the target
- Shot Execution - settle your eyes, call for the target, when the target comes into your look point, begin your move, match gun speed with target speed, obtain 3’-3’ ½’ of lead, shoot and follow through with your head on the gun.
Station 4 – Low 4:
- Stance - same as High 4
- Hold Point – 10’ to the left of the low house window, level with the bottom of the window
- Hold Point– 1/3 of the way from the high house to the center stake, level with the bottom of the window so as to allow your target acquisition and the beginning of the move to keep the target behind your gun at all times.
- Look point – Halfway back to the window up on the flight path of the target
- Shot Execution - settle your eyes, call for the target, when the target comes into your look point, begin your move, match gun speed with target speed, obtain 3’-3’ ½’ of lead, shoot and follow through with your head on the gun.
Station 5 – High 5:
- Stance - Use a stance that allows you to turn smoothly and completely with the legs. Right Handed shooters stance, facing your belly button slightly to the left on the low house window, left-handed shooters to face belly button slightly to the right of the high house.
- Hold Point – 10’ to the left of the low house window, level with the bottom of the window
- Look point – Halfway back to the window up on the flight path of the target
- Shot Execution – settle, call and when the target comes into your look point bring it across to your side of the field, matching gun speed with target speed, obtain 3’-3 ½’ of lead, shoot and follow through with your head on the gun. (This is another long incomer that requires a smooth, patient move matching gun speed with target speed, keeping our head on the gun all the way across the field.)
Station 5 – Low 5:
- Stance – similar to High 3
- Hold Point– 1/3 of the way from the high house to the center stake, level with the bottom of the window so as to allow your target acquisition and the beginning of the move to keep the target behind your gun at all times.
- Look point – halfway back to the window, up on the flight path of the target
- Shot Execution - settle your eyes, call for the target, when the target comes into your look point, begin your move, match gun speed with target speed, obtain 3’ of lead, shoot and follow through with your head on the gun.
This completes our 3-article series for shooting a round of skeet.
- Baseline Station Tips (1,7,8) published in the August Newsletter.
- Transition Station Tips (2,6) published in the September Newsletter.
- Middle Station Tips (3,4,5) published this month, October Newsletter.
Next month stay tuned for an article on Shoot off Doubles at Stations 3,4,5.
Russ Naples
JCTS Skeet Chairman
NSSA Certified Instructor
Four-time NSSA First Team All American
JCTS Skeet Chairman
NSSA Certified Instructor
Four-time NSSA First Team All American