Skeet Shooting Fundamentals
Second article in series by Russ Naples, JCTS Skeet Chairman
A Closer Look at Shot Routine
Last month we covered the fundamentals of skeet shooting and the importance of your shot routine. [Skeet Fundamentals: Article 1 is available here.] Your development of a successful shot routine can make or break your game. So, let’s take a closer look at the mechanics of your shot routine. This review is useful for new shooters and experienced shooters alike.
- What are the physical steps of a basic shot routine when it is your turn on a station?
The physical steps, in order, are foot position, load gun, mount gun, obtain hold point, move eyes to the look point, settle, call, track, match gun speed with target speed into the break zone, shoot, follow through, dismount, unload and exit the station.
- How do I select a foot position within the station?
Foot position is defined as where you stand inside each station. Some general guidelines are for your feet to be shoulder width apart, both knees bent with a weight distribution of 60/40 favoring your front leg. Positioning is such that you are able to swing freely, turning with your legs and not your upper body as you track, shoot and follow through the target. When shooting a double; the position selected should be the one that is most comfortable for breaking the 2nd target. Also, the foot position you select for a particular station should be used for that same station each time in order to develop consistency.
3. How do I mount the gun?
Gun mount, or gun fit, can certainly be a very lengthy answer. For this article, let's keep the answer brief. The gun mount should be one, where you bring the gun into the pocket created by your outstretched, raised trigger hand and your inside shoulder area. Then bring the gun up to your head which remains upright. A successful mount will be when you look down the barrel, your eye should line up with the center bead over the end bead. If you see the gun latch, back of the receiver or rib, you probably do not have the gun mount correct and it will not shoot where you are looking. This is where you need to visit a gun fitter, Instructor and or our onsite Gunsmith’s Inc. for assistance.
- How do I select a Hold Point?
A general guideline for hold points are 1/3rd of the way out from the window to the center stake and level with the bottom of the window. Beginners and older shooters may need to hold out a barrel or two further such that when the target is called, it does not blow by your barrel as you begin a smooth move. (Note: “A Barrel” means move the gun 1 inch). The hold point combined with the look point need to result in the acquisition of the target, beginning a smooth horizontal move, making the vertical adjustment as you lock onto the trajectory of the target.
- What is the “Look Point”?
The look point is where you place your eyes after the gun mount and the hold point are established. After you call for the target, you begin your move when the target comes into your look point. The look point for most stations is 3 – 6’ out from the window. This allows your eye to pick up the target more easily than looking into the window only to see a blur emerge, which usually results in you having to track the target down from behind as it crosses the field. Once you call for the target, your eyes stay on the target, and allow your hand eye coordination to track, obtain the lead and shoot. (Specifically, you do not need to look back down the barrel.)
- Before the shot, why do you wait before calling for the target?
The wait is somewhere between ¾ and 1 second to allow my eyes to settle at the look point and focus on the area where the target will first come into my vision after the call. When you mount and call quickly without settling your eyes, the target may seem very fast and streak by, which results in the shooter being a little surprised and then having to chase it down from behind in order to pull ahead to obtain the proper lead. This often feels very rushed and hurried.
- Where should I be breaking the targets?
As a beginner, learning to track, obtain the proper lead and break the target nearly anywhere is a great start. As your game improves you will find that better consistency is achieved when the targets are broken +/- 20’ of the center stake called the “break zone”. Further, we shoot targets in the half of the break zone that corresponds to the same side of the field that we are shooting on. For example, when we are on the left side of the field, High House side, stations 1, 2, and 3, targets are broken between the 20’ marker on that left side of the field and the center stake.(Note: The markers that are located 20’ to each side of the center stake are also referred to as the “2/3rds mark”.)
- After the shot, why do you stay on the gun and keep moving for what feels like an “extra-long” time?
For a single, after shooting the target and obtaining a break it is good practice to keep the gun mounted, head tight on the gun and the gun moving as you watch the pieces of the broken target. This is referred to as “staying in the gun”. Many misses can be attributed in part to taking your head off the gun, lifting the head even slightly looking for the target or beginning the dismount early because we think we are done and need to hurry along. “Staying in the gun” also prepares a shooter for the shots that are a doubles requirement where you track and shoot the first target, then need to change the direction of the gun and track and shoot the second target all with the gun mounted and head tight on the gun. The highest probability of success is when the gun stays mounted with your head tight on the gun and following through with each shot.NOTE: The answers above should be considered starting points for you to consider during your practice. You must make decisions for each variable and test how they work together. While there are many ways to break a target, the notes above offer a framework for you to develop a routine and a consistency for your shooting style that gives you the highest probability of breaking targets.Russ NaplesJCTS Skeet ChairmanNSSA Certified InstructorFour-time NSSA First Team All American
