doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Adjusting Point of Impact for vintage guns

Range update after firings both guns off a sandbag with the target at 15 yards:

The Mears, using 2 rounds of ARMAUSA (1 oz #7.5's @ 1170) delivered consistent, centered patterns, which suggests that the lack of drop at the comb and heel is at fault. (Or I am)

The Greener: 2 rds of Federal Top Gun (1 oz of #7.5's. I didn't have the box to determine muzzle velocity, but I'm guessing about 1200 fps)) patterned down around 4:30 on the target; 2 rounds of Fiocchi (1 oz #8's @1250) hit dead center with the wad punching a hole about 3" to the right of the charge. I ordered a case of Fiocchi 1 oz #8's @1250. I'll see how that works.

A visit to a shooting school would be my first port of call . Some one to analyse your gun fit , stance and mount as well as your sight problem . Without seeing you in real life any other suggestion is just that , a suggestion that will not get to the root cause of your problem .The answer could be a quite simple stock adjustment or alteration to your shooting style . But finding the answer is key .

Thanks. For the Mears, I think there is just not enough drop at the comb and heel for me. I have other guns that do fit me much better that I shoot fairly well if I pay attention to what I am doing.

I shot the Greener much better yesterday and the misses were definitely my fault.

Use strips of 1/8” foam meat tray attached with double sided tape to get the cheek weld you want
Cover with Dr Scholl’s moleskin

Easy, and reversible.

You described your use as pre-mount games,

Setting up where you feel the butt in your shoulder pocket, and a cheek weld that puts your eye centered on the rib, is quite easy.

Much harder when shooting dynamic games.

cheap ego massage...

at expense of fine guns...

could be considered as criminal behavior...

I am somewhat surprised that the fit issue is "not enough drop", but I am unfamiliar with a Mears and the Martini-Henry, I know only by the action, but I believe both are European, and that may account for higher combs on older guns. It has been my experience that too much drop is the issue, but that is with American guns. Shaving the combs might get you what you need, but modifying those guns to shoot them more may run into durability issues after the fit is accomplished. You may find it difficult to buy a durable gun with enough drop, modern guns being higher in the comb, especially those of Asian make. A older Wingmaster might give you an affordable and workable option.

He said he shoots trap and skeet (generally pre-mount games), and rarely hits 50% with these guns.
He shoots left handed with right handed guns.

There has to be aiming error, and in-effective technique involved, not just gun fit.

The angles and leads of American skeet are well known. Sight pictures get memorized.

People shoot high scores from the hip as example.

Many people cover up aiming error with heavy loads of small shot and choke boring.

All of which complicates building a good consistent score across the gauges.

I generally fuss with the comb at face and cheek using removable foam.
Then start at the shoulder pocket as an anchor point for pre-mount games. The foam sets the cast, and eye alignment.
If you build the foam up to get 50/50 vertical patterns, then the misses are errors along the flight line, ahead or behind.
You can push the barrels left or right by adding or subtracting a piece of material.

If your pattern board alignment is 50/50 concentric, then it’s your foot placement and swing.

In a 12, you don’t have to be that close at 22 yards on a skeet field to get a break.
But you need to see a site picture where you are in front.
On the in-comer’s taking them well out is a cheap fix for low 1, low 2, high 6, and 7.
Bigger pattern when shot from across the field. Covers up aiming error.

Presuming one uses the standard maintained lead method. And starts ahead to stay ahead until the site picture and swing position connect.

I once owned a Boswell BLNE, Pigeon gun. It came out of Australia.
I couldn't hit a thing with it.
Off to the pattern board to see what was up.
Both barrels were regulated for 18" high.
Think box birds, aim at the bird, the rise is built in.
I sold it to a clays shooter that had Briley add chokes, to fix the built in rising pigeon chokes

I should have kept it.

Joe

Worst possible advice. There is no way to build hitting consistency with several guns when they all fit you differently.

Yep.