>>>Those who truly want to improve their shooting never stop questioning the status quo. They try new things, and keep records to separate what really has helped from what didn't.<<<
Indeed. I've read about this question on several threads on here lately, and I guess I am unusual in how I expect a shotgun to shoot. I agree that your unconscious mind must have some point of reference while you focus on the target with your conscious mind, but I've always thought that point should be the front bead. I want my eye looking down the rib and not seeing it at all, and if I have to see the rib to hit the target, then in my opinion the gun shoots low and is flawed. It would be similar to shooting a handgun with iron sights and having to raise or lower the front sight in relation to the rear sight - you can do it and hit the target, but you will always be estimating your sight picture. If I want to be consistent, I need to be able to put the front sight level with the rear sight. When shooting a shotgun, I want it to shoot parallel to the rib. A 60/40 pattern is fine, but if you have to see part of the rib to hit the target then my way of thinking is that the gun is shooting low.
When I was growing up, two of my favorite pastimes were playing basketball and shooting a shotgun. I decided when I was pretty young that everything needed to be square and parallel for any precision task. In basketball, shooting free throws are a great example for my way of thinking. I learned to shoot them by putting both feet up to the line, thus ensuring that my body was square to the basket. I made sure that my nose was lined up with the center net holder on the rim and focused my eyes on that spot. I shot with my right hand in the center of my body, directly behind the ball. With everything straight, then it was just a matter of developing the muscle memory to repeat the same action every time. I could make 25 in a row when I was in the ninth grade, and can still shoot them pretty well at age 64. Most college players today put one foot behind the other and struggle to make 70%. If your feet aren't square to the basket, then its always an estimate and its impossible to be consistent.
With apologies to Ben Hogan, I used the same ideas in playing golf. Hogan advocated placing his feet parallel to the imaginary line to the hole, but only when using his 5 iron. He opened his stance with shorter clubs and used a very closed stance with his driver. I have to admit he was a fairly decent golfer,
but Hogan practiced for many hours every day. I decided I was much better off to just keep everything parallel all the time. It isn't hard to get parallel and square, but its difficult to be constantly estimating angles and still be consistent in any task.
Carrying those principles to the shotgun, I've always wanted the rib of the gun parallel to the imaginary line to the target. If the gun fits me properly, I can't see the rib when I mount it, but I can see the bead. Certainly, I can't focus on the bead and hit anything, but no doubt I am aware of it.
I have a couple of guns that require me to see the rib in order to hit the target. In my opinion, both guns shoot low and are flawed. I can still shoot them by relying on my face contacting the comb and having my eye and the front bead parallel to the imaginary line to the target, but if I can see the rib then its always an estimate to determine just how much rib I need to see. No doubt, lots of practice with the gun will help, but why not have the rib parallel and leave estimating out of it?
This opinion may not be shared by many on the board, and it goes against some of what I have read by sxs writers, but I've found that it works best for me. My Beretta 626 shoots parallel to the rib, and if I had to make a shot to save my life I would choose it.
A good day to all.
