It’s been said…”When the stock touches your cheek…pull the trigger.” From first-hand experience, I’ve learned where that works, and where it doesn’t. If I may, here is a second opinion on this topic.
Each of us has a natural, inborn talent, our ability to point at an object. The Churchill shooting method capitalizes on this natural instinct and quite effectively. Here’s an example. A covey of quail burst from the thicket. Time to shoot is short. When the eyes lock on 1 quail…point and shoot. When the stock reaches your cheek…fire. Let your instincts work. Because they will work. It’s reliable. You can trust it, the hands will naturally point where you are looking. And, it can work in the clay target sports on certain presentations, but not the majority of our presentations by any means.
Though it was more than 20 years ago, I remember well being a Candidate in an early Level 1 Instructor Certification class. During that class, we were taught the Churchill shooting method. We adopted and taught that method. Over time and a lot of hands-on use, we learned where this method worked and where it didn’t (like all methods). On closer targets, which were the Sporting Clays norm at that time, the method shined. But, as time passed, when the presentations moved further out and became more challenging, the method proved unreliable. Consistently. We learned that while the method’s instinctive move had its advantages, the disadvantages became all too clear on our score sheets.
Our sport has evolved and there are much better, more successful shooting methods to handle the vast majority of targets we now face. And those methods include spending a brief moment with the target (when we can) to confirm our sight picture…the picture we know will break the target.
Which brings us back to when to pull the trigger on a Sporting Clays target. So here’s the question: when the trap machine launches the bird, if you pull the trigger the instant the stock touches your cheek…and the bird/barrel relationship is incorrect (lost bird)…why would you pull the trigger and miss? Trusting our instincts will always be a good thing. But, spending a brief moment with the bird during your swing…cheek on your stock confirming the correct sight picture before the trigger pull…will raise your scores. Consistently.
In closing, some may point out that the Big Dawg shooters appear to shoot more instinctively. That’s because they do. And they also shoot thousands more targets per year than we do. From that repetition and many tournament experiences, they have logged a mental inventory of sight pictures they know will work. So they are a bit faster getting their muzzle into the right picture than Joe, Bill, and Sue, our weekend warriors. Nevertheless, the high scoring shooters I know, time and again tell me they want to confirm that picture before the trigger pull. Yes, of course, they trust their instincts. But, just before the trigger pull, it’s spending that brief, extra time on the stock to confirm their sight picture that makes sure…XX.
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About the Author
Dan Schindler is one of only 55 worldwide members of the Guild of Shooting Instructors, U.K. and is one of the most highly respected Sporting Clays and Wingshooting Instructors in the US. Dan founded the Paragon School of Sporting with one goal in mind. Whether it be for the advanced competitor or providing the basics to the entry-level shooter, Paragon provides the simplest, most practical and most effective Instruction, Coaching and Mental Training for the Sporting Clays & Wingshooting enthusiast. We promise you an enlightening, memorable experience!
Books
Discover a clear, direct path to quickly shoot better or competing at a much higher level? Check out Daniel L. Schindler's three books written in concise, simple, plain language that helps every shooter build a solid foundation, compete at a higher level, and takes the mystery out of their shooting:
Take Your Best Shot (Book I) is all about the fundamentals, a requirement for good shooting. This manual is used by individuals and some of the most successful middle school, high school and college shooting teams across the US.
To The Target (Book II) Builds on the steps outlined in Book I. Emphasises Gun Management skills when the trap fires, creating a consistent, reliable, trustworthy swing. Excellent article in Clay Target magazine and other positive reviews
Beyond the Target (Book III) is for shooters of all levels and filled with valuable information, clay target myth crushers and truths. Entertaining and a culmination 3 decades of Dan' life's' work as a teacher, competitor, writers and much more. Released June 17, 2017. Excellent review from customers around the world! Shipped to 8 countries.
From the Editor . . . Beyond The Target captures the very soul of Dan Schindler’steaching - unvarnished observations, thoughtful training regimens, and a deft, student-centered style that invites learning at every turn. Schindler writes that this is not a book of addition to the musty orthodoxy of Sporting Clays instruction. Instead, this is a story of smart subtraction, slicing through the tried-but-maybe-not-so-true gobbledygook that keeps shooters forever mired in performance plateaus . . .
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