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2 years ago I drove down to Rend Lake, IN to take an advanced Sporting Clays Class from Gil and Vicki Ash. I picked up a few pointers, but the biggest one of the day was how to practice your gun mount to ensure that it's smooth and on target. For starters, make sure that there is a snap cap in the gun, and the gun is unloaded. Everybody was told that if you use a 12 ga. shotgun, to take a AA MagLight, put a wrap or so of electrical tape around it so it fits snugly in the choke tube, turn it on and focus it to it's smallest beam. Stand so that you are facing a corner of a room in the house, 10' or so away. With the flashlight on, and the gun held in the pre-mount position, put the light so that it shines in the corner of the room where the ceiling and walls come together. Now keep the light in the corner, and mount the gun (bring it to your shoulder and face).
As soon as the butt of the gun hits your shoulder, pull the trigger. The trick is to do this with the light staying in the corner and not bouncing around. Once you've mastered this, back away from one wall 10' or so, facing the center of the wall. The corner should be 8' or so to your left or right. Pick a break point that's directly in front of you. Put the light in the corner, and as you are mounting the gun, move the light along the seam where the wall meets the ceiling towards your break point. When the butt of the gun hits your shoulder, pull the trigger. Again the trick is to keep the light on the seam as you mount the gun, and time it so the butt of the gun hits your shoulder as the light crosses the break point.
This doesn't have to be done fast, in fact it's easier if you really slow things down - almost to the point that it seems that you're moving in slow motion. Don't forget that you are looking at the corner of the room and the light, not at your gun.
Practice this 50 times per practice session and your muscles will start to develop a memory. Once you have mastered this, your gun mount will become automatic and it will be one less thing that you'll have to think about when you're shooting.
As soon as the butt of the gun hits your shoulder, pull the trigger. The trick is to do this with the light staying in the corner and not bouncing around. Once you've mastered this, back away from one wall 10' or so, facing the center of the wall. The corner should be 8' or so to your left or right. Pick a break point that's directly in front of you. Put the light in the corner, and as you are mounting the gun, move the light along the seam where the wall meets the ceiling towards your break point. When the butt of the gun hits your shoulder, pull the trigger. Again the trick is to keep the light on the seam as you mount the gun, and time it so the butt of the gun hits your shoulder as the light crosses the break point.
This doesn't have to be done fast, in fact it's easier if you really slow things down - almost to the point that it seems that you're moving in slow motion. Don't forget that you are looking at the corner of the room and the light, not at your gun.
Practice this 50 times per practice session and your muscles will start to develop a memory. Once you have mastered this, your gun mount will become automatic and it will be one less thing that you'll have to think about when you're shooting.