[speed3172]

I'm relatively new to shotgun sports and so far, have only shot skeet. I'm having trouble finding local instruction so I've resorted to reading anything and everything that I can about shooting form. My question relates to 'site picture'. I shoot a Beretta AL391 Optima Sporting. This gun has a mid bead on the rib. I've always assumed that I was to cover the front bead with the mid bead to ensure my eye was centered left to right and that I was looking right down the rib. Recently, someone suggested to me that I should acutally see a "figure 8" formed by the two beads....the front bead being on top of the mid bead. What should the correct site picture actually look like?

Thanks in advance
-Steve

 

[shotgunworld]

Hello Speed3172,
Welcome to Shotgunworld.com!
I shoot with both eyes open and wouldn't know there was a mid bead on my rib if I didn't see it when I cleaned the gun. :wink: The front bead is all I have time to use unless I'm pattern testing. It's likely you will get several different answers to your question. I would recommend that you do a pattern test and see which method is the most aligned with your shooting style.
Hope it helps and don't forget to tell your friends about Shotgunworld.com Forum.
regards,
Jay Gentry
Shotgunworld.com

 

[APEXDUCK]

With most skeet and field guns you should see the beads lined up as you described. The figure 8 alignment is normal with trap guns due to the high comb of the stock and thus helping to build in lead for the rising target. But as Jay points out most times you should not even see the bead of the gun. You should be focused on the target. Remember you are pionting a shotgun not aiming it. Dual beads are there to help remind your to keep your head on the stock (no peeking!) and to also indicate if you are canting (rolling the gun in your shoulder). The beads help as you mount the gun for skeet and trap to let you varify your mount is right before you call for the bird. Once you call for the bird you should be focused on the bird and not the barrel or the bead.

APEXDUCK

 

[ysr_racer]

Ditto what they said. If you're looking at the beads, you're not looking at the target.

 

[speed3172]

Thanks for the info guys. I have been told (and am trying to work on) not to 'aim' the gun, but view the leading edge of the target and trust the shot. I was mainly concerned with the bead alignment as a way to check the fit of my gun. I also do a quick check as I shoulder the gun, then open both eyes and call for the bird.

 

[whiteowl]

I did a lot of rifle shooting before I got into shotgun shooting and I had a time trying to get out of the habit of "aiming" with one eye closed and into the correct habit of "pointing" with both eyes open. What I do when I'm at home practicing is mounting the gun quickly at a fixed object with both eyes open, (preferably not out the window at someone's house), and then I will close the non-dominant eye and check to see how the barrel is lined up with the front and mid bead. This has helped my confidence in knowing where my barrel is pointed.
For the sight picture, I just look at my target and know that if my gun is mounted correctly, the barrel will be pointed correctly. Hope this helps.

 

[Guest]

The sole purpose of a mid bead is to check the gun mount. After that, it is of no value.

One bead behing the other versis a figure-8 involves an adjustment of the rear sight (the eye) on a shotgun. A figure-8 bead alignment raises the point of impact somewhere around 4" compared to inline positioning.

Parallel comb stocks are becomming more common for other-than-trap shooting disciplines. As was mentionned, they can make gun mounting more consistent and accurate as well as avoiding the higher part of the stock (comb) comming back during recoil and mashing the cheek.

The one difficulty in their use is that unless the drop at the crop dimension is correct, there is no way to compinsate, unlike a gun with a rising comb where the cheek can be positioned farther forward or back to adjust the drop at the comb dimension (to get the eye vertically aligned with the rib.)

The above concern is offset by the advantage involving the head's being able to be positioned anywhere along a parallel comb with no change in vertical bead alignment. With a rising comb, moving the cheek forward or backward to bet the eye aligned with the rib can screw up the effective length of the stock ( the length of pull dimension.) There is always the question, will the cheek stay in that position during swings to targets. If the cheek moves back it makes raising the head to see the target more likely.

When it is unnaturally forward, there is the risk that the cheek will slide back during swings. That will cause the bead/rib to be blocked by the receiver/action and also invite head raising to see the target.

Shoot Well,

Rollin
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