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naturally as possible – economy of movement and effort in all aspects of shooting. When you watch the great performers this is just what you see. It does
not look as if they are working hard at it at all. Indeed, they’re not. They’ve perfected their technique over hundreds of thousands of shots. They’re achieved relaxed control.
Instruction We have mentioned grip pressure,
Side grips like this impede your ability to lift the gun
Bringing the hand back reduces control but increases acceleration
let’s consider it in a little more detail now. We’ve said that neither hand should have a white knuckle grip. Opinions it may be noted vary beyond that. The late D Lee Braun, a legendary US instructor, used to say that one should grip the forend “as if holding a handful of eggs”. Some might say that was not hard enough as far as sporting shooting was concerned (although a less fi rm front grip may suit trap shooting). I think Braun’s point, however, was that some experienced shots sometimes hold the gun too hard (just as many beginners tend to hold it too loosely). Neither front or rear grip should be
Here we see the tip of the fi nger on the trigger blade (as preferred by some top trap shots), and the pad of the fi nger on blade (my preference). Some people use the fi rst joint, but this reduces control (unless the pull is very heavy)
It is amazing how many hold their gun in a way which impedes their shooting or is actually unsafe
Holding a gun well is not all about technique, one needs a well designed stock with good gripping surfaces. No- one can hold a gun properly if the grip causes the hand to slip forward in recoil because the design has been narrowed excessively to its front (a common failing). A poorly positioned palm swell
can also impede good shooting, as can a grip which is too thin, too big, or wrongly radiused. I am a Beretta user, but I have always
To hold a gun effectively grip and forend shapes must be well conceived
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thought the basic Browning over and under pistol grip shape a model of something near perfection for sporting and skeet shooting. I also like the Guerini and Rizzini semi-pistol grip designs (an evolution of the old Browning skeet gun designs). I particularly like the radius of the standard Browning/Miroku pistol grip – it is not too acute, nor is it too shallow, and, it is even in depth throughout its length. Hence, there is no tendency for the hand to move forward on fi ring. I also like the design because it is not too round in cross-section. It anchors the hand well without the need for a palm swell (useful on occasion, but too often
loose or too tight. Both hands must always work together, and you must hold the gun in a way which is comfortable and consistent. I often fi nd myself telling students that the front hand should do more work than it is doing. I sometimes squeeze front forend muscles to emphasise the point. This does not mean that the front hand should dominate the mount either – only that most people do not seem to use the front hand enough. In sporting shooting especially, its role is critical. One fi nal point, some have suggested that there should be some ‘isometric’ tension between the hands, ie the front hand pushes slightly forward as it grips and the hand pushes slightly back (imagine the action is made of rubber and you are trying to gently stretch it as you hold the gun). I have tried this when sporting and skeet shooting and found it quite effective with light guns. I don’t do it routinely. As with the other things discussed, however, you might want to experiment.
an addition to a poorly conceived basic grip shape).
I am not so fond of the classic Browning snabel forend. It’s not bad, but for clay shooting I think a rounded, but not too bulbous, forend is probably ideal (sides should be parallel, and it should not be too deep). This style allows for some change in hand position forward and backward without changing the fundamental relationship between the front hand and the axis of the barrels. I do not think that any forend on a clay gun should be too wide or square either – as was once a fashion. One loses that critical barrel hand relationship. It is also important that both forend and grip are more or less on the same line to enhance hand to eye co-ordination.
PULL! September 2010 | 41
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