The Coolidge examiner., 1934-10-12
HOW T0A:':i.:.
HO or
By Bob Nichols
Shooting Eaitnr. Field and stream=

iuohtils, anu even years Dy neglect
ing TO learn how to mount their
guns. They watch good shots per.
form and get the idea into their
heads that the gun Is thrown or
lerked to the shoulder in a
conyulsive. spasm-like movement
Which only goes to prove again that
the hand Is sometimes quicker than
the eye.
Thegood shot has gone through that
movement so many thousands OF
times. both In dry" shooting prac.
tlce as we'll as In actual firing prac.
tlce. that he seems 10 make the
movement In a fash. Actually he
does accomplish IL In what seems
TO be a fash. but instead OF be-
ing jerky. coayulslve move II Is
q deliberate and well-timed motion.
Recently on one OF the we'll
known skeet fields In the eastern
part OF the country. | observed a
beginner stop shooting because OF
n sizable lump he had raised on
the under side OF his right jaw.
asked him what seemed 10 be
the matter. never doubling a mo-
ment that he no more knew what
was the matter than Adam knew
how to avoid apple eating women.
lie told me his gun was kicking
him. Iildlculously wrong reason,
because he was shooting 20
gauge automatic. and the slight
kick OF this little gun Is as gentle
as a lamb. knew what his trou.
bic was. But | was interested 10
know whether he could come any
where near analyzing his own mis-
take. pointed out to him that his
bruise was under his Jaw bone
where no self-respectlng gun should
ever bump. Then | told him what
he had been doing. lie was simply.
and stupidity. throwing bis gun
stock up against his shoulder and
jaw with such uncontrolled and
convulsIye force that he was lit
orally rattlIng his own teeth.
Such a trick may sound funny.
But II wasn't funny. II was just
a rather pathetic illustration OF
how easily the beginner goes wrong
In trying TO initiate what he thinks
are the motions of the good shot
Good gun mounting. as the crack
shot does 1t. is a gradual blending
and coordination OF two major ad-
justments. Seen In slow motion II
would be something like this: AS
the target flashes into view. the
gun begins to raise 10 the shoul-
der md to the cheek The head
remains erect. The eyes now have
the target clearly in focus. The
gun keeps rising carefully. deliber-
a;ely. And all the while II Is rls-
ing II Is pointlng-Instinctlyely-
closer and closer 70 the targets
line OF flight During this interval
the eyes are conscious only OF the
target. They are not yet conscious
OF the gun. The trained hands are
Instinctively taking care Of the
gun. Gradually the gun stock set
ties firmly. but gradually. against
the shoulder-never showed back
against the shoulder with force that
not only disturbs the shoulder sup
port, but causes the gun muZzle TO
wobblel Now the eyes begin 10
take command OF gun as well as
target. AS the butt-stock settles
into the shoulder (never out on the
arm , the head incllnes forward
slightly 10 check the rising comb.
Now In the last split second comes
the finer adjustment. eyes and
hands working together-and in a
Hasa the trained trigger finger has
let of the shot. That's real wing
shooting!
During the last fine adjustment OF
sighting. | estimate that the eye
sight Is concentrated about 30 per
cent on the gun. 60 per cent on
the target, and 10 per cent on the
Immediate area around and In front
OF the traget. Shoot with both eyes
open. OF course. always. The best
upland shots | have ever seen all
shoot with both eyes wide open.
You need the full power of both
eyes to see your game distinctly
and TO Judge angles. distances, and
flight speeds accurately. Nature
gave you two eyes for this very
reason.
But learn first 10 mount your gun
gently. theH "pointing-ly"-then
.'aIming-ly." Don't jump your gun
up spasmodlcally and then try to
find your target with your eyes
glued at the barrel breech. Take It
easy. You may be slow at first. But
begin doing it right, and speed will
come with practice.
G. Western Newspaper Union