The Coolidge examiner., 1934-12-14
HOW T0A.:
':':,,S;
s Iii % OF
By Bob Nichols

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FREQUENTLY one runs across
the shooter who declares he
could rot do good work IN the Geld
without the aid of the matted rib
on his shotgun barrel. OF course
all American double barrel shoiguns
have this matted sighting rib. and
there seems 10 be more excuse for
IL on the double tube gun But the
shooters who hold Enthusiastically
20 the necessity FOR the matted
sighting rib are Usually those who
shoos single barrel repeating guns
personally DO not favor a sight
ing rib OF any description. matted
or otherwise. on a slngie-tube shot.
gun. For two reasons
In the nrsi place the rib adds
weight 20 the gun And what Is
more 20 the point. the rib adds
weigh, az the muzzle v-here any
awkward excess weight should ccT.
tainiy be avoided. Added weight
out beyond the support Of the hands
tends 20 make the gun murEic-
heavy. unwielsy to handle. slow 20
swing
IN the second place. the matted
rib on the single tube tends 10 CON
ulanf too much attention from the
eye. Which means fAat In point
Ing and aiming. too much of your
eyesiEht IS unconsciously drawn to
the gun when Il should be concen.
trated on the target The eye loves
straight lines To prove this. stand
on The edge Of cornheld when the
crop Is only about q foot high and
casually glance az various spots 10
the aeld The nrSi Impression your
ere registers Is of the long straight
sighting line. Instead of only 50
per cent os your eyesight being con.
ccniraied on the gun. 60 per cent
on the target. and 10 per cent on
the area Immediately surrounding
the tHrrct-you may hnd yourself
deyoiing a fun 20 20 % per cent of
your eyesight on the gun.
40 man can hope 20 become
really ane upland wingshoi II bis
matted.rib Euu demands that much
% bis eye attention. IL wlil make
a slow shot az him He may Do
well enough when the shooting Ia
In the clear open spaces. But when
the cover gets dense and the birds
20 booming opt 10 twisting. turn
ing eight through the tops OF the
buars. then the siow aiming shot
has n tough time OF H. And many
a rsproachful look he will gct-and
descrve-fron his faithful old dog.
feel reasonably certain that
some ~ the leading gun makers Of
FpEiand have already recognized
this fault % the toopromineni rib
on the upland field gun. For have
run across a number OF their nne
douhletube guns that are made
with smooth inconsplcuoOs ribs
ground concavely on top. and en
tirely without the matted surface
that Is so likely 10 command an ex
cess OF eye attention. The ribs on
these guns are polished to the same
stain smooth fnlsh OF the barrels.
In aiming one OF these nne guns
one Is not at all conscious Of the
rib pulling" too hard on ones eye
sight.
of course. II ones gun does not
~ him. then can see why the mat
ted rih on top would become quite
necessary. But on the other hand.
" a mans uplnnd gun does not fi
him. then he has no business US
ing Il anyway. He will never real
Ire bis potential shooting skin with
snch n gun. and should take lmme
dlate Steps TO make the necessary
stock adjustments 50 that his gun
viii 1T
In duck shooting. especially on
high flying pass shooting. II is not
50 absolutely essential that a mans
gun shall ht him. II can have too
much drop ai the heel of The stock. 4
have long cumbersome harrels. and I
be greatly overweight. and yei he
can do good work with Il. Because
In this type of wingshootinr yon
have plenty OF time to adjust your
SELF tn your gun. You see your
game coming from a distance. With
deliberate movements you aim al
most as with q rife Your hold
must be very accurate because of
he long range. This type OF duck
yun Is almost mathematical in
strument But the upland gun Is
The tool OF an artist.
= Western NsssrAper Calsa