The Coolidge examiner., 1935-01-04
HOW T0:.,:,:.:.
S HO or.
By Bob Nichols
shooting Editor. Field and Streams

]
MO MAN can hope TO become a
very good wingshot II he lays
his gun away ten months in the
year and takes II out again only
when the autumn cunning season
rolls around. Especially In his de
velopment stage. the hopeful shoot
or needs practice the year round.
Much OF this practice can be what
Is termed dry shooting" That Is.
mere practice indoors with the gun
empty.
Dry shooting will materially
help you acquire good form and
speed IN your gun mounting. Keep
your gun standing handy In cor
uer Of your room, where you can
snatch II up for few minutes prac.
tice In the evening before you turn
In. Keep all shells for the gun un.
der lock and key where children. or
grown-ups with chldrens minds.
can't get at them. Never slip shells
In your gun in the house. To do
so is 10 Invite tragedy
Grab up your gun for few min
utes each day. Not more than two
or three minutes at a time. for prac
tice does you little good II you con
tinue after your arms are IA.
tigued.
Practice mounting the gun 10
your shoulder. Get so you can do
Il swiftly but gently. Never Jerk
Il up spasmodlcally. or jam the butt
hard back into your shoulder.
Bring IL up smoothly, pointing II
Instinctively at a spot on the wall
paper as IL comes up to your fact
and In TO your shoulder. then Civ.
ing IL the finer aiming adjustment
Just as you pull the trigger. Keep
both eyes open and see how grad.
ually It becomes easier and easier
TO point the gun accurately with the
tull power OF your two-eyed vision
Push the gun stock In close TO your
face so II won't be necessary to tilt
your head too far over to look down
the barrel Your gun butt should
rest clear In on your shoulder. clear
In the the base Of your neck-never
out on the arm.
Don't snap your hammers. You
may break a firing pin. Put the
safety on. You can practice pull
ing the trigger just about as well
this way.
stand erect as you practice. Not
stiffly like ramrod, but easily
erect Keep your head erect and
your chin down. To tuck in your
hin before you mount your gun
nay prevent you from getting the
bad habit OF craning your head and
neck out over the gun stock when
you shoot. Get the habit OF keep.
ing your chin tucked In as you bring
your gun up. and youTl find that
your barrels come up into easy
alignment much quicker. Mount.
ing your gun with chin tucked In is
simpler movement. Doing II with
the chin sticking out results In a
compound movement - your gun
comes up and your chin comes
down. Frequently they do not meet
at the same point. Your head may
be craned out too far over the stock
n the gun. When this awkward
strain is introduced. the shooter
frequently raises his head an In
stant before firing and up goes his
gun muzzle and he over-shoots.
With your chin tucked snugly In
your face soon learns ~ assume q
liked shooting position Face and
gun stock no longer try to 'find
each other in the dark" The hands.
having been taught their duty. bring
the gun stock up into the accus
toned position. where cheek and
eyes are all ready waiting to take
possession OF the finer adjustments
of the aim.
Hunters who haven't yet learned
TO assume correct head position be.
fore bringing the gun to shoulder
quite often get a bruised cheek bone
They blame the gun. Usually II
isn't the guns fault at all.
Good shooting form-and good
shooting. toO-results from q syn
chronization OF movement. and q
consequent elimination OF unfamil
lar movement and lost motion.
@. western Newspaper Union.