That Jarring Action

H

hube1236

New member
I am using 12ga * 2 3/4" loads to shoot trap at "the club." The guy "pulling" told me to plant my face on the stock and point. I went from shooting ten birds to eighteen right off the bat , but my teeth shook out of my skull and I began closing my eyes and YANKING the trigger on the last rounds. I did not hurt in the shoulder a lot as the gun body connection was better. I think that although I am resting on the stock, I am still looking down on the top of the bead (shooting high?).

Any help?
 
I used to have a real problem with cheek weld and beating the daylights out of the side of my face. I'd come home from the range looking like somebody had landed a solid left hook under my eye.

FWIW, two things seem to have really helped:

1. Not actually "welding" the cheek super hard. I just make contact now.

2. I moved my cheek further back on the stock -- closer to the shoulder. This made a BIG difference. My sight picture suddenly looked like it was supposed to (bead on top of the receiver). Also, with my cheek further back, the stock didn't slam as hard up into my face during recoil.

To get the cheek weld right, I also have to mount the stock a little higher in my shoulder pocket than I used to. I don't know how the more experienced shotgunners do it, but it sure feels better to me now.
 
Without seeing you shoot, it could be a stance problem or a gun fit issue. A properly fitted stock will not pound you in the face but as Elmo pointed out changes in your stance may reduce face slap.

As a first step, think about getting some shooting lessons and work on developing a proper stance. As you found out there are all sorts of people with good advice at the trap club. The advice however can be confusing and contradictory. Once stance and form are consistent consider getting some stock work done to ensure the gun fits you.
 
Like PJR said, it's hard to say without seeing you shoot. All I can think of is maybe you should try to firm everything up a bit. Think of it like this:

If you have ever been on a big rollercoaster with loops and corkscrews and stuff, they usually have signs that tell you to keep your head against the headrest. What happens if you don't keep it right against the headrest? You get a fast headache from all the banging around. However, if you lean your head all the way forward so it can't bounce off of anything,you can also avoid the headache. If your cheek face wasn't planted before, it was like having your head forward on the roller coaster. Now, it sounds like it might be like having it on the head rest but not firmly. If you aren't doing it already, plant your face good into the stock. Don't allow any wiggle. Lock your neck and shoulder. If recoil is gonna push you back, make it push your whole shoulder, neck, and head together. Now, did that make any sense? :confused: I couldn't think of a better way to put it.
 
Definitely sounds like a gunfit problem. It sounds like you are "crawling" the stock, like a rifle shooter would do to get a good sight picture. This can cause improper head position and cause the slapping effect. You should seek the advice of a knowledgeable gunfitter and have him determine what is causing the problem.

This will cost in the neighborhood of $150.00 and take about two hours. Best money you will ever spend if you intend to continue shooting clays.

I suggest obtaining a copy of Blacks Wing and Clay and look up a gunfitter near you.

Trying to shoot without having an expert check you out is like trying to wear glasses to correct your vision without going through an eye exam.

My $.02


Geoff Ross
 
Good advice so far, and....

Work on this right now. You may have already started to built a flinch.Not all flinches are shoulder related.

W/o seeing you shoot, this may be a bit off, but I bet you crawl that stock a bit when you mount. Try keeping your head erect instead of pushing it forward or lowering it to the stock. When you mount,bring the shotgun to your face, not vice versa.

Also, I'm certainly not a AA,27 yard shooter, but I can outshoot most of the trap pullers I know. Most of them know something about shooting, but they're not great shots nor instructors.

Also, does your patterning show a high POI? Most trapshooters like a shot to hit some over the bead, and shimming the stock and straightening the comb thereby may fix both your problems.You have patterned it, right?

Finally, there's a stick on pad called a Cheekez or similiar, a neoprene compound that comes in different thicknesses. One can use this to ease face slap and raise POI, tho too much may give you some L/R problems.

HTH....
 
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