Correct jump? Shooting at a stationary target Training in offhand shooting.

Of course, there are happy cases when, without any skill or “science,” the hunt ends in trophies, and sometimes very worthy ones. But in order not to remember single successes in long-range shooting, one should develop a minimum level of skill, when a correct shot would become the norm, and rare misses would be just a plot for hunting stories.

No matter how theoretically a hunter is knowledgeable in the field of rifle shooting, without shooting practice his “scientific” knowledge cannot be considered a reliable assistant in hunting and skeet shooting. Only practical exercises will lead to the desired result, unless, of course, you forget to apply a little “head” in addition to diligence.
Before putting cartridges into the barrels of a gun, the shooter must develop motor skills and remember that shooting itself is a test of how correctly and to the extent the preparatory work has been carried out - home training.

What most often prevents a hunter from making a quick and accurate shot is an uncertain raising of the gun to the shoulder. After all, when the butt plate of the butt is in the shoulder, a skilled shooter does not need to check the correct position of the head on the ridge of the stock, he is sure that the aiming bar is not open and the front sight is exactly in the middle of it and has not fallen through, which, however, with a correctly fitted stock, should not be .

Give your legs the correct position, find the desired angle between the line of the shoulders and the axis of the gun, place the butt plate into the shoulder, trying to ensure that it fits completely flat and, if possible, is as high as possible in the shoulder cavity, but does not put pressure on the collarbone. Eliminate the emphasis of the butt plate on the biceps and give your right hand a natural position (without pressing it to the body or lifting it excessively). The ends of the trunks should be at eye level or slightly higher. After this, find and fix the place on the fore-end for the left hand (with a sticker). The angle of the elbow is about 100 degrees, while the hand should not be tucked under the trunks, but should support the fore-end with the palm, being slightly to the left, and the elbow should rather be in a lowered state relative to the left shoulder, in any case below the elbow of the right hand. Lower your head onto the ridge of the butt (not tilt it to the side!), while slightly lifting your chin so as not to look from under your brows. If necessary, slightly adjust the angle between the gun and the shoulder line, the height of the butt plate in the shoulder, “play” a little with the shoulder girdle so that the front sight is exactly in the middle of the aiming bar (if significant difficulties arise in obtaining the correct aiming line, first of all, consult an experienced arrow and, if there is no positive result, start adjusting the stock). Fix the position of the gun, legs, arms, head and body. Controlling your actions in the mirror, and if possible without changing your stance, move the butt of the gun below shoulder level by 20–30 cm by moving your hands, trying to keep the ends of the barrels at the initial position (eye level or slightly higher). Slowly return the gun to its original position. As you master the technique, increase the speed of the exercise, lowering the butt by a greater amount.

What can you advise or recommend to a hunter when practicing a throw? Some people find it more convenient to lift a gun when both hands work equally to lift it. Here the vertical movement of the end of the barrels and the butt plate is the same. The initial position of the gun before the throw is characterized by a low position of the end of the barrels relative to the direction of the hunter’s gaze. With this manner of raising the gun, it is not recommended to lower it too low relative to shoulder level (no more than 20–30 cm). Otherwise, the result is a too sweeping movement with a predominance of the vertical component, which negatively affects further aiming.
Some shooters believe that it is more convenient and easier when almost one right hand works to lift the gun. In this case, the gun seems to “swing” on an almost motionless left hand, and the initial position of the end of the barrels is significantly elevated, “after turning” with the right hand it acquires a “combat horizon” at the level of the shooter’s eyes. The magnitude of the lower position of the butt has virtually no effect on the difficulty of performing such a throwing technique. But this manner of raising the gun is more likely to be typical for shooting at targets with a previously known flight path and will interfere with rapid shooting in an extremely limited time period of aiming. Although in some cases (tight seating, limited movement), this manufacturing option may be the most preferable.

In my opinion, the most rational and most often practiced throwing the gun to the shoulder is a technique when both hands are involved in the work. The left hand controls whether the end of the barrels is at a constant level, and the right hand is responsible for the correct “feed” of the butt plate to the shoulder and the comb of the butt to the shooter’s cheek. Here, the left hand is assigned a rather responsible role - work in the horizontal and vertical directions. The task of the right hand seems simpler at first glance, but here too, as with other throwing techniques, you should pay attention to the correct operation of the right hand, giving it some rotational movement as the butt rises to the shoulder.

Which of the above landing options is best for a hunter to choose? There is only one answer: for conscious shooting, you should sufficiently master all the methods of handling a gun when shooting in the air. Hunting situations are so unpredictable that sometimes success can be brought by a shot that contains elements of not only the listed techniques, but also a certain improvisation, for which a mediocre “universal shooter” will be more ready than a brilliant athlete who is fluent in one shooting style.

For those starting to master throwing techniques, I would recommend starting with the last, albeit the most difficult. After studying it, other methods will no longer cause difficulties.
By practicing in front of a mirror, you have already achieved speed and accuracy in performing a throw-up. Even when the jump was done with eyes closed, everything was great. Now you can proceed to the jump to strictly indicated points. To do this, at a distance as far as the room allows, numbered targets (small circles) are hung not very far from each other. First, slowly (you can do it with preliminary aiming from the shoulder), then increasing the speed of the jump, you hit the “targets” (you can record hits by pressing the trigger). When all targets are quickly and accurately “hit”, spread the targets wider and perform a jump at the assistant’s command according to the named target number.

If possible, it is better to consolidate acquired motor skills on shooting ranges at stolen targets, and, most importantly, at first without firing. Try not to shoot at the right time (press the trigger), but to perform all the movements correctly. Only after getting used to new targets can you load a real cartridge. But even after achieving a certain shooting skill and moving from imaginary to real targets, do not forget to practice at home not only to maintain motor skills, but also to further develop the skill of shooting at fast targets.

Tolstopyat A.I.

GENERAL CONCEPTS

Shooting while hunting from a shotgun at a fast-moving target (a flying bird or a running animal) is significantly different from shooting from a rifle at a stationary target.

If, when shooting from a rifle at a stationary target, the shooter has a fairly significant period of time, measured in minutes (1-2), then the shooter has only a fraction of a second (from 0.9 to 1.2 seconds) to fire a shot from a shotgun at a flying bird. . Even with high-speed shooting from a rifle, the time to fire one shot is measured in several seconds. A shotgun also requires a different aiming, a different trigger release, a special shooter's stance and manner of holding the gun.

HUNTER'S STAND

The stances of a hunter (combat position) and a sports shot shooter on a shotgun stand are almost the same. There is a slight difference only in the position of the feet.

While most high-class shooters stand mainly on their left foot while shooting shotgun on a bench, with their right foot resting on the ground only with their toe, then this style is not practical for hunting shooting.

When hunting, you almost never have a perfectly flat ground surface under your feet, like on a stand. Often you have to fire shots with your feet positioned at different heights and not on solid ground, but on an unsteady swamp, hummocks or loose snow.

Thus, the most comfortable position for a hunter is to stand on both feet with the center of gravity shifted to the left leg (for people shooting from the right shoulder). The position of the feet in relation to the target is shown in Fig. 92.

The distance between the heels should be approximately equal to the length of the shooter's foot, but some place their feet a little wider, while others narrower; it depends mainly on the person’s physique (his constitution).

Fig. 92 Position of the shooter’s feet in relation to the direction of fire
A. The feet are angled.
B. Feet are parallel

The basic principle of the hunter's stance: it should, first of all, be comfortable and free.

Setting your feet too wide is inconvenient because it reduces the body's ability to move laterally and ties up the shooter. Very close placement of the legs makes the position of the body unstable.

The shooter's legs should be slightly bent at the knees. This is necessary for better recoil absorption and maintaining good body stability when shooting.

The shooter's body muscles should not tense.

GUN GRIP, READY

Figure 93 shows the “ready” position, i.e., how the shooter should stand while waiting for the target to appear.

The shooter holds the gun barrels parallel to the ground. This technique of the “ready” position is most appropriate for a round-up hunt for animals.

The shooter's left hand grips the gun barrels at the end of the fore-end or a little further, depending on the length of the arms, and the right hand freely holds the neck of the stock.

The ready position shown in Fig. 94, is most suitable for shooting at targets located significantly above the shooter’s head.

Rice. 93 Ready position; this position can be recommended for shooting at animals during raids

Which of the "ready" position techniques will be more suitable for the shooter, he must determine for himself. Both from the first and second positions you can fire successfully. In both cases, the butt is held almost at the hip, and the barrels are directed in the direction of the most likely appearance of the target. The butt plate of the butt is in the same vertical line with the shoulder.

Rns. 94 Ready position; this position can be recommended for flights and tag, i.e., for targets that are located significantly above the shooter’s head

Rice. 95 This view of a caepxv shooter with a gun attached to his shoulder

From the “ready” position, the shooter raises the gun to the shoulder - an estimate or butt.

The estimate is made in the following order.

From the “ready” position, the gun (previously removed from the safety lock) is moved slightly forward and upward (the gun barrels are in a horizontal position and always in the approximate direction of the target appearance) to the shoulder, into which the butt of the gun is placed. The upper part of the body is slightly tilted forward so that the center of gravity of the body is transferred to the left leg, the head moves forward quite slightly so that the cheek touches the top of the butt.

The right hand clasps the neck of the stock so that its index finger, the front third of the first joint, easily rests on the front trigger.

Beginner shooters in most cases are predisposed to turn their right hand to the left. This should be avoided. You should try to give your hand a slight turn to the right. This position of the right hand contributes to a softer, more rational grip on the gun.

Rice. 96 Correct application

The trunks lie on the left hand, the thumb of which should be directed forward and slightly upward so that it is slightly visible to the left of the trunks. The remaining fingers are located to the right of the right trunk and are directed obliquely backward (Fig. 96). The fingers hold the gun freely, not tensely and without pressure, the gun seems to rest freely on the supports of both hands.

The place of the left hand is at the front end of the forend or a little further. During the final application, the left arm is slightly bent at the elbow. It is not recommended to hold the barrels with your left hand so that it is straight, since in this case it will be difficult to turn the body to shoot to the left and especially to the right.

The correct butt of the gun looks like shown in Fig. 96 and 97.

A novice hunter should remember the basic rule: both hands must be equally involved in lifting the gun to the shoulder, and the barrel of the gun must be directed in the direction at all times.

Rice. 97. With a straight stock, the butt plate of the butt attached to the shoulder should be visible 3-4 times from the rear. cm

the target and do not swing up and down vertically. During the landing, the left hand does additional work: it seems to point to the target. At the last moment of applying the right hand, the right hand moves the gun back and presses the butt to the shoulder. This backward movement is performed only with the right hand.

A correctly positioned gun should not fall to the side. If you place a ruler or pencil across the back of the gun sighting bar, when it is at the shoulder, then they should lie strictly horizontal. A beginner must take this into account from the first moments of training in the butt.

The butt of the gun is inserted with the back of the head into the shoulder socket, which is a kind of buffer (shock absorber) that absorbs the recoil shock of the gun. The elbow of the right hand rises almost to shoulder level.

During training in the butt of the gun, you need to make sure that the gun rests uniformly on your shoulder. An experienced comrade and trainer will greatly help a beginner with this, and in the absence of such, you can use a mirror.

RELEASE THE TRIGGER

Most rifle shooters, as a rule, when shooting from a shotgun, break the third joint of the middle finger and the front joint of the index finger near the nail into the blood (due to the recoil during the shot). This causes many people to be afraid of being shot, and therefore affects the success of hits.

To avoid such cases, you need to know the difference between the triggering technique of a shotgun and a rifle.

If, when shooting from a rifle, the trigger is pulled at the junction of the first and second joints of the index finger (Fig. 98) [ Old school rifle shooting. Currently, the trigger is pulled in the same way as in a shotgun, that is, the trigger is pressed with the first third of the first joint of the index finger.] then in a shotgun, the trigger is pressed with the anterior third of the nail phalanx of the index finger (Fig. 99).

In Fig. 100 shows the incorrect technique for releasing the trigger of a shotgun. The index finger is thrust far forward, which forces the hand to move forward until the third joint of the middle finger rests on the trigger guard.

This technique does not allow you to quickly move your index finger from the front trigger to the rear trigger after firing from the right barrel. In addition, under the influence of recoil, when the gun moves backward, the trigger guard hits the middle finger when firing from the right barrel, and when firing from the left, the index finger with the outer side near the nail hits the front trigger.

This does not happen when shooting a rifle because there is only one trigger, which is located close to the rear edge of the trigger guard.

Rice. 98 Correct position of the index finger on the rifle trigger

Rice. 99 Correct position of the index finger on the shotgun trigger (and fitting)

Rice. 100 Incorrect position of the index finger on the shotgun trigger (and fitting)

The novice shooter should always remember to never place two fingers on the triggers in order to quickly fire both barrels of a shotgun.

The speed of firing two consecutive shots is achieved by quickly moving the index finger from the front trigger to the rear by moving the entire hand back along the neck of the stock.

When releasing the triggers, the gun must not move from the target. This training is carried out as follows: copper cartridges are placed in the gun, holes are drilled in the capsule socket, into which either dense rubber or dense wood is inserted to support the gun's strikers when the hammers hit them. They mark the target, raise the gun and pull the trigger.

If, when releasing the trigger, the front sight moves downward, then it is necessary to check the trigger pull force and, if it deviates from the norm, adjust it. If a significant displacement of the front sight in all directions from the target is noticed, then you should more carefully grasp the neck of the stock with your right hand and make sure that all the muscles of the body are relaxed.

ABOUT SHOOTING WITH VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE BAR

With the “invisible bar” aiming method, the gun is aimed at the aiming point so that the shooter does not see the bar at all, and the front sight seems to him to be sitting not at the muzzle, but at the breech end of the barrel (Fig. 101, a). With this method of aiming, in many hunting rifles, especially older ones, the center of the scree coincides with the point of the blocked front sight. Only cage guns hit 120-150 mm higher.

Rice. 101 Aiming techniques: a) with an invisible bar. b) with a visible bar

When aiming in this way, a bird flying towards or hijacked (or a saucer flying above the height of a person) is completely covered by the trunks, or, as many say, the target is “overlaid.”

This method of aiming “with an invisible bar” causes a lot of inconvenience, since, firstly, it does not make it possible to see the result of the first shot and, if necessary, quickly shoot from the second barrel: the game (target) is covered by the barrels; secondly, it negates the role of the gun’s sighting bar, which makes it easier to hit the target.

The method of shooting “with a visible bar” (Fig. 101, b) has a number of advantages. With it, the same gun will hit above the point blocked by the front sight, and, therefore, you need to aim at the game, which is undoubtedly more convenient, since the target is visible.

Hunting rifles are sighted in such a way that they shoot above the aiming point, and, naturally, to hit the game you should shoot below it.

A hunter shooting from a shotgun, undoubtedly, also “wants to see” both the target and the result of the first shot, so that, if necessary, he can shoot from another barrel. If he shoots “with an invisible bar,” then when shooting while aiming at game, he will “underestimate” and miss.

The bar should be visible so much that the center of the shot shell is above the aiming point, blocked by the front sight by at least 100-150 mm (at a distance of 35 m).

When aiming “with a visible rib,” the edge lines of the rib serve as guides and make aiming easier.

To determine the degree of visibility of the bar, proceed as follows.

1. Place a match on the bar at the breech end of the barrels and point the gun at the target, located approximately at the level of the shooter’s head in such a way that the shooter through the match sees only the front sight, whose upper edge coincides with the lower edge of the target with minimal clearance.

2. Leaving the gun in the same position, i.e., pointed at the target, remove the match. The shooter must remember how visible the aiming bar was to him (Fig. 101, b) *, and develop a uniform butt of the gun with the same degree of visibility of the aiming bar.

ABOUT SHOOTING WITH TWO EYES OPEN

Many hunters and sports shooters shoot with both eyes open, while others close the eye opposite the shoulder from which the shot is fired (the left one when shooting with the butt to the right shoulder).

Anyone who aims with one eye when shooting sees more clearly in what relationship the front sight and the sighting bar of the gun were in relation to the target at the moment of the shot.

It is more difficult for a shooter with both eyes open to notice this, but he can shoot faster and reliably hit the target.

Shooting with both eyes open is easily mastered by those who have the so-called “commander” or directing eye.

For some people, the “commander” eye is the right one, for others it is the left one, and some do not have a “commander” eye at all.

In persons with identical eyes, the picture received by each eye separately is transmitted to consciousness independently, but in persons with a “commanding” eye, only the picture seen by this eye reaches consciousness.

An instructor or friend puts on and takes off the match.

Rice. 102 Method of determining the commanding (guiding) eye. If two fingers are visible, replaced at equal distances in relation to the object at which the shooter’s gaze is directed, then there is no commanding eye

How can one determine whether there is a “commanding” eye and which one?

To do this, proceed as follows. Having fixed their gaze on some distant object, they quickly place a finger between it and the eyes, continuing to look with both eyes at the same object.

If two transparent fingers are visible (Fig. 102), then there is no “commander” eye at all.

If only one finger is visible, then you need to close one of your eyes; the finger will remain in place, which means the open eye is the “commander”; if it moves, the “commander” will mean the closed eye.

Some manuals indicate this method for determining the “commander” of the eye: make a ring out of your index and thumb and look through it with both eyes at some distant object, then close one eye. If the ring remains in place, then the open eye will be the “commander; if it moves, then the “commander” will be the closed eye.

The second method is not suitable for people who do not have a commanding eye, and they may make mistakes when using this method. A novice shooter must know whether he has a “commanding” eye, since it is better to shoot from the shoulder on the side of which this eye is located.

Those shooters who have a “commanding” left eye, and are comfortable shooting from the right shoulder, can make the right eye the “commanding” eye. It's done like this.

The gun is applied, and with the help of the right eye it is aimed at a stationary target. The left eye is kept closed. The left hand should grasp the barrels at the upper end of the forend or a little further. Now raise your left thumb so that it protrudes a centimeter or two to the left of the trunks. Now open your left eye first one-third, then half and finally all the way. The gun will still be pointed at the target, although both eyes will be open. This is facilitated by the raised thumb, which plays the role of a screen for the left eye on the line to the target (eye line - target).

Most shooters, with the help of this method, strong-willed concentration and training, can retain the commanding ability in the right eye.

This transfer of the role of “commander” of the eye from left to right can be achieved through systematic training over a period of one or two months.

In the future, it will be useful for the first two years while shooting to keep the thumb of your left hand placed as a small “screen” next to the left barrel of the gun.

But if it happens that the left eye tends to take on the function of “commander,” then you should cover your left eye and aim with your right.

It is very important to be able to shoot from both shoulders. In a hut, on a hangout, this will allow you to avoid many mistakes, and on a shuttle it will sometimes save you from “swimming.”

SELECTION OF BODY BY ARROW

A stock that is too short does not provide uniformity in the grip from shot to shot. The feeling of recoil when shooting with such a stock is usually stronger. In this case, it especially affects the nose and upper lip. An excessively long stock does not allow you to quickly and correctly throw the gun to your shoulder: the butt plate, clinging to the shoulder, does not allow you to quickly set the butt to the required height, which, as a rule, leads to a miss.

A long stock makes it difficult to turn and shoot to the right, which also leads to a miss.

The simplest and most accessible way to determine the length of the stock based on the shooter’s physique is the method shown in Fig. 103:

1. The gun is placed on the arm bent at a right angle at the elbow with the middle of the butt plate so that the stock is parallel to the forearm and touches it along its entire length.

2. The hand clasps the neck of the stock so that the index finger, with the middle of the front joint, rests freely on the front trigger without tension, and the middle finger of the same hand does not touch the trigger guard with its third joint. The fingers should clasp the neck, as when shooting.

3. The size of the stock determined in this way is shortened by 6-7 mm.

When determining the length of the stock according to the shooter, many people make the following mistakes:

I. Determine the length of the stock in light clothes, and when hunting they shoot in thicker ones.

Rice. 103 Reception is determined by the length of the stock suitable for the hunter

2. Determine the length of the stock without full equipment, with which they shoot while hunting. A backpack with a load, a bandoleer and other items of hunter equipment significantly change the position of the body, shoulders and head tilt.

Therefore, you need to determine the length of the stock in the same clothes and with the same equipment (load) as when hunting.

It’s a completely different matter if you choose a stock for skeet shooting. In this case, the length of the stock, determined by the above method, can be increased by 10 mm, but when shooting “from the approach” it is recommended to have a stock of normal length.

Some shooters notice that when shooting quickly, their gun ends up in the position shown in Fig. 104, i.e., dumped to the left, and the front sight also moves to the left of the aiming line. This happens because the butt is not set aside enough.

Rice. 104 Position of the front sight to the left of the aiming line and stalling of the gun as a result of a long stock or its small retraction

Rice. 105 Position of the front sight to the right of the aiming line with an excessively large retraction or short stock

If, during quick throws, the front sight is to the right of the aiming line (Fig. 105), this means that either the butt retraction is too large, or the stock is too short, or both.

A small stock drop can be increased to some extent by removing some of the wood on the stock, and an excessively large one can be reduced by gluing layers of wood and then filing.

They remove the wood to increase the removal with a rasp, each time checking the stock with a sideways glance and a series of control shots at a special target.

When, when raising the gun, the aiming line passes through the middle of the sighting bar on the front sight, this means that such a retraction and length of the stock are most suitable.

After determining the length of the stock and the amount of retraction, they begin to determine the degree of its curvature, i.e., bending in the vertical plane.

The degree of curvature of the stock is determined as follows.

1. The shooter raises the gun at a target located at the level of his head. To do this, it is best to make a target with a diameter of 8-10 mm, and aim from a distance of 5 m.

2. A match or stick 2 mm thick* is placed on the rear end of the bar, and the shooter aims through the match so that he can see the entire front sight from base to top. He should not see the bar, except for a small part of it at the base of the front sight.

3. The shooter continues to keep the gun pointed at the target, and at this time remove the match and put in its place a wooden stick, the thickness of which is one millimeter less than an ordinary faceted pencil (for this purpose, it is best to cut off one edge of the pencil by 1 mm so that its thickness was equal to 6 mm).

Rice. 106 The bar is visible a lot - the stock is too straight

Rice. 107 The sighting bar and front sight are not visible - the stock is too crooked

4. If you look through a stick (or pencil) placed across the back of the bar, then on top of it you can see the front sight, the base of which appears blurry, and the upper part protrudes more clearly. In this case, the curvature of the stock will be most suitable for the shooter.

If the shooter sees the bar (part of it) on top of the stick, then the gun stock is too straight, and if he does not see the front sight, then the stock is too crooked.

When determining the required curvature, it is necessary to take into account what targets will be primarily shot at - above or below the level of the hunter’s head, and taking this into account, make an overlay on the buttplate of the stock, and also hang the target at this level.

The match or stick is placed and accepted by a second person at the direction of the shooter.

METHODS OF SHOOTING AT FAST-MOVING TARGETS FROM A SHOTGUN

There are several ways to fire a shotgun at a fast-moving target:

• shooting with a stationary gun and “saddle shot”;
• shooting with a moving gun with a leash (leash);
• shooting with a moving gun “jerk”.

First, let's look at the most imperfect method: shooting “with a stationary gun.”

Only completely inexperienced shooters shoot this way.

The shooter marks a point in front of a moving target, aims at it and, when the target is at the distance of the required lead, in his opinion, shoots.

Hunters who shoot “with a stationary gun” usually shoot extremely unevenly.

The “fixed gun” shooting method requires a lot of lead (double) and gives poor results.

Now let's look at the method that is most easily mastered by a novice shooter: "leash" or "leash".

This method is especially convenient for hitting targets moving laterally.

Its essence is as follows.

The hunter raises the gun, trying to direct it with the necessary lead and, calibrating and directing it, “leads” all the time, holding the lead, according to the movement of the target and presses the trigger without stopping the movement of the gun.

With this method of shooting, the amount of lead is affected only by the flight time of the shot, and how much time passes from the shooter’s decision to fire until the projectile leaves the muzzle is completely indifferent, since although during this time the target continues to move, the gun turns accordingly. Due to the fact that at the moment the projectile leaves the muzzle, the gun is directed forward from the target at the required lead, the shot shell manages to reach the line of its movement and hits the target.

Some hunters think that when shooting “with a leash,” there is no need to take lead. This is completely false.

What is the shooting technique “with a moving gun”?

In order to hit a sideways target, it is absolutely necessary to shoot with the gun in motion. This is achieved by one of the following techniques.

The shooter begins to raise the gun to the shoulder at the same time as turning the entire body. The movement is facilitated by slightly bending the legs at the knee joints.

When the gun reaches the shoulder, the front sight should be on target

or next to her. At the same time, the hunter must take into account that it is impossible to first raise the gun, and then make a turn and catch the target on the aiming line. You must first turn in the direction the target is moving, then raise the gun and at the same time catch the target on the aiming line.

You should also allow the front sight to pass through the target to the desired lead. While maintaining this lead with the gun in level motion with the target, the trigger is pressed.

It is extremely important that the leash continues both at the moment of shooting and for some time after it, until the recoil pushes the gun out of the aiming line. If the lead is stopped before this, the shot shell will pass behind the target.

The heavier the gun (of course, up to a certain limit), the easier it is to shoot with a “leash”, since the inertia of the large mass of the gun prevents it from stopping at the moment the trigger is pulled.

The second technique differs from the first in that the front sight passes through the target at a significantly increased speed, which is why the apparent lead will be less than in the first case. This method requires years of shooting practice.

The third method of shooting is carried out in the same way as the first, but with the difference that, as soon as it catches the target, the front sight is thrown forward along the line of the target's movement and at the same time the trigger is pressed. With this method of shooting, you can aim at the duck's beak and hit it. But this technique is difficult to master, since you must always put exactly the required amount of force into throwing the gun and at the same time fire the shot in the required fraction of a second.

Most good shooters prefer the first and second techniques for side shots. For a beginner, the first method is perhaps the only one he can use.

It must be borne in mind that the leash can practically be used for any shooting at a moving target, you just need to strictly remember that at the moment of pressing the trigger you cannot under any circumstances stop the gun. This is the whole difficulty of mastering this method.

Shooting with a leash requires considerable time to fire a shot, but gives good results even at the extreme distances of a real shotgun shot of 40-50 m. Shoot in bushes and reeds when a target appears for a short period of time - less than 0.7 seconds. - this method is impossible even for a short distance - 20-30 m.

In this case, the hunter needs to use quick shots without aiming - “at a glance.”

This method of shooting gives excellent results, especially against hijacking targets at a distance of up to 30-35 m.

The method is as follows.

The shooter looks (often with both eyes) in the direction in which he wants to send a shot shell, and raises the gun to his shoulder, completely not paying attention to where the gun will be looking, how the bar and front sight are visible to him, etc.

The trigger is pressed by the finger while the butt of the gun is pressed against the shoulder. Thus, the shot is heard as soon as the gun hits the shoulder. The amount of lead, therefore, with this method depends mainly almost only on the time it takes the shot to travel the distance from the muzzle to the line of movement of the target.

Rice. 108 Body position" when shooting at a side bird

Rice. 109 The position of the shooter’s body when shooting a high-running or oncoming bird: aiming (pointing the gun) by tilting the body (bending at the waist)

The main conditions for shooting “at a glance” are the presence of a “butt” gun and the hunter’s training.

Having introduced the reader to the most rational methods of shooting at a fast-moving target, we will remind him of the work of the body and arms.

When firing a shot at a “hijacked” bird flying at the level of the shooter’s head, the hands raise the gun to the shoulder parallel to the ground, and at the moment when the butt hits the shoulder, the trigger is released.

When shooting at a “hijacked” bird above the shooter’s head, the gun is aimed not with the hands, but by bending the body at the waist. In this case, the hands work, as when shooting at a stolen bird flying at the level of the hunter’s head.

If you need to shoot at a bird on the side, you need to turn your body in the direction the target is moving, and then raise the gun and, if the target is moving above the shooter’s head, bend into the talin to give the gun the right direction. In this case, the hands work in the same way as when shooting at a stolen bird flying at the height of the shooter’s head.

DETERMINING THE APPLICABILITY OF A GUN AND THE PERSONAL ERROR OF THE SHOOTER

The usability of a gun is determined by shooting at special targets, and at the same time, the shooter’s personal error in aiming is determined. It's done like this.

1. At 10 m (from the muzzle of the gun) at approximately the level of the shooter’s head, hang a sheet of paper measuring 1X1 m, with targets drawn on it, the dimensions of which are indicated in Fig. 110.

Rice. 110 Targets for certain personal errors of the shooter in aiming and the usability of the gun for him

2. The shooter positions himself so that it is convenient for him to shoot in the direction of the target, loads the gun (with one cartridge, placing it in the right barrel) and takes it to the ready.

3. His friend or instructor calls the number of the target: “first” or “third”, etc.

4. The shooter raises the gun as quickly as possible and sends a shot shell into a dark quadrangle located below the center of the target.

5. Then the shooter loads the gun again and shoots at another target, the number of which will be called to him.

In this case, you should be guided by the following: a) the shooter fires a shot after the command as quickly as possible;

b) the shooter cannot make corrections, even though the center of the fall of the previous shot has deviated from the center of the target;

c) the shooter should not aim, but shoot in a “snapping” manner;

d) after each shot, it is necessary to remove your left hand from the barrel of the gun and each time try to grab the barrels or the end of the forearm in the same place;

e) the arrow numbers of targets are called not in order, but in any sequence. For example: 2, 3, 4, 1 or 5, 1, 3, 2, etc.;

e) shooting is not carried out at the last target, since the shooter can aim at it.

Thus, they shoot at five sheets, i.e. at 20 shots. It is very important that the shooting is carried out on the same day without a long break between shots.

After shooting, the targets are processed.

1. Find the center of the scree, measure the deviation of the center of the scree from the center of the target and mark the point of impact on the same clean target.

2. Determine the average impact point of all 20 shots.

3. The position of the midpoint of the hits is determined in relation to the center of the target, and by this amount of discrepancy they are judged about the gun’s usability.

If the average point of impact lies to the right of the center of the target, then this means that the lateral deviation is large, and if during shooting the gun was noticed to fall to the right, then, in addition, the deviation in the heel of the butt is large.

If the average point of impact is located to the left of the center of the target, the lateral deviation is small, and if the gun falls to the left while shooting, the deviation in the toe of the butt is also small.

The location of the midpoint of impact below the center of the target means that the large vertical stock has died. Correction of this defect is partially achieved by changing the shape of the butt plate of the stock (increasing it at the toe).

A short stock (against the norm, of course) gives the location of the middle point of impact to the right of the center of the target. During jumps, cases of the gun falling to the right are also observed.

i.e., almost the same picture as with a large retraction of the stock to the side.

If the midpoint of the hits lies above the center of the target, the stock is straight, the small vertical is dead. In this case, if the deviation is not very large, it is enough to eliminate such a defect by increasing the stock and the heel of the butt.

Personal error in aiming is defined as follows.

1. From the center of the scree of 20 shots (the midpoint of hits), a circle is drawn that contains half of the best shots, i.e. 10 hits located closer to the midpoint.

2. Measure the radius of the circle containing the better half of the shots.

The amount of personal error made by the shooter will be equal to:

at a radius of 5 cm -0.5% of the firing distance,

» » 10 cm - 1°/0 » » »

» » 15 cm - 1.5%» » »

These figures are given for a shooting distance of 10 m.

FOCUSING ON GOALS OR CONCENTRATION

Concentration should be understood as focusing the shooter's gaze on the target.

Most misses, especially among novice shooters, also depend on the fact that they are looking at the target incorrectly, and therefore sending the shot shell incorrectly.

Many novice hunters look at the emerging target as an additional detail in the picture, do not fully concentrate their gaze on the target and therefore send a shot projectile inaccurately.

To prevent this from happening, you need to cultivate in yourself the ability to focus your vision only on the target, look only at it, without paying attention to bushes, branches, clouds, etc. This is especially important when shooting quickly without aiming - " offhand." This focus on the goal is concentration.

Only through systematic training can you achieve concentration and, therefore, accurate shooting.

REASONS FOR SUCCESSFUL SHOOTING

The secret of good shooting at any targets - side, oncoming and hijacked - is as follows.

First of all, you need to maintain a uniform throw, correct stance and correct (smooth) movements.

Also needed:

1) A strong leash that continues both at the moment of the shot and a little after it.

2) Concentration.

3) Good physical and mental condition.

4) Large and versatile training. It is also necessary to have a good butt gun. If the shooter strictly fulfills these conditions, then he will be able to master the intricacies of shot shooting.

PREVENTION

Lead is the point at which the gun is carried (the aiming line) forward from the target along the line of its movement with the task of ensuring that the shot shell crosses the target’s path of movement and hits it.

What should be the lead for side shots? It depends on the shooting method, the target's flight speed and the distance to it.

It is quite obvious that the lead should be greater for fast-moving targets and less for slow-moving targets. The speed of the same target can be different under different circumstances.

The normal flight speed of a crow is about 10 m/sec, but in some cases it can reach up to 20 m/sec. Thus, in the first case it is necessary to take a lead half as large as in the second. The shooter must practice determining the target's speed in various environments.

The distance to the target affects the lead in this way: if for a side shot at a distance of 25 m the shooter should take a lead of 1.3 m, then for the same target at a distance of 35 m the lead should be 2 m, and at 45 m - about 3 m.

Let's assume that a novice shooter is shooting at a side target flying 25 m away from him at a speed of 15 m/sec. The shooter shoots with a leash, according to the first method, that is, the front sight of his gun moves in front at the same speed. In this case, he must keep a lead of 1.3 m, i.e. approximately equal to the length of the gun. And an old, trained shooter, shooting with a highly accelerated lead using the second method (the front sight passes through the target at a much higher speed than the target), will take a lead of 0.5 m at the same target. Both shooters will hit the target with the center of the shot sheaf .

How can this be explained? After all, we know that a shooter shooting in the second way presses the trigger when the front sight of his gun is 0.5 m ahead of the target, and a beginner - when the front sight is 1.3 m ahead of the target. This is explained simply. From the moment the experienced shooter pressed the trigger until the shot fired, 0.0056 seconds passed. Some shooters call this period of time “shot delivery time.” During this period of time, the front sight and the end of the barrel, moving at least twice as fast as the target, will reach a point located 1.3 m ahead of the target, i.e. the same lead as when shooting in the first way.

Table 47 shows leads for shooting at targets moving at different distances and at different speeds, provided that the shooter shoots with such a lead that the front sight has the same speed as the target. This method eliminates shooters' personal error in lead amount by moving the end of the barrel ahead of the target at a constant speed.

Table 47 can be used for side shots when the target is moving at right angles to the direction of the shot. If the direction of movement of the target is not at an angle of 90°, but at an angle of 45° towards or away from the shooter, then the lead will be less than indicated in the table. In Fig. 111 a graph is given that allows you to get an idea of ​​how the lead changes in this case.

The radius of the semicircle drawn on the graph is equal to the lead required when the target moves perpendicular to the direction of the shot, and the lower scale indicates what proportion of this radius the lead will be when the target moves at different angles towards or away from the shooter. For example: when the target moves at an angle of 45° to the direction of the shot, the lead will be approximately 0.7 lead for a side shot.

The flight speed of various game is given in table 48.

There are many rules about how to shoot game flying in different directions in relation to the shooter, where to aim, what lead to take, etc. Most of these rules are not only not useful, but rather harmful. Rules cannot provide for all cases, and memorizing them mechanically only leads to confusion.

For practical shooting, observing the flight of game in various environments is incomparably more important than knowing its flight speed in meters per second.

Having mastered the laws and principles of determining leads, the shooter establishes their value in practice.

Rice. 111 Graph of changes in lead value depending on the flight angle of the sang to the direction of the shot

Table 47

The amount of lead in meters for shot No. - 3 (D = 3.50 mm) at an initial shot speed of 400 m/sec

Table 48

Average flight speed of some birds in calm weather

Notes:

1. Birds flying high or in a flock usually have greater speed than solitary and low-flying birds of the same breed.

2. The speed of a bird rising from the ground or water can be taken as 2/3 of its speed indicated in the table.

3. A teal on landing, flying from a great height onto the water, sometimes reaches speeds of over 40 m/sec.

4. Goshawks and large falcons can reach speeds of up to 80-90 m/sec when diving for prey.

Rice. 119. Measuring parts of the shooter’s body to select a gun that suits him

Dependence of the size of the gun on the shooter’s physique (stock size and weight)

“Today the whole world is shooting into empty space”
in front of the target, pressing the trigger at the moment
touching the shoulder with the butt. Oleg Losev, maybe
I can say that I was ahead of my time.”
Oleg Kulakov, coach of the Russian national team
skeet shooting

Each of us has heard more than once from the “luminaries” that in order to hit a target one should take a lead, and then there are tips, say, how many meters (centimeters) should be placed in front of a running or flying target (saucers on a stand, a bird, an animal) before pressing on
descent However, these tips can be of direct help to few people, since each person, when aiming, is unique and even varied in the manner of placing the gun to the shoulder. For example, if the shooter first puts the gun to his shoulder, and then begins to take the lead by moving the gun barrel along the flight (running) trajectory of the game (flying saucer), then lead meters are really needed here, since the gun moves slower than the target. If the shooter, having noticed the target and fired it at the distance of the right shot, acts in a different way than the first hunter, then the success of the shot will be more likely with minimal (optimal) lead.

So, a successful shot should proceed as follows: the shooter, seeing a target (bird, animal) at a distance of a sure shot (30-35 meters), immediately raises the barrel with his left hand and, having caught the target with the end of the barrels, moves it slightly in front of it, simultaneously lifting it with his right hand butt to shoulder. With well-practiced skill, it turns out that the shooter sees both the target and the barrel, somewhat ahead of it, and presses the trigger at the moment the butt plate touches the shoulder. However, it is possible to hit targets in this way only if the shooter has trained this technique with home exercises to the point of automaticity: a professional, during home training, makes several hundred “idle” jumps every day. And also if, long before leaving for training or hunting, the athlete (hunter) adjusted the gun “on his own”: he cut the stock, changed its bend, ensured the balance of the gun with the inserted cartridges so that the gun, when raised, does not peck downwards with the barrels and does not tip towards the butt plate , lifting the trunks. All this is achieved with the help of experienced gunsmiths. Only after finishing fitting the gun can the hunter talk about shooting styles and rational leads. Otherwise, misses will begin (especially with bullets), since the gun will certainly “raise” or “lower” unnoticed by the shooter.

Methods and techniques that contribute to a successful shot are realized through exercise, which, unfortunately, no longer exists. We are talking about shooting “from the approach”.

The meaning of this true hunting exercise is as follows. The shooter, having received the command “forward” and holding the gun at the ready (butt at the hip), as a hunter usually holds a gun, began to move from the shooting table, located no further than 20 meters from the target departure point, to the line marked on the site and defining the minimum allowable approach to the target departure point. The target of one of the machines, adjusted for shooting “from a place” (now trap or “trench”), was given by the operator with a wave of the referee’s hand at any moment (unknown to the shooter). The target could be either hijacked or lateral. Based on lengthy trial and error, Vasily Ivanovich determined that the maximum percentage of broken targets was obtained only when the moment of pressing the trigger coincided with the moment the butt touched the shooter’s shoulder. I immediately adopted this shooting style from him and already in 1958 I received an honorable second place at the USSR Armed Forces Championship in the “approach” exercise. Naturally, I immediately transferred this technique to hunting shooting, and partly to the round skeet. State Coach N.D. Pokrovsky at first doubted my theory, believing that the panel of judges might object to this “skid” technique, since I first “caught” the target, moving the barrel with my left hand, and then brought the butt to my shoulder with my right and immediately pressed the trigger.

However, his doubts were quickly dispelled when in 1959 I won the World Cup in Cairo without any protests from the jury, and then subsequently received prizes at many championships. One day, the editor-in-chief of the Moscow Hunting Newspaper (now ROG) ordered me an article about the reasons for the mistakes of venerable stand hunters while hunting. From my point of view, the main “bugs” were the shooters who spent a long time and successfully shooting the trap exercise.

The conditioned reflex of these athletes forces them to fire the first shot at the usual pace, about 0.8, which should be at the same point on the fore-end before each throw. To do this, I always made a small depression on the fore-end with a drill, and then
I painted it over with colored nail polish. Today, for this purpose, you can use Velcro glued to the calculated location. The stable place of the left hand on the fore-end allows you to constantly make monotonous throws of the gun, and this is very important! It’s a good idea, depending on the time of hunting, for the same purposes to have interchangeable butt pads of different thicknesses, compensating for the thickness of seasonal clothing.

I can give this advice to hunters who cannot shoot at game other than in their usual manner, that is, first raising to the shoulder, and then “aiming” and pressing the trigger. Having raised the gun, bring the front sight to the tail of the bird, and then with a quick movement of the barrels, “cross out” it from the tail to the beak. As soon as the gun barrels pass the bird, pull the trigger without stopping the gun. But this will already be shooting “on overtaking”.

O. Losev. Magazine "MASTERGUN" No. 162

Shooting at a stationary target is the simplest and most accessible type of shooting, since a wide shot pattern allows you to hit the target even with inaccurate aiming.

In addition, the immobility of the target makes it possible to take your time with the shot. The holistic movement of the hunter when firing is conventionally divided into the following elements: raising the gun, aiming and pulling the trigger.

Preparing to shoot at a stationary target

First, the shooter takes the starting position - makes a half turn to the right and then moves his right leg half a foot back; The weight of the hunter's body is evenly distributed on both feet. The gun is held with the left hand by the front part of the fore-end, with the right hand by the neck of the stock.

In this case, the fingers of the shooter’s left hand do not rise above the level of the aiming bar, and the index finger of the right hand lies on the trigger. The hunter holds his right hand at his belt, and the end of the gun barrel is at chest level.

Raising the gun

A throw is raising the gun forward and upward with the barrels pointed at the target and the butt resting on the shoulder.

The gun must be raised quickly but smoothly, while the left arm must be half-bent, and the elbow of the right hand must rise to the side almost to a horizontal position; the butt rests in the depression between the shoulder and chest. The hunter tilts his head slightly forward and to the right, and his cheek is pressed to the ridge of the butt. In this case, his eye, as well as the rear edge of the aiming bar and the front sight of the gun are on the same line (sighting line).

Aiming

Aiming is the precise pointing of the gun barrel at the target.

It should be taken into account that factories produce two types of guns - with regular and increased fire. For shotguns with conventional firing, the aiming point and the center of the shot fall when shooting at 35 m coincide. Such guns are aimed so that the top edge of the front sight is in the middle of the target.

For guns with increased fire, the aiming point at the same distance (35 m) lies 10–15 cm below the actual point of impact. Therefore, such guns are aimed by bringing the upper edge of the front sight under the lower edge of the target.

It is inconvenient to shoot from a gun with normal firing, since the front sight is difficult to see against the background of the target. In addition, half of the target is covered by the trunks. The hunter can avoid this inconvenience if he shoots with an open bar. With this method, the front sight is brought under the target, as when shooting from rifles with increased fire.

Raising and aiming are performed together. It is necessary to make sure that the barrels, after raising, are already looking at the target, which is only possible with a completely usable gun. True, if the target is motionless, then the hunter has time to refine his aim.

But when shooting at a flying bird, during the time spent on correction, the target may move beyond the correct shot. Therefore, from the first steps of training, a young hunter needs to immediately point the gun at the target even when raising it.

Pulling the trigger

The shot is fired by pressing the trigger with the first knuckle or first phalanx of the index finger. You need to pull the trigger quickly but smoothly, without jerking. Very important pull the trigger with the movement of the finger, and not the whole hand, otherwise a miss is inevitable due to the lowering of the barrels.

To kill a flying bird or a running animal while hunting, two shooting methods are used:

• shooting with the hunter unconsciously aiming at the target - the so-called shooting offhand;
• shooting with conscious aiming:
  • shooting with a “moving” gun;
  • shooting with a “stationary” gun.

Shooting offhand

When shooting offhand, the hunter looks only at the target on which all his attention is concentrated, and throws the gun into his shoulder, completely not following his aiming line. The shot is fired immediately as soon as the gun is in place. Shooting offhand, as the fastest, is indispensable for a number of hunts, in particular for hunting in dense thickets, when the target is visible to the hunter only for a fraction of a second. But this shooting is possible only with a well-used gun and a highly trained hunter who knows how to instantly throw the gun where it is needed.

The ability to shoot perfectly offhand is by no means, as some believe, some special talent inherent only to a few, exceptional shooters. This ability can be achieved by every ordinary shooter-hunter, subject to the obligatory condition of having a fully usable gun and systematic training in shooting from it.

The amount of lead when shooting offhand depends only on the time of flight of the shot from the muzzle to the target and on the speed of the target. With this method of shooting, as well as with aimed shooting with a “moving” gun, the movement of the gun behind the target at a speed equal to the speed of the target’s movement eliminates the influence of all other reasons slowing down the shot, starting with the “personal error” of the shooter and ending with the time of movement of the projectile along the bore, since during the entire period of their action the gun continues to move in the hands of the hunter along with the target. Consequently, only the two reasons mentioned above can influence the amount of anticipation.

When shooting offhand, the movement of the gun and the required lead are also performed automatically and subconsciously by the hunter-shooter.

Shooting offhand, which still gives greater deviations in the aiming line of the gun than with aimed shots with more careful aiming, should not be used in cases where the target is clearly visible and time allows for a more accurate aimed shot (flights, drafts, raids, hunting with hounds, etc.).

Shooting with conscious aiming

In these cases, it is much more profitable to use shooting with conscious aiming and a “moving” gun, namely shooting with the so-called “lead”. The essence of this method of shooting, the most common and most accessible to the wide mass of hunters, is that the shooter throws the gun into his shoulder, aims at the target and, taking the required lead and maintaining it for some (very short) time, moves the gun along the target's movement. The shot must be fired without stopping the movement of the gun under any circumstances.

The shooter, especially a beginner, must carefully ensure that at the moment of pressing the trigger he does not stop the movement of the gun (its rotation) unnoticed by himself, since with such a stop all the advantages of this method of shooting are lost and it is reduced to a method of shooting with a “stationary gun”, which, as will be indicated below, is not suitable for shooting at moving targets.

Method of shooting with a “moving gun” (shooting with a leash)

The method of shooting with a “moving gun” (with a leash) is most suitable for shooters who do not have fully usable guns and are deprived of the opportunity to get the necessary training on frequent hunts and practical shooting.

You should not fire a gun for long. If the distance is appropriate, the sight is checked, the lead is taken, the trigger should be pulled. Excessive leash length is useless for shooting success, and on group hunts it can be dangerous for others.

Despite the apparent simplicity of this method of shooting, to master it in practice, systematic training is required from the shooter, especially in pulling the trigger without stopping the gun. In order not to damage the gun during such training by clicking the triggers in vain, either special safety spring cartridges or ordinary cartridges with spent primers should be placed in the chambers. In the latter case, the cartridges should be changed after one or two strikes by the firing pin, since otherwise the primer is so broken and pressed in that it loses its protective ability.

For such exercises, it gives good results and is interesting in itself the old method of training, which was used by our grandfathers, since ramrod guns with caps appeared. This method was as follows. A lamp with a lit Christmas tree candle inserted into it, which protruded beyond the edges of the lamp, was suspended from the ceiling or from a high stand on its pendant at the height of the waist or chest. The person observing the exercise, not too much, so as not to extinguish the candle, made the lamp swing like a pendulum in front of the shooter. The latter, from a distance of 3-5 steps, was supposed to extinguish a moving candle with a shot of one capsule at the point indicated by the observer. Then they moved on to shooting “offhand”, and with two lamps swinging towards each other, they practiced shooting in doublets. More than half a century has passed since the fascination with these “shootings,” but the memories of them are still alive. Of course, such training had a positive effect on subsequent hunting shooting.

Those wishing to use this method of training can use brass cartridges for shooting with primers under an open primer, the force of which, with a accurately aimed gun, is sufficient to put out a candle. In order to protect the bores of the gun after such training from the strong rusting effect of the remnants of the percussion capsule composition (when using ordinary primers), the bores should be lubricated with thick gun grease before shooting, and after shooting, rinse well with boiling water and thoroughly clean. For 2-3 days after shooting, the cleanliness of the channels should be checked by inspection. It is clear that instead of lamps you can use something else suitable for this purpose.

Some hunters, when shooting with a “moving” gun, also distinguish between the “jerk” shooting method, in which the shooter aims directly at a moving target and moves the gun for some time, holding the target at gunpoint until he adjusts the position of the gun. Before firing, he jerks the gun forward in relation to the target by the amount of the required lead and shoots. The success of shooting with this method is worse than with an ordinary smooth “leash”.

Method of aimed shooting with a “stationary” gun

The method of aimed shooting with a “stationary” gun is that the shooter aims at some point chosen by him on the ground, in water or in the air, ahead of the target on the path of its movement and fires a shot when the target is located from this point by the amount preemption. This method is unsuitable for shooting at fast-moving targets, since with it the amount of lead is influenced by all the above reasons that slow down the shot, which is why a huge amount of lead is required, 2-3 times greater than when shooting “offhand” or with a “leash” " Taking such leads forces you to aim literally somewhere in space, which, of course, leads to very frequent misses.

The amount of lead required for this method of shooting is shown by the following approximate calculation.

A side teal flying at a speed of 20 m/sec at a distance of 30 m will require a lead of more than 6 m, since from the moment the shooter makes the decision to shoot until the shot reaches the teal, according to the calculation made above, up to 1/3 of a second will pass. It is clear that successful shooting with such advances is impossible.

Shooting with both eyes open

The success of shooting in a hunt largely depends on whether the hunter shoots while looking with both eyes, that is, without closing, as is usually practiced, the left eye when shooting from the right shoulder and the right eye when shooting from the left shoulder. The success rate of shooting with both eyes open is much higher. This is especially true when hunting in dense thickets, when shooting doublets and when shooting in poor visibility conditions (twilight, fog, etc.). In addition, when shooting with both eyes open, the shooter’s field of observation of flying or departing game is significantly increased, and observation and memory of the place where the killed game fell is improved, which, in the absence of a dog, reduces its losses.

Therefore, a novice hunter shooter must accustom himself to shooting with both eyes open, and a shooter who is already accustomed to closing one eye when aiming should try to wean himself from this habit that is harmful to hunting shooting; For most people this does not present any difficulty.

It is easiest to first learn (or retrain) to shoot with both eyes open from the right shoulder if the shooter’s right eye is the directing vision of the shooter. This is more difficult, requiring more or less lengthy training, if the left eye is the guiding eye, and shooting is done from the right shoulder.

Determining which eye is the guide is carried out in the following order. The thumb and index fingers of the outstretched right hand are folded into a ring, and this ring, looking with both eyes, is pointed at some point - a nail head, a switch, a small bush (if this is a field), etc. Then, without changing the position of the head and right hands, closing the right eye. If the object at which the ring of fingers was pointed (which was in the middle of the ring) leaves the ring to the left, the right eye is the guiding eye, and if the object remains in place in the ring, the left eye is the guiding eye.

You should repeat this test, closing your left eye instead of your right eye.

There are people whose both eyes are the same, that is, neither of them is directing (as if in command). In this case, it is better to use a different, more accurate method for verification. Looking intently with both eyes at some distant but clearly visible object, quickly place one raised finger (thumb or index) between this object and the eyes, with the remaining fingers of the right hand clenched into a fist. If two transparent fingers are visible, then there is no guiding eye. If only one finger is visible, the guiding eye is determined as above, with the fingers folded in a ring.

For the accuracy of the results of these checks, it is very important that the head and hands remain motionless after the first aiming.

Most people, with proper practice and training, become comfortable shooting with both eyes open, regardless of which one is the guide. For persons with a missing guide eye, shooting with both eyes open is difficult. In any case, the great advantages for the hunter-shooter that shooting with both eyes open in terms of improved and expanded observation, increased field of vision, and better visibility will fully justify the efforts expended by the shooter to master this technique.

Offhand shooting training

A bird in flight as a target has a special property that makes the technique of shooting at it very different from shooting at moving ground targets.

These properties are the following:

• large angles of visibility of the target, and hence large elevation angles when shooting;
• extreme speed of movement (some birds fly at an average speed of 15 to 35 m/s);
• surprise of appearance and movement in any plane relative to the direction of the shots;
• difficulty determining constantly changing distance;
• the difficulty of judging in case of a miss which direction the projectile will deflect;
• low vulnerability of small targets.

One of the best techniques for overcoming these difficulties of shooting a bird in flight is the hunting technique of shooting offhand. When shooting offhand, the eyes and hands are trained to act simultaneously and in agreement: the eyes look out where the target is, where and at what speed it is moving, the hands raise the gun so that a sheaf of flying pellets and a flying bird meet at a certain point in space.

The trigger is pressed instantly, at the moment the butt is pressed to the shoulder.

Offhand shooting - indoor and field training

First of all, you need to become completely familiar with the gun and for this, do indoor (home) training and learn the basics of “raising” at a stationary target without firing: correct stance, slow, and then fast and correct throwing of the gun to the shoulder, fast and increasingly accelerating aiming and correct trigger release. Training should be carried out on stationary targets in the form of wads pasted on glass or on the silhouettes of flying ducks, snipe, woodcocks, etc. "living targets". For example, six blackened wads are glued to the window: two above eye level, two at eye level and two below. The wads in each pair are located one slightly higher than the other, at a distance of about 0.5 m from each other.

The jump is first done only on the central pair of wads, slowly, in compliance with all the rules regarding the position of the body, arms, legs and the tension of their muscles.

It will be very good if the leader - an experienced high-flying shooter - begins to observe from the side and, noting the mistakes of the trainee, give him instructions.

When all movements are performed, albeit slowly, but without a single mistake, the speed of the jump can be increased. Having achieved a correct and quick throw when aiming in a horizontal plane, the hunter can move on to a throw along the upper and lower pairs of wads.

After indoor training on a stationary target, which is advisable to do for 2 weeks 2 times a day, you should move on to indoor training on a moving chain. Since during hunting there are often times when a second shot is necessary, the hunter should also practice doublets. To do this, having raised the front sight on one target (wad), you must then quickly move the front sight to another, neighboring wad, placed somewhat to the side and always slightly higher or lower than the first one. You should learn to move the front sight from left to right and vice versa.

The simplest device for training against a moving target is a small load - a 12-gauge bullet or a weight suspended from the ceiling on a thick thread.

The weight, depending on the background of the room, can be either blackened or whitewashed (wrapped in a cloth or paper). It either swings like a pendulum, or describes a circle at a constant distance from the floor, or has a mixed movement, reminiscent of a circular motion, but with a rise at the ends (at turns). You can throw your hat up in an arc, etc. In this whole home workout routine, regularity is key. You should throw the gun in series of 12-15 throws and then take a break for 1-2 minutes. In total, it is enough to make 7-10 such series, that is, only from 84 to 150 jumps in the morning or evening. It is more advisable, of course, to train both in the morning and in the evening.

You can pull the trigger only after placing a spent cartridge in the chamber, otherwise such training will have a harmful effect on the mechanism of the gun.

More experienced shooters may be limited to one pull of the trigger with the hammers not cocked.

Field training is expressed in skeet shooting at skeet fired in various directions, as well as above the shooter’s head from a high tower in imitation of shooting on duck flights. It is also advisable to practice skeet shooting among the bushes, between which there is a path for the shooter.

Preliminary home (indoor) and field training is the basis for good shooting while hunting. Every hunter should remember this truth.

Shooting offhand at ducks and other birds

To shoot ducks in flight, in addition to the great skill acquired by getting used to your gun, the rank of its combat and constant exercise, you also need the habit of immediately correctly determining the distance.

Every hunter who aspires to become a good marksman and shoot offhand should, at the slightest opportunity, have a gun that is suitable in weight, suitable in size and with good balance, that is, well balanced; With an awkward, unsuitable gun, it is, of course, extremely difficult to learn to shoot offhand.

If the barrels are too heavy or the trigger is too tight, even a well-positioned gun will hit too low, and with disproportionately light barrels it will shoot high.

To acquire the skill of accurately determining distances, you need to measure the length of your step and systematically practice determining distances by eye at every opportunity. When hunting, it is especially useful to approach the killed game after a successful shot, first determining the distance by eye, and then checking it by counting your steps. The types and methods of peru gun hunting are very diverse and are carried out in all four seasons, with peru hunting in winter being very limited. The hunter must first master the basic methods of rifle hunting for the most common bird species. In this case, you should use every opportunity to shoot in flight, avoiding shots at sitting birds.

In the process of training and hunting, it is advisable to get used to shooting from the left shoulder (from a saddle, from a carriage, from a boat, it is very difficult to shoot from the right shoulder at game rising from the right side or flying across the shooter’s path to the right).

Hunting experience has shown that when shooting with shot, in order to be sure to kill the game immediately (or deprive it of the ability to move), for an average-sized game at normal hunting distances and with the appropriate shot number, at least 5 pellets are required.

Hitting with 4 or 3 pellets will give a significant probability of severely wounding the game, a significant part of which will fall into the hands of the hunter; with a smaller number of hits, the result will be a large percentage of game mutilation and a predominance of wounded animals over purely taken game.

The usual hunting distance when shooting from under a dog is from 15 to 25 m, the average is 25-35 m and the maximum is 40-50 m (about 60-70 steps), depending on the type of game, the shot number and the strike of the gun.

Each hunter must shoot at a bird offhand only at distances accessible to him. This distance for an average shooter will be no more than 25-30 m, for a very good shooter - no more than 35-40 m, since at longer distances, even when shooting with shotguns, precise aiming (fast, of course) is desirable.

The hunter's ultimate goal is to hit the game with a sheaf of shot and take it cleanly, without making wounded animals.

If you have to shoot a bird flying across the shooting plane or at an angle to the shooting line, then such shooting should be carried out with the so-called “lead” (moving the aiming point ahead of the game or “climbing forward” with the front sight along the line of flight, depending on the distance and speed of flight game.

The hunter, using the length of the bird as a scale or based on the visibility of the bird (the clarity of its outline and plumage to the eye), mentally measures the required amount of lead on the bird’s flight line and makes a quick swing with the end of the gun in this direction.

The swing speed is such that the aiming point, located on an imaginary vertical plane in which the bird's line of flight lies, moves faster than the bird being targeted.

The front sight, as it were, moves the bird without any delay for a certain distance, that is, anticipation - and then the hunter, pressing the trigger, continues to move the front sight at the same speed.

As soon as the bird approaches the point by the amount of the required lead, the shot should be fired immediately. It is clear that the faster the bird flies, the greater the lead or the forward movement of the front sight along the line of flight. If the bird does not fly perpendicular to the direction of the shot, then the magnitude of the belief decreases. So, for example, if the game flies towards or away from the hunter at an angle of 45° to the line of the shot (45° - 1/8 of a circle), then the lead is equal to 0.7 of the lead for a transverse shot. And at an angle of 22°, the lead is 0.4 from the usual (A.A. Zernov).

Professor S.A. Buturlin says that taking into account the necessary advance of the game can be done in different ways: “you need to learn to either raise the gun directly to the point where the game should meet the projectile, or throw the gun directly at the game and then with a short, quick movement get ahead of it and shoot without delays." It is clear that with different directions of movement of the game and different distances, the aiming point also changes. Hunting fly-by shooting should be widely practiced. Hunting for waterfowl, swamp, forest, field and steppe game contains a rich selection of hunting methods, from which there is every opportunity to choose the most rational methods, containing, in addition to the elements of fast shooting, a number of other skills.