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Posted: 11/3/2011 6:44:08 AM EDT
[#1]
Every shotgun is different.
Best thing to do is shoot it...A LOT...and get a feel for your cheek weld and to develop an instinctual shooting style. Personally, I don't have any shotguns with that middle bead. I rely on my cheek weld and and the feel of the shotgun, more than anything else. |
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Posted: 11/3/2011 6:44:36 AM EDT
[#2]
I would shoot it and see where it's hitting and then go from there.
I line up where the rib is perfectly in plane with my line of sight (flat, don't see it) and then put the bead(s) on the target. Yes - shim that is thicker on top will make the barrel/receiver angle further down. |
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Posted: 11/3/2011 6:47:42 AM EDT
[#3]
You would very much benefit from having the barrel vector orthogonal to the tangent plane about the center of your iris. of
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Posted: 11/3/2011 6:49:38 AM EDT
[#4]
The shims are more for adjusting the shotgun fit and point of impact, not your "sight picture". The mid bead should tell you that your head is straight and your cheek is down on the stock, but that's about it. You shouldn't be trying to align them once you shoulder the gun, it should occur naturally. The rib being visible does not matter, so don't adjust the stock trying to get the rib out of your peripheral vision since that will change your POI.
You don't need a sight picture when shooting a shotgun at moving targets. Pattern the gun on a large sheet of cardboard. You want it to hit where you are naturally looking with the shotgun, not necessarily where the beads are aligned. If the center of the pattern is not your POA, then the shims will help you adjust. |
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Posted: 11/3/2011 6:49:47 AM EDT
[#5]
I have the same gun. Its a fantastic field gun. Your sight picture sounds correct. Line the silver bead up with the front red one and you should be gtg. I have had mine for 10 years or so, never had a problem with it.
Edit. And what the poster above me said. I only use the beads to check my alinement. I look at the target while shooting. |
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Posted: 11/3/2011 6:59:09 AM EDT
[#6]
Maybe some of the guys into sporting clays can supply some good shotgun videos.
You really don't "aim" a shotgun like you do a rifle. It's more of a "pointing" concept. I always point my left index finger on the fore end to reinforce this for myself. There are various techniques like "swing through" and "maintained lead" you can try. With a uniform, correct hold each time you are really not aware of the beads, just the target. I'm not really good at explaining it, maybe a little better at doing it. 
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Posted: 11/3/2011 7:15:35 AM EDT
[#7]
when I'm shooting my FUDD shotgun, I never look at the beads, I just "sight" down the barrel
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Posted: 11/3/2011 7:23:04 AM EDT
[#8]
I cut every other rib out on my 870 so that looking down the barrel if you see the gaps, you are too high of a cheek weld and your shot will be high also.
When you line it up where it looks solid, its right on the money. I use mine to shoot clays and can usually go through a box of 90 with maybe 2 or 3 misses.  |
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Posted: 11/3/2011 7:26:47 AM EDT
[#9]
Stance has a lot to do with it as well when pointing a shotgun. If you don't lean forward into the gun consistently when you throw the gun up to your shoulder, your shot will be off, because that also affects how things line up.
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Posted: 11/3/2011 7:37:16 AM EDT
[#10]
Quoted: I just got a new one and can't shoot it yet. It's a benelli montefeltro in 20 guage! It came with a buch of shims and stuff but I am unsure how to determine if I need to tweak mine. When I shoulder it, it seems like the middle silver bead and the tiny front bead are lined up, with a little rib showing. It's hard for me to determine because I can't see up close well. Had the same gun, outstanding shotgun. Your sight picture sounds perfect for sporting use right now. For trap or rising targets you want to see a little more rib. Go through the shims and try them. They usually have the "C" in them from factory so try B to get a little more rib if you like to "float the bird" like I do. |
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Posted: 11/3/2011 7:43:49 AM EDT
[#11]
Put it on paper first. Pattering a shotgun is important and noone ever does it. I have a 1300 that centers the pattern at POI. I have a Beretta that patterns about 60% high/ 40% low. It does make a difference, particulally when shooting clays.
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Posted: 11/3/2011 7:59:25 AM EDT
[#12]
Quoted:
I have a 1300 that centers the pattern at POI. I'd hope it centers at Point of Impact
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Posted: 11/3/2011 8:00:32 AM EDT
[#13]
Quoted:
Maybe some of the guys into sporting clays can supply some good shotgun videos. You really don't "aim" a shotgun like you do a rifle. It's more of a "pointing" concept. I always point my left index finger on the fore end to reinforce this for myself. There are various techniques like "swing through" and "maintained lead" you can try. With a uniform, correct hold each time you are really not aware of the beads, just the target. I'm not really good at explaining it, maybe a little better at doing it. Don't let Old Painless see that, he and I went round and round about the whole "point or aim" thing.
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Posted: 11/3/2011 8:31:07 AM EDT
[#14]
What I am doing is "mounting" the gun, then looking at the beads and rib to see how it looks. The nice thing is the beads consistantly line up, so I guess that's good as far as windage, but I see a little rib. It's consistant though.
I'm just going to have to shoot it. I probably won't be able to do that for over a week!  So I guess I'll do a lot of fondling till then.  I've been watching you tubes as well, that Knapp fella has a lot of them. I'm also conflicted as to whether I should have a swivel thingie put on the back. The replacement cap is 45 bucks!! . I might just get the cap and use one of those slings with a swivel on the front only. I'll wait till I scratch it before I consider the other. |
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Posted: 11/3/2011 8:40:24 AM EDT
[#15]
Quoted: Quoted: Maybe some of the guys into sporting clays can supply some good shotgun videos. You really don't "aim" a shotgun like you do a rifle. It's more of a "pointing" concept. I always point my left index finger on the fore end to reinforce this for myself. There are various techniques like "swing through" and "maintained lead" you can try. With a uniform, correct hold each time you are really not aware of the beads, just the target. I'm not really good at explaining it, maybe a little better at doing it. Don't let Old Painless see that, he and I went round and round about the whole "point or aim" thing. It's my understanding you point a shotgun, that's why they are custom fit. For some reason all the people I regularly interact with get all bent out of shape if you say that. My "roommate" talks of getting a reddot or other type of shotgun optic, which I think is stupid, cause we are using them to shoot running animals. I'm trying to learn how to properly shoot a shotgun, I'm used to, and capable of, shooting a rifle but my shotgunning leaves much to be desired. In the past when I used it to hunt squirrels and bunnies, it didn't matter cause I shot them when they were standing still. A shotgun owner ought to be able shoot moving things, it's kind of the point. I'm glad that if the shims are needed they are there. |
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Posted: 11/3/2011 8:54:19 AM EDT
[#16]
Shooting a shotgun is a lot closer to throwing a football at a running receiver rather than aiming a rifle. That's why they're so quick to get on target.
 
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Posted: 11/3/2011 9:03:29 AM EDT
[#17]
Quoted:
Put it on paper first. Pattering a shotgun is important and noone ever does it. I have a 1300 that centers the pattern at POI. I have a Beretta that patterns about 60% high/ 40% low. It does make a difference, particulally when shooting clays. Yep. And shoot it until it points instinctively by muscle memory. I really never even notice my bead. I normally shoot either an Ithaca/SKB 600 O/U in 20ga or my grandfather's old Stevens 311 S/S in 16ga on birds, A Maverick 3 1/2" 12ga pump on waterfowl, and a Baikal 20" 12ga cylinder bore S/S on bunnies. |
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Posted: 11/3/2011 9:09:01 AM EDT
[#18]
Quoted:
Every shotgun is different. Best thing to do is shoot it...A LOT...and get a feel for your cheek weld and to develop an instinctual shooting style. Personally, I don't have any shotguns with that middle bead. I rely on my cheek weld and and the feel of the shotgun, more than anything else. This sums it up nicely for me. |
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Posted: 11/3/2011 9:12:51 AM EDT
[#19]
Shotgun is the opposite of rifle or handgun. You focus on your target and let the bead get blurry instead of focusing on the sight and letting the target get blurry.
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Posted: 11/3/2011 9:20:36 AM EDT
[#20]
For hunting or Sporting Clays (skeet, too, in my opinion), the target should sit on top of the muzzle of the barrel, with maybe a tiny gap of light.
When you are shooting, you won't notice the sights, and you shouldn't. Head on the gun, focus on the leading edge of the bird, swing through the target and let the shot go as the muzzle passes. You can fool around with sustained leads, but I wouldn't start you that way. If the gun speed matches the target well, the lead will work out for close shots if you pull through. Skeet is good training to tune up leads. If you try to "rifle" the gun by using the bead(s), you'll stop the gun and miss. Trap shooters float the target way above the barrel. I can't shoot that way. |
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