How to Shoot a Shotgun
Always treat the shotgun as it were loaded., Hold the shotgun correctly.The gun should be held at all times with your non-firing hand on the hand stock, roughly in the middle of the grip., Put the gun in firing position., Weld your cheek to the...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Always treat the shotgun as it were loaded.
Always wear ear and eye protection when shooting.
Keep the safety on until the gun is in firing position.
Never put your finger on the trigger until you're ready to fire.
When you're not in firing position, keep the barrel aimed up or straight down at the ground, never point the gun in the direction of yourself or anyone you're with, and always assume the gun is loaded.
Before you try aiming, loading, or firing a shotgun, learn to respect the shotgun for what it is: a dangerous and powerful tool. -
Step 2: Hold the shotgun correctly.The gun should be held at all times with your non-firing hand on the hand stock
Cradle it firmly, using the "V" created by your thumb and forefinger.
Hold the grip of the gun with your firing-hand (the hand you write with) on the grip behind the trigger.
Hold onto the gun securely but gently, as if you were giving it a light handshake. , Pull the gun snuggly into the shoulder, keeping your hands in the same position, but rotating the gun up.
Pull the butt firmly into your shoulder.
Failing to keep the shotgun tight in your shoulder will make the "kick" more painful when you shoot the gun.
Keeping it tight allows your body to absorb the kick, as opposed to the gun bouncing into your shoulder.
Your feet should be shoulder width apart, your knees flexed slightly, with your body turned roughly 40 degrees to the side of the target your firing hand is on.
Your finger should not be on the trigger, but holding the stock behind the trigger guard with the rest of your fingers. , To aim properly, you need to develop what is called "cheek to stock weld," which means that you've aligned your eye evenly with the sight of the shotgun by keeping your cheek in tight to the stock.
When the butt of the shotgun is pulled into the pocket your shoulder makes with your pectoral muscle, let your head rest against it by relaxing your neck.
If the shotgun has a sight aperture about halfway up the barrel, align the gun so the sighting point near the tip of the shotgun barrel lines up in the aperture.
Practice letting your cheek fall to the same point on the gun and aligning the sight-points as quickly and as comfortably as possible. , With an unloaded shotgun, ensure that the safety is on and practice bringing the gun into the firing position quickly.
Push the gun straight out from your body, then tuck the butt of the shotgun firmly into your shoulder, keeping it tight against the pocket your shoulder created with your body.
Like in golf or tennis, shooting a shotgun is partially about swing.
Whether you're sport-shooting or hunting, bringing the shotgun to firing position quickly and comfortably is an important start of the process. , Mostly, shotguns are good for shooting moving targets in the air.
If you decide to go to the gun range or to a safe rural property with lots of space where you can practice, you'll probably want to practice shooting clay pigeons before you move on to hunting or other kinds of shooting.
Gun ranges will have clay target areas with automated machines that launch the clay onto the range and various positions on the range from which you can shoot.
This is a good way to learn from more experienced shooters.
When you're in position, yell "Pull" for the clay operator to push the button and release the target onto the field.
Take a turn launching the clay onto the range to watch the technique of others.
It's a great way to learn. -
Step 3: roughly in the middle of the grip.
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Step 4: Put the gun in firing position.
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Step 5: Weld your cheek to the stock.
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Step 6: Develop your swing.
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Step 7: Decide what you want to shoot.
Detailed Guide
Always wear ear and eye protection when shooting.
Keep the safety on until the gun is in firing position.
Never put your finger on the trigger until you're ready to fire.
When you're not in firing position, keep the barrel aimed up or straight down at the ground, never point the gun in the direction of yourself or anyone you're with, and always assume the gun is loaded.
Before you try aiming, loading, or firing a shotgun, learn to respect the shotgun for what it is: a dangerous and powerful tool.
Cradle it firmly, using the "V" created by your thumb and forefinger.
Hold the grip of the gun with your firing-hand (the hand you write with) on the grip behind the trigger.
Hold onto the gun securely but gently, as if you were giving it a light handshake. , Pull the gun snuggly into the shoulder, keeping your hands in the same position, but rotating the gun up.
Pull the butt firmly into your shoulder.
Failing to keep the shotgun tight in your shoulder will make the "kick" more painful when you shoot the gun.
Keeping it tight allows your body to absorb the kick, as opposed to the gun bouncing into your shoulder.
Your feet should be shoulder width apart, your knees flexed slightly, with your body turned roughly 40 degrees to the side of the target your firing hand is on.
Your finger should not be on the trigger, but holding the stock behind the trigger guard with the rest of your fingers. , To aim properly, you need to develop what is called "cheek to stock weld," which means that you've aligned your eye evenly with the sight of the shotgun by keeping your cheek in tight to the stock.
When the butt of the shotgun is pulled into the pocket your shoulder makes with your pectoral muscle, let your head rest against it by relaxing your neck.
If the shotgun has a sight aperture about halfway up the barrel, align the gun so the sighting point near the tip of the shotgun barrel lines up in the aperture.
Practice letting your cheek fall to the same point on the gun and aligning the sight-points as quickly and as comfortably as possible. , With an unloaded shotgun, ensure that the safety is on and practice bringing the gun into the firing position quickly.
Push the gun straight out from your body, then tuck the butt of the shotgun firmly into your shoulder, keeping it tight against the pocket your shoulder created with your body.
Like in golf or tennis, shooting a shotgun is partially about swing.
Whether you're sport-shooting or hunting, bringing the shotgun to firing position quickly and comfortably is an important start of the process. , Mostly, shotguns are good for shooting moving targets in the air.
If you decide to go to the gun range or to a safe rural property with lots of space where you can practice, you'll probably want to practice shooting clay pigeons before you move on to hunting or other kinds of shooting.
Gun ranges will have clay target areas with automated machines that launch the clay onto the range and various positions on the range from which you can shoot.
This is a good way to learn from more experienced shooters.
When you're in position, yell "Pull" for the clay operator to push the button and release the target onto the field.
Take a turn launching the clay onto the range to watch the technique of others.
It's a great way to learn.
About the Author
Betty Howard
Writer and educator with a focus on practical lifestyle knowledge.
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