You’ve probably heard it said that you don’t aim a shotgun, you point a shotgun.
This is a true statement, but a lot of people wondering really what in the world is the difference between pointing and aiming.
Well today I’m going to tell you the difference and why it’s so important.
Shooting a shotgun is very much about your hands, your brain and your eyes, all working together.
Otherwise, very commonly known as hand-eye coordination.
So let’s first look at pointing. When you point, say at a bird in the distance.
Our eyes are focused on that bird and we really don’t take time to make sure our hand is really lined up.
You don’t close one eye and say, “look at that bird over there! You will definitely say, hey! look at that bird, and you’re pretty close to pointing right where that bird is That’s hand-eye coordination.
When you aim a rifle, you’re focused on the sights. You are looking very close term.
Yes you see the object as well but you have a lot of focus on your barrel and the sights.
But, when you shoot at a shotgun, you need to make sure that your focus is not on your barrel or on your bead, but on the target.
When you’re focused on the target, your brain can better calculate the speed, distance and travel of that target and you will successfully make the shot.
So big differences, pointing a shotgun is your focus is out on the object not really on your barrel at all.
You will see your bead in your peripheral but your focus should not be in your bead.
When aiming a rifle, you’re very focused on the sights, on your gun and that’s the big difference, really.
So let’s look at it this way, a quick example. If you were to be throwing a football to someone running across the field, would you focus your vision on the guy running across the field or on your hands and your football as you throw it.
Well that’s kind of silly right. Of course you’re focused on the guy running down the field.
Shotgunning should really be no different. If you’re shooting at a bird or a clay, your focus should be on your target.
There’s no need to focus on your gun because you are going to move your hands to where that target is.
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