I have shot targets for more the 40 years and the best shooters do not earn enough to pay for their shooting, unless they have a sponsor. One of the best shooters I have ever seen, was Frank Little; many time 16yd, Handicap and doubles champion. I saw Frank shoot at our local gun club. Do you know what he shot, a Remington 870 trap, factory gun with no modifications? I saw Frank Little give free 16yd and handicap lessons, he used the shooter students firearm and never saw him miss a target. For all the times Frank won local,state and national championship, he never won big, like a pro golfer, ball player would make. But to him target shooting was an a sportsmanship, not an job.
shotgun fitting and o/u are big money, perhaps you don't need a gun fitting, eventually, you fit yourself to the gun, or modify that gun to your liking.
This is a video I'll probably watch twice. Really enjoyed this. An interesting idea for a follow-up would be advice for those of who have low-end shotguns that can't be adjusted much. I have no option but to fit myself around what I have. How is that best done? That would be a topic that would be meaningful to me.
Awesome, I went thru this with Del back in May at the Grouse Camp. I learned more in an hour with him than in the last 35yrs of shooting and hunting. Can't wait for my 20ga OU to arrive hopefully soon!
I watched you all weekend and still can’t get enough. I’ve been shooting well above average for over 55 years and I have already learned more in a weekend than I have in all these years. Thanks for all you do!!
Steve. This was fantastic thanks for having Del do this for us. I have been shooting for years but learned so much watching this video. Thanks again Chuck
Well, the video is very nice, plus it is always advisable to have your gun fitted to you personally if you take clay shooting seriously. But once the verbal tutorial is over or forgotten next week or month, a shooter may go back to their old bad habits. Once a personal fitting has been accomplished, the customer should take home a pamphlet on avoiding bad shooting habits. Mike
I do agree a good fit gun and a proper mount does help you do well but I have 7 different shotguns eye shoot from side-by-side to an old Remington model 31 pump action 20 gauge to a $10000 ceasar guerini that fits me perfect and I still shoot 23 out of 25 trap so in the end the only thing that takes you to the next level is shoot And shoot and shoot and don't stop shooting for years to get perfect
Certainly more informative than watching someone break clays. Great content. And I'm really intrigued by the custom 20/28ga sxs. I'm trying to decide between 20 & 28 gauge; maybe the dual-gauge double barrel solution is the way to go.
Yes, I've worked with Dale Tate in Ione, CA (Sacramento area). It's worth it. Most fitters will also shoot moving targets also. No one shoots a plate the same way as a clay/bird.
Regarding what the fitter said about turning your face to the comb to get the eye in the proper position. I advise shooter to place a pencil or pen to their mandible (cheek bone) and look at a spot in a mirror. You will notice that for a right eye dominate person, the pencil or pen is point to the left of the spot. So, if you turn your head to make the pencil or pen hit the spot, this is the head turn needed to mount the gun to align the eyes properly. This will also change the length of pull depending on the amount of head turn that a shooter requires to align the eyes.
Steve you rock brother!!!! I’m shocked that these kids don’t know who you are, man your the guy that got me back into shotguns and shooting after decades of getting rid of all my shotguns due to all my spine injuries from fighting fires in the Bronx ! My shotgun years were over and all I shot were pistol’s and 22 cz and Bergara s in comp. But you gave me hope to get into shotgunning again . I started with a cz410 drake ,talk about a challengeing . Guys at the club thought I was nuts but had a set for trying. Now I’m shooting a Benelli ethos in 28 gauge and a 28 tri stare over under and just got a Citori hunter and a Henry 410 leaver to complete in turkey shoot! Keep up the good work just wish there were more 28 gauge guns to choose from so much stuff in 12 and there’s just to many of us older warriors that our bodies are to busted up to shoot 12 or 20 gauge anymore. Keep up the good work bro really enjoy your show brother!!!
I watched this video and until now I have never seen anyone explain the wrong way to fit a gun or mount a gun. Thankfully, my gun was fit properly and I know how to mount it properly. When shooting clays or game birds I don’t think about the gun at all.
My Beretta OU stock is custom fitted.For those who are not aware of its importance, simply I want to tell them for example if your gun is unfit than it hits 4 pellets to target and if the gun is custom fitted then 10 pellets will hit same target and where you miss the target,custom fitted will hit same target by 3-4 pellets.
As a long-time waterfowler, I’ve never been too concerned with a custom fitted shotgun. Most of the shots happen so quickly and at such a wide range of angles, that I don’t feel like a custom fitted gun would make that much of a difference. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I wouldn’t do a custom fitted gun any justice..
I had a fitting by a very good fitter/instructor a bit over 20 years ago. We did it at a sporting clays course that had not 9nly a pattern plate but also a five stand setup next to each other. He worked with me a fair amount and used the pattern plate as his baseline. When things looked good there he had me shoot a bunch of different target presentations to confirm his numbers. He tweaked things a bit and we went back to the pattern plate and five stand. This was for a sxs gun. After that he had some time left and we did the same for my main clays gun at the time. That one he only made a pitch change recommendation. He had both a sxs AND o/u try gun. If/when i go for a Perazzi Im local to Giacomo and although retired he said to see him for fit.
The fitter I went to those years ago was Keith Lupton. He works out of downstate N.Y.. more recently Giacomo and his son in law Dan worked with me a little bit. Dan pretty much only works with Perazzi.
A fellow named Peter Crabtree lived an hour south of me , Peter had a tri gun after he fitted me he gave a prescription in detail of lop cast and drop all on one sheet of paper . This was in the early 80s
I'm a Left Handed Shooter. I would like to know which Brand of Over/Under Shotguns have a "Neutral" Cant Butt-Stock and which Ones to stay away from, as a Left Handed Shooter. Thanks So Much
One serious fault here IMHO. No, you should not mount to the shoulder and then put down your head. Always mount to the face/cheek. To a novice or when try out guns - mount in a 45 degree angle upwards or slightly more. The gun will automatically fall in right spot at the shoulder. Then, from your hips, create the 70/30 / 60/40 weight distribution or forward tilt by moving forward at your hips without moving the mounted postion. If the gun doesn't mount correctly after this, adjust the stock.
I've never been fitted for a gun before but I suspect that it would be kind of difficult for me . I'm right-handed but I am left eye dominant. I don't know what that would entail.
From what distance were you shooting the plate from ? It looked really close. Also very flat at that distance. is that because your shooting a specific type of targets or game? Excellent video thank you for all you do for us!
good video thanks? Can you highlight how to replace barrel gas O-rings? my citadel 12 gauge semi-auto Warthog did not come with the O-ring. Many thanks!
That is a great question and a great video topic idea. The short of it is that you don’t need a left handed gun but you need a gun that fits you. Some guns have cast, which bends the stock to the left or the right relative to the rib line. If a gun cast off for a right handed shooter, there’s a good chance the gun won’t fit you well. If the shotgun allows you to change cast like many semi autos do, then you can fix this.
Nice info, but for the love of little Jimmy, why couldn't the sample gun be a common under/over instead of the world's ugliest side by side no one is shooting trap with.
I have never. Can't afford it. Just started a year ago shooting. Love to me fitted. That way I can continue shooting at least having the right fit instead of learning things to adjust to a n unfit gun
I can see a lot of fuzz about gun fitting but your technique should be able to get you to the target and focused on. the world's best shot George Digweed is a great example I believe you should always try shooting a gun and check if it shoots where your eyes are looking and your technique should be good enough to have that gun shooting where your eyes are looking! happy hunting everyone.
In an ideal world, I want the stock dimensions to feel like a well worn pair of boots and then change the rib bead combination to get the gun shooting where it needs to, instead of the other way around. But then again, ain’t nobody going to pay me to fit a stock to them so 🤷🏽♂️👍🏼👍🏼
I did a couple weeks ago. By Perazzi on a high tech. It was a free fitting no obligation…. So why not? Interesting process they have but at my level I don’t warrant that level of shotgun
You may want to get a gun and send the stock in for an adjustable butt and comb given your sons age. This way as he grows and his fit changes the fit can change with his size. If you go Beretta as well as some others there is the TSK stock option. Just a thought.
I've never had one fit. I live in Wisconsin and am on a youth trap team. I've found that I don't need it, 85% of my shots are on ducks,geese, wood cock and grouse which I barely have time to get my gun up to shoot. When I do shoot trap I seem to be just fine with all of the different shotguns I've tried. For me I can't justify the extra money to try it.
Smoking >hundreds of thousands of hand tossed clays!!!! < that are either at their acme or falling fast within a few yards of you when shot, has your built in ultra fast mount bam bam bam sight picture to be what it is. IMO the target plate is a witness to your built in sight picture. Regardless of how high this fit pro adjusts the stock, YOU are readjusting to the 'new adjustment' so you see your standard sight picture. The fact is you shoot a hundred different shotguns NOT fitted to you incredibly well. I sure hope your new sxs with extreme stock adjustment gets you on the upland birds, and does not end up being a safe queen because it 'shoots off'.
Because every predator in the world tilts their head (and therefore their eyes) before attacking prey… Sigh, sorry, wrong. Your eyes should be level and gun brought to the cheek first, then into your shoulder pocket without head movement.
I have never been taught to mount to shoulder first, it's cheek first and then shoulder. I shoot 10k birds a year, 2x 100 a week. I've obviously been doing it wrong......... lol
