Beretta Blog

The argument of shotgun cleaning took place in bird camp. In one corner was my buddy who cleans his shotgun like clockwork... which is once a decade whether it needs it or not (it needs it). In the other corner was a pal who meticulously cleans his shotgun at the end of each day. On some days I wonder if he'd like to clean his shotgun after every shot. I'm in the middle and wipe my guns after each hunt and clean them once a month or at the end of the season. My only exception is that I do a thorough cleaning after hunting in a heavy downpour or after use in a saltwater marsh.

A quiet skeet field, where the new student and a competent coach can work together uninterrupted, is the best tool for teaching wingshooting skills. The flight of each target is the same, so it eliminates the variable of the new shooter having to figure out where to look.

Low seven is a straightaway launched just a few feet from the shooter. It can be learned quickly and is a great confidence builder. This is really important when working with a new shooter whom you had to convince to give shotgun shooting a try. They need some near-instant success to build enthusiasm quickly and the realization, “Yes, I can do this!”

Wingshooting skills would be so easy to learn if we were shooting laser guns. You know, the ones aliens carried in the “B” movies to project a continuous beam of disintegration at earthlings who refused to take them to their leader. With these mythical shotguns, we would just watch the beam and easily adjust for lead on any target no matter how evasive its maneuvers.

If you’ve ever set foot on a shotgun range, you know it doesn’t work that way. Learning to consistently center a shot pattern you can’t see on a moving target is to master physics, muscle memory … and a good bit of art. It takes time.

All boiled down, a target load is any shell you drop into your shotgun with the intent of breaking a clay target. That can be anything from the most bargain basement, off-brand promotional load to a $5.00-per-shell exotic metal non-toxic variety.

The debate over beads is so great, it cannot be contested, or even in explained, in one post, so we’re giving it a second. In Part One we learned the difference between single-projectile firearms which you aim and a shotgun which you point with a lot more margin for error. We also learned a shotgun will work perfectly well without beads and that some folks think it’s best to learn to shoot one that way. And finally, we covered front beads and mid-beads on modern shotguns.

Now it’s time to explore why many … make that most … top shotgunners consider highly visible beads so crucial on both target and field guns.

Rifles and handguns are aimed. Shotguns are pointed. But what does that really mean?

It means shooting any firearm with a single projectile is precise. It requires time and attention to align the sighting system – whether open sights or optical sights – on the intended target. Alignment and steadiness are so critical that the best shooters control breathing and heartbeats to press the trigger at the absolute proper millisecond.

There are two reasons every shotgunner needs to wear shooting glasses. First, and most important is for protection of your eyes. Second, is to enhance your ability to see the targets quickly and clearly.

It's conventional wisdom to do a few things prior to bird hunting season. Wax your cotton chaps, clean your guns, road your dogs, and drop a few hard-earned pounds from summer BBQ's. Other items need tending, but getting ready for the season by shooting clays is a whole lot of fun.

Spend a pre-hunting season Saturday afternoon at a sporting goods store, and chances are pretty good you’ll witness this scenario.

A parent, seeking a first shotgun for a son or daughter, walks in and makes a beeline to the single-shots, maybe with a glance at the pumps on the way. The youth points at the semi-automatic rack but is ushered away quickly. Eavesdropping, you’ll hear: “Too expensive,” “Too big for you,” “Adult’s gun.” Or the worst, “Those are dangerous!”