Interesting style

[flippermaj]

Having a nose around on Youtube and came across this chap with a pair of Purdeys.

What do you make of his technique?  This isn't a criticism in any way and it may just be the way it's filmed.   I was just surprised at how quick his style was, almost stabby?  Seemed to work for him though.  Swing  through??  Churchill Method?   Whats he doing?  

Cheers  Flipper (who will never be able to own a pair of Purdeys!)

 

Clip is at  

 

 

[oldypigeonpopper]

hello, as you cannot see if he shoulders and pulls through or the ruffer method where he see a bird and looks over the barrels until the stock is in shoulder and lines the eyes with the rib , then pulls through , but that is some class shooting, nothing any decent side buy side would do, 

[Poor Shot]

The camera will be on a headband mount so it will look strange from cameras POV. 

I would say that for a lot of those shots he's mounting into the space in which he thinks the bird is going to be and pulling the trigger. Some others he's using swing through with a quick flick of the gun to create to the lead required. 

Seems to be working for him but I'd say he definitely a dedicated game shot if not then certainly someone who has a very peculiar technique for shooting driven game. 

[JohnfromUK]

An interesting watch. 

My late godfather was taught by Percy Stanbury and took the shot the moment the stock came into his shoulder.  He was an exceptionally good (and quick) shot (and shot several days a week on game in season), but his technique needed guns that fitted him perfectly and he used (not sure if it was really necessary for his technique) very light guns, being just over 6lbs for 28" barrelled 12 bores, and shot Hull cartridge 1 oz or Winchester GB one ounce.  He was (like Stanbury) a tall 'stringy' man and another 'style' that was notable was that he shot with his left arm virtually straight, hand well out in front of the foreend. 

Watching him shoot looked almost like 'snap shooting'.  In fact, the 'swing' was developed in the mounting process and the barrels were brought on line and up to speed before the stock touched the shoulder.  One of his sayings was 'follow up the smoke trail, and if you must miss, make sure it's in front'!

[London Best]

I tend to shoot game pretty much in your godfather’s style, although nobody could describe me as tall and stringy. I, too, like very light guns and the one ounce cartridges.
I don’t know why, but when I try and shoot clays I seem to try and apply some sort of lead in front of the target, generally with unsuccessful results.

[enfieldspares]

It is one Purdey I can see. The second gun isn't! More Made in Pudsey than Made by Purdey is the second gun. Now to his shooting. The style, yes, is the Churchill supposed method of shooting as soon as gunbutt seats in shoulder intended to minimise attempts to "track" the bird once the gun is fully in the shoulder.

Edited November 23, 2023 by enfieldspares

[islandgun]

On 17/11/2023 at 14:48, JohnfromUK said:

An interesting watch. 

My late godfather was taught by Percy Stanbury and took the shot the moment the stock came into his shoulder.  He was an exceptionally good (and quick) shot (and shot several days a week on game in season), but his technique needed guns that fitted him perfectly and he used (not sure if it was really necessary for his technique) very light guns, being just over 6lbs for 28" barrelled 12 bores, and shot Hull cartridge 1 oz or Winchester GB one ounce.  He was (like Stanbury) a tall 'stringy' man and another 'style' that was notable was that he shot with his left arm virtually straight, hand well out in front of the foreend. 

Watching him shoot looked almost like 'snap shooting'.  In fact, the 'swing' was developed in the mounting process and the barrels were brought on line and up to speed before the stock touched the shoulder.  One of his sayings was 'follow up the smoke trail, and if you must miss, make sure it's in front'!

Thats my take as well

 

25 minutes ago, enfieldspares said:

It is one Purdey I can see. The second gun isn't! More Made in Pudsey than Made by Purdey is the second gun. Now to his shooting. The style, yes, is the Churchill supposed method of shooting as soon as gunbutt seats in shoulder intended to minimise attempts to "track" the bird once the gun is fully in the shoulder.

 

[wymberley]

19 minutes ago, enfieldspares said:

It is one Purdey I can see. The second gun isn't! More Made in Pudsey than Made by Purdey is the second gun. Now to his shooting. The style, yes, is the Churchill supposed method of shooting as soon as gunbutt seats in shoulder intended to minimise attempts to "track" the bird once the gun is fully in the shoulder.

There's reason why you don't want to 'track' with a straight arm and particularly when shooting incoming driven and it's better to shoot it 'in front' apart from being 'with style'. Dither too long as the bird starts to come overhead and if you don't let the barrels run through your hand, but grip it, the change in body/arms/gun geometry will pull you off line.

[enfieldspares]

Interestingly I was just last night reading my copy of Ken Davies's book "The Better Shot" in the frontispiece of which he pays a respect to Norman Clarke who after he left Churchill, writes Ken Davies, brought a form, a style, a sort of the Churchill method with him to Northwood. I had a gunfitting by Ken Davies in 2004 but was looking at the book to see what supposed benefits a standard (not Churchill variant) raised rib as the AYA Yeoman might bring to an otherwise conventional side by side. Sadly the book was mute on the matter.

Edited November 23, 2023 by enfieldspares