How do you shoot a clay which goes over your head?

[jweaver]

I am a complete novice and have only had 1 lesson. I plan to have more, but for now, I am doing a bit of practice/self learning.

 

I can shoot most clays but struggle with ones which go over your head.. Everything else is OK, as I can vary the amount of lead (not the metal, but shooting in front of the clay) until I find the point where I hit it.. The more I shoot, the more natural and instinctive the process is getting.. But when they go over your head, I have no idea where to start.. As you know, the barrel gets in the way of the clay and you can't see it, so its very difficult to aim.

 

I wonder if I should be aiming at the clay and then just as I pull the trigger, I quickly move ahead of it??

 

Can anyone give me some tips? I have a book which I am going to start reading, but I just figured that someone might be able to give me a qiuck answer.

 

I look forwads to your replies

 

Jon

Edited December 13, 2008 by jweaver

[kingo]

if its incomming towards you and over your head you should shoot when the clay dissapears infront of your barrels, thats the way I was taught and I hit them everytime.

[vmobiler1]

Same as above i`ve had a few lessons and thats what i was told to do when the barrel goes past the clay fire!... It works

[jweaver]

So how exactly does that work in practice.. You line up your gun so that the sight is just below the clay and track it.. You then raise it following it over your head. Are you saying that as soon as it gets to the point where you can no longer see it, because the angle means that the barrel is in the way, you shoot?

 

What if you hesitate and miss the 'moment'. Is there a way to recover?

 

Jon

[Spaniel]

I normally point the gun at the clay and as i pull the gun through the clay, so i cant see the clay anymore i pull the trigger, but keep the gun moving...

You could practise dry at home say using your finger as the gun and the celinig rose as the clay, point your finger at it and then pull your finger pass, at that point say Bang, or Pop and just keep your finger moving

[clayman]

Well, how long is a ball of string?

 

You don't say if the target is high off a tower, or climbing off the ground and lower. Is it directly overhead, or is there some rt or left in it?

 

Are you shooting gun up or gun down? You post implies you are closing one eye ( as the barrel is blotting the clay) - do you need to?

 

There are as many different ways of shooting overhead targets as there are trajectories of targets to shoot at.

 

Get yourself a qualified coach, and learn to shoot - once you have established technique, it will work for all targets.

[Andy W]

I keep my barrel behind the clay, when the clay is almost over my head I accelerate the muzzle and overtake the clay, as my barrel is on the front edge I pull the trigger but you must carry on swinging, dont stop or you will miss behind.

 

Practice on the ceiling light as said, I have just tried the same with my outstretched arm and how I explained is exactly how I tackle it, also worth mentioning, I start off with my weight on my front foot but end up on my back foot, if I dont shift my weight my gun stops swinging.

Edited December 13, 2008 by Andy W