Q&A for How to Shoot a Shotgun

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Can I shoot a shotgun under the arm, rather than a shoulder?

Community Answer

If you don't want the kick, position your feet a bit farther apart. Firing from under the arm is called hip-fire, but be careful; crouch, if possible.

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Question

How do I select the shooting barrel on an over and under shot gun?

Community Answer

Somewhere on the breech area of the gun, there will be a selector switch, generally on top of the gun where your shooting hand's thumb is located when holding the gun. Some guns have a pin-type toggle switch behind the trigger.

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Question

How do I aim a shotgun?

Community Answer

You do not aim a shotgun, you point a shotgun. One of the problems with shotgun shooters is they try to aim the shotgun like a rifle or pistol by aligning the beads on the shotgun with the clay target. The sights on a shotgun are the target and your eyes. Do not look at the barrel when shooting, look at the target.

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Question

Should you shut one eye.

Community Answer

If you are having a hard time focusing, it is okay to shut your non-dominant eye.

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Question

I am not sure which choke to use on clays, I have a Browning. Can you give me some advice on the subject?

Community Answer

Chokes on shotguns essentially modifies the distance the shots will travel by constricting the groupings as it leaves the bore. A tighter choke means a tighter group, thus travelling further. Depending on the distance of your clays, you may choose to use a choke.

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Question

At what age can I get a shotgun?

Community Answer

Under federal law, you have to be 18, but there's no minimum purchase age if you're going through an unlicensed seller.

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Question

I have a young shooter who hesitates pulling the trigger on clay targets until the target is too far away. What can I do?

Community Answer

There is this small moment when the "pigeon" kind of floats. That for me is the golden moment to shoot it because it isn't rising or falling. Tell him to hit it then. That's what worked for me.

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Question

What is a good weight for a younger person to safely shoot a 12-gauge?

Galasy4969

Top Answerer

You should be at least over one hundred pounds, in good health and understand the correct shooting stance. Before using a twelve-gauge, I would advise the young person to either get experience with larger-bore rifles or start with a twenty-gauge. Twelve-gauges can bruise or outright sprain muscles if held incorrectly.

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