Ask The Instructor: Hitting the Spot

Question: "I have noticed that many top shooters mount the gun much lower in the shoulder pocket than most less skilled shooters.  Could you please elaborate on that?”

Answer: Many novice shooters believe that the key to shooting a shotgun well is getting the butt of the shotgun in the correct place in the shoulder: “in the pocket” if you will. “The pocket” is the indented area of the shoulder between the collarbone and shoulder joint. If the length of a shotgun’s stock (Length-of-Pull, or LOP), pitch angle (the angle of the butt of the shotgun as compared to rib), and drop-at-heel are appropriate for the individual shooter, the shoulder and shotgun butt-pad will naturally and evenly merge when the shooter mounts the shotgun. While the location, timing, and manner in which the butt of the shotgun meets the shoulder is not completely irrelevant, the placement of the butt in the shoulder has little bearing on where the gun shoots. In other words, the LOP, Pitch, and Drop-at-Heel do not affect Point-of-Impact (POI). The POI of a shotgun has everything to do with where, when, and how the shotgun aligns with the cheek ledge (the zygomatic process), as well as the consistency of the shooter’s gun mount. With that said, some shooters prefer that the shotgun butt contact the shoulder in the pocket, while others may prefer to mount the gun closer to, or on top of, the shoulder joint.

For a shooter with an aggressive mount, the placement of the butt in the shoulder may be lower than the shooter with a more upright stance. Another variable which can affect the placement of the butt is the elevation of a target. A shooter engaging a high target will likely mount the gun lower in the shoulder compared to when he or she engages a target below the chest.

In summary, when we look at experienced shooters who have a very consistent mount, some of the variation you see in the placement of the butt in the shoulder may be more preference and shooting style.