Shotguns are mainly used for hunting small animals and in sports such as clay pigeon shooting. There are many sizes and types. This guide is about learning the basics and how to choose one.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Part 1: Learning the Basics
Step 1. Always treat the shotgun as if it were loaded
Always wear eye and ear protection when shooting. Do not release the safety until the rifle is in the firing position. Never keep your finger on the trigger until you are ready to shoot. When not in the shooting position, keep the barrel pointed up or directly towards the ground and never point it at yourself or anyone present.
Before attempting to aim, load, or shoot, learn to respect the shotgun for what it is: a powerful, percolating tool
Step 2. Hold the rifle correctly
You should always hold it with your supporting hand on the stock, about halfway up the grip. Hold it firmly, using the "V" that is created between thumb and forefinger. Grab the gun grip with your shooting hand (the one you write with) behind the trigger. Hold the shotgun firmly but gently, as if you were going to give it a light handshake.
Step 3. Put the shotgun in shooting position
Rest the rifle against your shoulder, keeping your hands in the same position, but turning it upwards. Push the kick firmly into the shoulder. If you don't hold the shotgun tight against your shoulder, the kickback will be more painful when you shoot. If you already hold it in contact, your body will absorb the recoil, and the shotgun will not hit your shoulder.
- You should keep your feet shoulder-width apart, with your knees slightly bent and your body rotated approximately 40 ° to the side of the shooting hand.
- Your finger shouldn't be on the trigger, but you should instead use it to support the barrel behind it.
Step 4. Place your cheek on the barrel
To aim correctly, you will need to learn to align your eye exactly with the rifle sight, keeping your cheek tight against the barrel. When the rifle butt is resting against the pocket between the shoulder and the pectoral muscle, rest your head on it and relax your neck.
If your rifle has a diopter about halfway down the barrel, line it up with the front sight located on its end. Practice always placing your cheek in the same spot and aligning the viewfinder as quickly and comfortably as possible
Step 5. Try the movement
With an unloaded shotgun, make sure the safety is engaged and practice getting the shotgun to firing position quickly. Bring the rifle away from your body, then insert the stock firmly into your shoulder, holding it tightly in the hollow between your shoulder and your body.
Similar to golf or tennis, part of the shooting technique is the shooting movement. Whether you are shooting for competition or for hunting, getting the rifle quickly and comfortably into shooting position is an important component of the process
Step 6. Decide what you want to shoot
Shotguns are especially suited for firing at targets moving in the air. If you decide to go to the shooting range or to a secure rural property with plenty of room for practice, you should shoot clay pigeons before moving on to hunting or other targets.
- The shooting ranges have areas dedicated to clay pigeon shooting. Attending them is a great way to get to know more experienced fusiliers who can give you advice. When you are in position, shout "Pull" to make the operator press the button who will release the target in the shooting range.
- Try throwing the targets yourself to observe others' shooting technique. It is a great way to learn.
Method 2 of 5: Part 2: Shoot
Step 1. Go to a place where you can safely fire the shotgun
Remember that a shot can travel several hundred meters, and a bullet even more. Shooting ranges are the safest places to start and learn the basics. Shoot some clay pigeons to familiarize yourself with your rifle before taking it to the forest.
If you want to go hunting, make sure you are not on private property, be it the appropriate season, and follow local laws and regulations
Step 2. Load the shotgun
First, make sure the safety is engaged. If you have a "break-action" loading shotgun, i.e. with the barrel tilting forward at the bolt height, to insert the cartridge, pull the release lever, which will usually be located above the shotgun near the rear hand grip. The shotgun will open, and you can insert a cartridge into the barrel. Firmly closing the weapon will load it. Do not release the safety until you are ready to shoot.
- For semi-automatic or pump action shotguns, you will need to take a cartridge, orient it so that the brass end is facing the rifle butt, hold it in your hand and insert it into the slot located immediately in front of the trigger. You should be able to load 3-5 cartridges in this type of shotgun. By performing the classic pump action on the shotgun you will load it. Alternatively, you can pull back the pump mechanism, open the slide door to eject the cartridges and insert them one at a time. Returning the pump mechanism forward will load the shotgun.
- Load the shotgun only when you are in firing position. Make sure the safety is engaged until you are ready to fire.
Step 3. When ready, pull the trigger smoothly
With the rifle pointed at the target and in the firing position, with the butt firmly against the shoulder, remove the safety and pull the trigger as if giving the grip a firm handshake with the firing hand.
Closing your eyes when firing or tilting the shotgun up by pulling the trigger too hard is a common mistake that beginners make. Keep both eyes open for a clear view of the target, focusing on the moving target you want to hit and maintaining proper crosshair alignment. The recoil of a shotgun is more powerful than that of other shotguns, so it can take some getting used to
Step 4. Improve accuracy
The most difficult aspect of clay pigeon shooting is having to compensate for the target's speed by shooting in front of it and not where it is. In addition, you will have to compensate for the shotgun rose, which is the dispersion of the shots in each cartridge. The roster is quite large which means that you just need to shoot close to the target and not hit it directly. For this reason, you need to make sure that there is plenty of free space behind the target. For this reason, shooting ranges are the safest places.
Let the target pass in front of you, align the rifle with it and follow its trajectory. Reach the front edge of the target and pull the trigger. Keep moving the shotgun and the shot will go off in front of the target. Focus on it, finish the movement, hold the shotgun in place for a breath before lowering it, reinserting the safety and checking the outcome of the shot. The process is similar to a golf shot; keep your eyes on the ball, move the shotgun well and complete the movement
Method 3 of 5: Part 3: Choosing a Shotgun
Step 1. Consider single shot and side-by-side shotguns
Single shot rifles are usually the least expensive. They contain one cartridge at a time, which means you'll have to reload between shots, which is a downside to hunting.
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There are two types of shotguns: superimposed, with one barrel on top of the other, and traditional, with the barrels arranged side by side. There are those who prefer one style, and those who prefer the other; neither is clearly better, and both are expensive. Some custom shotguns can cost more than € 10,000.
Shoot a Shotgun Step 6Bullet4 - Both of these types of shotguns are "break-action" loading, which means that they can be opened between the stock and barrel for manual loading and unloading.
Step 2. Consider your upload options
Shotguns hold 3-5 cartridges at a time. To reload, you will need to move the pump mechanism under the barrel and advance another cartridge into the chamber, ejecting the one you just fired and loading another from the magazine. This inexpensive shotgun is known for its reliability and the characteristic sound of the pump mechanism.
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Semi-automatic rifles load themselves every time a shot is fired. Their prices range from € 300 to € 5000 and beyond.
Shoot a Shotgun Step 6Bullet3
Step 3. Choose a shotgun with barrels of the desired length
For a skeet shooting, target shooting or hunting shotgun, a long choke barrel is probably the best choice, while for self defense, a shotgun should have a short barrel with little or no choke.
The long barrels allow the pressure of the gunpowder to accelerate the shot more and this determines higher velocity of the bullets and less dispersion of the roses. In addition, rifles of this type are heavier and more difficult to move to aim at fast-moving targets. Short barrels are great for close quarters and other situations where squad dispersion is not an issue
Step 4. Consider the gauge
Bullet size is a very important consideration, because 12 or even 10 gauge heavy rifles can be painful for a weak, petite, or untrained person. There are 16 or 20 gauge shotguns available that have much less recoil and are therefore better suited to more people.
Step 5. Select the choke
This is a section at the end of the barrel that slightly tightens the diameter of the muzzle of the gun. The size of the choke changes the dispersion of the rose. The narrower it is, the narrower the rose will be. Wider roses allow for larger margins of error, but it also means that the shot won't be as effective at close range.
The two types of chokes are fixed and with screw connection. The fixed ones are part of the barrel design and cannot be changed or removed (at least not without a lot of work). If the shotgun instead has a choke with a screw connection, it means that the final part of the barrel is threaded (inside) to allow the use of different chokes
Method 4 of 5: Part 4: Choosing Ammo
Step 1. Use the broken ammunition (machine guns or "birdshot") for competitive hunting
There are many ammunition available for buckshot rifles, and birdshots - made with small pellets inserted into a plastic casing - are most used for clay pigeon shooting or small-edged bird hunting.
You can also choose between high or low base cartridges. The high base ones do not necessarily contain more gunpowder than the low ones. These are the bullets you should use against small targets, while the low base ones are suitable for clay pigeons
Step 2. For game hunting, try buckshot
This type of ammunition uses large pellets (up to 0.38 inches) encased in a plastic casing. The most common type of buckshot is the 00. The triple 0 uses even larger pellets while the 0 uses smaller ones.
Step 3. Get cartridges of the appropriate size for your firearm
There are three sizes of cartridges. 2-3 / 4 inches (standard), 3 inches (magnum) and 3-1 / 2 inches (super magnum). Most shotguns can hold magnum-sized cartridges (shotguns can always fire smaller cartridges, but not necessarily larger ones), but some use 3-1 / 2 ones, which contain much more powder than traditional ones and more shot..
Step 4. Consider purchasing slug bullets
Slugs are what are normally considered bullets. These are large pieces of lead pushed by gunpowder. The power of the slugs is determined in the same way as the buckshot, with standard, magnum and super magnum sizes. With magnum or super magnum cartridges, you can also use heavier slugs.
There are two common types of slugs. Rifled slugs are used in shotguns with a smooth barrel and sabot slugs are used in shotguns with a rifled barrel. Sabot slugs are generally more accurate and reach higher speeds than rifled ones, but require a rifled barrel to be fired accurately, an uncommon feature for this type of traditionally smoothbore rifle
Step 5. Note the shot size of your ammo
When buying ammunition, pay attention to the caliber of the shot on the package and get the ones you need. Just as a 12 gauge is larger than a 20 gauge, # 6 shots use larger pellets than # 8.
For clay pigeon shooting, high-number shots (# 7 - # 9) are more suitable because having a thick squad is more important than the impact caused by any single cue ball. The larger and heavier pellets are usually used for hunting birds and rabbits, because the feathers and furs are more resistant than the ceramic of the clay pigeons
Method 5 of 5: Part 5: Cleaning Your Shotgun
Step 1. Clean the shotgun every time you use it to shoot
To keep it in good condition, you will need to go through this process every time you shoot. Dust and grease can build up and cause malfunctions in no time. A dirty shotgun is dangerous. Always clean it.
Step 2. Disassemble the shotgun into its main components
Follow the instructions in the manual to take it apart. If you have a "break-action" shotgun, just open it and you can clean it that way. If you have a shotgun, you will at least need to remove the barrel to clean it.
Step 3. Degrease the shotgun
Use a spray degreaser or gun-specific solvent. Do not use them on areas with moving parts, such as the trigger area, but spray a film of product inside the barrel and in the chokes.
Step 4. Scrub the barrel
Use a rag and rod to wipe it through the barrel, or purchase a specific tool for this purpose. Make sure the rag or tool doesn't stick to anything and don't leave small pieces of fabric in the barrel.
Step 5. Clean the chokes
They will get very dirty, absorbing most of the grease that accumulates in the weapon. Use a gun brush or an old toothbrush with some spray cleaner sprayed directly on top.
Step 6. Dust the gun
Check for dirty or greasy spots and wipe them with a clean cloth, also removing all excess degreaser.
Advice
- Most shot contain lead, a highly toxic metal. Each time you shoot, a cloud of lead is emitted into the air. Don't handle bullets or pellets too much and wash your hands when you're done shooting. Outdoor or indoor shooting ranges also can contain high levels of lead in the air if they are not properly ventilated. There are shots that do not contain lead, but they will be less effective when hunting.
- Always read your shotgun manual to find specific instructions on cleaning and servicing your firearm.
- At a great distance, you may find that you often miss the target. Try increasing the advance on the target or considering the size of the roster. Try buying a longer barrel or a narrower choke.
Warnings
- Firearms can be very dangerous and are often lethal, especially if not used with care. They should only be used by experienced people or under the direct supervision of an experienced instructor.
- Make sure you follow all national and local laws when shooting. Note that many firearms laws change dramatically from country to country.
