Internet Question

Every month Shotgun Sports brings you the “Internet Question Of The Month,” where your opinion counts! Don’t be shy, get in there and give us a shout! This month’s question:

What is your preferred squad position? Why?

(items marked * are required).

A past question and some select responses:

Beads — Do you look at them or ignore them?

Beads? On a shotgun? I have a little orange tube. I call for the bird, watch for the bird and move the gun, and away goes the bird — dust! Well, maybe.
Bill Petrere, Canton, Michigan

I use them when I can pre–mount to check my setup. I’m just getting back to shooting after a several–year hiatus. Once I have my setup back as second nature, the beads disappear. I am looking forward to being able to get back to a low gun look. Just need a little more practice.
Bryan Hoogenboom, Florence, South Carolina

To ensure proper sight alignment, one mounts by lining up the front and center bead in a figure–8 configuration. From that point on, one calls for and focuses on the target. However, that does not mean the beads are not part of the sight picture. One might have a sight picture that consists of the target and a relationship between the stacked beads and the bird in order to establish a lead. I have heard many people say the reason they missed the target was they referred back to the barrel. By that, I assume they were saying they were no longer looking at the target. I am convinced that, while one’s focus is on the target, it is necessary to have the beads as part of the sight picture to ensure the proper lead. one could still accomplish the same thing using the barrel, but it would not be as precise as using the beads. Consider one additional issue. There are many folks with eye–dominance issues. Shooters close one eye or use a patch to overcome this problem. Unfortunately, both those methodologies reduce depth perception and field of view/peripheral vision. For Singles, I don’t believe that is an issue, but for Doubles you need all the peripheral vision you can get. A number of shooters, including myself, use a crossfire–elimination sight in front of the front bead. This precludes seeing the beads with the wrong eye. Assuming you have a sight picture with the visible bead as part of it, the lead you have reflects the correct eye dominance. Food for thought. For these sights to be effective, one has to see the beads as part of the overall sight picture. And remember, I did not say to stare at the beads; I said focus on the target, but the beads are part of the overall sight picture.
John Bulger, Plano, Texas

The front and mid beads on my trap gun allow me to get the sight picture I want. Remembering the eye is the rear sight, I get my cheek welded and then only watch the clay pigeon in flight and ignore the sight picture completely. I have shot one 25, so this tells me my aim is not too awful for someone who has only been shooting trap for about two seasons.
Bill Pierce, Intervale, New Hampshire

I check the beads for the first second when I mount the gun, then I move my eyes to concentrate on the target. Many people don’t use beads at all. I agree they are not needed, but I don’t want to remove them from my guns.
Mark Short, Huntsville, Texas

I use the beads. When I first put up my gun, I use the beads to ensure my alignment, but then move my eyes to the house and focus on the bird. I see the bird and then move the barrel into the right spot and shoot. How this fits in with the “best way to shoot,” I’m not sure, but it seems to work for me.
Jordan Walsh, Sooke, British Columbia, Canada

When I bring my gun up to my shoulder, I briefly check to see that the beads are lined up. Then I focus out over the traphouse and call for a bird. I never check them again.
Pauline Belak–Snook, Kittanning, Pennsylvania