This shotgun 101 overview is largely based on concepts included in an old pamphlet a friend gave me call "Basic Shotgun Instructions" published by the NRA in 1962. I recommend tracking one down or joining the NRA for more info.

---- Shotguns 101 ------

Though the shotgun isn't often celebrated in American history, colonial fowling pieces and blunderbusses were crucial in the nation's early days. America's "Nation of Riflemen" fame came from the Revolutionary War, where "Minute Men" used smoothbore muskets rather than rifles.

Legends of the Kentucky Long Rifle highlight sharpshooting, but history often overlooks the average settlers who struggled with firearms, relying instead on shotguns for practical needs.
Shotgun development was slow due to America's frontier nature, where rifles and pistols were vital for survival against both nature and Native Americans. Shotguns were initially seen as less effective than even bows and arrows for anything beyond hunting small, moving game.

It wasn't until post-Civil War, with the expansion of railroads into the West, that shotguns gained prominence, often linked with lawlessness before finding a place in more peaceful sporting contexts. Today, shotguns are celebrated in sports like wing shooting, having evolved not from warfare but from their sporting applications.

History of the Shotgun

The shotgun's lineage traces back to the matchlock, a muzzle-loading gun used by early settlers, ignited by a lit wick. Its successor, the wheel lock, introduced flint and steel ignition but needed winding like a clock. More info: viewtopic.php?t=12

Though not designed as shotguns per se, these early firearms were versatile, used for both ball and shot. By the 1600s, with the flintlock's advent, guns specifically for bird and small game hunting emerged, known as "fowling pieces."

In Mediterranean regions, these were called Miquelet Locks, while in Britain and America, they evolved into the "long fowler" with extended barrels, lasting until around 1850.


The tube lock briefly followed the flintlock but was soon overshadowed by the more significant percussion lock, introduced around 1820 in Britain.

Fowling Piece - "Fowler"

The flintlock fowling piece, dependable due to its weather-resistant ignition, was in use for over fifty years. Breechloading hinge-action shotguns became popular from 1850 to 1860, with the Lefaucheux model of 1836 using pinfire cartridges.
These were succeeded by centerfire breechloaders around 1860 in England, initially with external hammers. By the early 1900s, designs shifted to internal hammers and top levers.
The slide or pump action shotgun, invented around 1880, became widely popular. The semi-automatic, largely developed by John Browning, came into use early in the 20th century.

Other shotgun innovations include early multiple-barrel guns from 17th-century Germany, choke boring perfected by Greener in the 1870s, and the introduction of ejectors around the same time.

Meet the Shotgun:
Today's shotgun is engineered for hitting moving targets, whether it's quail, grouse, pheasants, ducks, geese, rabbits, or squirrels. As game seasons can't meet the growing demand, shooters historically used live pigeons for practice until laws made this illegal. Manufacturers then created glass balls filled with feathers, simulating live birds, which would explode into a shower of feathers when hit. Various hand-held devices were also developed to practice wing shooting with thrown targets.

SHOTGUN ACTIONS

Most shotguns are classified as:

• Side-by-side double-barreled

• Over-and-under double-barreled

• Pump action repeating

• Autoloading repeating

Side-by-side designs are historically stable with few changes. Each action type varies in balance and handling, with pump actions being popular due to lower cost and suitability for many users. Novices should try different actions to find the best fit.

GAUGES AND AMMUNITION

Unlike rifles and pistols measured by caliber, shotguns are measured by gauge, which historically was the number of lead balls equal to the bore's diameter that weigh one pound. Common gauges include .410, 28, 20, 16, 12, and 10, with .410 being a caliber.


The 20 and 12 gauges are most popular:

• 20 Gauge: Lightweight with less recoil, ideal for quick shots at upland game like quail, grouse, and rabbits. Not suited for long-range waterfowl hunting.

• 12 Gauge: Offers greater range and power, preferred for waterfowl and versatile in competition.

Newer 20 gauge magnum shells help close the performance gap with the 12 gauge, making the 20 gauge more versatile in various shooting scenarios.

Despite the advantages of the 20 gauge, the 12 gauge remains the most popular, considered a "jack-of-all-trades" in wing shooting. It's heavier but excels in both upland game and waterfowl hunting with high-velocity ammo.


CHOKE

Choke: Refers to the constriction at the end of the barrel which controls the spread of the shot. From least to most constriction, chokes are:

• Cylinder (Open) Choke: Minimal constriction for close, fast targets.

• Modified Choke: A middle ground, popular for general hunting.

• Full Choke: Tightens the shot pattern for long-range shooting.

Choosing the Right Choke:

• Cylinder choke isn't effective for long-range due to wide spread, while full choke is too dense for small game like quail.

• Larger gauge barrels (like 12 vs. 20) contain more pellets, affecting the shot pattern's density and the potential to damage game.

CHOKE FORMS
Damascus Barrels

• Construction: Made by twisting and welding steel strips around a mandrel, creating a visually appealing but structurally questionable barrel with a pattern resembling engraving.

• Safety Concerns: Originally designed for 19th-century gunpowder, these barrels are not safe for modern ammunition, despite some shooters claiming otherwise. An early 20th-century English gun maker noted their lack of reliability despite their aesthetic appeal.

RECOIL

Action and Reaction: For every action (shot expelled from the barrel), there's an equal and opposite reaction (recoil). Though this might sound daunting, the recoil's impact is mitigated by:

• Gun Weight: Absorbs much of the force.

• Shooter's Body: Further absorbs and disperses the energy.

• Recoil Explanation: The force pushing the shot forward meets resistance from the gun's weight and the shooter's body, reducing what would be explosive energy to a manageable push against the shoulder.

• Recoil Perception: Once understood, recoil is seen as an interesting but not overwhelming aspect of shooting, especially with correct gun placement.

Shotgun Mechanics:

• Shot vs. Bullets: Shotguns fire pellets or shot, unlike the single bullets of rifles and pistols. These pellets don't spin due to the smooth bore, spreading out to form a "shot pattern" as they travel.

SHOT SIZES

Pellet Size System: Uses reverse numbering where smaller numbers indicate larger pellets.
Upland Game: Involves smaller, closer targets like quail, grouse, rabbits, squirrels, and pheasants. Uses smaller shot sizes (6-8) for dense patterns at close range to minimize damage.

• #6: For rabbits, squirrels, pheasants.

• #7: Common in trap shooting.

• #8: For quail and grouse.

Waterfowl: Larger targets at longer ranges:

• #4: Popular for duck hunting.

• #2: Used for long-range goose shooting.

Shotgun for Big Game Hunting - Using the Shotgun as a Rifle

If you're a one-gun shooter and deer or bear season arrives:

• Rifled Slugs: Sometimes referred to as "pumpkin balls," these are essential. They're lead bullets shaped to match the shotgun's bore, replacing pellets in a shotshell.

• Effectiveness: The 12-gauge rifled slug is notably potent, while 16 and 20 gauge slugs offer less range due to their lighter weight but can still be lethal within their effective distances.

• Safety: Rifled slugs are safe to fire through any shotgun, including those with adjustable chokes or full choke barrels.

RELOADING

• Recent Developments: Reloading shot shells has become practical with the availability of durable, user-friendly equipment.

• Who Benefits? Not cost-effective for occasional shooters but valuable for those who shoot frequently.

• Safety: Handling components like primers and smokeless powder requires caution. Beginners should seek comprehensive information before starting.

Shotgun Load Components:

• RIM, SHOULDER, CASE, WADS, POWDER, HEAD, PRIMER

• BUCKSHOT - Used for larger targets but less common for big game.

• RIFLED SLUG - Specifically for big game hunting.

SHOTGUN FIT
Proficiency with a shotgun starts with how well the gun "fits" the shooter, much like how a suit of clothes fits. Here, "fit" refers to the physical compatibility between the gun and the shooter:

• Sight Alignment: How comfortably the shooter can look down the barrel.

• Cheek Placement: The ease with which the cheek rests on the stock.

• Length of Pull: The distance from the butt of the gun to the trigger, which should match the shooter's arm length for comfort.

A custom-tailored suit enhances comfort because it's made to the wearer's exact dimensions. Similarly, a custom-fitted shotgun, designed to these specific dimensions, can significantly improve shooting performance. However, not all shooters can afford such tailored firearms.

Shotgun Stock Measurements
Standard shotguns are designed to fit the average shooter, similar to how off-the-rack suits are tailored to average dimensions. However, minor modifications can be made to achieve a good fit, just as with suits. There are practical limits to how much a standard shotgun can be altered, but these adjustments usually don't add significant costs, and the outcome is often satisfactory.

Once you've found a shotgun that fits well, the next critical step for beginners is to seek professional instruction in shotgun handling. This is crucial for achieving proficiency in wing shooting. Self-taught shooters are rare because they can't see their own mistakes, leading to unnoticed errors that develop into bad habits. Self-learners often become discouraged before they manage to hit a target.

In addition to practical instruction, beginners should learn by reading about the theory of shooting techniques. This knowledge will make teaching easier and learning quicker.

SHOTGUN SAFETY

General Rules:

• Treat Every Gun as Loaded

• Keep Muzzle Pointed in a Safe Direction

• Know Where Your Companions Are

• Keep Action Open and Safeguard Firearm When Not in Use

Wing Shooting Specifics:

• Be aware of muzzle movement during shooting, unlike the stationary muzzles of target rifles.

• Understand that pellets remain dangerous far beyond effective game-killing range, capable of causing harm.

• Pellet Range Demonstration - Shoot over water to visualize how far pellets travel, highlighting the need for safety awareness.

PATTERNING

• What is Patterning? Shooting a shotgun at a target (like paper or a white lead-coated steel plate) to see how the shot spreads, ensuring the gun shoots where aimed and fits the shooter.

• Why Pattern? To check for pattern consistency, fit, and to identify any gaps or holes with different loads or brands.

• When to Pattern: Before each hunting season, after gun modifications, or changes in ammunition.

• How to Pattern: Typically at 40 yards, under conditions similar to actual field use.

Perfect Balance — The Shooting Stance

Good shooting starts with the gun feeling like an extension of the shooter, which fundamentally depends on a balanced stance.


Shooting Stance

Wing shooting requires the shooter to swing the gun in a smooth, unbroken arc, making a relaxed yet well-balanced stance crucial. In the hunting field, where game can burst into view unexpectedly, maintaining a proper stance is more challenging than in controlled environments like skeet or trap shooting, where shooters prepare before each shot. An awkward or uncomfortable stance can lead to misses.

Even top upland game shooters take the time to properly place their feet before firing, recognizing that rushing can lead to embarrassing misses despite saving a fraction of a second.

What is the Correct Shooting Stance?

Given the wide variance in physical structure and coordination among shooters, no single rule fits all. However, some key considerations are essential for beginners:

Start with a standard stance rather than an individualistic one. Only alter it if the change improves shooting accuracy.
Odd stances should not be adopted just for uniqueness but for functionality.

The stance should allow for:

Complete mobility and control, similar to that of a boxer or baseball catcher.
Perfect balance to ensure the body can swing freely through the arc of shooting, with the body and gun moving as one.

For right-handed shooters:

The left leg should be forward, bearing most of the weight, as if you've stepped forward and stopped with feet apart.
The body should be slightly inclined forward, with the left foot pointing towards where the shot is expected to hit the target.
Relaxation is key; no muscle tension should be evident, ensuring comfort and control.

Observing expert shooters, one might see stances ranging from a deep crouch to a stiff, upright position. These variations are the result of extensive experience and experimentation, tailored to the individual. Such stances might not be suitable for others without similar adjustments.

In summary, for beginners, the focus should be on mastering a standard, balanced stance that promotes fluid, controlled movement with the gun, evolving it only as experience dictates.

Mounting

"Mounting" refers to the action of bringing the gun to the shoulder. While shooting stances can differ greatly among shooters:


Mounting Process: The gun stock should first touch the cheek, then the butt should settle into the same spot on the shoulder every time. The shoulder should move forward slightly to meet the gun.
Learning from Others: Beginners can gain insights by observing experienced shooters, but they should focus on technique rather than just the success of shots. Watching from directly behind can be particularly informative.

Mounting Steps:

• Position the Feet

• Bring the Gun Up - Stock to Cheek, then back to the shoulder as the shoulder moves forward to meet it.

Trigger Pull and Breath Control

These aspects are discussed mainly for shotgun beginners with prior rifle experience, as they might mistakenly revert to rifle techniques:

Trigger Pull: There's no concept of a "proper trigger squeeze" in wing shooting. While "yanking" the trigger isn't ideal, the action is more abrupt than with rifles. The term "slap" best describes the ideal, quick trigger reaction for shotguns. Slow, steady pressure won't suffice; speed is key.

Breath Control: Unlike in rifle shooting, wing shooting doesn't require specific breath control. Instead, shooters should maintain normal breathing to retain the relaxed alertness needed for quick, coordinated movements and smooth swing through.

In essence, shotgun shooting emphasizes speed and natural movement over the meticulous control seen in rifle shooting.

Flinching: Flinching in shotgun shooters can be likened to gun-shyness in dogs; it's often a learned fear from past experiences. However, curing this habit in humans is generally simpler:

Causes of Flinching: Beginners often flinch due to painful initial experiences with gun recoil from improper mounting. If not allowed to become a fear of recoil, this habit will typically fade with practice.

Curing Flinching:
For Beginners: One effective method involves having the shooter aim at a target with what they believe is a loaded gun, but it's actually empty. The flinch, anticipating recoil that doesn't come, becomes evident, helping them break the habit through self-awareness.

For Experienced Shooters: Even seasoned shooters can flinch due to pressure, tension, or fatigue. A "shock treatment" can help, where the shooter fires the gun standing flat-footed and then from the hip without shouldering it, demonstrating that recoil is manageable.

Prevention: The best approach is prevention through proper initial training, which can stop flinching before it starts.

SHOOTING TECHNIQUES

There are three main wing shooting techniques widely recognized:

• Swing Through

• Point Out or Sustained Lead

• Snap Shooting

For many years, mastery of all three methods has been considered essential for championship-level shooting. However, for beginners, Swing Through provides the simplest and quickest path to progress, laying a foundation for mastering the others later.

Swing Through Defined

Swing Through involves sighting on a moving target, aligning with its flight path, then accelerating the gun's swing so the muzzle passes the target. The shot is fired just as the muzzle overtakes the target, ensuring a hit. The technique's name comes from the action of the gun "swinging through" the target.


Beginners might ask, "Why swing past the target before firing?" or "Why speed up after initially matching the target's speed?" These questions are answered by understanding the following time delays:

• Human Reaction Time Delay: The time from deciding to shoot to actually pulling the trigger, typically about one-fifth of a second for most people.

• Mechanical Delay: The time from trigger pull to the moment the shot leaves the barrel.

• Shot Travel Time: The duration for the shot to travel from the gun to the target.

Though each delay might seem negligible, cumulatively, they determine whether the shot hits or misses.

Swing Through Technique

When using the Swing Through method, shooters give more lead than they might realize. The gun barrel (a) indicates where the shooter thinks they're aiming, while (b) shows where the shot actually goes.

This technique naturally handles technical details without requiring conscious calculation from the shooter. Here's how it works with a pheasant:

• The shooter aligns the barrel with the bird, keeping pace with its flight.

• They then speed up their swing, passing the bird's path with the gun's muzzle.

• The key is to keep the muzzle moving even after the shot, which should become automatic with practice.

• The brain signals to fire just as the muzzle overtakes the pheasant's head, but the finger pulls the trigger about one-fifth of a second later.

In this brief moment, if the muzzle is moving faster than the bird, it can advance by several feet, providing enough lead to compensate for the time the shot takes to travel.

A comprehensive explanation would delve into optical and angular compensations, but for practical purposes, the key takeaway is: KEEP THE MUZZLE SWINGING EVEN AFTER THE GUN IS FIRED!

Steps for Successful Swing Through Shooting:

• SIGHT ON THE TARGET!

• SWING WITH IT!

• SWING PAST IT AND FIRE!

• KEEP SWINGING!

Most instructors teach Swing Through first, followed by Point Out/Sustained Lead and then Snap Shooting:

• Point Out/Sustained Lead: The shooter determines the target's angle, speed, and range, maintains a steady lead, and shoots at a spot ahead of where the target will be.

• Snap Shooting: Involves aiming at a spot where the bird will be based on its speed and the delays in reaction, gun mechanics, and shot travel, but with a stationary gun.

Swing Through is particularly recommended for beginners due to its simplicity.

Sighting Techniques:

Aiming (one eye closed): Some argue that range estimation occurs before aiming, thus the loss of depth perception is minor.
Looking (both eyes open): Advocates claim it offers better depth perception, range estimation, and a broader field of vision. However, it's harder to master.

Both methods have their merits, and the best approach varies by individual. Here are some considerations:

Both-Eyes-Open doesn't require focusing on sights, as the shooter sees the muzzle mass relative to the target's flight.
Ventilated Ribs on single-barrel guns aid in maintaining the correct head position, while on double barrels, their effectiveness is debated due to the visual dominance of the muzzles.

Choosing between sighting methods should involve trying both under different conditions to see which works best for you. Practice with a hand trap can refine these techniques.

Caring for a Good Shotgun

Maintaining your shotgun is essential not only for its optimal function but also to ensure its longevity:
Cleaning the Barrel: Modern ammunition leaves little residue, but a thorough cleaning after use removes any burnt powder. A complete cleaning once or twice a year is generally sufficient unless the gun has been exposed to extreme conditions like water submersion.

Routine Maintenance:

• Check the Bore: Regularly inspect for rust or fouling. Clean and lightly oil as necessary.

• External Care: Wipe down the gun's external parts with a slightly oiled rag to remove dust and fingerprints.

• Oil Application: Contrary to the adage "if a little oil is good, a lot is better," over-oiling can harm your gun, especially wooden components. Excess oil can cause swelling and damage the finish. A few drops in the action are enough; avoid liberal application, particularly in cold weather where oil can thicken and cause malfunctions.

Long-term Storage:

• Clean and Oil: Before storing for an extended period, clean the gun thoroughly, apply a light coat of oil, and secure it to prevent unauthorized access.

• Ammunition Storage: Store ammunition separately in a cool, dry place. Avoid attics due to heat and damp basements. Never store gun and ammo together.

• Ammunition Disposal: Discard any ammunition showing signs of deterioration safely, ideally by burial.

Repairs:

• Professional Service: If repairs are needed, take the gun to a specialized repair shop or return it to the manufacturer. Do not attempt repairs yourself if you're inexperienced.

Lubrication:

• Working Parts: Lubricate main mechanisms occasionally.

• Exterior: Regularly clean with an oiled cloth to keep it dust-free and maintain its appearance.

By adhering to these practices, you'll ensure your shotgun remains in excellent condition for years to come.