Clay Target Q&A
With Russell Mark, Olympic gold and silver medallist
Questions: russell@corporateshootingstars.com.au
Q Can you explain to me the purpose of a mid-sight for my barrel? I have recently tried a friend’s gun that had one and I found it easier to aim at targets.
Gerry McGregor, NSW
A I worry a little bit about how you suggested the mid-bead helped you aim the gun better. Mid-beads are a great way of checking that you are consistently mounting the gun to your face in the same position each time. Remember, in shotgun shooting, there are two sights: the front-sight being the end of your barrel and the rear-sight being your eye. If all things are perfect, the two sights are perfectly aligned.
The mid-bead can be a way to check that you are looking down the centre of the gun’s sighting plane before the target you are trying to obtain is in the air. It can be an aid also after you have completed your shot by quickly looking back down along the barrel to ensure that everything is still in a straight line.
Often, when a fast swing is required, your head can become slightly off-line if you have a poor-fitting stock or a bad technique. The centre-bead is a great training aid in this capacity. It should never be used when actually pointing the gun in the milliseconds before pulling the trigger.