Show HOW T ar L by bob nichols J m sl R editor field 1 beld and stream S onan upland d gunners become good shots in spite of 0 the fact that their guns do not fit them what happens in their case Is that through years of practice they fit themselves hern selves to their badly fitting auns tuns guns this makes learning a slow process they would become better shots in shorter time it if they began with a gun that really fitted them if you already have a shotgun b here ere Is an antem interesting sang test you can make to see sec how near it comes to fitting you get ge about halt half a dozen sheets of dark colored ed paper black building paper such as Is used in tho the walls of frame dwellings la is excellent for the purpose the sheets should be about three feet square select a site for your testing ground that has an absolutely safe background you tou are going to make your test at night the tha darker the night the better for your purpose nut but you must mal make e sure that no living thing will bo be endangered by your test shooting against tills flits safe background you now set up a light framework for your target sheets two 2 by as about six feet long may be driven into tho the ground about SO 80 inches apart drive them in just so BO that they make a secure support now kow take a tin can and cut a hole in its side about 11 J inches in diameter and near the bottom attach to the top edge of the tin can two pieces of wire long enough to suspend the can from each 2 by 4 so that the hole in the can hangs directly behind the center of the black target sheet when it has been tacked lightly to the 2 by 4 posts cut a small hole in the center of the target sheet so that when y you on place a small bit of lighted candle in the bottom of the can tho the light will shine through and this tiny spot or of light Is all that you should see wh enyou stand back about 15 yards gun in hand ready to make your test the night must be so dark and the candlelight must be so dim that you are quite unable to see your gun barrel for your test shots must not be aimed consciously they must be pointed instinctively in making the test place only one shell in your gun bring your gun to shoulder deliberately and lire fire quickly keep your eyes intently on the small spot of light your eyes will guide your hands remember that the object Is 18 not to hit the center of the target consciously what you are really after Is to see whether your gun fits you well enough so that in your hands it ait points on the target unconsciously and instinctively after your first shot go up and tack on another target shoot three targets before examining the results too closely if you y on are conducting the test correctly all three shots should strike in approximately the same sector on each of your targets if the shots show a tendency to bo be under the bullseye bulls eye your gun has too much drop at the heel beel of the stock or too much pitch downward at the barrel or both faults may be present unscrew the butt plate and try a couple more shots with the gun this way the usual butt plate adds some somewhat ahat to the guns pitch if your first three shots are over the bullseye bulls eye then it Is probable that your gunstock gun stock Is too straight and has too little drop at the heel or st it may be that the comb Is a trifle too high to suit you or again it may mean that you are raising your head as you shoot a bad habit that will always make one overshoot over shoot but if your gun shoots only a trifling two or three inches directly above the bull bullseye a let it alone an upland gun n r should shoot this way to help catch tell up with the rise of the bird you have flushed if your gun shoots regularly to the left your stock may be too long or you may be holding out too far on the barrel if to the right your stools stock may be too short or you may be holding in too tar far on the barrel try itt a 6 western newspaper union |