Where to Aim Your Shotgun

October 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Are you new to shooting? If so, have you found yourself questioning why you aim at something and the shot goes way off from where your gun was pointing? It’s one of the first lessons you learn when you use a shotgun for game shooting.
So many newbie’s aim the gun right at the target. This seems very logical. I mean where else would you aim. But, when you take into consideration how far the pellet is going and the power and wind accompanying it, you being to understand why your pellet is way off target.

When you hold a shotgun, the shot will actually go just above where you are aiming. This is why where you hold the shotgun in terms of elevation will greatly affect where the shot travels. Pellets can actually go beyond 200 yards once fired. If there is a strong wind behind it, it will go even further, this is why it seems so off from where you are aiming.

The next to you are shooting. Aim the gun above the target. Imagine the power coming behind it and pushing it downward. It’s like throwing a rolled up piece of paper into a basket with a fan blowing. You account for the wind that is pushing the paper. So, you know that if you need the paper to go to the right and the fan is at the left, you can actually thrown a little to the left because the fan to the right of it will push it where you want it to go.

Think of it the pellet the same way. Determine the wind in the air and where it is going. Determine the strength you have pushing the bullet out. With this in mind, you will have a better idea of where to aim the gun and get closer to your shot.

Because of the traveling, it is so important that when you shoot that you avoid pathways or highways where people or vehicles may be crossing. You just don’t know where the pellet will actually go. Be safe as always when shooting.

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The Right to Bear Arms:Choosing the Right Gun for Home Defense

August 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment
A view of the break-action of a typical double...
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The Right to Bear Arms: Choosing the Right Gun for Home Defense
As an American it is your right to own a gun to protect yourself and your property.  Before even considering a firearm purchase, however, it is crucial that you receive proper gun safety training.  You will also want training in the use of the specific firearm you plan on purchasing.  In the hands of a person who does not know how to properly use it a gun becomes a personal liability instead of a means of protection.
Other factors you should take into consideration when choosing a personal firearm are the laws concerning gun ownership where you live.  Finding the ideal weapon is not ideal if you are not legally allowed to have it.  Your social environment is another important thing to consider.  If you’re in an urban environment any shooting you do will likely be short-range, and you should choose your firearm accordingly.  Likewise, a person in a rural environment will want a weapon equipped for long-range accuracy.  Your personal level of experience with firearms is also important.  While handguns are popular they are also the most difficult firearm to use.  Now that the basics have been covered the logistics of actual weapons can be discussed.
The general consensus among the gun community is that the pump action shotgun is the top choice for home defense.  This weapon is incredibly easy to use and very hard to break.  At close range, and with the proper ammunition, it will prove to be an incredibly effective firearm. If the shotgun isn’t your style the second top recommendation is the revolver.  A revolver is the most simple and reliable of the handgun models and, unlike semi-automatic weapons, it is nearly impossible for a revolver to jam.  The one major drawback to the revolver is that a certain level of skill is required to properly and effectively use it. There are other firearm options available, but the pump action shotgun and revolver are the top choices for homeowners.
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Safety First

August 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Everyone wants to enjoy shooting shotguns, but few want to think about safety. It seems like a legalistic bother to go over and over rules for the proper handling of firearms, but if you sit at a range long enough, you will see why safety is so heavily emphasized.  So here is a list of things you should be conscious of when handling your shotgun.
1) When waiting to fire, keep your gun aimed straight up, or straight down.
2) Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire.
3) Wear ear plugs to dampen sound, and wear full-cover eye-glasses to protect against pieces of flying debris or metal.
4) Always pretend that your shotgun is loaded, even if you think it isn’t.
5) Keep the action open or the breach cracked open until you are ready to insert a cartridge.
6) Only use the correct gauge cartridge in your gun.
7) Don’t put two different kinds of cartridges together in the same container or pouch.
8) Keep your barrel clean of objects, and be sure to clear it after a misfire. Do not shoot another round until you are certain it has been cleared.
9) Know exactly what is on the other side of the target. Your shot is going to go farther than your target and it might hit something beyond.
10) Be certain you know your gun: its safety release, its trigger, and its barrel selector.
11) Keep track of your ejected hulls: they are hot and dangerous.
12) Always keep your shotgun unloaded, especially when cleaning or transporting it.
13) Always keep your equipment very well cleaned, maintained, and protected.
14) When passing your shotgun to someone else, crack it open, verify it’s unloaded, and pass it stock first.
15) Always keep track of your shooting partners, where they are and in which direction their guns are pointing.
16) After firing, clear the chamber, and leave the gun open until it’s your turn to fire again.
17) Keep control of your emotions: you are in a live fire situation.
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Eclectic Guns–Part 1

August 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The history of firearms has yielded some interesting chapters. There is the usual progressing timeline: slings and stones became arrows, arrows became bolts, bolts became bullets, and now every army of the world equips its soldiers with the most modern weapons available. Along the way, however, came some interesting diversions in the gun development history.

Bergmann 1896
Created at the end of the 19th Century when the idea of an automatic pistol was a novel one, the Bergmann featured not only a bizarre shape (think Luger meets kitchen appliance), but also a lighter weight than it’s competitors at the time. The 1896 was also a step up from Bergmann’s previous models which ejected spent cartridges by having them ricocheting off the next round. It held five rounds in a box magazine that was part of the weapon.

The Liberator
Developed by the Office of Strategic Services during World War II, the Liberator was a handgun (using a very, very loose interpretation of the word) with a single shot. 1,000,000 were made within three months, due to the amazingly cheap and simplistic manufacturing of the gun. Meant to be distributed to resistance groups, the gun included 10 rounds of ammunition and a set of cartoonized instructions on how to work the gun.

Pancor Jackhammer
Looking decidedly like a space invader’s gun, the Jackhammer is a collection of all firearm anomalies: a bullpup configured, drum fed, automatic shotgun. The rotating cassette drum holds the 10 rounds that the Jackhammer can fire off up to 656 feet, at a rate of 240 rounds per minutes. Rounds are not ejected; they remain in the cassette. The Jackhammer stands unique in possessing a muzzle compensator.

Heckler and Kick G11
Used mainly by special forces, the G11 is part of the next generation of small arms. Boasting a 2200 round per minute firing rate, this gun can fire three bullets in a single recoil cycle. However, the true genius of the G11 is its ammunition. The bullets and percussion caps are built into blocks of propellant, dispensing with shells and eliminating the need for ejection and extraction of the spent shell. The G11 feeds from a horizontal magazine.

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Choosing a Gun

August 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Derringers are small and can be easily concealed.
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When starting off in shooting sports, there are many important questions a shooter must ask. What game do I want to shoot? Am I shooting purely for fun, or am I practicing for hunting season? How much money am I willing to spend?
Another question, perhaps the most pertinent, is: what type of gun should I buy?
The type of gun you shoot with will determine what game you play. According to some experts, a shotgun allows for the widest selection of shooting games. Shotguns come in a variety of different gauges: 12gauge, 20 gauge, .410, 10gauge, 9 mm, and .22. A beginner afraid of recoil will have a tendency to choose a smaller gauge, but these gauges are harder to aim, and will result in frustration. The 12 gauge with an open choke will provide the widest spray pattern, helping the new shooter hit their target.
The length of the shotgun barrel is also important. A 28 inch barrel is middle of the road, and will be a sufficient length for most shotgun sports. Beginners can pick up an adequate shotgun for around $1000.
Next up is a target rifle. A .22 gauge semi-automatic carbine is best for a target rifle. This gun is perfect for target shooting, plinking, and definitely capable in small game hunting. A ton of after-market accessories are available for this kind of gun, allowing a shooter to customize their barrels, stocks, and triggers.
A target pistol is another gun used in the sporting world. A good target pistol is relatively inexpensive ( around $300), and can function as an adequate hunting sidearm in a clutch. Plus, .22 caliber rounds are inexpensive, and the .22 pistol has almost no recoil, putting beginners at ease.
As a sportsman becomes more advanced in the world of shooting, their knowledge will increase and their tastes will start to form. But in the beginning, it is important to find the right equipment-especially the right gun- so that bull’s-eyes, and fun, are maximized.

When starting off in shooting sports, there are many important questions a shooter must ask. What game do I want to shoot? Am I shooting purely for fun, or am I practicing for hunting season? How much money am I willing to spend?
Another question, perhaps the most pertinent, is: what type of gun should I buy?
The type of gun you shoot with will determine what game you play. According to some experts, a shotgun allows for the widest selection of shooting games. Shotguns come in a variety of different gauges: 12gauge, 20 gauge, .410, 10gauge, 9 mm, and .22. A beginner afraid of recoil will have a tendency to choose a smaller gauge, but these gauges are harder to aim, and will result in frustration. The 12 gauge with an open choke will provide the widest spray pattern, helping the new shooter hit their target. The length of the shotgun barrel is also important. A 28 inch barrel is middle of the road, and will be a sufficient length for most shotgun sports. Beginners can pick up an adequate shotgun for around $1000.
Next up is a target rifle. A .22 gauge semi-automatic carbine is best for a target rifle. This gun is perfect for target shooting, plinking, and definitely capable in small game hunting. A ton of after-market accessories are available for this kind of gun, allowing a shooter to customize their barrels, stocks, and triggers.
A target pistol is another gun used in the sporting world. A good target pistol is relatively inexpensive ( around $300), and can function as an adequate hunting sidearm in a clutch. Plus, .22 caliber rounds are inexpensive, and the .22 pistol has almost no recoil, putting beginners at ease.
As a sportsman becomes more advanced in the world of shooting, their knowledge will increase and their tastes will start to form. But in the beginning, it is important to find the right equipment-especially the right gun- so that bull’s-eyes, and fun, are maximized.

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