[ShotgunPro]

I have a Stoeger 12ga Coach Gun Supreme which I am really good with; shooting clays and nailing partridge. However, it was a tad heavy and the shorter barrels tended to hurt my ears after 5-10 rounds.

My solution was to buy a CZ canvasback O/U with the 28" barrels as a nice field gun that wouldn't hurt my ears as much. I have fired it about 200 times shooting clays and one partridge. However, I am far less accurate with this gun. I have measured the spread and it is the same; I just can't get on target well with this one. The good thing is that my ears feel much better when I shoot it.

I'm not sure if I should try looking at a different SXS to trade it in for, or what. I is very hard for me to get on target with this, but not so at all for my Coach Gun.

Any advise or shared experience would be appreciated, as I am not well versed in double barrel shotguns.

 

[ShotgunPro]

Well, at the range, wear earpro...and it's not a bad idea to do while hunting, either.

You were probably just used to how fast the short barrels swung onto target; practice will get you there.

 

[ShotgunPro]

take both shotguns to your favorite gunsmith. ask him to make the new one fit like the old one.
After that, the longer barrels are gonna swing slower than the shorter barrels, this is something your gonna have to get used to.

 

[ShotgunPro]

I had the same problem with my CZ Redhead Deluxe, here's what I had done to correct it and it's brought my trap score up from 15-18 out of 25 to 19-23 out of 25 on average, just got my new high score tonight in fact.

An adjustable comb, turns out I was shooting quite low.

Adjustable Comb by Tom Larkin by Light Artisan Photography, on Flickr

 

[ShotgunPro]

Hearing protection would be the first order.

Gun fit is critical with shotguns and it sounds as though something is not fitting right and you end up out of alignment with the target. Your gun is not shooting where you are looking is the short answer. Pick up a good shotgun book from the library and it will give you some pointers to get a better fit.

 

[ShotgunPro]

I had the same problem with my CZ Redhead Deluxe, here's what I had done to correct it and it's brought my trap score up from 15-18 out of 25 to 19-23 out of 25 on average, just got my new high score tonight in fact.

An adjustable comb, turns out I was shooting quite low.

Adjustable Comb by Tom Larkin by Light Artisan Photography, on Flickr

Is this the type of job most gunsmiths are capable of? I think I know of a good one. Also, can you give me an idea of probably price range for getting the stock fitted correctly?

 

[ShotgunPro]

Ha. Reminds me of my first trap outing ever w my Saiga 12. Old timers were coming up to me amazed how I was hitting 21s and 22s.

So I went out and bought a nice Beretta 686E Sporting O/U and struggled to get high teens. Just came down to more practice.

 

[ShotgunPro]

Some, not most. Typical cost is around $200 but is well worth it to have a gun fitted to you in my opinion. If you are remotely serious about getting the most out of it, do yourself a favor and find a gunsmith you like and talk to them about it.

 

[ShotgunPro]

With enough practice you can adapt to almost any gun. However, starting with a decent fitting gun always helps a lot.

Just remember that the cost of a gun doesn't mean jack squat when it comes to proper fit, because proper fit is different for everyone.

Shotgun Fit: What You

 

[ShotgunPro]

Is the Coachgun a SXS? Are you left eye dominant shooting right handed? If the answer is yes to both an over/under will be harder to shoot. The reason is that your left (dominant) eye can pickup on the bottom barrel and you will subconciously be shooting high. I cant shoot an O/U to save my life. I am left eye dom and shoot right handed. But i can go shoot an auto-loader and hit in the 80's on a sporting clays course. I was told this by an instructor. a SXS would also prevent it.

 

[ShotgunPro]

Are you shooting with a buddy? Do they know anything about shooting? If so, have them watch you. They should watch how you mount and swing the gun. They should watch where your shot flies. Are you consistently low, high, right, left ...? Are you shooting with both eyes open?

 

[ShotgunPro]

Thanks for all your input guys. I am right eye dominant shooting from a right handed stance, so I'm good on that. I'm going to try something out. I asked a friend who knows a bit about wingshooting and this is what he told me:

"The coach gun SxS is shorter and has a shorter reach to the forend. The 28" barrelled CZ has a longer reach to the forend (for my left arm) and you might have to bring your left hand back towards you."

I have been practicing this for the past two nights and it does feel noticeably better. I hope that is the simple solution and that practice will help. The test is going to be tomorrow's pheasant hunt so I will try and remember to post my results.

If this doesn't fix it, he gave me the business card of a stock maker in upstate NY who fits guns and makes his own stocks. If anyone wants his contact info, let me know.

 

[ShotgunPro]

You might want to pattern both your guns to see where they shoot in relation to where you aim. The o/u and your SXS may have two different points of impact that you will eventually get used to.

 

[ShotgunPro]

You might want to pattern both your guns to see where they shoot in relation to where you aim. The o/u and your SXS may have two different points of impact that you will eventually get used to.

I have measured the spread and it is the same; I just can't get on target well with this one.

...

 

[ShotgunPro]

It's the fit.

Check the drop at comb, drop at heel and the length of pull compared to your other gun.

I'm guessing there's a difference in one or more of those.

If everything is identical (highly unlikely) then it's probably the barrel length that's messing with you. Longer barrels appear to move on target slower, so you might be pulling the trigger too soon. Be more deliberate in your aim and timing of your trigger pull.

 

[ShotgunPro]

Okay... So before the pheasant hunt, I measured and documented all of my choke patterns on targets. I chose to use an IC for the first shot, and an IM for the second choke. then we shot some clays for extra practice. I would always hit on the second shot, but getting on target was a hair slower than with the coach gun (I would assume because of the difference in length). Once I slowed it down I was hitting on the first shot about 75 percent of the time.

Once we were out in the field after the birds, i was doing very well. I would say better than I did last year with the Coach Gun. I missed one bird out of 6. Not bad. We did go back and nail that one bird though, just so you know.

In conclusion; it would seem that it was all in my form, atleast for now. When my left arm was too far out on the forend, the stock was hitting my deltoid muscle when trying to mount, and I couldn't easily bring the stock tight into my cheek without reaching with my head. "choking up" seems to have been the solution to me.

I am so relieved that I don't have to spend money on modifying anything for now, or having to do anything drastic. There may come a time when I splurge on a custom fitted stock for a nice/competition gun but for now I have a great field gun.

thanks for your input guys. this kind of shooting has become a fun pastime for me and has been a way to connect with family, God, and myself. i can't get enough of those upland birds.