Kornin's Korner

Weekly shooting lessons from multi-time MSCA (Minnesota Sporting Clays Association) State Champion and ATA/NRA Level 1 Trap Coach, Steve Korin.

Shooters, Just a quick note to let you all know that I think this year was a success. I had a great time coaching you and hope that you will all come back next year.

The State High School shoot is this Sunday (don't confuse this shoot with the state trap shoot) and I will be unable to attend. All of you who are shooting this event will have a great time.

1) Make sure not too change you shooting style because you miss a target, be consistent.

3) Make sure to shoot your own game, don't let the shooter on either side of you dictate your score.

7) Be gracious, a lot of people spent a lot of time, money, and effort to make sure you have a good shoot.

No matter the outcome of this one shoot please keep in mind that if you try your hardest the year was a success!!!!

Last night I talked about focusing on the target while shooting. Since focus is one of the top tools a shooter can use to increase their score I am using it as the topic of this weeks lesson.

When used in shotgun shooting and accompanied by a proper fitting gun, consistent gun mount, and the shooters head staying on the stock it will lead to consistently higher scores.

When shooting straight away targets I focus on the back edge of the target. Not just a quick look, but a hard focus. I try to see the ridges on the target or the dimples on the dome. When shooting hard left or hard right targets I always focus on the leading edge of the target.

Remember, depending on the type of gun you are shooting you need to have the target in a certain place in relation to the barrel.

Trap Gun- float the target over the barrel, Field gun-cover the target with the barrel. One constant in the shooting equation is that you need a hard focus to help shoot better more consistent scores.

Last night we had a very hard wind which pushed the targets up or down without warning. The only way to be consistent with erratic flying targets is to focus hard on the target. If your focus stays on the target your gun will automatically stay with it until you complete the shot.

Remember to practice your gun mounts in the mirror at home (with parents permission only). This will help to keep your shooting in the same spot shot after shot.

This week for a lesson I would like to talk a little about self confidence and the value of mental programming. I could go on and on about the value of the mental side of sports but it all starts with being sure of yourself before you start shooting.

Many instructors, including myself agree that clay target shooting sports are only 35%-40% mechanical skill with the remainder being comprised of the various mental parts of the game. Although the mechanical parts of shooting are usually honed to perfection on the range the mental part of shooting can be perfected at almost any physical location.

Mental programming is simply believing in an outcome for a certain task before it actually happens.

Imagine shooting basketball free throws and telling yourself before each shot that you are going to miss. You are programming your brain to believe you are going to miss each shot. This will make you push the ball in a manner that gives you the outcome you have faith in. Many studies have been done to prove that humans can achieve an outcome in a task simply by believing in it.

The same mental practice you use in all the other sports comes into play in target shooting. Believe that the outcome of each shot will be a broken target and it will increase your score noticeably.

On your way to the range each Monday tell yourself that the outcome of each shot will be a hit. Before you shoot at each target believe in your mind that the shot will result in a hit. If you do miss a target forget it immediately. Never remember the bad things.

Two things I noticed last Monday which are consistent problems with our
shooters are the subjects of this weeks "lesson".

Monday we had a lot of wind which adversely affected the target flight.
Shooting in adverse conditions is something all shooters should learn to
deal with. If you remember one simple rule you will conquer these targets.

"When shooting ANY targets keep your head on the stock and EYES LOCKED on
the target"! If you follow this rule it wont matter what the flight path of
the target is, your eyes will take your gun to the target.
Focus is crucial to consistent shooting.

The second thing I noticed was that many shooters are losing their trust in
themselves. Make sure that you have faith in yourself. If you happen to lose
a target forget about it. It is in the past, you cant get it back. Call the
next target and get right back into your rhythm.
Other shooter don't have that trust from the start, when you call "PULL"
and your gun moves to the target make sure you slap the trigger when your
muzzle gets to the target. Your mind and body make the move in unison. If
you take an instant to second guess or be sure of your shot disaster is sure
to follow. "TRUST YOURSELF"

For the first week I just have a few observations I would like to discuss with you shooters:

During the course of watching the first two rounds many of you heard me say "follow the line". One astute shooter brought up the fact that many of you didn't know what that meant.

"Follow the line" means follow the flight path of the target. Many shooters were not doing so and were either over or under targets when firing.

If your first movement with the gun is not on the line of the targets flight path the end result is almost always a miss. The correction needed to get back on the line when you start off the line is not smooth. A smooth, fluid move to the target is what separates a good shooter from a poor shooter.

"Stay in the gun" was another phrase you heard me say. This means keep your head on the stock, keep the stock on your shoulder, and keep the gun pointed at the target. Not staying in the gun can lead to many different results when shooting. Bringing your head off the stock will usually cause you to shoot high. Gun off the shoulder and you will most likely shoot low or in front.

If you continually have a problem staying in the gun the get yourself in the habit of counting to one before dismounting the gun.

"Stay Loose" Means exactly what you probably think it means. Don't use your front hand to put a death grip on the gun. The front hand is supposed to guide the gun from side to side or up and down. Only hold on tight enough to keep from losing control of the gun.

Your rear hand is supposed to guide the stock to your shoulder and keep it there. Don't put a strangle hold on the rear of the gun either. Keep firm pressure against your shoulder with your rear hand and this will help alleviate some of the recoil.

Staying loose will help you with a smooth move to the target as well as keeping you from getting tired to fast, tense muscles get tired faster and your stamina will be affected.

Last thing for this week is "HAVE FUN". We as coaches don't want to see shooters getting mad on the field. If you get mad and exhibit poor behavior you will not only have a negative effect on your score but also on the shooters around you.

If we see a shooter showing poor, unsportsmanlike behavior on the trap field we will have to ask you to go sit on one of the benches while you cool down. Then you can sign up on another sheet and shoot later after you cool down.

Just a couple of quick notes as we head into this Sundays First Annual
"State High School Trap Shoot".
I hope that all of you can attend. Looks like the gun club is really
going all out for the youth program in this state and it should be fun for all
levels of experience.

I want all of you to remember a few things before shooting this Sunday.
First, this is supposed to be a fun sport and none of you do this for a
living at this point in your life.
No matter what your final score is you need to come out of there with a
smile and the satisfaction of knowing that you were a participant in the
first ever state high school trap shoot.

As for shooting advise I will tell you that ALL of you have more ability
as shooters than you realize. I watch as confidence levels build and deflate
during your round of trap each week.

Don't let negative thoughts enter your head.
Always tell yourself you CAN hit the targets.
Forget about a miss the second it happens/never get mad.
Never count your score during the round.
Concentrate as hard as you can on every target, they all count.
Keep your timing/rhythm the same, don't get cautious it will only hurt
your score.
Don't worry about your neighbors score during the round, you shoot your
targets and they shoot theirs.
Don't be tense, stay relaxed while shooting.
Most of all have fun!!!!

Last night I was able to score for 2 squads and I was very impressed.
You people were listening to the coaches during practice and it shows. Good
job and good scores all around.

I think that since we have started shooting "for real" and practice is
done for the year I will just touch on a couple of common mistakes made
during competition.
Last night three problems we talked about in the past reared their ugly
heads.

First----Keep your heads on the gun stocks!!!!! From the scorers chair
it was evident that this is still a common mistake. You can still watch the
target break with your head attached to the stock. If you lift your head
you will shoot over the target.

Second--- If the person next to you misses don't let it cause you to miss.
I watched two different squads have every member miss a target
consecutively. Don't let one miss get into your head and cause you to miss
two or three in a row either. After you shoot forget what just happened
and mentally prepare to break the next target.

Third--- Don't lose your rhythm because you are worried about missing.
Keeping your rhythm consistent throughout the round will lead to more
consistent scores. Once the target reaches its peak and starts dropping
you have compounded the difficulty factor of the shot. Be consistent to score
consistent.

Great Job last night, lots of positive attitudes. I did not see anyone
get mad him or her self for a missed target.

Steve Korin
Computer Buying Solutions, INC.
763-478-8788
skorin@compbuy.com

Next Monday will be the first week of multi school competition. You have
all tried hard and from what I can tell you have had fun. Now is the time
the nervousness and tension will reach its peak.

Make sure you show up when you are supposed to. Don't let your teammates
down by being a no-show. Last year we had some squads disqualified because
disrespectful team members did not bother to show up to shoot.

This week a few tips on competing are in order. First lets have a
refresher talk on Trap etiquette.

Don't do anything to disrupt the rhythm of the squad.

Make sure you have a shell catcher so your empties don't hit the shooter
next to you.

Carry extra shells and never bend over to pick up a dropped shell until
after the whole squad has shot its 5 shots at the station.

Don't move around in the "box" as this will distract the person next to
you. Plant your feet in the proper spot and stay there. It is one less thing
you need to think about when shooting.

Don't talk during the round.

Remain in position until all shooters have shot the station.

Now that you all remember your etiquette lets talk about some things that
you can do to help your squad be successful during competition.

First and foremost remember that this is just a game. None of you do this
for a living and you are supposed to have fun.
Remembering this will help keep you relaxed and smooth during your shooting.

Have a positive attitude no matter how you shoot. A little encouragement
from teammates goes a long way to help improve an attitude.

Don't get mad at yourself or your teammates NO MATTER WHAT!!!! I still see
people getting mad at themselves while shooting. You are your own worst
enemy as well as you best ally. Last year we had squads where one or two
shooters had a particularly bad day and the squad still won.

When the shooting starts keep your eyes focused on the targets. If you
look at your neighbor and he makes a face after a miss it will rub off on
you. Focus on the targets.

Everyone should shoot like as an individual once you get on the line.
Worry about breaking your targets and don't worry about your neighbor. Last
week I interrupted a squad that was shooting great scores. Only problem was
that when one person missed it was contagious. Three times in one round
after one person missed it went right down the line and 4 or 5 misses
resulted. I always tell myself "I will show the person that missed how to
hit the target".

Good sportsmanship from the minute you arrive until the minute you leave
is expected. Lets show the other teams what good sportsmanship is. Have a
smile on your face, be polite, don't complain, DON'T GET MAD! Set a good
example.
It is fun to win, it mandatory to display good sportsmanship.

Remain calm during your time on the line. Take a few deep breaths and
focus on the task at hand.

Steve Korin
Computer Buying Solutions, INC.
763-478-8788
skorin@compbuy.com

Week 5 lesson: For the past 4 weeks I have been giving you a weekly dose
of clay shooting mechanics. If you read the lessons and apply them to your
shooting you should have some basic knowledge of clay shooting mechanics.

This week we are going to look at the #1 trick to shooting consistent
scores. It is something so simple that all of you have the ability to apply
it to your shooting game. The magic formula to shooting consistent score is
in your own brain.

The human mind is more powerful than you could ever imagine. I can stand
behind a group of young shooters and see the exact moment that their minds
take over their shooting. Good shooters will start missing birds, then the
person next to them starts missing, then the person next to that person
misses, one after another right down the line. This is almost always because
the shooters are second guessing some aspect of their shooting. They think
"he is a better shooter than me and he missed, I cant hit them either". It
may even be in your subconscious but it is happening.

Here are some tricks I have learned over the years that have helped me shoot
more consistent scores.

First, make sure you start mentally preparing before you shoot. Tell
yourself that you are capable of hitting all the targets. Look at as many
targets as you can on the course before you start to shoot. See yourself
hitting each and every target right in the center. It doesn't matter if the
person actually shooting the targets you are watching hits them or not. What
concerns you is that you know that YOU can hit them.

Second, don't ever second guess your ability. NEVER expect any outcome but
a hit!!! If you let bad thoughts seep into your mind they will take over the
good thoughts until you are sure you CAN'T hit the targets.

Third, don't ever get mad of frustrated. If you do it will consume the
good thoughts causing you to change your rhythm, technique, or mental
preparation. Getting mad not only causes you to miss, it also rubs off on
others. If you show frustration in any way it will rub off on the rest of
your squad I guarantee it.

Fourth, make sure you are physically prepared. Believe it or not if your
body is not properly nourished or if it is dehydrated your brain will not
operate at its maximum potential. Make sure you are hydrated and that you
have eaten at least an hour before you shoot. Don't shove down two Big Macs,
large fries, and a giant coke in the parking lot and expect that to work.
Athletes know that the first step in proper mental preparation is physically
preparing the body. If you don't feel good you will not perform well.

Fifth, Look at each shot as the beginning, never look back!!! I have won
and lost many tournaments by one target. If you look back you can easily
turn one miss into two or more. It's like magic how it happens.

Sixth, Shoot your own targets!!! What that means is don't worry about
anything that happens to the other shooters unless there is a safety issue.
Go at your own pace, don't let the rest of the squad speed you up or throw
off your timing. It is a subconscious phenomenon I have seen many times on
Monday nights. Squads start to speed up for no reason until every one is out
of control. Don't worry about someone else's missed bird, shoot your own
targets and forget the rest!

Finally, expect to shoot well every time you go to the range. Don't even
start shooting until you are certain you will shoot to the best of your
ability.

If you use these tips as a guide to your mental game you will shoot
better. Many books have been written on the power of the human mind. They
almost all have one thing in common, they insist that the mind can overcome
almost any obstacle.

Steve Korin
Computer Buying Solutions, INC.
763-478-8788
skorin@compbuy.com

Lesson #4:
Let me first say that the improvement we as coaches and parents see on the
field each and every week is obvious. You should all be proud of your
accomplishments. It doesn't matter if you are on top, bottom or middle of
the pack you are all learning and that is our goal.
Also, our team is by far the safest team on the field every week. We as
coaches see that as a direct reflection on us. Thanks, and keep up the good
work!!!!

Now for the "lesson". Last Monday I talked to many of you about
"finishing the shot". What I want you to do is keep your head on the gun and
follow through. I told many of you to try to count to 1 after you slap the
trigger while keeping your head on the stock.

Finishing the shot will help prevent several common mistakes clay target
shooters make. First and foremost it helps you keep your head on the stock.
All of us like to see the target break, believe me when I tell you that you
can see the target break with your head on the stock. Keeping your head on
the stock helps you shoot at the target and not over the top.

Second thing that finishing the shot can help with is concentration. If
you keep your head on the stock and you follow through you are concentrating
on YOUR shot and YOUR target and nothing else.

The third thing that finishing your shot will help with is developing a
rhythm. Developing rhythm during shooting will eventually lead to
consistency and eventually to improved shooting scores.

All these techniques take time and practice to develop. Don't expect a
drastic overnight change.

A few weeks ago I talked about relaxation on the station. Please re-read
that portion. Almost all of you need to work on your relaxation techniques.
Those targets WILL NOT GET AWAY!!!! Relax, take your time, have fun.

Steve Korin
Computer Buying Solutions, INC.
763-478-8788
skorin@compbuy.com

Proper pre-shot body setup is possibly the most important element in
shooting good scores on a consistent basis. The simple physics of smooth
shotgun movement start with foot/body positioning before the call for the target.

If you are on station 5 and you are set up for a left hand straight away
you are going to have to struggle to catch a hard right target. Most
likely that target will beat you so badly you will never catch it.
Last week I watched many shooters improperly set up for their targets.
Make sure that you are set up for the hardest target possible at each
station. Lets go through the stations:

Station one and two The hardest target is the hard left--set up for it.

Station three is "neutral" The left and right targets are going to be
equal in difficulty. Set your body so that you can easily shoot either target
without a struggle.

Stations four and five the hardest target will be the hard right. Make
sure you can get to it with a smooth gun move.

Right hand and left hand shooters will find that they need their
feet/body set up slightly differently in order to have a smooth swing. If you
properly set your body before the first shot at each station there is nothing more
to think about but shooting the next target. Gun movement will be smooth and the targets will break with consistency.

Week 2 shooting tip: When shooting clay targets "TIMING" and or "RHYTHM"
is very important.
The trap targets you are shooting start (are set to start) at the house
and rise to a height of 8-10 feet over the house. After they reach their
apex or peak they start to drop. They travel a distance of 50 yards
(possibly a littler more or less depending on the wind) from the house.
The best way to shoot trap targets is to shoot them at the apex or
before.
A dropping target is the most difficult to hit and shooting dropping
targets does not lead to a good score.

On week 1 the targets were very erratic so timing or getting into a
rhythm
was not something you could rely upon.

Week 2 was a differently story. The wind actually held the targets up a
little and allowed you to get a good look at the bird before firing.
I recommend that you watch as many targets as possible before you shoot.
Watching the flight path of the targets will help you consciously and
subconsciously develop an awareness of where the targets will fly on that
day.

You should stand back watch the targets mentally telling yourself when you
would fire.
This helps you get into your shooting rhythm.
When you watch a seasoned shooter shoot trap you will see that they will
break every target the same distance from the house. This is because they
have developed rhythm and timing.

One thing I saw happening last night, was that after a miss, the shooter
would then hesitate on the next target. What every good shooter quickly
learns is that while you are on the line you forget any misses the second
they happen. If you don't forget you will loose your timing and it will
directly affect your score.
Don't make a face or shake your head after a miss, smile and watch the
other targets as the other shooters on your squad call them.

I hope you are all having a great time!!!!!!!!

Week 1 shooting tips:
After watching a number of you shoot last night I can tell that there is a
lot of talent on the field again this year.
There are two things I want you to think about and practice before we meet
again next Monday.
First, remain calm up there on the line. That bird is not going to get
away from you if you make a nice smooth move to the target and "slap" the
trigger (pulling the trigger is for rifle shooters).
I saw a lot of excitement on the line which is a good thing. But, excitement
leads to an adrenaline rush which will make you tense and tires you out
faster. Stay calm and smooth on the line. Visualize the target breaking
before each and every shot, take a deep breath and let it out, tell yourself
you WILL break the target. These things will help to keep you calm and loose
on the line.

Second tip is something 90 percent of you heard me say to you on the first
night, "keep your head on the stock". If you pull your head up off the stock
even a little you will shoot over the target. Practice your gun mounts in a
mirror at home. You will begin to know where the gun stock should be by the
feeling on your face. After you slap the trigger you should still have your
gun and your head in the same place. Make a mental note before the shot "I
will keep my head on the stock". Remember that if your head is on the stock
and the gun fits properly you will shoot where you look!!!!

Steve Korin
Computer Buying Solutions, INC.
763-478-8788
skorin@compbuy.com

   At the orientation/safety meeting there was a great question asked about
gun purchasing. I would suggest asking Kirk King for some pricing and
suggestions when a decision on gun type has been made.
There are many variables in the decision making process when purchasing a
shotgun. Price, practicality/use, Gauge, and action type all come in to play
when making your decision.

   I will try to give some general information regarding the decision making
process.

First there generally is a budget. You can buy a good serviceable pump
action gun for as little as $400.00 and some of the top line over under guns
can run more than $12,000.00 for a starter grade gun. Set a budget and then
start weighing your options.

Decide what you are going to use the gun for. Trap guns generally don't
make good hunting guns because they have a tendency to naturally shoot high.
A short barreled field gun is usually to whippy for trap shooting and
doesn't give you the sight plane the longer barreled trap guns offer.
Something in between would be best. I would pick a 28" gun if I wanted the
best of both worlds. If you are just going to shoot trap with the gun then a
longer 30"-32" gun is best. Browning makes a great single barrel trap gun.
There are also many choices of semi-auto and pump guns designed with the
trap shooter in mind.

Gauge of the gun is pretty simple to decide on. If you are a younger person
who is small in stature then you may have to resort to a 20 gauge gun this
year.

I strongly recommend the 12 gauge if you are able to handle one. The reason
for this is two fold, 1) safety---if you only have 12 gauge shells around
the house there is no chance of accidentally putting a 20 gauge shell in the
gun. The result of such a mistake would be a "catastrophic failure of all
components" (it blows up).
2) If you get a 12 gauge now you do not need to switch guns when you
develop physically.

Action type can be lumped in with price. Usually the over/under guns are
more expensive. A semi-auto is a little less expensive and the pump guns are
the most inexpensive. The pump guns are going to kick the most and sometimes
don't work well for younger shooters. Over/under guns are generally heavier
and for that reason sometimes don't work for younger shooters. Semi-auto
guns are usually the easiest for younger shooters to handle but are a little
more complicated to use.

Don't be fooled by "youth model guns". I have found that these guns are
very light weight and therefore have a lot more recoil than a standard size
gun. My son started with a youth model 20 gauge and always complained about
excessive recoil.

All the major manufacturers make a very dependable line of guns.

Now you are going to ask "what would you buy".
I am partial to the semi-auto guns for myself and my kids. I don't like
excessive recoil an I think recoil more often than not scares kids away from
shooting. It doesn't take many times being punched by someone before you
learn to stay away from that person. Kids learn quick, if the gun hurts they
will try to stay away from it. They may shoot it but lift their head or
develop a flinch.

Beretta makes an auto gun that has a shim system that allows you to adjust
the gun to fit most people. That is why they are my number 1 pick. Remington
and Browning also make a nice softer shooting semi-auto guns.

If you have any questions feel free to call or e-mail me. Calling would be
best since I sometimes get 1000 e-mails a day.

Steve Korin
Computer Buying Solutions, INC.
763-478-8788
skorin@compbuy.com

Proper gun fit is without a doubt the number one factor for improving shooting scores. When a gun is properly fit the shooter will be able to easily mount the gun to the same spot on the shoulder and face each and every time.

A properly fit gun allows you to shoot where you look providing you keep your head on the stock (keeping the "wood on the wood" you will hear your instructor say).

Proper fit will also greatly reduce felt recoil and improves stamina. It also keeps the shooter from developing bad habits like a flinch or pulling your head up off the stock before pulling the trigger. I would much rather shoot a properly fitting $200.00 shotgun than an improperly fitting $10,000.00 gun

A trained shooting professional, properly trained gunsmith, or a gun fitter can help to ensure that your gun shoots where you look.

You can also check yourself by utilizing a patterning board to see if your gun fits properly.

Draw a 2 inch black circle on a 40 inch piece of paper or cardboard. Put your tightest choke in your gun, preferably full. Step back 30 yards and shoot 3 shots at the circle. The shot should be evenly distributed around the circle on the cardboard. If there is an inconsistency then you probably have a gun fit issue.

Make sure that before you buy a new gun you seriously consider how well that gun fits you and whether there is adjustability built into the stock of the gun.

Consider coming to the gun fit session that is being scheduled in early April.

Steve Korin
Computer Buying Solutions, INC.
763-478-8788
skorin@compbuy.com

Send mail to gunsmith@minnetonkagunsmithing.com with questions or comments about this web site. Last modified: 05/18/10

Send mail to gunsmith@minnetonkagunsmithing.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: 05/18/10