The action of shouldering a shotgun, often called mounting, is the physical technique of bringing the firearm from a ready position into the firing position against the body. The primary goals of a correct mount are to achieve consistent alignment between the shooter’s eye and the shotgun’s sighting plane while simultaneously preparing the body to efficiently absorb the powerful rearward force of recoil. Mastering this movement is fundamental to effective shooting, particularly in dynamic disciplines like clay target sports or hunting.
Establishing the Firing Stance
Before initiating the movement of the shotgun itself, the shooter must establish a stable and athletic platform to manage the energy generated upon firing. The foundation begins with the feet positioned roughly shoulder-width apart, providing a broad base for stability and balance. Placing the non-dominant foot slightly forward creates a bladed stance that allows the body to turn and track moving targets more fluidly than a strictly squared-up posture.
Weight distribution is carefully managed by leaning the torso forward slightly, positioning the body’s center of gravity over the balls of the feet. This forward inclination counters the rearward push of recoil, preventing the shooter from being thrown off balance backward. An upright or backward-leaning posture makes it difficult for the shoulder joint to absorb the force efficiently, leading to increased felt recoil and slower recovery for a follow-up shot. The upper body should remain relaxed yet engaged, forming a robust structure ready to receive the stock and mitigate the effects of the firing sequence.
Proper Hand Placement and Grip
The hands serve distinct yet complementary roles in controlling the shotgun throughout the mounting and firing process. The firing hand, which sits on the wrist or grip of the stock, maintains a firm but not overly tight hold, primarily responsible for trigger control and securing the shotgun against the shoulder. The trigger finger rests outside the trigger guard until the moment the shooter is ready to fire, ensuring adherence to safety protocols. This hand’s grip should focus on pulling the stock back into the body, locking the shotgun into the shoulder pocket.
The support hand, positioned further down the fore-end, is tasked with supporting the firearm’s weight and guiding the barrel toward the target. This forward hand should apply a secure but relatively light grip, allowing the forearm muscles to remain relaxed. Applying excessive tension here can introduce tremor or restrict the fluid movement needed to track a target, negatively affecting the mount’s speed and precision. The support hand acts as the steering wheel, managing the muzzle’s trajectory and maintaining the delicate balance of the long gun during the initial movement.
The Optimal Mounting Sequence
The actual mounting sequence is a smooth, compound movement where the shotgun moves simultaneously up and forward toward the shoulder. This motion should originate primarily from the core muscles, not just the arms, ensuring the movement is fluid and connected to the shooter’s established stance. The goal is to consistently bring the stock to the same location—the shoulder pocket—which is the fleshy area just inside the shoulder joint, rather than on the hard bone of the collarbone or shoulder tip.
As the stock moves to the shoulder, the shooter must ensure the barrel remains level, avoiding the common mistake of dipping the muzzle downward. The support hand guides the fore-end to maintain this horizontal alignment, while the firing hand guides the buttstock precisely to the defined pocket. Consistency in hitting this specific contact point is paramount for managing recoil, as the soft tissue acts as a natural shock absorber, spreading the impulse over a larger, less sensitive area.
The second half of the sequence involves establishing the cheek weld. Instead of lifting the head to meet the rising stock, the shooter should bring the face down to the stock as the gun arrives at the shoulder. This forward and downward movement of the head ensures a solid, repeatable anchor point, aligning the eye directly down the center of the rib. A consistent cheek weld guarantees that the shooter’s line of sight is perfectly parallel with the bore of the barrel, confirming the correct sight picture.
The entire movement must be executed swiftly and fluidly to minimize the time between seeing the target and achieving the firing position. A proper mount results in the shooter’s dominant eye immediately aligning over the rib and bead sight without needing to adjust the head or neck. This immediate sight confirmation indicates that the length of pull and drop at comb measurements of the stock are appropriate for the shooter’s physical dimensions. Practicing this sequence until it becomes a single, unconscious action is the most effective way to ensure speed, consistency, and accuracy in the field.