You have probably heard the apocryphal tales of the likes of Lord Ripon and his cronies rehearsing their gun mount in the bedroom of an evening before and after dinner. Picking a spot in the corner of the ceiling these aristocratic shooting junkies would repeatedly bring their beloved Purdeys to their shoulders in the pursuit of perfection the following day. Were they mad, over-privileged, or actually just rather keen to do justice to whatever came their way on the peg? Perhaps a little of all three, but there is no denying the classic Gary Player line: “It’s funny, the more I practise the luckier I get.”
But what exactly does good gun mount mean, how do we know when we are getting it right, and how much impact will it have on our shooting? I spoke to Simon Rood from the Purdey gunroom to find out a little more.
What do we mean by gun mount?
Will Hetherington: What exactly does good gun mount mean?
Simon Rood: Good question and essentially it means a consistent movement where the gun goes to the same place time and time again. It needs to be comfortable for the shooter and must also allow for the head to be in the right position for shooting without any awkward and detrimental adjustment.
WH: Is it something people do naturally or is it a result of repetition and application?
SR: I believe it is like anything in other sports or in fact any walk of life, the more you practise generally the better you will get. With mounting a gun muscle memory is important and with enough repetition it becomes second nature. You don’t have to be pulling the trigger either. You can practice inside – just select a point on a wall and keep going until it’s like opening a door. (Ed. So the great names of the Edwardian era weren’t totally mad after all).
WH; Will poor gun mount have a significant impact on my shooting ability?
SR: Yes and no, you see some shooters who have been shooting for years with a very unique style and poor gun mount but it works for them. They have repeated the movement so many times that it becomes second nature. It might not be elegant or how you are taught but over the years each person picks up habits and has their own style and adapts to overcome. If you watched any cricket this summer you will have seen the eccentric but brilliant Australian Steve Smith batting in very much his own style. He rather proved the point that while the normal technique is important there is room for personal improvisation.
However it is important to start out on the right foot by going to a shooting ground and having lessons, beginning with the basics of gun mount. Poor gun mount can also be uncomfortable. I am sure every shooter has at one point not mounted correctly on a high driven bird when the adrenaline kicks in and misplaced the gun in the shoulder. The result can be a good bruise.
WH: Can you have good gun mount if your gun doesn’t fit too well? For example if you borrow a gun for some reason will you still be able to execute a consistent gun mount?
SR: I would say the majority of shooters have never had a proper gun fit and shoot with a gun off the shelf which feels comfortable and they are happy with their progress and perceived results. If you have been shooting for a long time and know your way around a gun then most can still shoot with a borrowed gun and get away with it. It might just look and feel slightly unorthodox. If the dimensions are way off then a consistent gun mount will not be possible.
Shoot with style and panache
WH: Does good gun mount also equal elegant shooting?
SR: I think a stylish consistent gun mount is elegant to watch and it demonstrates that the shooter has lots of time to take the shot. Someone who mounts the gun then spends time moving their head around does not appear to be elegant in my eyes even though they might hit the bird.
WH: Should the way you mount the gun differ with different types of shooting, for example high pheasants and low partridges?
SR: The starting position of your gun will probably change depending on the height and trajectory of your quarry, but actual gun mount shouldn’t change. It’s still the same process and the key word in all of my answers here is consistency.
WH: The likes of Mickey Rouse shoot clays so fast there’s no time to blink, whereas others have a more languid style. Which is better or are they both equally as effective?
SR: Mickey is a world-class shot and the reason he can take the shot so quickly is because he knows the gun will be consistently placed in the right area every time he mounts it. This is down to repetition and muscle memory. He is so confident the gun will be in the right position that all the focus and thoughts are on the target and not the gun mount. Each person has their own style and you must do what you are comfortable and confident with.
Gun mount, like so many other hand-eye based activities, is personal, and there's not necessarily a right or wrong way to go about it, but practice really does make perfect. And it wasn't just the shooting obsessed aristocrats of old who liked to practice their gun-mount:
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