I have always been intrigued by side-by-side coach guns, so imagine my excitement when I first saw the press release for the Heritage Coachwhip 12-gauge shotgun. Once it arrived and I saw its beautiful exposed hammers and case-hardened frame, I knew I wanted to take it to the club. I realize this is not a shotgun for an afternoon of sporting clays, but it is an excellent gun for hunting rabbits or grouse while trudging through brush. In order to prepare myself for some time on the clay course, I reached out to a few friends for their tips on shooting rabbit targets.
Dave is an NSCA Level III Instructor who conducts Sporting Clays and American Trap workshops all over the Midwest. For more information, check out his website.
Dave said, “As with any presentation on a sporting clays course, you should not determine the move you make on a target just by the type of target you are shooting. It is all about how the target presents itself. In this instance, we are speaking about a 108mm rabbit target, which normally presents as crossers or deep quartering shots on the ground.
“When working with students, they often want to lump all rabbits into one bucket. Therefore, they are not truly analyzing the line the target takes, i.e., crossing or quartering. This leaves the question I always ask: ‘What is the target doing, and where is it going?’
“To help find the line, I ask shooters to count the bounces with me out loud while tracing the target with their lead fingers. (Lead Finger(s) are the fingers at the front of the forend; this lead hand holds the forend and steers the shot.)
‘Ready? Pull … one … two … three … four, etc.’
“What is surprising is that most (not all) on the ground crossing or deep quartering rabbit targets can be attempted around that third or fourth bounce. This gives our eyes time to tell our brains what that target looks like and where it is the clearest. That location is the beginning of the shooter’s break area. (Break Area is the space the shooter chooses to manage the hit; it’s a space, not a point.)
“Counting the bounces also tells us where the bottom or lowest line the target is traveling along the ground. This line should never be occluded by the gun barrel at the hold point (the starting point of the muzzle) or at any other time while making a move to the break area. In other words, we should always keep our vision above the gun, and as the target moves along the ground, this helps prevent the most common over-the-top miss.”
This David is a master class shooter and an NCSA Level II shotgun instructor.
David said, “Using sustained lead, visualize a real rabbit running and shoot at the front legs. Most shooters miss rabbits ahead of the target because they are usually moving slower than a flying target. Also, if you get a consistent hop in the presentation, shoot it there. It then becomes a much more consistent and easier target.
“A small (or quick) window rabbit is best shot using the swing-through method. The hold point should be close to the visual target pick-up. Swing through the target and pull the trigger. Your gun speed will create the lead, and the target will break like magic.”
Gary is a certified Paragon Shooting School instructor and an NSCA Level II and a certified NRA shotgun instructor.
Gary said, “The most important part in shooting at the rabbit target is making sure that the muzzle is below the line on the target.
“Walking the rabbit is my preferred method of shooting at the rabbit target. I insert the muzzle on the front feet of the rabbit target and walk or stay with the target until I feel it is time to take the shot. If the rabbit target jumps, my muzzle is right there to go up with it and stay connected to it.
“Most shooters miss in front of the rabbit. They see the dirt blowing up behind then start giving more lead and miss again. The rabbit target starts to slow down once it makes contact with the ground, but appears to be going faster because of it being on the ground.
“There are a couple of other ways to break this target. One is coming from the back of the target. Once the muzzle of the shotgun touches the target, take the shot. You cannot wait until the muzzle passes the target because the speed of the gun swing will cause a miss in front.
“Another method uses what is called a collapsing lead. This is done by taking the muzzle to where you want to break the target (break point) and watching the lead collapse until the target is next to the muzzle. This method takes a lot of practice.”
As with any advice regarding shooting, I am open to trying any suggested tips. Then, I decide what works best and usually stick to that technique. However, I always keep the other suggestions in my back pocket, because when I find myself missing a target, I may need to try something different. So off to the club I go with these helpful tips, a few boxes of 12 Gauge Winchester AA Low Recoil and Fiocchi Shooting Dynamic shotshells and the Heritage Coachwhip to try to crush some rabbit targets.
Michelle Cerino, aka Princess Gunslinger, first entered the firearms industry in 2011 as co-owner, president and trainer at a national training company. She immediately began competing in both 3-Gun and NRA Action Pistol, becoming a sponsored shooter. Michelle is currently a columnist and Managing Editor of Women’s Outdoor News, as well as owner of Pervenio LLC. She also manages social media for Vera Koo and FASTER Saves Lives. Michelle encourages others to step out of the comforts of home and explore. View all posts by Michelle Cerino
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