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Old August 28, 2002, 06:16 AM   #1
JohnPL
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Join Date: January 31, 2001
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Fiber optic bead?

I'm thinking that a fiber optic bead (the type that snaps onto the rib of the barrel behind the original bead) might be just the ticket for the early season grouse woods, making the front bead that much easier to pick up against the foliage. Anybody use these? Is the brightness a distraction while focusing on the bird/target?
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Old August 28, 2002, 06:43 AM   #2
Dave McC
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Join Date: October 13, 1999
Location: Columbia, Md, USA
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Others may disagree, and some who do outshoot me on occasion,but one should be looking at the grouse, not the bead.

When I tried one at trap, my scores dropped.

I do my best wingshooting with a minimal bead.
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Old August 28, 2002, 02:25 PM   #3
JohnPL
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Join Date: January 31, 2001
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Thanks Dave. My dad always said the bead is an afterthought. I find at times, because most of my shooting is with a rifle, that I tend to "aim" when shotgunning, rather than point. I guess it proves the saying that rifle shooting is a science, but shotgunning is an art.
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Old August 28, 2002, 05:18 PM   #4
Dave McC
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Shotgunning is both art and science. Ask Bob Brister(G).

Seriously, there's a ton of differences, including what one looks at, stance and the fact that rifles are mostly shot at slow moving or still things, and shotguns at stuff moving faster than we can run.

One's static, other dynamic, to oversimplify again...
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Old August 28, 2002, 07:17 PM   #5
HSMITH
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I have found ONE use for the fiberoptic beads, specifically only one type of fiberoptic bead. There is one on the market and IIRC it is called the "strutstopper" or something very close to that. It has the typical fiberoptic light stick, but it also has a hollow "tube" that you have to look directly down to see the glow of the fiberoptics. This tube is about an inch and a half long, so you have to be centered on the gun to see the glow.

The use I have found for this is mounting the shotgun in hunting situations. If you are not a consistent shooter or are shooting a new gun it will help you realize why you missed. My nemesis is a bad mount of the gun, and I have seen a LOT of birds missed from a bad mount by others too. If you miss rewind the tape in your "minds eye" and see if you see the glow IN YOUR PERIPHERAL VISION. If you are looking at the bead/fiber glow you are likely to miss. This type of fiber pin is also very productive for practice of hunting type shots too. Shoot some skeet or sporting clays low gun and see if your mount is consistent. Do some dry fire practice at home swinging along lines with a mount in the middle of the line to check it too. This has helped me to be more consistent in where the gun hits my face and then hits my shoulder before the shot.

This will NOT make you more accurate on birds unless you put in the effort and practice to become consistent. Most of us that have done much shooting know where to shoot to hit the target, but even if we don't know it we struggle with consistently mounting the gun the EXACT same way EVERY time in the field.

Just a suggestion and what has helped me, I hope it helps you.
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