Richard I think what you described and stumbled into it and maybe on your own is the something called the Orvis Method or a Modified Churchill method. I think some shooting instructors at Sandonna and through other Orvis shooting schools coined the phrase and methodology for instinctive shooting based on improving Churchill. They also did say Churchill method when employed properly was developed for instinctive shooting but was supposedly taught or applied wrongly. Tom Deck wrote a book about it and they called it the "Orvis Guide to Gunfitting" First half of book was dedicated to methodology and then they talked about gunfitting. Chapter 6 about traits of top shooters was great as well.
Essentially the Modified Churchill has the gunstock ever so slightly tucked under arm and gun tilted up like at a 35 to 45 degrees with muzzle positioned a few inches lower than eye level but in site view periphery. Stance is important as well. Your arms are extended a little more but you can find a comfortable position so its natural. As explained to me the reason the barrels are held higher than typical Churchill was to reduce muzzle movement. Its also natural for that barrel to be slightly lined up and pointing toward intended target and proper setup for consistent gun mounting. Instead of moving muzzle all over the place the eye, gun and body are all aligned toward moving with the target. When done correctly your instinctively already pointing and moving with the target and all you have to do is raise gun to shoulder and shoot.
Anyway its a great read and I refer back to it every year before hunting season and try to always work the footwork concepts in when SC shooting. There are some other methods that others have developed as well that build off of this.
A few years back another shotgun shooting instructor explained why to develop that thousand yard stare when focusing on targets at a distance instead of focusing on barrels. He was talking more about physiology limitations. Seems the eye pupil for targets at a distance is relaxed and when focusing on objects closer your eye muscles tense up. It takes a few more milliseconds for your eyes to relax to clearly see those distant targets. If your looking at target then focusing on barrel and aiming and then trying to allow your eyes to relax to see target again your going to be behind target and then rushing herky jerky to catch up.
Anyway its all good stuff if find something that works for you. Same thing as swinging a golf club.
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