Mid Bead...Rhyme or Reason

[Richard Flanders]

Seems one would have to be concentrating pretty hard on the beads to make a figure 8. Interesting idea but doesn't gel with the idea of NOT concentrating on the beads..... unless of course you like to miss targets.... like I do...

[10ga Hammer]

Dave Suponski, out of curiosity,of the guns you listed, which ones allow YOU to see a figure 8 with a normal gun mount and what are your preferred stock drop dimensions?

[Autumn Daze]

Bob,A gun stocked to my liking would be 14 1/2"LOP 1 1/2"DAC 2 1/2" DAH with a 1/8" or so cast off for a RH shooter. I can shoot any one of these guns pretty good as I have learned how to adjust. The two 32" trap guns with the fairly high stocks I like because I float the birds over the muzzles.

[10ga Hammer]

Dave, I could shoot your gun no problem. 1 1/2 DAC is right on the money for me shooting 16yd trap targets,I too like to float the target. That why some of my flatter shooting doubles give me fits at SC! Was just curious if you actually see a figure 8 with any of those stock dimensions.
I know as I raise the comb on my gun I begin to see rib between the beads.
So it stands to reason a higher comb or a longer face would require the bead be closer to the muzzle to get stacked beads. A mid bead is very functional if properly set for the shooter. Canting the gun left or right or raising the head causes the figure 8 to fall apart,it can serve as an instant gun mount check before calling for the target.

[Autumn Daze]

Bob,I agree. On my three trap guns I use the figure 8 to get set on the gun and then look for the target.Seems to work pretty good.Also at trap I don't go down to the house before calling for the target.I keep my mounted gun about three feet up from the house.Keeps gun movement to a minimum and I am on the target quickly.

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Robert Rambler

Canting the gun left or right or raising the head causes the figure 8 to fall apart,it can serve as an instant gun mount check before calling for the target.

Robert, that's my point exactly.

We rarely see Dave with a "long face" - he's usually the life of the party.

Just my eyes, but both the PH 16- 26" barrels with two beads, and a 1950's M21 26" Skeet I bought recently seem to have a longer sight plane with the two beads. I looked at a 1950's M21 but 12 ga. today, 26" barrels but just a front bead- full length stock too- and it seemed "stubby"-

Wonder if the two beads help those with eye dominance issues?

[Chuck Heald]

It seems to me that the figure 8 picture and POI would be a product of the height of the front bead and mid bead, along with the angle of the rib vs barrel centerline.

[Austin W Hogan]

It always seemed to me that the Parker/King like way to install beads would be to have a jig that dropped over the rib and located the holes. I have an SC and a 32 inch PH that have beads separated by 18 inches precisely. Two obvious competition guns measure 16 1/2 and 14 1/2. Field guns are in the same range.
I think that the proper spacing for a mid bead is at the distance that it appears to be the same size as the front bead. This allows the "figure 8 " line up to work relative to the mount and also helps the dominant eye problem as Francis suggested.

Hope to see many of you at Baltimore

Best, Austin