The Importance of Break Points

By: Paul Giambrone, III

When I approach a station, I have a set routine that I rehearse every time in great detail.  I do not skip steps on stations 7 or 8 because they are easier stations, I go over a routine, a pre-shot routine, every single time without fail before I step foot on the station.  A lot of shooters rehearse most of the things that I do, most but not all or they do it once they get on the station instead of before.  The most common step left out is break points.  So many of us get caught up in foot positions, hold points, look points and visualize their sight pictures, but they fail to remind themselves where they should be breaking targets.  This article is inspired by a student who recently emailed me about this very subject, thanks Hal!

Hal was asking me how to improve his break points out in the middle (stations 3, 4, & 5), especially for doubles.  Believe it or not, a lot of times in order to improve the break point, we have to analyze our setups first.  We simply cannot just pull the trigger sooner to break them quicker (unless you are measuring which is a totally different subject).  The short answer to that problem (measuring) is shoot the target the first time it looks right instead of making sure 2 or 3 times…  Back to the subject, something is going on as to why we are not able to get on the target quickly enough.  Most shooters are happy with breaking the targets around the center stake.  While this might work somewhat for singles, this will create serious problems when going to shoot doubles (yes, this includes the corner stations 1, 2, 6 & 7).  You see, when you break the first target too late, you have to shift your eyes the incorrect way to pick up the second target, not to mention that you give the wind time to mess with the target flight path.  While you can get away with this for the most part on the corners, it is not the most consistent way to shoot doubles, especially in the middle.  For example, when you break a high 2 or high 3, the proper break point is 2/3 of the way to the center stake or 21 feet before the center stake.  This builds in the time required to then shift your eyes from the left side of the barrel to the right side of the barrel (towards the center stake) where you will then intercept the second target, make your turn back and break the second bird right about the same place (or slightly past) where you broke the first target.  If you are not consistently breaking the first target at this point and feel you are NOT measuring, let’s examine the setup.

First thing in the setup should be foot position.  For right-handed shooters on stations 2-6, your feet, hips, shoulders, basically your body, should be squared up close to the low house window.  No twist in your waist or cockeyed feet, you should be standing there resting, facing the low house window.  For left-handers, you should be facing the high house window. If you are not doing this, this would be a good place to start.  What this does is it puts your body in position to where is is completely neutral at your break point and coiled up at your hold point.  Now, exceptions can be made.  If you find yourself on High 3 or High 4, right-handers can face slightly left of the low house window to help them get on the first bird quicker.  Left-handers, can face a little right of the high house window.  For low 4 and low 5, right-handers can face a little right of the low house window, while lefties can face a little right of the house house window.  Notice I said SLIGHTLY!  Don’t get carried away unless you have a professional coach watching and analyzing your shots…  Again, the reason for the slightly more aggressive stance and foot position is to get you moving quickly on that first target.  This will encourage you to match gun speed with target speed at the start of the swing as well.

If the foot position checks out, let’s dive into the hold point.  Hold points should be at 1/3 of the way out, or 21 feet out from the window towards the center stake in the flight path.  Meaning, if you go to mark off 1/3 with a cone or a stack of targets, it’s not 21 feet from the front of station 1 to station 8.  It is 21 feet from the front of station 1 and 7 walking towards the center stake (in the flight line).  If you have to, go mark it off to be sure you are at the correct hold point.  For obvious safety reasons, make sure no one is shooting on the fields next to you or down range (check with management).  Elevation wise, I like to see my shooters at the bottom of the window on high house targets (no higher) and at the top of the window for the low house (no higher).  This makes sure that the barrel of the gun is below the flight path so it doesn’t get in the way of your vision to get a good look at the target.  You can draw imaginary lines out from the windows and find something in the background to make sure you aren’t too high or too low.  The elevation is just as critical as the 1/3 mark so do not take that lightly.  If you have to, get a shooting buddy to stand behind you to make sure.

Lastly, the eyes or the look point is the last item in the setup before you call for the target.  Most shooters have the proper distance looking towards the house, setting the center of their vision in the correct area.  Whether it is 1/2 way back, 3/4 of the way back, just off the window or just off the barrel (everyone and every target could be different), the biggest problem that I encounter when working with students is their eye elevation.  Most shooters look to these points that are even with their barrel elevation.  Tell me, if I am lined up on a high 2 and I am looking just off my barrel to the left and my gun is at the bottom of the window (below the flight path), where are my eyes?  Below the flight path as well!  Limiting how much peripheral vision you have working for you to pick up the flash…  Solution, raise the barrel?  No!  Remember, we want the barrel below the flight path so it doesn’t get in the way…  The solution is look higher.  Now, this will take some getting used to because you will see the targets so much quicker so you may have to adjust how far back you look (meaning you probably won’t have to look as far back).  Also, when raising your eyes into the flight path, be sure to not move your gun up with your eyes (again this will get the barrel in the way) or pick up your head (make sure your head stays down firmly and just your eyes look up).  This is the key to picking up the target quicker so you can match gun speed with target speed quicker, helping you break it quicker.  You must have the proper foot position, proper hold point and elevation, proper look point and elevation in order to help your break points out.  If you are noticing that when you look higher that your glasses are getting in the way, then we need to examine the equipment.  I shoot with the Pilla Panther no post frames and lenses so I have added vision all around and prevents this problem from happening (contact me for info on their products).

If you have any questions or comments, please email me directly at info@gsclinics.com and visit breakmoretargets.com for more information.  Please check the website for upcoming tournaments and clinics in your area.  Keep in mind that GSC is now in the New Orleans, LA area and will be for the foreseeable future.  GSC is available to teach in the New Orleans area all year-round and is now offering ALL INCLUSIVE lesson packages for shooters that would like to travel to me.  Please call or email today for lesson availability.

Tip of the month:  Next time you go out to the club and you want to work on break points, first identify where you should be breaking the targets (email me for a break points diagram).  For your outgoing shots, it should be at 2/3 or 21 feet before the center stake.  If you are not breaking them at that point, have someone check to see where you are breaking the targets exactly before making changes.  Analyze your setups, especially the look points and see if looking higher helps you pick up the targets quicker.