I got the right O/U...finally

[Snarlingiron]

My quandary in an earlier post: "What to do, What to do?", has been solved. I saw a post on another forum stating that Guns Unlimited had Browning Cynergys, Classic Sporting with 30" barrels and an adjustable cheek piece. for a very good price. I had shouldered and looked at a Cynergy at Gander Mountain, and liked it. I did some extensive research and liked what I read about the radically different design. I ordered one and picked it up last night.

I was pleasantly surprised to open it up and find that I got one that has some very nice figure in the wood. I just got back from Elm Fork for a little lunch time break in. I shot ~60 rounds. I adjusted the cheek piece last night, giving it a little elevation and (surprising to me) just a bit of cast on. However, it puts my eye exactly in line with the rib and bead and places my head in a comfortable position.

It was very windy today, so I can't really evaluate my hits too well (that's my story and I'm sticking to it). I always find it takes me a few hundred rounds to get cozy with a new shotgun, and that will take place Saturday morning, weather permitting.

I will say, I am extremely pleased with the Cynergy. The adjustable comb makes all the difference for me. The very low profile receiver places the lower barrel axis very low and thus muzzle rise is virtually non-existent. This gun weighs in at 8 lbs., 9 oz., so it is very comfortable to shoot. I was worrying about how to fit a limbsaver or some such to it, but after today I really don't think it is necessary. For me the point is very natural and the swing is steady and smooth. I gotta tell ya, I love this thing. I have finally found my clays gun. And did I mention I love this thing?

Now I have to sell a nice Beretta Onyx 686 with 26" barrels to sell. If you or someone you know is looking for a mechanically perfect O/U for the magic "under $1000", I can help you out. I will be listing it in the Buy and Sell section this weekend.

 

[ArmedBear]

What bore is that Beretta?

 

[Snarlingiron]

12 ga. standard. Mobil Choke.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Cast on? Are you a southpaw?

Congrats on the new shotgun. DO pattern some and shoot it plenty.

 

[Snarlingiron]

Cast on? Are you a southpaw?

Well that's the strange thing. No, I'm not, but to get me lined up, that's where it ended up. I did the close your eyes and mount thing several times before adjusting, and I was consistently looking down the right side of the rib. I elevated the comb until I was seeing the classic figure 8, and put a slight cast on to get me to the center. I haven't had much time to experiment, but I was hitting with it pretty well today, all things considered.

The closed eyes mount procedure now puts my eye straight over the rib and gives me the figure 8. It's a starting place, I will probably elevate a bit more, since I am a "winker" (easy now, Aussies) and the higher pattern lets me see a bit better on rising targets.

 

[Dave McCracken]

OK. I guess your face is on the lean side and/or your eyes wide set.

Starting place,right. Do play with it but when you get it right, leave it alone.

What's your main game? For GP shotguns, I like maybe 60/40 though a 50/50 would get me on droppers better. For trap, more like 70/30.

Of course, YMMV. Good luck....

 

[ArmedBear]

BTW I think the Cynergy is a well-balanced, naturally-pointing gun. Glad you found something you like.

 

[1KPerDay]

What's the classic figure-8 I'm supposed to be seeing?

 

[Snarlingiron]

OK. I guess your face is on the lean side and/or your eyes wide set.

HAHAHA! There ain't nothing lean about me. Certainly not my cherubic round face. Actually, the term "Square Head" fits me nicely. My head is also screwed directly onto my shoulders, so I am one of the original "No Neck Brats". Eyes wide set...maybe.

What's the classic figure-8 I'm supposed to be seeing?

On a shotgun that has a center bead, such as the Cynergy, many folks say that the front bead and the center bead should form a figure 8 when you sight down the rib. i.e. the front bead should sit on top of the center bead. As noted, it is just a starting point. The Cynergy is the only shotgun of the 13 I now have that has a center bead.

What's your main game?

Well I will give anything a try, but what I enjoy most is sporting clays, followed by skeet, then five stand and lastly, trap. I plan a trip to Tac Pro for a patterning session soon. If anyone knows of a place in the DFW Metro-mess that has a patterning board that is available to the public, please let me know. As it is, we have been driving ~ 100 miles each way to Tac Pro Shooting Center and using their tactical bays to pattern. I will pattern it soon one way or the other.

 

[ArmedBear]

Center bead? Is that the thing that my patch snags when I clean/oil the rib?

Does your clay range not have a corner where you can pattern a gun? Many have a target stand somewhere. You just have to ask. If not, you can make one with PVC pipe.

100 miles would be a long distance in many places.

 

[oneounceload]

Are you RH and left-eyed dominant?

Have you checked your eye dominance?

It DOES make a difference.

BTW, there are a lot of folks on Shotgunworld.com who shoot at Elm Fork - I'm sure if you inquire, hooking up with them would be possible.

Good luck with that gun!

 

[Snarlingiron]

Are you RH and left-eyed dominant?

Have you checked your eye dominance?

I have checked it many many times. I am clearly right handed and right eye dominant...but just barely. If I attempt to shoot with both eyes open my left eye will sometime take over, sometime not. I have spent many hours shooting with both eyes open and hitting very little. At one point in time, I decided I was going to make myself just learn to shoot with both eyes open, but no luck. I have learned to "wink". I.e., I start with both eyes open and acquire my target, then just before I shoot, I wink my left eye closed. If I remember correctly, Dave McCracken does something similar.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Yes I do, wink that is. I may have started life left handed and eyed. Another graduate of a parochial school system that brooked no diversity.

Do you tilt your head a bit to make things line up?

 

[Snarlingiron]

Well, I adopt a forward stance, i.e. bent forward at the waist. And, while I haven't thought of it before, yes I guess I do tilt to the right a bit. It's just what comes naturally for me. I mean, when you mount the gun in the pocket on your shoulder, you have to get your head on the stock. I guess I never gave much thought as to how I get it there.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Lots of us tilt, and often we can do better by not doing that.

Tilting the head means your eyes are not in the same plane tracking the target. This adds a bit of difficulty to the shot.

You may want to spend some time patterning and playing with the cast by adding cardboard and tape to see what happens when your eyes are in the same plane as the rib.