Originally published in Sporting Clays magazine in 2014, "Trust Your MA" by Daniel L. Schindler sparked significant controversy, ultimately leading to the widespread adoption of this groundbreaking approach by shooters and the industry.

I am incredibly blessed to be busy in a sport I love. I work with people of all ages and skill levels, from those who have never touched a gun to Master class shooters. Yet, I’ve observed a concerning trend among my clients and the broader Sporting Clays community. Many shooters arrive frustrated, discouraged by their lack of progress, especially in achieving consistency. This often stems from their approach to visual focus, and I’d like to address what I believe are some critical truths on this topic.

The Problem: Total Focus on the Target

In recent years, I’ve noticed many students focus so intensely on the target—its rings, edges, or dome—that they completely disregard their muzzle. Often, this is the result of being taught what I’ll call the "total focus" method, which emphasizes ignoring the muzzle entirely and keeping all visual attention on the target. While this approach seems logical at first glance, it often leads to inconsistency and frustration.

What Is Muzzle Awareness (MA)?

Let’s clarify what I mean by muzzle awareness (MA). MA refers to maintaining a conscious and visual awareness of your muzzle in your peripheral vision during the swing. It does not mean looking directly at your muzzle at any point—that would cause you to lose sight of the target and likely miss. Instead, MA is about achieving a balance between focus on the target and peripheral awareness of the muzzle’s position.

A "hard focus" on the target incorporates this balance. It allows the shooter to see the target clearly while maintaining enough peripheral awareness of the muzzle to establish a consistent bird/barrel relationship. In contrast, the total focus method—eliminating all visual awareness of the muzzle—relies entirely on assumption and hope.

The Case Against Total Focus

The total focus method may seem appealing because it minimizes visual “barrel interference.” However, it often leaves shooters blindly trusting that their muzzle is in the correct position without verification. This can lead to inconsistencies, like crushing three targets off the A trap and then inexplicably missing the fourth. The likely culprit? A loss of MA mid-swing.

Jon Kruger, N.S.C.A. Hall of Famer and eight-time U.S. Open Champion, sheds light on this issue:
“Without a muzzle in your peripheral vision, a shooter has no reference for moving his gun onto and in front of the target.”

He recalled a night shooting Miss & Out with friends: as they moved further back from the trap house, they reached a point where the lights no longer illuminated their barrels. At that distance, even the best shooters couldn’t hit the target. “We could see the target, but not our barrels. We were literally shooting in the dark.”

This underscores the importance of maintaining some level of MA. Without it, even the most experienced shooters struggle with consistency.

Part II: Building Confidence Through Muzzle Awareness will explore how to find the right balance, train effectively, and apply MA for consistent success. Stay tuned.

Let us always remember and cherish the many blessings of this great land we love, the United States of America, as well as the camaraderie of the wingshooting and clay target sports that bring shooters together from around the world. May God bless us all and guide us as we continue to pray for peace—both in our world and in our hearts. Thank you for spending time with us. Cheryl and I look forward to the day we meet on the course and share moments together.

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About Dan Schindler

Dan Schindler is one of only 60 worldwide members of the Guild of Shooting Instructors (UK) and is one of the most highly respected Sporting Clays and Wingshooting Instructors in the US. Dan is an NSCA Level III Instructor (since 1995) and founded the Paragon School of Sporting with one goal in mind. Whether it be for the advanced competitor or providing the basics to the entry-level shooter, Paragon provides the simplest, most practical and most effective Instruction, Coaching and Mental Training for the Sporting Clays & Wingshooting enthusiast. Dan Schindler helps shooters alleviate a lot of their frustration by taking the mystery out of breaking targets, calling their own misses, and make their own corrections. Lessons are fun, enlightening and our clients learn to shoot better in minutes!  

Dan Schindler's Books

"Recommended for shooters of all skill levels, Coaches, Instructors

and parents of youth shooters."

Take Your Best Shot (Book I), 3rd Edition is THE Gold Standard Primer It's all about the fundamentals, a requirement for good shooting. This book is used by high school and college shooting teams, recreational and competitive shooters from around the world. Solid, valuable, concise information that has helped thousands of shooters shoot more consistently with higher scores.

To The Target (Book II) Builds on the steps outlined in Book I. Emphasises Gun Management skills when the trap fires, creating a consistent, reliable, trustworthy swing.

Beyond the Target (Book III) is for shooters of all levels. It is filled with valuable information and clay target truths. It is entertaining and a culmination of three decades of Dan's life's work as a teacher, competitor, published writer, and much more.

Here's what Shooters, Coaches and Clay Shooting USA saying...

 Take Your Best Shot (Book I), 3rd Edition

To The Target (Book II)

Beyond The Target (Book III)    Currently Out of Stock