This technique was just right for Robert Churchill and the 25 inch XXV barrels of the gun he designed; he was short stocky man and was a fast shot on the grouse moors, which is the essence of this style.
The Churchill method is about economy of movement and elegant efficient gun mounting. Because the swing is based on our natural ability to point, the mount and the swing, although appearing visually slow, are actually very quick and it seems you are shooting directly at the target, leaving the very speed of the moving gun to achieve the lead.
The Churchill method calls for a conscious swing onto the target followed by what the originator called a Subconscious swing ahead. The front or leading hand is the motive force to move, lift and direct the barrels, in his words:
“The hand must point the barrels at the target throughout the process of lifting and mounting”.
To do this successfully your gun must be a perfect fit and it requires a square shoulder line stance not a “Rifle Shooters” shoulder forward position.
This style, when executed perfectly, can be quite devastating but it doesn’t suite everyone, badly done it can turn into a prod and a poke in the sky. With this system virtually no lead picture is perceived and it becomes a truly instinctive shot.
On a personal note this is my own preferred style of shooting and has been for me, very successful at both International Competitive Sporting Clays and Wing Shooting in the field, especially on European Driven game birds.