Churchill Shooting

A man was shot Saturday morning in Louisville. He was taken to a hospital, but his injuries don’t appear to be life-threatening.

E.J. Churchill started as a gunmaking workshop in 1891 and built up a stellar reputation over the years. When Churchill’s uncle died in 1910, his son Robert took over the company.

The Churchill Method

A correct mount and the elegant, efficient gun swing that results are the cornerstone of Churchill shooting. The method relies on economy of movement, a flat, diagonal converging approach that provides a visual impression that you’re shooting directly at the target, and on the fact that our natural ability to point is amplified by the synchronization between the gun and your body. When the comb of the stock comes up under your cheekbone and the butt reverses back into your shoulder pocket, that’s when you’re ready to pull the trigger.

Churchill shooting relies on timing and harmony from start to finish, which is why its practitioners prefer not to talk about “measured distance.” Instead, Churchill adherents follow a technique known as the “Stanbury Method” developed by Percy Stanbury, who was an advocate of sustained lead for particularly high birds.

In his book, Churchill’s Game Shooting, Churchill explains that you need to have the “right frame of mind and a good mental picture of the bird before you actually get into position.” He suggests that your feet should be positioned about three or four inches apart, and that you should move your head forward as the gun approaches your face.

The Churchill name has a storied history in the world of British field sports. From the time John Churchill established his eponymous gunmakers in 1891, the company has grown into one of Britain’s most successful country outfitters – thanks to the passionate dedication that’s evident throughout every aspect of their business.

The Churchill Book

This book is a must-read for every shooter. It covers all forms of game shooting and will help not only the experienced gunman but also the novice handling a shotgun for the first time. The author was a London gunsmith who ran a shooting school, experience which he draws on for his advice.

The Churchill Center is facilitating publication of a new unabridged edition of this classic work. This is the first work Churchill published and it remains a timeless classic.

Those who impute racism to Churchill have never read his enlightened views of Africa as expressed in this book. The first edition has a fine leather cover and contains 336pp, illustrated with maps & plans.

The first editions of this best-selling prewar work are quite rare in hardcover. The book contains Churchill’s most important speeches of the war, from the “blood toil tears and sweat” speech in October 1940 through the final summing-up at Harrow School in December 1941. This is a major book in Churchill’s history and the first editions are highly desirable, especially in good condition.

The Churchill Gun

Churchill’s simple instinctive method of game shooting is still highly effective. It relies on hard focus, elegance of movement and correct gun mounting that allows you to naturally achieve the lead. This method avoids the need to compute muzzle displacement or forward allowance, instead allowing you to do what would be mathematically impossible if you tried to do it consciously.

Churchill himself was a dedicated game shooter, both on grouse moors and driven game estates at home in England and abroad as part of his African expedition in 1900 (which he later recounted in his memoir My African Journey). He also used the wing and clays shooting facilities at the eponymous gunmakers in High Wycombe that his father John founded.

One of his favourite guns was a.30in M1 carbine presented to him by FN in 1955. The bolt housing is inlayed with ‘TO THE Rt Hon WINSTON CHURCHILL PC CH’.

Orvis’ Charley Perkins, who manages brand marketing at the company’s shooting school and duck camp in Arkansas’ White River Valley, believes that the Churchill method is particularly well suited to waterfowl hunting. He explains, “The Churchill method is about economy of movement and elegant, efficient gun mounting. It allows you to move the barrels a little quicker when passing the bird, allowing you to naturally build up the extra lead needed for faster birds.” It’s this natural approach that makes the method so effective in overcoming common missed shot problems.

The Churchill Shooting Ground

Churchill’s original shooting ground at the West Wycombe estate in Buckinghamshire remains unrivalled, and has won many awards and accolades. It’s a ground that caters to all shooters, from beginners and those who are regulars to those who have never picked up a gun before – and it welcomes stag and hen parties with open arms too.

But it’s not just the grounds that make this a truly great British field sports brand, they also provide bespoke shotguns through their in-house gunmaking service. A bit like Savile Row for shotguns, it offers clients a personal experience from consultation to delivery, and the end result is a gun that’s tailor made to your exact specifications.

The other defining aspect of the brand is their events business, which hosts everything from simulated game days to multi-activity days and product launches. It’s this that makes the Churchill name synonymous with fun, creativity and quality, and it ensures there is something for everyone whether you are a beginner or an experienced shooter.

Since John Churchill established his eponymous gunmakers in 1891, the brand has grown steadily and today they boast a comprehensive range of gunmakers, shooting grounds, sporting agency and country outfitters. It’s a business model that has proved incredibly successful, and it’s one that is based on passion for shooting.