Aiming and sight rails

Hey guys. Part way through last duck season i bought my own shotgun and started to use steel at the same time.

I was using my uncles stoeger semi and lead and did fairly well with the ducks, didn't have much trouble making them hit the deck. Since i got my new shotgun, i really struggle to get anything really and miss easy basic shots that were straight forward with the old setup.
I bought a Winchester SXP waterfowl gun and looking at it it seems to have a large sight rail at the trigger end which raises the tip of the barrel. Is this normal, i haven't checked the stoeger as it's at my uncles house but i think i'm shooting high. I also did some clay targets today, got smoked by the young lad but he used a escort semi and i also found it easier to hit the target with that than the winchester.

How should i be aiming with this thing?

Check the fit Smidey

How do you do that?

Shoot some cardboard or something and see where your pattern is goin in relation to where you think your pointing it.

what would be a sensible distance to do that?

30y ? How far are most of your shots?

Cool I'll get that done. Probably not much more than that, I don't take long shots

google is your friend but this might help explain "gunfit"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ_rd...72E09&index=16

thanks mikee, watched that vid and seems like my winchester isn't too bad from what i can tell. i see the aim peg evenly all the to vertical and the stock length seems to be sweet.

I banged a couple of shells, here are the results. I cocked up, i had intended to change the choke but forgot and sent them through a IMP choke which was in the gun from shooting clays.
It shows the steel hits high i think. perhaps i need to redo this with a full choke?
what do you think?
These sheets are A1 (4 A3 sheets) approx 850mmHx600mmW. I think the centre of the steel hits a foot higher than the lead.
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...ps42c47c70.jpg

I know clay shootings not live game shooting, but once you've worked out the gun is patterning in the right place and not way off, have a look at the below U Tube.
Not sure what, if any, chokes you are using, but they may be possibly to blame so try different ones on the pattern board.
A lot of shooters get really excited and generally slash or just point at the target or duck.
Sporting Clays is a great way to learn to shoot and practice in the off season, giving you every presentation at all distances.
Find your local gun club and see if it's a Sporting model and make yourself known. Most clubs have a resident 'coach' who should be more than happy to help.

Forward allowance, lead for clay target Shooting by Sunrise Productions - YouTube

You shouldn't shoot steel through a full choke. Improved or modified is what most guys use. Other than gun fit it's worth trying some different steel loads as they can be quite fussy as to which loaf the gun likes. Pattern a couple and see which is best. That might fix your shooting high problem as well.

Thanks for that. I have been using modified for hunting. Any recommendations on what brands of steel I should try?