I think incorporating the gun into training sessions would help your one problem. This is what I suggest for the 2nd problem.

Place your dog in a sit stay command. Then as your dog is watching you walk away from him with the dummy in your hand and place it in a spot your dog can see. Walk back to your dog and when you get back to him release him for the retrieve with the command you use (fetch or what ever) and give your hand signal in the direction that you place the dummy. Work this over and over again in your sessions. Gradually move the dummy out farther and farther. Also start to incorporate placing the dummy out of his field of view. Then work into a completely blind retrieve. Bring in a fiend or family member to do the placing of the dummy. Your dog should start to associate that when he follows your directions he finds the dummy and gets the retrieve and that should translate for him on live birds as well.