Clay Pigeon Shooting is a sport that makes a brilliant leisure activity, a hobby or a training method before hunting season to keep up your game. With its roots in English countryside culture, it is an exciting sport to take up and to appreciate for the skills involved. This guide contains tips for those just starting out and some interesting facts about the history and the equipment which will make you a more knowledgeable Clay Pigeon Shooter.
How to shoot
When learning how to shoot, the most important things to keep in mind are body position and stance, how you hold the gun and aiming.
Stance
In order to shoot accurately the shooter must have the correct posture for both his or her body and the gun. Feet are shoulder-width apart. If you are right-handed, your left foot is forward (facing the range) and right foot back. Your gun should be held correctly with the butt positioned firmly against your shoulder which will avoid a violent recoil where the gun pulls back due to the power of the shot. Your shooting hand will be close to the trigger and your other arm supports the gun near the barrel.
Aiming and Shooting
Familiarise yourself with the sights of the gun. Before shooting, you should have a good line in your sights. Your cheek should be resting against the barrel, enabling you to look down the barrel of the gun. Once ready to shoot, lock your shoulders and arms and aim by rotating from the waist. You will want to aim a bit ahead of the "pigeon" and, as you rotate, your shot should catch up with the flying clay disk.
History and Disciplines of Clay Pigeon Shooting
Clay Pigeon Shooting dates back as far as 1831, when real birds were used as targets and set free in front of shooters in pheasant and grouse shooting. Between 1883 and 1887 glass balls filled with feathers or powder (a game known as glass ball) were developed to replace live birds, which then transformed into clay disks. These disks have a much more realistic flight and stay airborne longer. Today, these disks are normally orange with a measurement of 110 mm in diameter and are made of Calcium Carbonate (Limestone) and Pitch. The colour can vary depending on where the shooting is taking place in order to stand out and there are even "rabbit" clays, launched at ground level.
The gun used for shooting is a shotgun and the main model is an Over & Under Double Barrel Shotgun which normally has a barrel width of 18.5mm. When a shot is fired, hundreds of metal balls are shot out which disperse therefore making it easier to hit a flying target.
Disciplines
There are various disciplines within Clay Pigeon Shooting which should be named. These are the most common at British shooting grounds and clubs:
- English Sporting, today this is the most popular form of Clay Pigeon Shooting. Originally two different types of targets could be used and nowadays both can be launched roughly at the same time. The layout is constantly moving and this is a brilliant challenge.
- English Skeet, 25 shots by the shooter in 7 different positions around a semicircle.
- Down the Line (DTL), shooters shoot 5 consecutive shots from the same position then move one spot to the right under 25 rounds have been shot.
- Universal Trench (UT),shooters shoot from a trench located 15m from the shooting line from 5 different positions. Disks are launched from different directions and 25 rounds are fired.
These are less common or reserved for competitions:
- Olympic Trap (OT), the version of the sport which is featured at the Olympics.
- Fitasc Sporting, what many consider the hardest challenge when it comes to Clay Pigeon Shooting. There is an "old system" and a "new system."
- World Sporting is best described as a mix of Fitasc and English Sporting.
- Compak Sporting, shooting which takes place on a smaller area and permits all types of targets.
- ISU Skeet, like English Skeet but faster. The shooter must start with the gun down and the shooter may have to wait 3 seconds after the launch to shoot and the shooter moves to 8 different positions.
- Automatic Ball Trap (ABT), where a trap constantly moves vertical and horizontally in order to launch the disks in a random fashion.
Clay Pigeon Shooting is a dynamic game which offers a dozen ways to keep you on your toes. You will want to learn at a Clay Pigeon Shooting activity provider for professional training, so find a venue near you to learn and come have a go at this traditional English game!
