Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2019 i Clay Shooting

“It’s an exciting time of year, with so much to look forward to” At last, the competition season is well and truly underway – and the weather is looking up as well, although high winds gave problems for many over the weekend of the English Open Compak Championship. It’s an exciting time of year, with so much to look forward to over the coming months – not least our very own Clay Shooting Classic Sporting at Garlands at the end of May and beginning of June, with Fitasc and Sportrap competitions, as well as the main Sporting event. With more sponsors on board, the prize fund keeps on growing. Turn to page 24 for the latest updates. Places are filling fast, and you don’t need to pay up front, so…

NSI Cartridges are sponsoring the clay line at the 2019 Northern Shooting Show, on 11-12 May near Harrogate. The cartridges will be used for competitions and the manufacturers’ shotgun demonstration line. Mark Swift of Ruag Ammotec, NSI’s new UK distributor, said “With hundreds of shooters on the NSS clay line it’s the perfect opportunity to relaunch the NSI cartridges. Visitors be able to use them with the wide range of shotguns and can also experience them in a competition setting and see why they’re the choice of many champions.” See page 30 for our preview of the 2019 Northern Shooting Show, and details of how to book.…

The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation has joined forces with the famous Six Mile Bottom Shoot in Suffolk to offer teams an exceptional simulated game shooting experience that will provide a challenging, exciting competition and raise funds for the NGO in the process. The NGO Team Flush will held on Saturday 4 May. The ground prides itself on providing some of the best simulated game shooting in the country, even offering a full line of sunken grouse butts. Teams will shoot 600 clays across six different locations including high partridge, pigeon, ducks, pheasants and walked-up, with drives selected on the day according to weather conditions. NGO development officer Tim Weston said “I would urge our supporters to get a team together and join us at Six Mile Bottom. The day promises some…

Richard Atkins Clay Shooting’s resident technical expert, Richard has decades of experience reviewing guns, cartridges and accessories. He’s well equipped to solve problems on everything from shot sizes to stock dimensions. Stuart Farr A lawyer specialising in the shooting sports, Stuart has extensive experience in all things legal – from solving civil disputes relating to firearms ownership, to helping a governing body draft its code of ethics. Ed Lyons Director of Flint & Partners, Ed’s optometry work has helped top-level athletes reach their goals on domestic and international level. Countless shooters rely on him to keep their vision in top shape.…

The Northern Shooting show has announced that the 2019 clay line cartridge sponsor will be NSI cartridges. Ruag Ammotec UK, who have just been appointed the new UK distributor for NSI (Nobel Sport Italia) were keen to support the clay line with cartridges which will be used for the competitions and the manufacturers’ shotgun demonstration line that takes place over the show weekend. “We are keen to get the cartridges out to a wide audience and the hundreds of shooters on the NSS clay line is the perfect opportunity to relaunch them. Not only will visitors be able to use them with the wide range of shotguns available to try out at the show, but they can also experience them in a competition setting and see why they’re the choice…

1 Does it fit? Some guns have different dimensions to others. Drop at comb and heel dictate much that is important, notably including whether you can see enough of the rib when your head is on the comb. Cast is less critical and can be adjusted more easily. Don’t dismiss the right gun at a good price just because a small amount of adjustment is needed. Consider having an adjustable comb fitted; it will make the gun more versatile, help it to fit you and add value. 2 Basic condition How does the gun look and feel? Check that the barrel-to-receiver fit is tight (see the discussion of ‘Headache’ in last month’s Clay Shooting). Also grip the fore-end and try twisting, pushing and pulling the stock to check…

Do you remember the very first time you fired a gun? What was the experience like? Since you’re reading this magazine, and presumably a shooter, you probably enjoyed it and couldn’t wait to do it again and again. Not everyone is so lucky though. Some people come away from their first shot bruised, hurt, and with ears ringing, swearing they’ll never go near a gun again. Giving someone their first taste of shooting is a big responsibility, and one we take very seriously at Honesberie, the ground where I work. We have hundreds of complete beginners at the ground every year, many of them on stag parties or corporate events, and I can honestly say that I haven’t seen a single one have a bad experience. Of course not everyone…

Velocity is measured at 2.5 metres from the muzzle. Pressure is the mean breech figure in Bar (as per CIP). SD is Standard Deviation (consistency). CD is the Central Density rating. This records the percentage of pellets landing in the 30-inch circle that were also within the inner 20-inch circle. Shot size is derived from actual pellet count per ounce and is listed to the nearest UK size, with < and > symbols used where the shot is slightly smaller than or larger than listed size. UK No. 7 = 340 pellets/oz; UK No. 7.5 = 400 pellets/oz; UK No. 8 = 450/oz; UK No. 9 = 580/oz. Shot weight is the average actual shot load, measured in grains. 1 Grain = 0.065 Grams = 0.0023 Ounces. CV is Crush…

This month I’m going to talk about my experience applying for my Shotgun Certificate, a subject that should be mundane and procedural. Yet it’s a topic that creates substantial commentary in online forums, magazines and clubhouses. For new shooters, the process appears fairly simple. Fill in the application form, send it off, and then wait. Wait some more… and more. Then standby for the FEO visit, when you’ll be subject to a mild interrogation, and all being well you’ll get your licence shortly afterwards. If you don’t have a complicated history then the key question seems to be which biscuits to butter-up the FEO with: Hobnobs or Jaffa Cakes? I applied for my Shotgun Certificate in the winter of 2017 having been encouraged to by my instructor on a weekly…

There is no denying premium cartridges look impressive with their taller metal heads and smartly printed and tightly crimped 70mm cases - but will they improve your scores? That depends largely on what type of shooting you are doing. There are plenty of cheaper shells available that are more than adequate for the typical Sunday morning clay shoot. When you move up to distant English and Fitasc Sporting targets, or any of the international trap competitions, however, you need a cartridge that's up to the job. Here, our cartridge expert Richard Atkins presents his pick of the high performance clay loads he has tested. All of the cartridges in this list will throw excellent patterns at extended ranges. A key factor is the quality and hardness of the shot -…

Talent scouts to test shooters’ mettle at East Yorkshire British Shooting is holding a talent identification day at East Yorkshire Clay Shooting Ground on Saturday 13 April. They’re looking for people who are passionate about shooting and would like to develop their skills. The day starts with a briefing at 10am, and shooting will end about 4pm. The day will cost £30 for clays, and you should bring your own gun, cartridges and equipment. For details and an application form visit www.britishshooting.org.uk. Strong showing from Armstrong yields DTL victory The Northern Ireland DTL silverware is flying out thick and fast, writes Allen Ervine. Terrible conditions, with strong winds and heavy rain, greeted the 30 shooters on Saturday 2 March at Banbridge Gun Club for the Ballyvea Cup - yet scores…

This month’s article almost didn’t happen due to a niggling and persistent neck injury that has been causing me problems and resulted in me taking a few weeks away from the shotgun. Without any shots fired I had no topic for this piece, but my coach encouraged me to write about the injury: how it has affected me, the negative impact on my shooting and the strategies I’ve used to deal with it. The bulk of my work during the winter months is as a professional deer-stalking guide in Ireland’s Wicklow Mountains. This can be heavy, physical work, with lots of dragging, lifting and carrying. Knee injuries have plagued me for years, as well as the odd back tweak and a particularly nasty groin hernia. I’ve never had a problem…

Entries to the Clay Shooting Classic 2019 have been coming in rapidly since the event was announced, with last issue’s announcement of ATA as a sponsor further increasing interest in this much-loved independent shoot. We can share new details of the prize fund this issue – just take a look at the table opposite. With shotguns, cash and yet more to come, there are plenty of reasons to book now to shoot the Classic. Don’t forget, you won’t have to pay a penny until you turn up, so there’s no reason to delay – book now and secure your preferred spot in the FITASC, Sportrap and main Sporting shoots. Who, what, where? Clay Shooting magazine has teamed up with Steve Lovatt and The Clay Shooting Company to bring you a…

Last month we covered most of the basics of how to assess a second-hand shotgun with a view to making a purchase. We went over the signs of heavy wear: off the face action-to-barrel jointing; badly worn chequering; bluing or blacking being worn away. All these are signs that a gun has had rather more than ‘just a few boxes’ through it! Guns from the 1970s and 80s are likely to show signs of considerable use, although on rare occasions a little-used gem turns up. Should you stumble upon one of these, try not to show too much excitement or the price might increase… but buy it! In fact, some guns from that era are excellent choices. The earlier ones will not have interchangeable choke tubes like most new models…

February has been a time for booking competitions. Many of the majors opened for booking this month and experience from last year tells us that you need to be on the ball if you want to pick your day and times. The Fitasc and Compak events were also filling up fast as several of them are in the UK this year which is a rarity. Cheryl and I are also now in full swing getting ready for the first events of the year like the Essex Masters and the Fitasc and Compak Grand Prix in Cyprus. We have been busy doing two or three competitions a week and it is starting to pay off, with our scores pushing up into the 90s now. “The next weekend we decided to spread…

In January more than 60 British shooters headed to sunny Spain to compete in the International Grand Prix in Costa del Sol, held at Club de Tiro Jarapalo near Málaga. For some it was their first time competing abroad. The competition attracted an international field of competitors, including shooters from Spain, Ireland, Finland, Sweden and Portugal. In the previous four years this Grand Prix has been solely an Olympic Trap event. However, this year it grew, adding an Olympic Skeet competition and a Mixed Pairs Trap event to its schedule. These new events were not the only way the event expanded; the increasingly popular main competition attracted 270 competitors this year, meaning that it had to be held over three days instead of the usual two. In Olympic Skeet Alexandra…

I am now on half term, so I can fill my schedule with shooting! I’m trying to perfect my technique and find new methods that could give me an advantage. After returning home from the Grand Prix in Málaga, I learned that my eyesight is not as strong as it used to be. I never realised how much my eyes had changed until I got my new prescription. While competing in Málaga I knew that I had struggled to see the targets, but I put it down to the fog that had come down. I didn’t hesitate to look into getting prescription inserts for my shooting glasses. I contacted a friend who specialises in sports vision, Edward Lyons. Ed kindly helped me select my current Pilla lenses, so I felt…

There wasn’t much shooting for me in February because I had more mock exams, which took up most of my time. I did manage to enter a competition at Fauxdegla Shooting Ground. I thought this would be a good way to clear my head. I shot reasonably well despite the wind, which was changing the height of the targets, and the changing light conditions. Nobody managed to break all their targets that day, which shows how tough it was. It was a pleasure to shoot with Mike Faux and was also a welcome opportunity to catch up with Debbie Faux. The highlight of the month was attending the British Shooting Show. On the Saturday, I was helping on the Eley Hawk stand. Eley have produced a new biodegradable wad, the…

Our new section is packed with facts and advice to help you select the right gun, cartridges and gear - and to find somewhere to shoot, whether that’s an introductory lesson, a practice round, or a session with a top-level coach. Here’s what we’ve got for you this month. GUN BUYER’S GUIDE £0-1,000 HATSAN ESCORT FROM £360 Clay guns really don’t get any cheaper than the Escort. It comes in a cardboard box and the finish could be described as ‘industrial’ (we’ve pictured the wood-stocked Optima model but the basic model is black plastic). At £350, however, you won’t find much to complain about. Edgar Brothers offer a three-year warranty with the Escort and parts are readily available. The gas-operated action is simple and will run reliably enough if…

“Her ‘guinea pigs’ improved their performance on average by 2.7 clays per round of 25” Just imagine for a moment that you could improve your competition scores by around ten per cent at a stroke. There’s no need for extra practice or coaching, no messing around with chokes and cartridges or tweaking your gun fit. Just spend a few minutes each day breathing in and out, in time with an app on your phone, and you could add 10 targets to your usual score out of 100. Sounds too good to be true doesn’t it? And yet that’s the clear, unequivocal result from a scientific study by PhD student and shooter Seren Evans, who carried out the research in the final year of her BSc at Bangor University, in 2018.…

The manufacturers’ line is a unique opportunity to try countless makes of shotgun in one place It’s a great place to see brand new shotguns have their UK launch Great clay shooting competitions with great prizes Loads of clay shooting retailers will be there, so it’s an opportunity to hunt for bargains Expert tuition will be on offer from the CPSA team on the clay line Shooters will be able to meet organisations such as CPSA and ICSI to discuss membership As well as clays, there’s plenty more to see and do, including rifles, airguns and gundog scurries It’s a great day for all the family and kids 15 and under go free…

Rivelling (a series of rings on barrels) can be bad news. This can result from several things. Once more common than it is today, it was typically caused by over-oiling bores and then not properly cleaning out the gun’s bore with a patch before firing it. The wad would then scrape the oil from the bore as it accelerated down the bore, creating a circular ‘wave’ of oil ahead of the wad. The oil could not accelerate at as fast as the wad and shot load, so the wad would overtake the oil exerting pressure outwards and creating a series of bulging rings along the barrel. This is more unsightly than dangerous, but it is still something to look for and avoid. Do not confuse rivelling with poor striking off…

Are you working on your shooting to be the best that you can be? Are you working to improve your performance? Are you planning for success? How do you measure your success when you are training? Is it about numbers? I would like to put forward that numbers are only of limited importance when you are training. Your score usually isn’t the best way to rate your training session. When you are training it is about learning something, understanding something better. I have previously written about the willingness to experiment, to try something different in order to improve. Think about it – why are you out there training? Is it just to pull the trigger? Every time you train you should have an objective, which should be part of one…

FOB is an established brand in Europe, where it has a strong presence in the hunting and sport shooting scene, but it’s perhaps less well known in the UK. FOB’s importer, West Country Guns, has been working hard to raise the brand’s profile. It is popular with many clubs and keen shooters in the West Country, but we don’t see so many further north yet. Who knows though? That might change, as it has some interesting cartridges. Here we look at two plastic wad offerings. FOB is now part of the huge Nobel Sport Group, which incorporates several cartridge brands (including NSI and Tunet). Within the group are Martignoni, a company that manufactures cases and primers, and Vectan, a powder maker. Some wads are also made within the group. The…