Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2020 i Clay Shooting

“Modern gun barrel steel offers remarkable performance, but nothing captures the intricate beauty of Damascus” Think of Damascus steel and you think of the classic side-by-side game guns of the 19th Century. When James Purdey began his apprenticeship in 1798, best London gunmakers forged their Damascus barrels out of nails from old horseshoes, which were thought to have been toughened by the heavy wear they’d endured. They were heated up, hammered into strips, and then beaten around rods known as mandrels to form the basic barrel shape. This process remained in use until the beginning of the 20th Century, even though Sir Joseph Whitworth had produced his fluid-pressed steel at the end of the 1870s. The origins of Damascus steel date back to ancient Syria, where the many layered, beautifully…

In simple terms, choke is a constriction near the muzzle end of a shotgun barrel, which affects how the shot spreads out as it flies towards the target. The more open the choke, the larger the diameter of the shot cloud or pattern; and the tighter the choke, the smaller the pattern at a given distance. You need to remember that as the shot cloud leaves the barrel it spreads out, reducing in density the farther it goes from the muzzle. As a general rule, you’d want less choke for a close range target, and a tighter choke for a further away target – although there are other factors to consider too. Most modern clay shotguns use interchangeable ‘multichokes’ which screw into the end of the barrel, like the tubes…

Here’s what our gun tester Richard Atkins said about the Fausti XF4 when he tested it back in our September 2018 issue: “The XF4 is a fascinating entry into the serious competition market. It is not adorned with a host of bells and whistles, but it is a well thought out and nicely put together shotgun. From the moment you take it out of its smart and sturdy ABS travel case with triple combination locks, and slide the protective sleeves off its barrel and stock, it’s obvious that this gun is something special. It’s not that it has any glaringly different features; it’s the evident quality of the gun as a whole. The deep black, no-glare finish to the round-bodied action and well struck off barrels contrast very well with…

1. Find the right instructor “Don’t waste money on flashy instructors. It’s all about whether you understand each other,” Sam advises. “The best shot in the world may not be the best teacher or coach. Those that are great may not shout about it; they don’t need to. A great teacher has to understand how you learn and how you ‘see’ the target, or you’ll get frustrated.” 2. Book a course of lessons After her initial session, Sam chose to book a course of lessons. This can be quite a large expense in one hit, but you generally get a ‘multibuy’ saving compared to purchasing lessons as you go. “Different grounds charge different rates, so it’s worth doing some market research and checking what shooting schools are available within the…

As the daughter of a gamekeeper, Fi was introduced to shooting at a very early age, qualifying as a CPSA Instructor in 2014, and is also an ISSF shooting sports coach. “British Shooting is responsible for the confidence and skills I have today through supportive mentorship,” says Fi. “At Southdown Gun Club I share the team’s passion to ensure shooting is accessible to all. We provide the facilities and expertise to coach at any level, from taster shoots to corporate events. I provide ambitious clients with a solid foundation to build upon using experiential learning to help them appreciate the technical and mental aspects of shooting.” An on-going fight with breast cancer determined Fi’s cartridge choices: “Since my breast cancer was diagnosed, I shoot 24g cartridges for reduced recoil. They…

The shooting world was saddened to learn of the death of Olympic Trap shooter and GB head coach Kevin Gill, who passed away on Monday 20 April, at the age of 58. Within hours the internet was flooded with tributes and condolences for a man who had touched so many. British Shooting paid tribute to him, saying “Kevin lived and breathed for shooting and had a huge impact on our sport. He leaves behind a legacy at the highest level of shooting as both an athlete and coach.” They note that Kevin began his involvement in the world of shooting as an athlete in the late 1970s. His first GB medal at ISSF level came as a junior, with a Double Trap bronze medal in the 1980 Zaragoza European Championships.…

We all knew it was inevitable, but it was still a bitter blow when the announcement came that the CPSA World English Sporting and Sportrap Championships were postponed until 2021. Rob Fenwick and his team at EJ Churchill were gutted. They were well advanced with their preparations for what would be a truly outstanding celebration of shooting. “They were set to be some of our biggest events of all time, with over 1,572 competitors signed up to take part, 20 percent of them coming in from abroad.,” he says. “We had planned our entire summer around the Worlds. There’s so much forward planning that has to go into putting on a world-class event with so many entrants. Take the traps for example; Promatic have to have a plan in place…

These are difficult times for all of us, and for athletes in shooting, the pandemic has taken a vast amount of time from our normal training plans, with shooting grounds closed to help protect everyone and ‘flatten the curve’ of Covid-19. I have been dealing with this obstacle much like other shooters – I have been doing a lot of dry mounting at home in order to keep my standard where it should be. I find dry mounting just as important as stepping onto the range and pulling the trigger. It allows you to train your movement to the target and make it as close to perfect as possible. In all forms of clay shooting, especially Olympic Skeet, gun mount is an important factor in breaking a target consistently. Having…

For the past nine years, illustrious members of the clay-shooting community have gathered every February to celebrate the best of the best at the CPSA Awards. This February was no different. All the big names were in attendance from the nation’s top shooters to the best coaches, target setters, charitable fundraisers and representatives from some of the most important businesses in the clay-shooting world. There was one young lady in attendance who may have flown under the radar of many of those at the event: 16-year-old Ami Hedgecock. Sitting at a table with her family, it would be easy to presume that she was there to accompany them for a glitzy night out. But any who have been following her blossoming career knew one thing; this young shooter is on…

Matt Hance Matt is currently in the top 20 for both English Sporting and Fitasc, and shoots for England and Team GB. Among his many achievements he has won both the English and British Open Fitasc Championships. He recommends mounting drills when you’re stuck at home – but points out it’s easy to pick up bad habits unless you do it properly. “Approach it as you would if you were shooting a competition,” he says, “otherwise you can develop habits that aren’t conducive to good shooting when you get back out.” He explains: “You need to focus as if you’re shooting for real. Think about your view points, hold points and kill points, and be disciplined over them.” Not every target travels at the same speed, so you should vary…

With all the shooting grounds currently closed due to the virus pandemic, it’s been difficult to find anything to do – I’m sure that readers are having the same problem. There isn’t really much a 16-year-old A-Level student can do to keep busy besides carrying on with college work and exams online. Still, I have plenty of time to do a few things which will help maintain muscle memory along with my physical strength and ability. With all gyms being closed as well, I have come up with a home workout plan to maintain my core strength and build up my leg muscles. I am fortunate enough to have some weights at home which I was using on the days when I didn’t attend the gym, so I incorporate these…

Last month I left you with a bit of a teaser, asking how Post-it notes or a few tennis balls could help with your shooting training – so here are my answers. First, Post-it notes. The idea here is to write a series of numbers on sticky notes, maybe 1 to 15, and stick them to an area of blank wall – or a window if it’s safe to do so. Position them randomly so the numbers are jumbled, like I’ve shown in the photo. Add another sticky note for your ‘zero’ or start position. If using a window you could also include a pick-up point above the gun hold point. Start with your gun at the start point, then ask someone else to call out numbers randomly. You could…

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, all grounds are currently closed. Many are still answering telephones and emails however, and you can use this list to plan your shooting once restrictions are lifted. For the latest information on CPSA events, including rescheduled dates, see www.cpsa.co.uk BEDFORDSHIRE Chicksands Clay Target Club Shefford, CPSAAffiliated Disciplines: ESP, DTL, STR Open alternate Sundays and Wednesdays over Summer. Contact for competition details. Practice and coaching available Telephone: www.facebook.com/charlelister Email: info@chicksandsclaytarget.co.uk Web: www.chicksandsclaytarget.co.uk Maulden Gun Club Clophill Road, Maulden, CPSAAffiliated Disciplines: ESP Competition alternate Sundays. Practice and coaching for members only. Fibre wad only Telephone: 07951 651051 Web: www.mauldengunclub.com Shillington Clay Club Shillington, CPSAAffiliated Disciplines: ESP Shooting every other Sunday Telephone: 07860 940362 Email carol@hcduk.com Sporting Targets Ltd Riseley, CPSA Premier Ground Disciplines: DTL, ESK, ESP, FSP, DR,…

Clay shooting continued in Sweden while most of the world has been in lockdown in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. In early May Rhys Plum spoke to Håkan Dahlby, a Swedish Trap shooter who took silver at the London 2012 Olympic Games, coming runner up to our own Peter Wilson. “Sweden is for open business as usual,” Håkan told Rhys. “The government has not put any lockdown restrictions in place, as they fear the effect that this would have on our economy. We wash our hands, keep our distance and carry on. Most shooting grounds, and other businesses, are open as normal. All ranges are open at my ground to our members. It is easy to social distance with the shooting positions for Trap being set three metres apart, and…

Now that we’re stuck at home, we all want to continue as best we can with our training, and emerge from lockdown raring to pick up where we left off. There are numerous ways we can do this which are still engaging and effective, without even having to pull the trigger. Let’s look at a few ideas that I’ve been using at home myself, and sharing with friends and fellow shooters via social media. I’ve also been keeping on top of my workouts – that is another way I’m trying to stay on track and focused on my end goal, and I’ve found it’s really benefitting my mental wellbeing whilst in lockdown. In fact I’m now really looking forward to my workouts each day! Dry Mounting This is the process…

My gun’s locked down! Q In early March I decided to invest in a new shotgun, with the idea that I would be able to practise and break it in during the spring and maybe, if all went well, enter some registered shoots with it over the summer period. Then in late March we had the Covid-19 lockdown which meant I couldn’t travel the considerable distance to the shop to collect it. Since then I have struggled to get any answer from them. The gun is bought and paid for but I assume it is still sitting in the retailer’s strongroom gathering dust. I would at least like to have it delivered so I can practise dry mounting until  such time as we can get outdoors again. Do you have…

Do not try to remove heavy bruises and deep gouges by sanding down to remove more wood. If steaming won’t raise the dent, consider filling the groove with wood filler, but this is likely to be visible. Deep indents, such as a blow from a broken clay strike, fall into this category. Wood filler (not grain filler) will fill the dent and wood stain can mask it somewhat. Readers will have seen remarkable work by skilled stock repair specialists and gunsmiths where a piece of wood close in grain and figure is neatly grafted into place. However it is a highly skilled, time consuming and costly procedure. Do not apply coats of stock finish oil to the chequering. Run a dry brush through the chequering so there is no build…

In 2017 a 91-year-old national treasure showed us images of albatross chicks eating a diet of plastic. A year later, a 15-year-old environmentalist skipped school to protest outside the Swedish parliament. The quiet Sir David and outspoken Greta transformed public opinion around the globe. Mass protests erupted and the environment topped every political agenda from Davos to the UK election. Almost overnight, caring for our planet had gone mainstream. This February, no doubt keen to remain at one with public opinion, nine rural organisations including BASC, the GWCT and the NGO published a joint statement. They “wish to see an end to both lead and single-use plastics in ammunition used by those taking all live quarry with shotguns within five years”. The statement caused a bit of a hoo-ha. Although…

“Straight out of the box this felt a good gun, with low recoil and smooth movement” I felt honoured to have been selected to test a Fausti XF4, which was loaned to me by Tony Laughton of Fausti UK, based at Stag Country Sports in Stokesley, Yorkshire. Shortly before the lockdown occurred, I popped up with my husband John to meet Tony and collect a Fausti for testing. Tony showed me the gun in both 30in and 32in barrels and, typically, I found it impossible to decide which I preferred. Patient as Tony was, he let me take both! About 15 minutes down the road from Tony’s is Thimbleby Shooting Ground, so I just had to stop on the way home to have a quick go. The Fausti is presented…

The most common way to start shooting was through family members – which is exactly how I came to break my first clay. My father took me along to the local clay ground, and I very quickly caught the bug. In recent years the world of clay shooting has become more open and welcoming. Media and marketing are focusing more than ever on attracting newbies to the sport, while the clay grounds themselves are not the elitist environment they once were. There are many more ladies getting involved, and most shooting grounds now run Young Shots courses and ‘have-a-go’ introductory sessions – and all this can only be a good thing. But what happens to all these newcomers once they’ve had a go? If you’re introduced to shooting by a…

This is my selection of eight clay shooting guns, which ranges from firearms ideal for the beginner through intermediate and up to the competitive clay shooter. I have chosen these guns because I have tried and like them, they feel good in the hand, they are reliable and have a good warranty period. These guns have all proved themselves over time. Some of the clients I coach use these guns, and some of them I have recommended to clients and had positive feedback. Enjoy my selection! GUNS FOR BEGINNERS KOFS Manufactured in Turkey, one of the most eyecatching things about the Kofs is the price: at around £375 used, and £450 upwards new, it makes a great beginner’s gun. I saw the Kofs at the British Shooting Show this year,…