Information
First lesson, what should I expect?
It’s a very rewarding sport, anyone can hit a clay.
A clay shooting lesson begins with a comprehensive safety briefing, covering rules and range etiquette. Participants are introduced to shotgun components, proper handling, and cartridges.
Stance, posture, and shooting techniques. The lesson progresses from dry fire exercises to live fire practice, gradually increasing difficulty depending on success. Focus shifts to the fun of breaking targets, with positive reinforcement and varied trajectories.
The session concludes with objectives for next time covering any Q&A. This structured approach ensures participants develop confidence, skills, and a strong foundation in the enjoyable sport of clay shooting.
Basics, eye protection, hearing protection & clothing
When you start there’s no need to invest in a lot of equipment, everything you need will be provided. If you are serious about taking to sport further you could spend a modest amount of money on some good Peltor (or other) hearing defenders and some inexpensive safety glasses.
Clear glasses are ideal, some people find yellow or orange will enhance contrast on dull overcast days, and a dark tint will be beneficial for very bright days. Personally, my go-to is orange for dull days and purple for bright days as purple is brilliant at contrasting a clay target.
Hearing protection can be passive or active. I use Peltor Sportac and Cens digital earplugs, the Cens are a more significant investment but well worth it if you get on OK with earplugs (some people don’t).
Insurance, do you need it?
In simple terms once you have your Shotgun YES!
For a small yearly membership, you can join the CPSA with a Clubman Membership that includes £10m public liability and, a monthly magazine.
If your ambition is competition shooting consider CPSA Full Membership.
Shotgun Certificate | Security, gun-safe requirements
To own a Shotgun you need a reason – Clay Shooting is acceptable.
Start with your local Police website, this is Hampshire.
Home Office Guidance – Rule 3 provides for the firearms and ammunition to which the certificate relates to be stored securely at all times, to prevent, as far as is reasonably practicable, access by an unauthorised person.
I recommend Bratton Sound gun safes. The safe must be out of sight of a casual caller to the property, not be visible from outside, and be fixed securely. I have heard of safes virtually falling from the wall with a light tug, make sure it’s fixed well.
They don’t like outbuildings but have found Hampshire police to accept if the level of security is comparable to the main premises. They are not keen on cabinets being overly difficult to get to, for example in the loft, this is due to people being less likely to put the gun away.
I am happy to advise clients as needed. All legislation can be found on the Gov Guide to Firearms Licensing.
Chokes
Clay shooters overthink chokes; think of it as a funnel. The more open the choke, the broader the shot spread. I suggest you want a target to be broken with authority but not smoked (vaporised).
If you notice the clay splits in half, that will not build confidence. The top shooters will shoot a very tight choke. Until you’re competing for a national team spot, it’s probably best to go with the broken-with-authority approach.
There are two schools of thought: one is to change by the stand, and the other is set & forget. In simple terms, changing by the stand has some advantages, but the extra mental application needed will probably not pay off in the long run.
I prefer set & forget. Some grounds are known for longer clays. If this is the case, choke up. I would go for half & half (modified). If we’re talking about a local ground with clays at 30m – 40m, I suggest quarter & quarter (improved cylinder). I like to shoot the same choke top & bottom as there’s one less thing to think about.
Loads (Cartridges)
Keep it simple: shot size 7 1/2 or 8. Experiment with 21g, 24g, 28g. For a local non-registered shoot, 21g is ideal. Cartridge choice is limited to what you can get locally. Try a few different brands.
Find a simple going-away type clay with a little edge on. Try the load & choke combination to see what the results look like. I use a pattern plate for gun fit but not to assess cartridge performance. The pattern plate is 2D, whereas the clay is broken by a shot string in 3D.
Buying a Shotgun
Now the fun begins!
I always recommend making sure you’re aware of the make and model of the Shotgun you use in a lesson.
I suggest a Beretta or Browning as a first Gun. For most men 12 bore, 30″ Multi Choke barrels. Ladies the same or if you want a lighter Shotgun 20 bore 28″ Multi Choke barrels.
I recommend approaching several Gun Shops with the model you like, most will offer a ‘cash price’ over the phone. This is a good starting point, once you’ve settled on the Make and Model, go to the Gun Shop to have a feel of the gun. I have not found all Gun Shops are well equipped to determine gun fit but firmly believe good is good enough and a quick lesson with me can make sure all is well and if needed a simple change can be made temporarily.
I regularly advise clients on an ideal Shotgun for their needs.
Is an expensive gun worth it?
If money is no problem absolutely yes, but be aware once you’re over the £8k to £12k price point it’s now just about decoration, wood grade (graining feature).
I have owned several of the main competition guns from Krieghoff, Beretta SO5, DT 10, DT 11, and Perazzi MX8. They all have their plus points. I get on well with the Krieghoff Super Sport and the DT11. The level of fit finish and engineering make the gun effortless to shoot, well balanced, crisp trigger pulls, and low recoil that has all been designed by the manufacturer.
Having said that don’t think that an entry-level Beretta, Browning can’t do the job – it most certainly can!
