Discussion
Right, change in job role means sudden invitations to do this (and lots of live shooting invitations, but that's another story and I certainly don't feel confident enough to take them up).
I have done a tiny bit of clay shooting with some very informal teaching from my father. I need to start from the very beginning I think, unlearn bad habits, and start getting used to driven clays.
Would like to shoot game, but reckon that is a long time, plenty of clay experience, and plenty of tuition away.
I have treated myself to a Beretta Silver Pigeon 12 bore, and intend to shoot asap.
Gun will live at my parents' house in Surrey. Question is for recommendations for clubs (Bisley my nearest) and instructors. Also any comments about what to expect, how long it takes to come along, anecdotes etc gladly received!
I have done a tiny bit of clay shooting with some very informal teaching from my father. I need to start from the very beginning I think, unlearn bad habits, and start getting used to driven clays.
Would like to shoot game, but reckon that is a long time, plenty of clay experience, and plenty of tuition away.
I have treated myself to a Beretta Silver Pigeon 12 bore, and intend to shoot asap.
Gun will live at my parents' house in Surrey. Question is for recommendations for clubs (Bisley my nearest) and instructors. Also any comments about what to expect, how long it takes to come along, anecdotes etc gladly received!
Bisley is pretty good. They managed to get me from hitting pure air (was good at that) to actual clays in no time but as I've not kept it up, I'm probably back to firing at the atmosphere. Paddock Wood has a good reputation as well, though not personally tried it.
Lucky for you that you get invited shooting. All I get is manky golf with all the Pringle attired coffin dodgers using the wrong type of bats.
Lucky for you that you get invited shooting. All I get is manky golf with all the Pringle attired coffin dodgers using the wrong type of bats.
I've had one or two people shoot at my place that take to it almost immediately, most, however, don't. You need to put together a "mental library" of how to shoot any given target, be that live or clay and the only way to do that is to get out and shoot!It helps if you have a modicum of hand/eye coordination too!
You're right to have lessons, avoid bad habits from the start. I've only shot a Bisley once, with the PH shooting club (see events section) and thoroughly enjoyed it. As the national shooting centre there should be one or two instructors who know what they're doing.
The money you spend on good instruction will be well spent and should save you a great deal of frustration.
The other very good place for instruction is Royal Berkshire at Pangbourne, probably one of the nicest places to shoot in the UK. They have top quality instructors, PM me if you want names.
It's a brilliant sport that's surprisingly popular, you'll be surprised how many people participate but don't mention it!Most of all, enjoy it!
You're right to have lessons, avoid bad habits from the start. I've only shot a Bisley once, with the PH shooting club (see events section) and thoroughly enjoyed it. As the national shooting centre there should be one or two instructors who know what they're doing.
The money you spend on good instruction will be well spent and should save you a great deal of frustration.
The other very good place for instruction is Royal Berkshire at Pangbourne, probably one of the nicest places to shoot in the UK. They have top quality instructors, PM me if you want names.
It's a brilliant sport that's surprisingly popular, you'll be surprised how many people participate but don't mention it!Most of all, enjoy it!
To be honest... once you have had a few lessons and can hit clays with a moderate amount of accuracy and you have a good knowledge of shooting etiquette then you will never look out of place on a shoot, miss a few easy birds and you will get some banter between the pegs but a good old shoot supper afterwards means that any easy birds missed will probably be forgotten by the morning.
Is anyone going grouse shooting this season?? I have had my first invite already
Is anyone going grouse shooting this season?? I have had my first invite already
Thanks chaps - for kind offers and suggestions. NDA - know Cowdray from the Polo, so may well organise something one day!
Funny youmention Royal berks - have just had the minionette book a fistful of lessons there on another friend's recommendations. Will also shoot at Bisley - but know it well from my rifle shooting days!
Really looking forward to this. ALternative was taking up golf, but frankly I'd rather play with guns than walk around fields with a bat.
Funny youmention Royal berks - have just had the minionette book a fistful of lessons there on another friend's recommendations. Will also shoot at Bisley - but know it well from my rifle shooting days!
Really looking forward to this. ALternative was taking up golf, but frankly I'd rather play with guns than walk around fields with a bat.
whitechief said:
Harry Flashman said:
I have treated myself to a Beretta Silver Pigeon 12 bore, and intend to shoot asap.
Nice, I have a Silver Pigeon 2 sporting gun. Good luck with the clays unfortunately I can't recommend any clubs.Harry Flashman said:
In terms of cost, this looks to be around the same as golf. So not cheap, but not excruciating, either...
Cough....A day's shooting at somewhere reasonable is in the £1k league (£35 a bird on a 250 bird day), so £9k if you have your own day. Grouse is stratospheric. It would not be unreasonable to spend £15k a year on shooting at a 'moderate' level. Gun in the £5 - 10k region for starters (once you start getting into it).
Golf club membership £1k, set of bats £500. Ten times more expensive I'd say and a shortish season!
But, great fun.
NDA said:
Harry Flashman said:
In terms of cost, this looks to be around the same as golf. So not cheap, but not excruciating, either...
Cough....A day's shooting at somewhere reasonable is in the £1k league (£35 a bird on a 250 bird day), so £9k if you have your own day. Grouse is stratospheric. It would not be unreasonable to spend £15k a year on shooting at a 'moderate' level. Gun in the £5 - 10k region for starters (once you start getting into it).
Golf club membership £1k, set of bats £500. Ten times more expensive I'd say and a shortish season!
But, great fun.
Anyway thats off topic. Harry I'm sure a good trawl through some gun clubs sites will turn up a few that will be able to deliver training etc with clay pidgeons. A lot of them are based out of Bisley these days so maybe calling the NRA's lodge may get you pointed in the right direction....or they might be all officious and point out they have nothin to do with Shotguns. Who knows?
R18 TJN said:
If i remember reading your previous posts correctly your the one driving the Ferrari and i am the one with Golf Tdi 
That's why I'm poor, I keep buying new ones!As for RBSS they are a really nice bunch there. I take most of my lessons with Robert Cross, but I know all the other guys pretty well.The lessons may seem expensive, but TBH I've had lessons at other schols and not learned a thing, whereas at RBSS I learn something every time!
Get them to start you off on something gentle......like the Times Tower. It's only 115ft!And don't forget to ask them if they've got any minis up there!
spidermanUK said:
I've had one or two people shoot at my place that take to it almost immediately, most, however, don't. You need to put together a "mental library" of how to shoot any given target, be that live or clay and the only way to do that is to get out and shoot!It helps if you have a modicum of hand/eye coordination too!
You're right to have lessons, avoid bad habits from the start. I've only shot a Bisley once, with the PH shooting club (see events section) and thoroughly enjoyed it. As the national shooting centre there should be one or two instructors who know what they're doing.
The money you spend on good instruction will be well spent and should save you a great deal of frustration.
The other very good place for instruction is Royal Berkshire at Pangbourne, probably one of the nicest places to shoot in the UK. They have top quality instructors, PM me if you want names.
It's a brilliant sport that's surprisingly popular, you'll be surprised how many people participate but don't mention it!Most of all, enjoy it!
Thank you for this. You're right to have lessons, avoid bad habits from the start. I've only shot a Bisley once, with the PH shooting club (see events section) and thoroughly enjoyed it. As the national shooting centre there should be one or two instructors who know what they're doing.
The money you spend on good instruction will be well spent and should save you a great deal of frustration.
The other very good place for instruction is Royal Berkshire at Pangbourne, probably one of the nicest places to shoot in the UK. They have top quality instructors, PM me if you want names.
It's a brilliant sport that's surprisingly popular, you'll be surprised how many people participate but don't mention it!Most of all, enjoy it!
It turns out I only live 10 minutes from the Royal Berkshire and I never even knew about it.
I've never fired a gun but have always wanted to experience it and try clay shooting. I'm going to book myself a lesson
just keep it up, unlike me.
Shoot every other week for 8 months of the year, for a few years.
And so far this year during my local clubs season (starts in march and ends in september / october) i have shoot twice!
Not very good, i get in to bad habbits and out of practice, all the other blokes i shoot with shoot at least 2 times a month. some shoot 5 times a week
Enjoy it and have fun, also souds like you have a very nice gun.
Shoot every other week for 8 months of the year, for a few years.
And so far this year during my local clubs season (starts in march and ends in september / october) i have shoot twice!
Not very good, i get in to bad habbits and out of practice, all the other blokes i shoot with shoot at least 2 times a month. some shoot 5 times a week
Enjoy it and have fun, also souds like you have a very nice gun.
Practice practice practice
Although i'm a pretty good shot on the clays, when i was shooting game i found i winged them far more often than actually killing them outright.
I now prefer to work the dog on shoots and shoot clays. Well, i haven't done for a while but would if i had more time.
Although i'm a pretty good shot on the clays, when i was shooting game i found i winged them far more often than actually killing them outright.
I now prefer to work the dog on shoots and shoot clays. Well, i haven't done for a while but would if i had more time.
ciderminx said:
Practice practice practice
Although i'm a pretty good shot on the clays, when i was shooting game i found i winged them far more often than actually killing them outright.
I now prefer to work the dog on shoots and shoot clays. Well, i haven't done for a while but would if i had more time.
Remind me not to get on the wrong side of you at our next Lunch meet then if you're a dab had with a gun Although i'm a pretty good shot on the clays, when i was shooting game i found i winged them far more often than actually killing them outright.
I now prefer to work the dog on shoots and shoot clays. Well, i haven't done for a while but would if i had more time.
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