How to break clays .com

Q. Why can't I find the second clay? I shoot Double Trap and can usually hit the first but have trouble with the second.

A. I've never shot Double trap, Antonius, but it seems to me that if you can hit the first target, you could be shooting by the instinctive or maintained lead method where you look for the first clay and bring the gun up in front and pull the trigger. Your difficulty could be that this same method may not work on the second target if it is lower than the first; you will find it hard to shoot a clay if your gun is dropping onto it from above. It would also cause a problem if the second target is travelling away from the first so your gun has to come from behind to be able to get in front of the clay. Try taking the lowest of the pair first, that may help a bit but not much if you have to swing through the second. I would guess that Double trap does not lend itself to the way that I shoot. It may be best for you to spend a bit of time with a coach who specialises in the discipline.
This question doesn't apply to Double Trap only, you will find ocassions on the Sporting ground where the targets described above appear, only for you to find the gun isn't in the place you'd like it to be for the second shot. In that case we have to know a bit about the other shooting methods to find ourselves in front of the target. It may be that the gun has to swing from behind the bird but again, our instinctive way of doing things should aid the sight picture as the shot is taken. There isn't much we can do about the targets being in the wrong place, unless of course you volunteer to set up the shoot yourself!

Q. How do I start clay shooting? I haven't used a gun before and I want to have a go at clay shooting.

A. This is my favourite question of all time, Rebecca, when I hear it I know that someone else out there is destined to join the shooting fraternity and will probably go on to have a lifetime of sporting enjoyment; it also means that there will probably be another person to promote and actively encourage participation in the shooting sports.
Now to answer the question, there are several ways to 'Have a Go' at clay shooting:-
1. Find a Game Fair or a countryside show where clay shooting is advertised to take place - there will usually be a Novice stand with an instuctor who will get you hitting clays. A gun and the safety equipment will be provided and you'll probably have between 5 and 10 shots for your money.
2. Find a Gun club which offers lessons with an instructor who will take you on your own, or within a group of people who haven't shot before. The easiest way to find a club is through the CPSA website. All the equipment you need will be provided and you could have 50 shots at a time. This isn't the cheapest option but by my reckoning it's by far the best way to start - the instructor will soon have you hitting clays then you're hooked!
3. If you ask someone who already has a gun that you want to shoot clays, you'll probably be told about the clubs your friend goes to. These clubs may be smaller and you may have to be with someone who has a gun but at these shoots but the club members should take care of you and show you how to behave safely with a gun and teach the basics of clay shooting. You may be lucky enough to find someone who's advice and help can get you hitting targets proficiently. You'll probably pay the entry fee for the round and will shoot upwards of 40 cartridges. It would be best to contact someone in your chosen club beforehand to make sure they will accomodate guests.
4. If you already own a gun gun and a license you can shoot on your own at most big clubs. You will have to sign in at the reception to be given a counter that plugs in on each stand so you can be charged according to how many clays you've shot. Most grounds have electronic gizmos which allow a lone shooter, push the button and the electrics countdown a few seconds until the clay is released. At these clubs you may find cartridge and time restrictions, (i.e. fibre wads, 28gm or less, finish shooting at 6.30pm) and you will also have to wear ear eye and possibly head protection. These are rules and any other published rules must be obeyed or you'll soon find yourself out on your ear.
Once you've had a go and are sure you want to shoot, go to your friendly local gunsmith to have a look at his stock and pick his brains. If you have your own gun you'll need a slip or case to carry it in. You will need to buy safety shooting glasses, preferably with a range of coloured lenses which should include very dark and yellow at least. You will need to buy ear protection which could be anything from a pair of earplugs right up to state of the art injection moulded earpieces with earmuffs and electronic earmuffs in between. Other than that you ought to have a hat to protect you from stray bits of the clays you've broken. Optional extras at this stage include a shooting vest or gilet, a cartridge bag or belt. It's like everything else in this world, you get what you pay for - you can pay a lot of money to buy all the top class gear, or you can spend a bit less for stuff that does the job; earplugs at a few pence a time from a gun shop will protect your ears just the same as my £200 ears.
However you start, just do it! You'll love it and I've got one more shooter.

Q. Why do flames come out of my gun? I've been told a flame come from my gun; why does it happen?

A. Anyone who has shot a bit will have seen it - you are standing beside the shooter who pulls his trigger whereupon you see a spurt of flame from the end of the barrel. Flames can be caused by cartridges or more likely, oil or cleaning substances. If we were talking about this several years ago I'd be telling you about quality control of cartridges which could perhaps leave something to be desired; too much powder, inconsistent powder, too little shot, various wads and cases may all have burnt under the heat and pressure generated insides the tube leading to a muzzle flash or flame. A cartridge can still produce a flame today but it might only be seen in poor light, if it's particularly noticeable or spectacular then it's more likely to be oil.
We know that a shotgun has to be oiled but it's easy to think the more oil the better. When a gun has been cleaned it is general practice to run an oily rag or mop through the barrels before going into the cabinet; if you forget to run a dry mop through to take out most of the oil before shooting again, that's when the flame appears, on the first couple of shots.
Semi-automatics and pump actions are perhaps more prone to flaming because there are far more moving parts where more oil can be liberally spread over everything in sight. This means that flames appear from the side of the gun, out of the ejection port as well as from the end of the barrel. As the shoot progresses it doesn't necessarily get any better though, because the oil you've applied generously on all those moving bits is finding it's way into the barrel to burn on the way up the tube. A moving bolt also pulls the cartridge clear of the chamber very soon after the trigger is pulled so burning gas is also allowed backwards into the receiver and out of the side of the reciever.

Home

List of articles

QandA 1 2 3

Please come back soon to find some articles or ask me some questions.