So you've decided to venture onto a clay ground with a view to taking up the sport. Congratulations. It's a popular pastime for good reason, as you'll discover.
Start Shooting
So you want to start shooting and need to find out how to go about it? What an excellent decision. Welcome to a time-honoured sport which we trust will give you hours of pleasure.
Shooters are a friendly bunch and always delighted when somebody new takes an interest in their sport.
City and country folk
People start shooting in various ways and it’s not a given that you need to be brought up with it and start as a child. Or that you need to live in the countryside. Many keen shooters take it up as adults whilst living in a city and head out into the field at weekends.
Clays, pheasant or both?
You might be interested in gameshooting or maybe think clayshooting is going to be your thing.
Whatever appeals to you, here we’ve gathered together all the information you need to know on how to get into shooting. Find out how to get a shotgun certificate, learn when the game seasons open, explore how guns work, get help with buying your first gun, what you should wear shooting and the intricacies of shooting etiquette (so you get invited back another time). It’s very important too that you are aware of the shooting safety rules.
We also have articles on how to shoot well, places to shoot and how to find a good shooting instructor.
The different parts of a shotgun
Do you know your hammer from your extractor? Here is a clear explanation of the functions of named parts of a shotgun, namely a side-by-side boxlock with side plates, based on the Anson & Deeley design. What is a boxlock shotgun? In a boxlock shotgun the inner workings, the “lockwork” …
How a shotgun works
Lewis Potter looks at the inner workings of a shotgun to explain and illustrate how a shotgun works
How to get a firearm certficate
Advice on how to get your firearm certificate with information on what police are looking for, what counts as good reason to own a firearm and what variations are
So you want to get into shooting? Here’s how to start …
If you are looking to get into shooting of any kind, this easy guide will give you plenty of hints and tips
Key clay pigeon shooting tips for both the beginner and the seasoned shooter
Understand the jargon heard on the clay shooting ground with Mark Russell's tips for shooting beginners
A guide to buying your first gun
It's never too soon to start looking at guns with a view to buying your first and any dealer will be happy to reserve a gun until your certificate arrives
How to make sure a shoot day goes well
Whether it’s your first shoot day or the first one of the season, how can you best prepare for it and get the most out of the day? Shoot location Where the shoot is will give you a clue as to how the birds will be presented. Is it in…
What to expect on your first day pheasant shooting
Wondering how your first day pheasant shooting is going to turn out? We asked some experienced shooters what novices should expect on their first day. An exciting buzz “All shoot day mornings are exciting. There is a buzz as you arrive for coffee and to draw pegs. Keepers, beaters, pickers-up,…
Should I start clayshooting with a 20-bore?
I am new to clay shooting and see that everybody at a nearby gun club where I’ve been having lessons use 12-bores.
How to improve your shooting footwork
As with any sport, when you want to get better at it you have to go back to basics to ensure that you have a good enough grounding. Shooting footwork tips A crucial point with shooting is having your feet in the right place. The reason for this is so…
Do I need lessons before I get my shotgun licence?
Shotgun licence: I’ve spent some time with a small shoot this season and love it, and I now fancy taking up shooting myself. How do I get started? Can I receive instruction before getting a shotgun licence?
Things I’d wish I’d known when I started shooting
Advice and novice shooting tips from those who had to learn the hard way … Lessons are key “I started game shooting when I was around 14 years of age, cocky and confident I didn’t need ‘lessons’… I simply mounted the gun, squeezed the trigger – and it worked (to…
Buying a first shotgun – how to get the best for you
Any busy shooting coach will see a continuous stream of newcomers to clayshooting or gameshooting coming through his ground. Having enjoyed their encounters with moving targets, they’re now thinking of buying a first shotgun of their own I have met newcomers aged 12, 22 or even 72, all asking: “What…
How can shooting encourage more women into the sport?
A Gun is a Gun is a Gun, isn’t it? If you’re out shooting on a game day, you are known as a Gun, end of.” So says Tracy Meston, senior coach at the Roxburghe Shooting School in the Scottish Borders, one of a growing number of women in the…
I’d like to start gameshooting but I’m a student on a budget …
Q: I am in my mid-40s and have never shot before, but I would love to have a go at gameshooting and possibly get my shotgun licence if I then discover I enjoy it. I am a mature full-time student so don’t have much money to play with. Is there…
What to expect from a good shotgun coach
“If I book a lesson or two with a coach, what am I going to learn and how do I know the information and instruction is of high quality?”. It’s an enquiry I’ve come to expect. Here’s what a good shotgun coach should cover Safety The safe handling of the…
How to start clay pigeon shooting
When clay pigeon shooting as a beginner, being prepared is essential for getting good scores.
Ampleforth College Shoot 2018
In the past five years the school shoot has grown in both extent and professionalism. Student-led and supported, with guidance by staff and parents, Ampleforth is putting down around 800 pheasants and partridges each year in three pens across the valley, shooting a good 10 days in the season. Eight…
A beginner’s guide to picking-up
We walk you through what to expect on your first time picking-up, including when to know if your dog is ready, what to do on the first drive and how to behave during the day