Why do you and other instructors make a point of stressing the gun should be moved by the whole body, particularly when shooting crossers and quartering birds?
Improve your clayshooting
Hesitation. A common mistake amongst new shooters. Here’s how to avoid it.
Hesitation is a common shooting problem. While teaching my wife to shoot some years ago, she noticed that the person in front of her, shooting a simple going away target, was waiting way too long, or as some would say “hanging” on the target, only to miss when they did…
How much forward allowance do you need to give?
Shooting tips from coach Mark Russell. Here he takes a look at forward allowance, and turning sight pictures into words.
Clayshooting grounds just an hour from London
Whether you’ve always wanted to learn to shoot clays or need to brush up your technique with some lessons before going out in the field again, a trip to a clayshooting ground is always a good idea. We’ve picked out a selection of clay pigeon shooting grounds near London and…
Learning to shoot the George Digweed way
Would you like to be taught to shoot by George Digweed MBE? Who wouldn’t? He is the winner of 26 world titles and over 150 international titles. He is unequalled in the shooting world and his accomplishments extend beyond clayshooting He is considered one of the finest game shots in…
Walked-up shooting and the going away bird
For clay pigeon shooting enthusiasts and game shooters alike, walked-up shooting is making more and more sense in these financially difficult times. Mark tells you how to prepare for typical going away targets.
Do this and you’ll be on the way to improving your clayshooting scores
Follow Mark's tips on how to shoot some typical sporting stands and see your scores improve!
The most common mistakes on the shooting ground (and how to correct them)
Sometimes we need a reminder to correct our shooting by looking at common shooting mistakes often made. Best feet forward Footwork in shooting is crucial to the movement of our body, as it is in any sport. It enables us to have a free moving swing and move the gun…
Just how strict are the rules in FITASC sporting?
I want to try FITASC Sporting but I am not sure what ‘gun down’ means in relation to the gun being out of the shoulder.
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.
Learn the maintained lead style of shooting
Sporting Gun's shooting instructor shows how the maintained lead style of shooting could increase your scores and give you the 'X' factor.
Switching from shooting an over-and-under to a side-by-side shotgun
Here we offer some shooting advice on maintaining your scores in the event that you have to borrow a gun.
A beginners’ guide to FITASC clay pigeon shooting
FITASC sporting is a great leveller. If there's any weakness in your clay shooting technique, be it with your gun mounting or swing, this discipline will find it!
Clay shooting: How to hit battue clays
Clay shooting: Mark Russell of Grimsthorpe SG reveals how to hit that loopiest of targets - the battue.
Getting around a clay ground in a wheelchair
Disabled sport’s profile has risen hugely in recent years, partly driven by the success of British athletes in the Paralympics. I was therefore interested to see how far the disability sport revolution had reached into fieldsports. I sought out some of the UK’s leading practitioners from the worlds of clayshooting,…
How to improve your visual focus on the clay target
Don’t look at the gun once it is at your cheek and shoulder. All of your attention must be on the target as you pull the trigger. Mount the shotgun to your cheek and eye, not to your shoulder. If you are standing correctly with a well-practised gun mount and the…
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?
A sure-fire way to improve your shooting skills
I have recommended Skeet before as a great discipline to help hone our shooting skills. It offers a wide variation of angles with predictable target speeds and trajectories, which are so important to help us learn and practice. After all, there is little point in using targets that vary and…
Where I should place my hand on the fore-end of a shotgun? (And other related questions)
I have just come in to shooting and I am getting a bit confused about where I should place my hand on the fore-end wood? I have seen shooters holding it at the front, while others hold it quite close to the back.
Coloured safety glass lenses and targets for clayshooters
My wife bought me a set of clay shooting glasses with different coloured lenses as a birthday present recently.