Clay Pigeon Shooting
Also known as Clay Target Shooting, this sport consists of shooting at specially made flying targets with a shotgun.
Although competitions involving actual live pigeons were made illegal in the UK in 1921, the term “pigeon” endures in the name popularly used by both clay shooters and the layman. The targets are still often referred to as “birds” and a hit is still referred to as a “kill” or “hit”. A missed target is often still referred to as a “bird away” and the machine which launches the targets is called a “trap”.
Disciplines
Most of the at least 20 different disciplines of Clay Pigeon Shooting, can be grouped under the main headings of trap, skeet, and sporting.
Trap shooting
One or more traps are situated approx 15m in front of the shooter and the targets or birds are thrown either as singles or doubles. Targets are going away from the firing point at varying speeds, angles and elevations. The most common disciplines in this group are:
- Down-The-Line (DTL) Single Barrel
- Double Rise
- Automatic Ball Trap (ABT)
- Olympic Trap
- Double Trap
- Universal Trench
- Helice (or ZZ)
Down-The-Line or DTL
A very popular trap shooting discipline: targets are thrown at a fixed height of approx 2.75m to a distance of 45 to 50 metres. Without moving from the stand each competitor shoots at a single target in turn, until he or she have all shot five targets. Each competitor then moves one place to the right to shoot another five targets, they then move to the right again and repeat until they have all completed a standard round of 25 birds. Scoring is done as follows: 3 points for a first barrel kill, 2 points for a second barrel kill and 0 for a miss or “bird away” (max 75 points per round).
Olympic trap
This is one of the disciplines forming part of the shooting programme at the Olympic Games. Concealed in a trench in front of the shooting stands are 15 traps arranged in 5 groups of 3. Shooters take turns to shoot at a target each, they then move clockwise to the next stand in the line. Targets are thrown for each shooter immediately upon his or her call. The traps which throw the targets are selected by a pre-determined shooting scheme that ensures all competitors receive exactly the same target selection, but in a irregular randomised order. Scoring for this discipline is done as follows: 1 point per target killed, this can be achieved with either the first or with the second barrel.
A simpler and more accessible variation of the Olympic Trap discipline is known as automatic ball trap (ABT). Here there is only one trap and target variation is achieved via the continuous oscillation of the trap both horizontally and vertically this gives the same spread of targets as in Olympic trap.
Universal trench
Sometimes known as five trap this is a variation on trap shooting. The five traps are located in a trench to the front of the shooting stands, all the traps are set at differing angles, elevations and speeds. The shooter calls “Pull!” and a target or bird is released from one of the traps selected at random.
Skeet shooting
The word Skeet is of Scandinavian origin, however the discipline originates from America. 2 traps are are located approx 40m apart on the opposite ends of a semi-circular arc which incorporates 7 shooting positions. Targets are then thrown in either singles or doubles. In skeet shooting the targets are thrown at set speeds and trajectories. The main disciplines in this group are English skeet, Olympic skeet and American (NSSA) skeet.
There is a total of 25 targets per round. Variety and challenge is achieved by shooting round the seven shooting positions on the semicircle. Scoring: 1 point per target killed, up to a maximum of 25.
In English skeet (the most popular skeet discipline), the gun position is optional (i.e., pre-mounted or out-of-shoulder when the target is called) and targets are thrown immediately upon the shooter’s call.
In contrast in Olympic skeet, targets travel much faster, the release of the target after the shooters call can be delayed up to 3 seconds and as such the gun-down position is obligatory. In addition in Olympic Skeet there is an 8th shooting station.
Sporting Clays
The discipline of English Sporting discipline maintains the largest following. In contrast to other disciplines where only standard targets are used, in English Sporting there is a much greater variation. A huge variety of angles, speeds, trajectories, elevations and distances are utilised in closer simulate live quarry shooting.
The variety of ‘stands’ possible within this discipline is indeterminate and as such English sporting is the most popular form of clay pigeon shooting in the UK, with a course or competition featuring a given number of stands each with specific number of targets, all travelling along the same path and speed, either as singles or doubles.
Electrocibles or helice shooting
Similar to trap shooting and originated in Belgium in the 1960s, the targets in this discipline are equipped with a helice to give an erratic and unpredictable flight. The helice is made of two winged plastic propellers with white clay in the centre.
These modified targets are released randomly from one of five traps. The purpose of the design and its effect is to as closely as possible simulate the old sport of live pigeon shooting.
Targets
It is imperative that targets conform to the agreed set of international standards and as a result they are made to extremely exacting standards in regards to dimensions and weight. Made in the shape of an inverted saucer most commonly coloured either fluorescent orange or black, targets consist of pulverised limestone rock and pitch. They can withstand the pressure of being thrown from the traps but are easily broken when hit by the lead/steel pellets from the shotgun.
Different types of targets are used for different disciplines; standard 108 mm size is the most commonly used in American Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays. International disciplines of these same games use a slightly larger target at 110 mm diameter size. Only the standard 108/110 mm target is used in all of the trap and skeet disciplines. Sporting shoots utilise the full range of targets thus providing the variety required by the discipline.
The simplest method of throwing a clay target is by hand, either into the air or along the ground. Many “trick shot” shooters throw their own targets (some able to throw as many as ten birds up and hit each individually before any land). However, a multitude of devices have now been developed to throw the birds more easily and with more consistency. A plastic sling-like device is the simplest, though modern shooting ranges will usually have machines that throw the clay targets in consistent arcs at the push of a button.
Book your clay pigeon shooting experience now at your local shooting range
Alternatively call 0844 745 5008
0844 745 5008