Clay Pigeon Shooting Coelbren Joins The Big Shoot

We’re delighted to announce the latest addition to The Big Shoot network is Clay Pigeon Shooting Coelbren, Powys.

Surrounded by breathtaking Welsh countryside this truly one of a kind shooting ground is the perfect place to experience clay pigeon shooting for the first time. With six different shooting stands to take aim form though, there’s plenty to keep experienced shooters on their toes too!

coelbren1

As well as boasting a range of shooting stands to test shooters of all abilities, this incredible venue can also cater for the next generation of clay shooters, with a selection of lightweight guns that are perfect for participants aged 10+.

So whether you’re looking to fine tune your shooting technique, or take on the clays for the first time there’s nowhere better than this picture postcard shooting ground to experience clay pigeon shooting.

The Big Shoot site of the month is Clay Pigeon Shooting Otley

otley claysWe’re delighted to announce July’s Site of the Month is Clay Pigeon Shooting Otley!

Over the past month our customers have loved taking on the clays at our Otley venue, and it’s easy to see why.

With stunning views of the surrounding Yorkshire countryside our Otley venue is the perfect setting for a clay pigeon shooting experience, and we love finding time to squeeze in a visit.

It’s not just about the views though, because with a range of traps and shooting stands to take aim from there’s targets to test shooters of all abilities.

Then there’s the team of friendly instructors who make taking on the clays as much fun as possible, and with years of experience to call on they know all the little tips and tweaks that will take your shooting skills to the next level.

Don’t just take our word for it though, here’s what our customers love about Clay Pigeon Shooting Otley..

“Absolutely fantastic experience. We’d never done this before and Phil, our instructor, was so great. Calm, friendly, knowledgeable and just really fun. The venue was fab with lovely staff and a really nice range of shooting activities. Would recommend to beginners or professionals alike. Outstanding.”

Simon Prinsep – Otley, W. Yorkshire, Clays

“We all thoroughly enjoyed the shoot and would recommend it for others to do. Both instructors were good fun and gave great guidance.”

Henry Evans – Otley, W. Yorkshire, Clays

“Such a personable service, welcoming, friendly and funny staff that made our experience extra special! I will be returning again :)”

Harjit thandi – Otley, W. Yorkshire, Clays

Clay Pigeon Shooting – What does it all mean?

After a busy weekend at our shooting venues across the country, we thought we’d take a short break from clay busting to try our hand at a bit of jargon busting instead.

So if you’ve ever wonder what the difference is between skeet and sporting shooting, or are baffled by battues and a beads, we’re here to help.

Battue – A battue is special type of clay target which is used in most forms of sporting shooting. These looping targets are notoriously hard to hit!

Bead – The bead can be found at the end of a shotgun. It’s main purpose is to help shooters line up the perfect shot. Keeping your eye on it can pay off big time.

BrokenMain-532x400Broken – If you hear somebody refer to a ‘broken shotgun’ it doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll need to start saving for a new one. The term actually refers to the state of the shotgun when it’s not in use. A broken shotgun looks like this..

 

Cartridge – This is your ammunition, cartridges contain the shot which is fired when you pull the trigger.

Clay Pigeon – Nothing to do with pigeons, these small brightly coloured discs are the targets you’ll be taking aim at. They come in all shapes and sizes, and shatter when hit.

Double – When two clays are launched in quick succession, or sometimes simultaneously they are known as a double pair, or just double for short.

DTL – Down The Line is a popular form of clay pigeon shooting that’s great for competitive shooters. Points are awarded for hitting targets in the least number of shots.

Lead – Sometimes refereed to as forward allowance, ‘lead’ is the amount of space you give a clay as it soars through the air. Remember you shoot where a clay is going, so the lead you give it refers to the space you leave in front, above or below.

Over and Under – An over-and-under shotgun is a type of shotgun which has two barrels stacked one on top of the other.

Side by Side – A side-by-side shotgun is a type of shotgun which has two barrels position side by side. Find out more about the  differences between side-by-side and over-and-under shotguns.

Skeet – Skeet is form of clay shooting that’s enormously popular in the U.S. Clays are launched at set speeds and trajectories, and variation is created by shooters moving around seven different shooting stands. Other forms of skeet include English Skeet and Olympic Skeet.

Sporting – Sporting is the most popular form of clay pigeon shooting in the UK. Targets are thrown at a variety of different speeds and trajectories, which means almost anything goes! The range of targets used are designed to replicate the challenges of live game shooting. Other forms of sporting shooting include English Sporting and F.I.T.A.S.C.

blog4

Swing – Swing refers to the movement of the shotgun as you track a clay through the air. A smooth swing is the key to hitting clays.

Trap – A trap is the device which launches clays into the air. Traps can be set up to fire clays at a variety of different speeds and trajectories.

Did we miss anything? If there’s a piece of jargon you think we’ve missed leave a comment below and we’ll do our best to translate it into plain English.

Welcome Clay Pigeon Shooting Stockbridge

We are delighted to welcome Clay Pigeon Shooting Stockbridge to The Big Shoot network.

Surrounded by spectacular Hampshire countryside this one-of-a-kind shooting ground caters for shooters of all abilities. So whether you’re taking on the clays for the first time, or simply looking to perfect your technique, there’s nowhere better to put your shooting skills to the ultimate test!

Gallery-8

 

With a variety of shooting stands to take aim from you’ll face clays from all angles, but thanks to our team of expert instructors you’ll be blowing them out of the sky in no time. With years of experience to call on our instructors know all the little tweaks that can make a big difference, so whether you’re taking on a 30, 50 or 70 clay shoot you’re guaranteed to smash plenty of clays.

 

You’ll also find top-of-the-range facilities to make the most of too, which makes our Stockbridge clay shooting venue the perfect place for a stag, hen, birthday or corporate event.

To find out more about Stockbridge clay pigeon shooting visit our website.

Clay Pigeon Shooting – The perfect Father’s day gift

With Father’s Day just around the corner we thought we’d give you a hand picking the perfect present. Obviously we’re a little bit biased, but we’re convinced your dad will love clay pigeon shooting just as much as we do. So without further ado, here’s a look at why we think clay pigeon shooting experiences make the perfect Father’s Day present.

rsz_shooting_comp

1) They’re fun..

It’s virtually impossible not to enjoy blowing clays to pieces, and the satisfaction of smashing your first clay is something which will instantly have you hooked. With a huge variety of traps and shooting stands to take aim from too, blowing clays out of the sky never gets boring!

 

2) They’re challenging..

Whether you’re a first time, or experienced shooter our clay pigeon shooting experiences are guaranteed to push your shooting skills to the limit! After mastering the basics with the help of our instructors you’ll normally move onto a selection of trickier targets, which may even include clays that are launched across the ground, and then there’s the scored rounds..

3) They can be competitive..

There’s nothing wrong with a bit of friendly competition (especially with your dad) and a clay pigeon shooting experience gives you the perfect excuse to unleash your competitive streak. With the bragging rights on the line, and a point scored for every clay smashed, things can get very serious very quickly though!

4) They’re memorable..

The standard card and chocolates are nice, but let’s face it they probably won’t live long in the memory. In comparison a clay shooting experience is 100% unforgettable, and all that extra thought is guaranteed to score you some serious brownie points.

father_s-day-pictures

5) You can join in too..

It’s only right that you get to join in the fun, and by treating your dad to a clay pigeon shooting experience it gives you the perfect excuse to take on the clays too. We know Father’s Day is supposed to be all about Dad, but there’s no reason why you can get in on the clay shooting action.

To book your Father’s Day clay pigeon shooting experience visit our website, or to purchase instant vouchers from The Big Shoot click here.

Clay Pigeon Shooting Knaresborough – First Person review

20160417_123058_HDRFor our latest ‘First Person Review’ we sent Bookings Advisor, and first time clay shooter Tasha to our shooting ground in Knaresborough. Find out how she got on here..

“For my first ever clay shooting experience I booked a 30 clay shoot at our Knaresborough venue, which is just down the road from our head office in Harrogate.

I’d never tried anything like clay shooting before, so I was quite nervous. Small person, very big guns.. what could possibly go wrong? Thankfully the instructors Justine and Mark we’re really lovely though, and I even got a cup of tea to settle my nerves.

Before we took on the clays Mark gave us a full briefing and showed us how to handle the guns safely, his top tip for nailing the clays was “point and shoot, point and shoot” – if only it was that easy! His advice was really clear though, and by the time it came to taking on the clays I knew exactly what I was supposed to do.

20160417_121407_HDR

As we worked our way round the different shooting stands my confidence grew and grew, and I even managed to smash the odd clay or two. The whole experience was made by seeing my first few clays shatter, and you really can’t beat the feeling of blowing a clay to pieces!

Was my clay shooting experience what I expected? Yes and no, the guns were a lot bigger than I expected, but I absolutely loved it and I’ll definitely give it another go. Thanks to Mark and Justine for a fab day!”

Tasha took on a 30 clay shoot at our Knaresborough clay shooting venue. To find your nearest venue enter your location in the search bar at the top of the page.