Think I have just re-posted that by mistake. Would like to ask what you all think I should do next. After the driven pheasant style coaching session I shot driven pheasant on Saturday. I shot very well and couldnt have been more pleased with the outcome. Two more days game shooting then thats it. Concentrate on sporting from then on. I will shoot 50 bird sporting this Sunday,its local and its cheap. My safety is top notch(better than most) the basics are still there from my youth. Do I spend money on coaching or just go and spend the cash on shooting?
Instruction and Coaching Costs
- Thread starter Lord v
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I mounted the gun on the bird rather than behind it and tended to stop on firing rather than swing through. Also my mount was inconsistent and my cheek wasnt always on the stock. Put all into practice Saturday and was happy with the result.(kept my spaniel busy)
Shot sporting clays last Sunday and was advised to shoot gun up. Didnt feel right,bit like shooting the air rifle.
balltrap
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I would say just shoot for a few months and just get into it more, if you have any basic problems or faults that you do not find yourself they can be pointed out later before it becomes a bad habit. Bad habits are harder to sort out if you have been shooting for a long time.
ips
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If you intend to shoot game as well, then i would suggest shooting gun down (or just out of the shoulder) at clays, with the odd exception as certain targets may benefit being shot gun up.This should get you mounting the gun more consistently.
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Nick Selby
Well-known member
I used to shoot everything gun up. Now I shoot most clays gun down\out of the shoulder pocket and only gun up for fast close stuff. Seems to work for me but everyone is different....
Hello everyone, thought I would add to this rather than start a new thread (as well as being an inexperienced shot I am also new to message boards!).
My clay shooting journey began in 2015, when I was invited to a meet new colleagues for a round at Holland & Holland. Not wanting to embarrass myself, I asked a the friend of a friend if he would show me the (very) basics, how to handle, safety golden rules etc. Unfortunately for my wallet, I thoroughly enjoyed both times I shot (if only there was a sub category of just long rabbits, I'm 10/10 on those!) After a couple more tries, I decided last summer to apply for my licence, which just came though (seven long months later).
After nearly getting carried away on which gun to buy (I had all but decided to buy either a 686E Evo or a 690, I decided that in my first year virtually all the improvement in scores will be coming from me rather than my kit, and that my priority should be to buy a half decent reliable gun, so have bought a tidy second hand silver pigeon and will spend the money saved on a few lessons.
Having not held a gun for nearly a year I am basically a complete novice, albeit one that has held and fired a shotgun, and know some of the basic safety musts ( at a ground the only safe gun is an unloaded broken gun, never load unless you are in a stand ready to shoot, and don't put you finger in the trigger until you are ready to shout pull, without listing everything I have been told!)
On topic: the nearest ground to me seems to have fixed prices for one hour lessons : £100 plus clays and cartridges. At that rate I will only get about 5 lessons before the mythical savings I made by not getting the flashier gun are gone, but hopefully I've made the right choices.
I also thought it might be an idea at this early stage to pick a similarly 'beginner' load so picked up 1000 gamebore velocity+ 28gm in fibre, my thinking being to pick a cartridge that I can use everywhere for a while and so eliminate the "this feels different to last time" i made that get if I chopped and changed, but rather get familiar with hopefully hitting a few before starting to point the finger at equipment.
My first lesson is this weekend, but would still very much welcome your thoughts on if I've made the right choices re choosing a cheaper gun to enable the spend on some lessons ( or if I should have bought that lovely 696E Evo and gone out and put a few thousand though it with my friend!!).
Stirling
My clay shooting journey began in 2015, when I was invited to a meet new colleagues for a round at Holland & Holland. Not wanting to embarrass myself, I asked a the friend of a friend if he would show me the (very) basics, how to handle, safety golden rules etc. Unfortunately for my wallet, I thoroughly enjoyed both times I shot (if only there was a sub category of just long rabbits, I'm 10/10 on those!) After a couple more tries, I decided last summer to apply for my licence, which just came though (seven long months later).
After nearly getting carried away on which gun to buy (I had all but decided to buy either a 686E Evo or a 690, I decided that in my first year virtually all the improvement in scores will be coming from me rather than my kit, and that my priority should be to buy a half decent reliable gun, so have bought a tidy second hand silver pigeon and will spend the money saved on a few lessons.
Having not held a gun for nearly a year I am basically a complete novice, albeit one that has held and fired a shotgun, and know some of the basic safety musts ( at a ground the only safe gun is an unloaded broken gun, never load unless you are in a stand ready to shoot, and don't put you finger in the trigger until you are ready to shout pull, without listing everything I have been told!)
On topic: the nearest ground to me seems to have fixed prices for one hour lessons : £100 plus clays and cartridges. At that rate I will only get about 5 lessons before the mythical savings I made by not getting the flashier gun are gone, but hopefully I've made the right choices.
I also thought it might be an idea at this early stage to pick a similarly 'beginner' load so picked up 1000 gamebore velocity+ 28gm in fibre, my thinking being to pick a cartridge that I can use everywhere for a while and so eliminate the "this feels different to last time" i made that get if I chopped and changed, but rather get familiar with hopefully hitting a few before starting to point the finger at equipment.
My first lesson is this weekend, but would still very much welcome your thoughts on if I've made the right choices re choosing a cheaper gun to enable the spend on some lessons ( or if I should have bought that lovely 696E Evo and gone out and put a few thousand though it with my friend!!).
Stirling
Worcs
Well-known member
Whereabouts in the country are you? Before getting my licence I was having lessons with a great instructor for around £70 for 125 clays and cartridges. Lessons would usually go on for over an hour too.
Right choices if you ask me.
Lessons always seem to be expensive, but most of the time they're worth it.
paul b
Well-known member
£100 per hour for novice instruction is ridiculous, im sure someone on here from that area could recommend a decent instructor,who doesnt charge the rates a world champ would charge.
Worcs
Well-known member
Well if you don't mind a drive I can put you in touch with who I used but like paul b says, £100 an hour plus clays and carts is crazy for a beginner. It shouldn't be too hard to find some one local.
If it's of any help to your mind, I shoot a Silver Pigeon and shoot with cheap cartridges and I do absolutely fine. I am not a beginner anymore and although I could if I wished "upgrade" both cartridges and gun I really don't need to - they both do the job.
Thank you all for your feedback. I was able to cancel the lesson I had booked, as a well known shot from these parts kindly offered to take me out for a lesson, Will Hewland.
I just wanted to say thanks Will, it was everything I hoped my first lesson would be, I learned something on every single trigger pull (hit or miss) but you kept it enjoyable and never made me feel silly for asking elementary questions. Together (but mainly you!) we found a solution to the problems posed by every stand.
It was also great advice to put away the 28g for now and get some 21g, it was soft as silk.
I hope you didn't need strong drink or medication when you got home after seeing what a real beginner looks like! Thanks again, it was brilliant!
I just wanted to say thanks Will, it was everything I hoped my first lesson would be, I learned something on every single trigger pull (hit or miss) but you kept it enjoyable and never made me feel silly for asking elementary questions. Together (but mainly you!) we found a solution to the problems posed by every stand.
It was also great advice to put away the 28g for now and get some 21g, it was soft as silk.
I hope you didn't need strong drink or medication when you got home after seeing what a real beginner looks like! Thanks again, it was brilliant!
Will Hewland
Well-known member
You did a great job Sir. Its hard to do something new for most people but you really went for it and i would say this sport is for you. A lot of good basic building blocks established, best of luck! EJ Churchill is a great ground to learn at too, as there is such variety and some dedicated training stands.
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