Where do you draw the line?

[tiptop]

Where do you draw the line on the cost of clay shooting? With the announcement in the last few weeks that there is a price increase in the cost of cartridges, I now see that EJC are to charge £45 for registered comp, and £40 for birds only. 

 

[Luke_(NL)]

For those uninitiated in the ways of UK's registered comps, and EJC in particular, how many clays (and/or cartridges) do the quoted amounts pay for?

Across the channel and the North Sea, I pay member rates for clays that tend to be 15 Euro's for a 'round' which pays for 25 cartridges (Gamebore or Clever) and the associated clays. You're expected not to be a numpty and call for countless sighters, but I'd venture 27-30 clays being called isn't unusual. 

Where (as members) we're allowed to bring our own ammo, I think the price per 25+2 clays on one's card is between 6 and 7 Euro. Of course membership fees should be priced in, but at 150-ish Euro per year they're a no brainer when comparing member's prices to non-member pricing. Of course many people have opinions about everything to do with prices, but unfortunately none of them have started venues proving that all can be done better and for less to boot... 

I'm not going to give up shooting for a pound or two per round, but ultimately higher prices make for less and less attraction to the sport and the spiral from there is fairly predictable. I'll do my part by shooting more. Its a shame that the clays I miss can't be salvaged to keep grounds in business   

 

[tiptop]

For those uninitiated in the ways of UK's registered comps, and EJC in particular, how many clays (and/or cartridges) do the quoted amounts pay for?

When you enter the registered shoot you have a choice of either, targets only, or to enter the competition. Targets only is just that, you just shoot the targets and are not entitled to any prize money. Competition entries are entitled to a share of the prize money. The cost is, in the case now for EJC £40 for targets only, and £45 for competition. The extra £5 goes into the prize pot. The cost only covers the 100 clays, you have to supply your cartridges on top.

 

[paul b]

For me the line was £50 clays and cartridges combined.Now i carefully select a few big(although more expensive) major comps and cut out most normal reg in favour of much cheaper practice rounds.

 

[Luke_(NL)]

Thanks TipTop,

I am not great at maths, but .40 GBP per clay is approximately 50 Euro-cents (.47 at present exchange), without cartridges. That's pretty expensive by our standards, but I'm assuming there's a surcharge for that being registered competition, which involves trap-setters, scorers, judges and the like? 

The last competition I entered here (all adult sporting events now being restricted as per covid) was "pay only for clays" at i believe 30 euro-cents a clay, regardless of membership. In some cases, cartridges are comped by a manufacturer, but then there's entry fees which usually offset that perk. I just registered for a (skeet-)match in Germany which was E 60 to enter for a 100-125 clays day with ammo sponsored. Here's to hoping it can proceed (by then, being in July).  

in favour of much cheaper practice rounds.

How much would those set you back, for sake of comparison? 

 

[paul b]

Depending on where i am 20 to 30 pence per clay,but the best value for money is one reg shoot i go does a pool shoot at £3 per 10 clays with a % payback so i can shoot a 100 comp for £30 and more often than not win money back and if anyone wants to shoot off for it thats even better because i then get some pressure practice aswell.

 

[timps]

Catton Hall charge 

Comp - £35
Birds only - £30

or  Practice  

100 Clays - £24.00

I am happy enough with those prices and it's a lovely ground as well

 

[Fred Flintstone]

Canterbury are £26 or £28 per hundred practice...

It’s been that long now, I can’t remember exactly!

 

[Will Hewland]

£45 comp is the norm everywhere in the south now. You need a ferret under your arm, a pint of Tetleys and a flat cap if you want cheaper clays

 

[tiptop]

£45 comp is the norm everywhere in the south now. You need a ferret under your arm, a pint of Tetleys and a flat cap if you want cheaper clays

I've never paid £45 for normal registered comp yet in the south. Even the up coming England selection shoot and SW champs at Barbury is £44, and that includes the CPSA levies. I dare say that it will become the norm reading the comments on FB, no doubt everyone will follow suit.

 

[RJD]

£45 comp is the norm everywhere in the south now. You need a ferret under your arm, a pint of Tetleys and a flat cap if you want cheaper clays

Pint of tea?

 

[Paul120]

The regular registered shoots I do tend to be around £35.00 comp. Which looking back and allowing for inflation is very close to what I was paying at the same places 18 years ago. 

Doing the same calculations. Cartridges look to be about £50 to £60 more expensive per 1000  now. Carts then were around  £100 per 1000 the equivalent  ones would now be £170 ish with inflation alone not the £ 220 - 230 they are currently.

 If you go back 30 years to the Mid 80's. Comp entries  were still the equivalent to £35. Carts though were more expensive. Winchester trap 100s were  £25 per 250. The equivalent of £300 per thou and to be honest even though I was single and had a well paid job it's why I gave up shooting between 1986 and 1995. There were just better sports to do when  considering  cost vs enjoyment. 

 

[jwpzx9r]

When you enter the registered shoot you have a choice of either, targets only, or to enter the competition. Targets only is just that, you just shoot the targets and are not entitled to any prize money. Competition entries are entitled to a share of the prize money. The cost is, in the case now for EJC £40 for targets only, and £45 for competition. The extra £5 goes into the prize pot. The cost only covers the 100 clays, you have to supply your cartridges on top.

To be honest I sympathise with you in respect of the cost of your clays ... that price is robbery. I do have to say though that £5 to enter the competition is a bargain and I envy that! I never have to pay more than €5 for a series of 25 clays either OT or UT so for a hundred targets € 20 and at my own club that would be €14 BUT when it comes to a competition it costs €45 for exactly the same 100 targets ! The cost of cartridges is something that has to be endured they are fundamental to a game I knew was expensive before I started... I could wipe out the price increase and more just by buying a lesser quality cartridge.

I have 4000 cartridges in my workshop and not fired a shot this year yet... I don't know when I will, the COVID restrictions have taken all the social interaction out of shooting so I am not in any hurry.

 

[balltrap]

£45 comp is the norm everywhere in the south now. You need a ferret under your arm, a pint of Tetleys and a flat cap if you want cheaper clays

Ho a little pop at the Northerners, well you know what they say about anybody south of the Watford gap ? 

 

[tiptop]

Ho a little pop at the Northerners, well you know what they say about anybody south of the Watford gap ? 

Not sure it's a pop at Northeners. There is definitely a shooting company that has registered shooting grounds in the south and in the midlands, yet the cost in the South to shoot the same 100 sporting is dearer than in the midlands. How can this be? Maybe there really is a North/South divide still. Boris is going to level it though.

 

[Will Hewland]

Ho a little pop at the Northerners, well you know what they say about anybody south of the Watford gap ? 

We’re not grim?

 

[balltrap]

We’re not grim?

Incorrect answer !

 

[Richard59]

What Ive always found "odd" is a place like Coleys where for quite a while now practice is set at 40pp clay yet their 100 target registered sporting comp you can shoot for £37.00 (37pp clay).

Clay shooting is not a cheap pastime / hobby / sport / obsession, and no despite a few increases I can't see me shooting any less, most probably I will shoot more and more as my years advance.

 

[Doctor Lecter]

clays and cartridges will never go down in price ,  i suppose its personal circumstances as to what you feel comfortable paying ?       prices certainly don't encourage young people ,   that's a shame in my book !!     lots of alternatives to spend your hard earned cash on  ?