Clay pigeon shooting

Clay pigeon shooting lessons in the Cotswolds

If you're looking for a fun and challenging activity to do in the Cotswolds, look no further than clay pigeon shooting! There are plenty of clay pigeon shooting clubs throughout the area that offer beginner lessons, so you can perfect your technique before taking on the more advanced courses.

Clay pigeon shooting is a sport that can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of experience or level of firearms/shotgun knowledge. Here in the Cotswolds, we have some of the best clay pigeon shooting locations in England, and expert instructors are more than happy to teach you the basics of this centuries old sport.

Do I need any prior clay shooting experience?

Absolutely not! In fact, some would say if you have never shot a gun before then you won't have picked up any bad habits or techniques, so starting from scratch with some clay pigeon shooting lessons is an excellent idea.

And there's a lot to learn. Not least the safety aspects of handling a shotgun and shooting. Shotguns are dangerous weapons and learning how to use one safely could save your life and/or someone else's life.

Though if you have shot a gun before, or you've tried clay pigeon shooting, but never had a lessone from a qualified clay pigeon coach then it's not too late to have some lessons. Your coach can take you through the basics and assess your shooting capabilites to see if there's anything you need to change and help you improve your clay shooting.

Many experienced clay pigeon shooters even have lessons now and then. This is a sport where you can always learn and improve.

How much do clay pigeon shooting lessons cost?

Clay pigeon lesson prices vary. Some shooting grounds have different instructor levels and many will offer a discount for a pre-booked block of lessons. For example you may get a discount for booking a block of six shooting lessons.

There are often discounts offered to young shooters or group lessons too. Ask your local shooting school for details.

The cost of clay pigeon shooting lessons will usually include the cost of the shotgun cartridges, the clays, the use of a suitable shotgun and personal protection equipment (PPE) such as ear defenders and safety glasses. But it's worth checking when you book just so you know the full cost of your time shooting.

A one-off lesson lasting about an hour will cost in the region of £50 to £90 including clays and cartridges.

A block of six lessons will cost in the region of £200 to £450 including cartridges and clays.

Some shootng grounds offer taster sessions, often as part of an open day, which may consist of a 30 minute lesson costing around £30. This is a great way to dip your toe in the water to see if clay pigeon shooting is something you're going to enjoy.

At Cotswold Clay Club near Northleach in Gloucestershire, lessons start from £60 per person. This is inclusive of 50 clays, shotgun cartridges, gun hire, tuition and PPE. There are no extra costs unless you wish to shoot more targets.

Clay shooting is a popular Stag or Hen activity and Cotswold Clay Club offers an instructor led shooting experience from £60 per person. For groups larger than 11 people, the Stag or Hen shoots free.

What should I wear when clay pigeon shooting?

Shooting clays isn't as formal as a day shooting game so you won't need to be clad head to toe in tweed!

The ideal clothing will allow you to move freely without restriction. You'll need to be able to point your shotgun up to the sky without your cloting tightening across your chest or shoulders and you'll need to be able to turn freely from side to side as you follow the flight of the clays.

Some sturdy footwear with grippy soles are a must - you don't want to be slipping around or losing your footing with a loaded shotgun in your hand. No flip-flops or sliders, keep them for the beach!

A cap is a good idea, and some grounds actually require you to wear one. Pieces of shattered clay may be raining down from above (assuming you're actually managing to smash them), so a cap will help to protect your head from falling clays.

Your clay shooting lessons will often provide protective eyewear and ear defenders. Just check with them beforehand in case you need to take your own.

Is clay pigeon shooting expensive?

If your lessons go well and you decide to take up clay pigeon shooting you may want to know how much your new hobby is going to cost.

You'll need to apply for a shotgun licence and the cost of this may vary from one licensing area to another. Budget around £80 for your first license, and perhaps £50 when it comes to renewal time.

During your shooting lessons your coach or shooting ground will probably supply a shotgun to use. But if you are taking up clay pigeon shooting then you will need to purchase your own shotgun. There's a huge range of gun sizes (12 bore or gauge, 20 gauge, .410 bore and more), and many gun manufacturers to choose from.

Your shooting ground may well have its owns gun shop where you can be fitted for your shotgun by an expert and given advice on which gun will suit you best. We would always suggest purchasing a used gun as your first gun. This is likely to save you money, and you'll always be able to sell your gun later down the line without too much depreciation.

Ear-defenders can be as simple as a pair of foam ear plugs costing less than a Pound, a pair of custom moulded ear defenders made just for your own ears, or over-ear defenders with electronic noise cancellation and "hear through" technology so that you can hold a normal conversation without removing your hearing protection.

As when choosing your first gun, you may wish to choose some simple plugs first, and then upgrade as you become more serious about clay shooting.

And that brings us to the cost of going on a practise shoot. Most grounds have introduced "self serve" systems in recent years whereby you are given some form of card or electronic tag which to present to a reader at each clay stand. This records the number of clays you have faced so that you can be charged per clay at the end of your session. This type of system means you don't have to be accompanied on your shooting round. Expect to pay around 40p to 50p per clay.

Alternatively, your local groud may offer something like a 50 or 100 target sporting clay course where you take it in turns to shoot with other participants. Expect to pay from £15 per round for this type of shooting activity.