Ask the Experts - Flint and Partners

ASK THE EXPERTS
in association with
ASK THE
Experts
OUR PANEL OF EXPERTS TACKLES YOUR TRICKY CLAY SHOOTING QUERIES
I recently underwent shoulder
surgery and although I have
had the all clear to shoot again, as
a precaution I want to get a recoil
reducer fitted. I know there are quite
a few on the market to choose from
(Isis, Gracoil and Jim Spalding’s to
name a few) but was wondering if you
had any experience of them and if one
performed better than the rest.
Chris, by email
It’s a really
sensible
idea to have a
recoil reducing
unit fitted to your
gun, to enable
you to make a
gentle return and
see how things
go.
All those
you mention
have been around
for many years
and do provide a
benefit: which will
work best for you is
not possible to say as
we all react differently
to recoil impulse. This
impulse itself is far
more complex than the
EXPERT
Send your questions to: asktheexperts@blazepublishing.co.uk
A
16 CLAY SHOOTING
RICHARD ATKINS
simple description that we shooters
generally apply to it when calling it
‘kick’: it comprises several components
with different peaks of pressure and
rearward velocity within it, so what suits
one person best may not be the ideal
solution for another.
However, any device that
incorporates a means of reducing the
initial recoil impulse by lowering its
peak value will almost certainly help
anyone suffering from excess recoil or,
as in your case, needing to protect an
already damaged shoulder. It’s likely that
devices with some form of hydraulic or
pneumatic compression facility (or both)
and preferably with some adjustment
so the unit can be fine-tuned to you,
your build, the weight of your gun and
cartridges you use, should prove most
beneficial. Studying those you mention
on their manufacturers’ websites will
provide these details.
I do have shooting acquaintances
I’ve known for many years who use such
a device and whose views I respect.
Two of them, Carl Bloxham and Joe
Kitson, both use the Danuser Counter
Coil system. This uses a hydraulic
cylinder between two thin plates and is
adjustable. Both have used the Counter
Coil for around 10 years and clearly rate
them. Both are extremely successful
shooters and each has commented
Richard has been shooting clays
since the early 1960s. He is a prolific
author of articles on shotguns,
cartridges and technique and is the
technical editor of Clay Shooting
magazine.
EXPERT
Q
that picking up the second targets is
made easier due to the reduced head
displacement on recoil with the Counter
Coil device fitted, so maybe more people
could benefit from using them and not
wait until a shoulder problem arises!
I would also suggest using 21-gram
cartridges initially, as they produce
much reduced momentum (recoil)
figures. Take extra care to ensure that
you mount the gun in the ‘pocket’ of
your shoulder, as this will help absorb
the recoil forces more evenly through
your shoulder and a well-fitted shockabsorbing sorbothane butt-pad such as
a Kick-Eez may also help with this.
If fitting a recoil reducing device
does not make shooting sufficiently
comfortable, then you might want to
consider a gas operated semi-auto,
as these are usually softer shooting
and can also be fitted with recoil
reducing devices for ultra-soft shooting
characteristics.
Brierley Guns import and distribute
the Danuser Counter Coil and will
happily take the time to talk it through
with you. Their number is 01384
573410. Or hang on until next month’s
issue for a detailed feature on different
recoil reducing products available on
the market.
RICHARD ATKINS
STUART FARR
Stuart is a partner in the dispute
resolution team at Laytons Solicitors,
Manchester. He is an enthusiastic
clay shooter and a member of the
CPSA. Email him at Stuart.Farr@
laytons.com or phone 01612 141600.
ASK THE EXPERTS
in association with
I am a rough shooter recently
turned clay shooter and this
year I thought it would be nice to add a
new tradition to my winter calendar by
attending a Christmas ‘Turkey Shoot’ at
my local clay pigeon club. I gather it’s
usually a 50-bird Sporting affair with
prizes and some festive treats such
as mince pies and a glass of warming
punch thrown in. Now I am, of course,
aware that with game shooting there is
an amount of tradition and etiquette to
learn (often something to do with ‘rs’ in
the month and such like) but I am not
sure whether there is something similar
for these types of festive shooting events
in the world of clay shooting. Please can
you advise?
Carl, Jersey
A
Although clay shooting has been
around for a long time, it is a
highly sociable sport in so many ways
and so doesn’t carry with it many of
the ‘quirky’ traditions we commonly
associate with other forms of shooting.
Q
I’ve recently started to shoot Skeet
and I’m having real problems with
High Two. It seems so fast and beats me
every time, which is really frustrating. Is
there any advice or tips you can offer me?
Dan, Cheltenham
EXPERT
This is all to do with your hold point.
This is the point the gun starts from
when you’re ready to call for the target. The
reason you’re having difficultly is likely to
be because your hold point is too close in
to the High House.
If you are too close in, the target will
beat you every time causing you to rush
the shot and lose control with no time for
recovery. You need to work on fine-tuning
your hold point. Start by moving it out just
LESLEY GODDARD
a faction at a time until the shot becomes
less rushed and it’s a smooth, controlled
movement to the target. Be aware not to
move out too far. This will cause you to
have to wait for the target with a dead gun
generating zero movement, ending up
with you missing the target behind.
Also make sure that your muzzles are
not too high when
fine-tuning your hold
point. You must have
clear vision of the
target, otherwise this
can hinder your target
acquisition, which
in turn affects your
response. Make sure
your muzzles are just
Lesley has been a feature of the Trap
shooting circuit for 20 years. Having
retired in 2009 ranked world number one,
she is now coaching with her skills and
experience in sports psychology.
www.lesleygoddard.com
men over the age of 14 to practise with
a long bow for at least two hours a
day (including Christmas Day) so as
well as your 12-bore and cartridges, I
recommend that you take your bow and
quiver just in case!
Please do not, however, seek to
celebrate Christmas by firing a cannon
close to a dwelling house. Such activities
were made unlawful in 1839.
Have a great Christmas and good
luck to all of you in your shooting
activities in the New Year!
STUART FARR
underneath the flight line of the target.
Remember High Two is a commitment
and you don’t get a second chance
with this target, so make sure your hold
point is correct before you call – above all
trust yourself!
DAVE BEARDSMORE
DAVE BEARDSMORE
Dave is a top international Skeet coach as
well as still shooting competitively as one
of the top Skeet shooters in the world.
Contact Dave for advice and lessons at
davebeardsmore@blueyonder.co.uk or
phone him on 07841 046606
CLAY SHOOTING 17
Send your questions to: asktheexperts@blazepublishing.co.uk
A
I did wonder, however, whether there was
a particular reason why local clay shoots
traditionally take place on Boxing Day. I
don’t believe there is any particular legal
implication, although it is, of course,
well known that the Sporting calendar
is generally packed with activity on the
Boxing Day bank holiday.
Thankfully though, your intended
event isn’t going to occur on Christmas
Day itself because, as far as I am aware,
it is still unlawful to eat mince pies on
that day because of a law intended to
combat gluttony, which was introduced
by Oliver Cromwell in the 17th Century.
The law was never repealed.
Apparently, Queen Elizabeth I also
enacted a law in 1588 which made it an
offence to eat any bird other than goose
on Christmas Day. That might have
scuppered the turkey element of your
Christmas shooting event, had it not
been for the fact that it is to be held on
the bank holiday.
Don’t forget also that it is still a
legal requirement in England for all
EXPERT
Q
ASK THE EXPERTS
in association with
Q
I have only been clay shooting for
14 weeks and am trying to get my
head round the different chokes for the
different disciplines and distances. I am
told that the difference between lead and
steel shot matters greatly with the choke
patterns, so I feel I am going down a blind
alley. Is there any ‘rule of thumb’ info
about chokes because I am beginning to
wish I hadn’t bought a multi-choke gun!
Geoff Allen, Leicester
PS I love your magazine, which I found on
the shelf at my local newsagents.
A
Firstly, why are you using
steel? As a rule of thumb it is
recommended not to use anything tighter
than half-choke for steel shot because of
the possibility of internal barrel damage
but a lot of shooting grounds do not
allow the use of steel at all, because
of the risk of ricochets off hard objects
such as stones or even clays. They also
incorporate plastic wads and cannot be
used on fibre wad only grounds.
Gun owners used to test their guns
on a pattern plate to find out which
make of cartridge patterned the best.
These days ordinary shooters are more
inclined to shoot the cartridges that suit
their pocket or are most readily available.
That’s fine because the performance
capabilities of most cartridges are
equal to, if not better than, the skills
of the shooters using them, especially
with new shooters.
Choke only becomes really
important once the shooter’s
performance becomes consistent
and then he or she needs either a
tighter or more open pattern for
specific targets. Quarter- and halfchokes would be a good place to
start from for Sporting clays. Skeet
shooting is usually carried out with
open chokes and small shot (9s) for a
dense pattern at close range and Trap
shooting disciplines with something
like three-quarter and full-choke with
bigger shot (6, 7 or 7 ½), to break
clays at longer distances. However,
a visit to a shooting instructor might
help even more, rather than risk
getting into bad habits and thinking
a change of chokes will solve your
problems.
Q
If
sport
psychology
had been
used with the
British Olympic
shooting team
in Beijing would they
have had more success?
Jenny, Southampton
EXPERT
Send your questions to: asktheexperts@blazepublishing.co.uk
CHRIS MILES
18 CLAY SHOOTING
CHRIS MILES
A
Yes, without a doubt, although
there are some other factors to
consider too.
Some shooters may have been
consulting with a sport psychologist
and as a result produced a personal
best performance, but I am not privy to
any information about that.
LESLEY GODDARD
Chris has been an instructor for 24 years
and specialises in Sporting clays, game
shooting and gun fitting. He is a fellow of
the Association of Professional Shooting
Instructors and also a staff tutor.
www.executivedays.co.uk
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