Where to practise

Never was much of a shotgun guy but I'm starting to love it from reading books and watching the odd to show on it. Seems like an art all of its own. I got myself a nice mossberg pump action 12g pretty sweet all rounder but I've not even got round to shooting it yet.

My options seem to be a target club (last one I went too gave me a gun to shoot there and then but told me to buy a UO semi to join up which I don't really wanna do.

I don't really wanna practise at the lakes and such mostly not wanting to annoy people out actually hunting.

I just wanna practise shooting the thing a wee bit. Maybe knocking on doors just outta town and see if a farmer will let me?

Dunno. Where did you all start if you didn't grow up on big farms.

Many thanks

find a sporting clays club, ask if they have club guns.....................join. Shoot one of theirs for a bit
A pump is ok but you soon get tried of picking up empties, ditto a semi auto.
You will only be able to load 2 shots anyway at most clubs (for safety) so a pump (or semi) is not really any advantage

@charlie1991 I was lucky and grew up on a farm.
But once I moved to England there was no place to practice so I had to join a club or at least go along to clay grounds to practice.
You don’t need to buy an under and over. But I would recommend buying a chamber flag & a magnetic stick to pick up your spent cases. Nothing worse imo than coming to a clay stand where someone has left there spent cartridges all over the shop.
Chamber flag is to show that the gun is unloaded. Also a slip so that you can walk between the stands with the gun slipped.

For door knocking yes go for it. But make sure that it’s not in the spring calving time if a dairy farm. Also horse studs would be out.
Be clean shaven and cover any tattoos. Don’t use there driveway as a speedway. Be polite thank you etc. Before hand be prepared write down on a few cards what you will do. Ask the farmer to show you around when they have time, ask where he/she wants you to shoot and NOT shoot.
When you do get that permission always call ahead. Also if you spot something amiss on the land let them know. This will cement the relationship.

Now clubs aren’t such a bad thing. I shoot way better now than I ever did bumbling around on the farm back home. You will pick up good habits and learn a lot about sight pictures and good practice. Yep there can be dicks but most are good buggers that are just there to shoot clays.
Don’t worry to much about your pump action. If you have the chamber flag and magnet stick you will be fine.

Good luck

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sideshow

@charlie1991 I was lucky and grew up on a farm.
But once I moved to England there was no place to practice so I had to join a club or at least go along to clay grounds to practice.
You don’t need to buy an under and over. But I would recommend buying a chamber flag & a magnetic stick to pick up your spent cases. Nothing worse imo than coming to a clay stand where someone has left there spent cartridges all over the shop.
Chamber flag is to show that the gun is unloaded. Also a slip so that you can walk between the stands with the gun slipped.

For door knocking yes go for it. But make sure that it’s not in the spring calving time if a dairy farm. Also horse studs would be out.
Be clean shaven and cover any tattoos. Don’t use there driveway as a speedway. Be polite thank you etc. Before hand be prepared write down on a few cards what you will do. Ask the farmer to show you around when they have time, ask where he/she wants you to shoot and NOT shoot.
When you do get that permission always call ahead. Also if you spot something amiss on the land let them know. This will cement the relationship.

Now clubs aren’t such a bad thing. I shoot way better now than I ever did bumbling around on the farm back home. You will pick up good habits and learn a lot about sight pictures and good practice. Yep there can be dicks but most are good buggers that are just there to shoot clays.
Don’t worry to much about your pump action. If you have the chamber flag and magnet stick you will be fine.

Good luck

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Cheers seems like good honest info. Yeah I'm lucky to live somewhere with a good community and local farms so fingers crossed aye.

A clubs not so bad I guess and your right could really hone skills maybe just the one I went too wasn't so friendly haha.

Thanks

Most people buy a gun when they know what animal/sport they want to shoot and buy the appropriate firearm to do they job they want, not buy a gun first without knowing what to shoot with it.

What have you bought it for, to shoot rabbits, hares, ducks etc, or to take to a range and perfect the art of clay bird shooting. Once you know what to do with it, that should answer your question for you.

Want to go after game, look for a good farm with bunnies on it, and ask the farmer nicely (like a good responsible firearms owner should), if you want to bust some clay birds, join a club. At least at a club some of the more experienced shooters will be more than willing to help you and give you age old tips to help perfect your technique.

You will get enough practice doing both.

Personally, I think as it sounds like you have little to no experience, your best bet is at a range in a controlled environment with others to help you until you become confident and comfortable handing and shooting your gun safely.

The very best of luck to you, remember your 7 golden rules.

Another couple of things to add to sides shows post.

Don't expect to shoot on the same day that you ask.

Offer to help out with hay carting,wood splitting etc,if you have a skill or a trade offer to fix something.

Years ago me and a mate had a great relationship with an Elderly farmer,we got his hay in and fixed his old Bedford and as a result had permission to shoot his entire Hill Farm,one of the nicest farms I have ever been on.

cheers norsk, makes sense to offer to help out and do a bit of work for them too. good tip. Ill talk to a few of the community and get into it :)