Copyright 2005 CPSA

The CPSA Clay Target Shooters

Handbook

The Official Guide

Compiled and Edited

by

C. Stewart Meinert

The CPSA Clay Target Shooters Handbook

Copyright 2005 CPSA ii

Copyright 2005 CPSA iii

Published by

The Clay Pigeon Shooting Association

Copyright CPSA 2005 First Edition 2006

The CPSA has asserted its rights to be identified as the authors of this work in accordance with the Copyright,

Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, by photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the Publishers. This book

may not be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise disposed of by way of trade in any form other than that in which

it was published, without the prior written consent of the Publishers.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN-10: 0-9552221-0-9 ISBN-13: 978-0-9552221-0-8

Printed in Great Britain by Red Eye Print Ltd.

The CPSA Clay Target Shooters Handbook

iv Copyright 2005 CPSA

Copyright 2005 CPSA v

Contents

CONTENTS .................................................................................................................................................... V LIST OF FIGURES..................................................................................................................................... VII INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... IX A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CPSA...........................................................................................................XI 1. GETTING STARTED..............................................................................................................................1-1

Start Right with a CPSA Instructor or Coach ............................................................................................. 1-1 The Legal and Security Issues of Owning a Shotgun ................................................................................. 1-1 Shotguns ..................................................................................................................................................... 1-2 The Gun Shop ............................................................................................................................................. 1-7 Shotgun Cleaning and Maintenance ........................................................................................................... 1-8 Clothing and Accessories.......................................................................................................................... 1-10

2. CARTRIDGES, CHOKES, TRAPS AND TARGETS .........................................................................2-1 Cartridges.................................................................................................................................................... 2-1 Choke.......................................................................................................................................................... 2-2 Targets ........................................................................................................................................................ 2-5 Traps ........................................................................................................................................................... 2-6

3. SHOTGUN ETIQUETTE AND RANGE SAFETY ..............................................................................3-1 CPSA's 10 Key Safety Points for Clay Target Shooters ............................................................................. 3-1 Range Safety ............................................................................................................................................... 3-2 Proof of Shotguns and Small Arms............................................................................................................. 3-3 Shotgun Handling and Safety ..................................................................................................................... 3-5 Cartridge Safety and Barrel Blockages ....................................................................................................... 3-8 Personal Saftey Equipment ....................................................................................................................... 3-10 CPSA Safety Rules ................................................................................................................................... 3-13

4. GUN FIT AND MASTER EYE ...............................................................................................................4-1 Gun fit ......................................................................................................................................................... 4-1 Eye Dominance........................................................................................................................................... 4-3 Using a Pattern Plate................................................................................................................................... 4-4

5. SHOOTING TECHNIQUE .....................................................................................................................5-1 Set-up.......................................................................................................................................................... 5-1 Technique ................................................................................................................................................... 5-4 Methods of Applying Forward Allowance ................................................................................................. 5-5 Putting it Together ...................................................................................................................................... 5-6 Shooting Errors ........................................................................................................................................... 5-7

6. CLASSIFICATION AND SHOOTING PROCEDURES .....................................................................6-1 Classification .............................................................................................................................................. 6-1 Practice ....................................................................................................................................................... 6.1 Registered Shoots ....................................................................................................................................... 6-2 Major Competitions or Championships ...................................................................................................... 6-2 Control, Calls and Scoring.......................................................................................................................... 6-2

7. CLAY TARGET DISCIPLINES.............................................................................................................7-1 Trap Disciplines.......................................................................................................................................... 7-1 Sight Picture, Trap Targets ....................................................................................................................... 7-12 Skeet Disciplines....................................................................................................................................... 7-13 Sporting Disciplines.................................................................................................................................. 7-18 Sight Picture, Sporting Targets ................................................................................................................. 7-23 Helice (ZZ) ............................................................................................................................................... 7-25 Other General Rules.................................................................................................................................. 7-28 Non Affiliated Disciplines ........................................................................................................................ 7-29

The CPSA Clay Target Shooters Handbook

vi Copyright 2005 CPSA

8. QUALIFIED INSTRUCTION................................................................................................................. 8-1

Instruction................................................................................................................................................... 8-1 The CPSA Coaching Scheme ..................................................................................................................... 8-1 Some Final Thoughts .................................................................................................................................. 8-1 Shooter's Excuses ....................................................................................................................................... 8-2

9. APPENDIX 1 - GLOSSARY ................................................................................................................... 9-1 Shooting Terminology .............................................................................