Orston

[shaun4860]

Should have posted this last week,

 

Our club had a visit to Orston last Saturday, (5th August) and a thoroughly good time was had by all.......again,

 

It's the third time our club has been and my fifth, but the first since it has changed hands,

 

New owners are a very friendly couple who have continued Orstons very good set up,

 

They now have 100 bird Sporting (50 Sporting also available) on on Saturdays whereas Charlie and Linda only used to put on 50 Sporting on Saturdays, leaving the 100 Sporting for Sundays,

 

They still have Sport Trap, Skeet, DTL and Olympic Trench

 

Also a simulated game set up, ( I didn't get that far round) and an Air Rifle range which looked like fun

 

They now use a clay counter system which is a credit card type, this worked very well and I suppose it keeps staff costs down.

 

For those with walking problems you can now hire the golf buggies at £5 per hour which is a good idea.

 

Just thought I would post this in case anyone fancies going and wondered what it was like

 

[matone]

Is the sporting course a tough one Shaun ?

[shaun4860]

It's not silly tough,

 

It may be harder in a competition but there are some testing targets but it's how you read them, it's angles and speed rather than distance,

 

The Sportrap however is frustrating, again not silly hard but very addictive.....you can spend a lot of money and cartridges chasing a score.

 

As I said, lovely ground and nice people

 

[Guest stevo]

Since Charlie and rob left its nowhere as hard. Some stands are way too easy and a good. Few of the better shot have been moaning about it.

Ps. It's my practice ground for UT along with Beverly so I'm at either one every weekend.

Personally if I was a sporting shooter don't think I would be moaning much about easy targets haha but the top sporting boys want it as a training ground as well to prep for the big comps. So I can see why they want challenging targets.

Edited August 15, 2016 by stevo

[shaun4860]

But surely they have to cater for everyone?

 

You can't run a ground that only caters for the top shots,

 

If I was going to a ground but could only hit say 40% of the targets because the "better" shots wanted harder and harder targets just so they could get practise in then I would soon be looking elsewhere,

 

Me and our club visit these clubs for the day out and the craic, we enjoy the visits and the fact we can hit some of the targets,

 

We have people of all abilities at the club so we cater for all, that's what the big grounds need to do if they wish to stay in business

 

[Guest stevo]

But surely they have to cater for everyone?

 

You can't run a ground that only caters for the top shots,

 

If I was going to a ground but could only hit say 40% of the targets because the "better" shots wanted harder and harder targets just so they could get practise in then I would soon be looking elsewhere,

 

Me and our club visit these clubs for the day out and the craic, we enjoy the visits and the fact we can hit some of the targets,

 

We have people of all abilities at the club so we cater for all, that's what the big grounds need to do if they wish to stay in business

 

My post ment to say I wouldn't be moaning about easy targets.

 

I know what you saying. But Orston 100 bird Reg shoots have always had a rep for being very stiff birds. When Charlie had it you could only do the 50 birds on prctice days. The other half of the. Course was only open on the Sunday for the Reg shoot.

Dean ( deer shooter ) would bet the best man to confirm this as he works there.

I don't shoot sporting so I'm just relaying the chat I have herd.

I for one love going to Orston. It's like a day out haha

Edited August 15, 2016 by stevo

[Sian]

I have just taken a look at the last few ESP reg scores for Orston and I don't know who the top boys would be that are moaning because the top boys on that list are getting just about what they would get and some a little lower than I would expect but we all have our off days. I would say they probably "score wise" seem to be setting it right. I do visit Orston now and again (being from down South) and I have experienced both owners' shoots. I would say both were good and definitely the new owner knows his stuff. The last one I attended was a good course with a few stands that sorted out the classes. What I would say and its only a little criticism there is so much they could do with that land in terms of shooting stands in different places and it would be good to see a fitasc there.

[Guest stevo]

I have just taken a look at the last few ESP reg scores for Orston and I don't know who the top boys would be that are moaning because the top boys on that list are getting just about what they would get and some a little lower than I would expect but we all have our off days. I would say they probably "score wise" seem to be setting it right. I do visit Orston now and again (being from down South) and I have experienced both owners' shoots. I would say both were good and definitely the new owner knows his stuff. The last one I attended was a good course with a few stands that sorted out the classes. What I would say and its only a little criticism there is so much they could do with that land in terms of shooting stands in different places and it would be good to see a fitasc there.

You could very well be right. You will always get people moaning normally about nothing. ( us trap shooters don't moan haha )

 

Any how they are doing Fitasc practice in the next few weeks. Don't quote me on it but I seem to have 50 bird in my head. It will be good anyway.

[shaun4860]

What I would say and its only a little criticism there is so much they could do with that land in terms of shooting stands in different places and it would be good to see a fitasc there.

It is a lovely setting and as you say it leaves it open to so much more,

 

What I would say is give them time.

 

And you are right, It would be nice to see some FITASC there,

 

Up North we don't see a lot of it, (Proper North, not Midlands North )

 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

The FITASC practice is available either with instruction or without, in blocks of 25 birds.

 

A cracking ground and as for the reputation of the stiff sporting targets, I have not yet seen any straights posted.

[shaun4860]

The FITASC practice is available either with instruction or without, in blocks of 25 birds.

 

A cracking ground and as for the reputation of the stiff sporting targets, I have not yet seen any straights posted.

Where was that?

 

When we asked what was available to shoot FITASC wasn't mentioned

 

I found the targets ok, not silly hard but not silly easy either, a good mixture

 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Shaun

 

This is from their Website;

 

Our clay pigeon disciplines are available for practice three days a week which include sportrap, skeet, English sporting, FITASC, A.B.T. (Automatic Ball Trap), D.T.L. (Down The Line), Double Rise, Double Trap and Universal Trench. All of the shooting disciplines are setup and regularly checked in accordance with the C.P.S.A. recommendations.

 

Here is a link to the site;

 

http://www.orston.com/

[chesterse]

Where was that?

When we asked what was available to shoot FITASC wasn't mentioned

I found the targets ok, not silly hard but not silly easy either, a good mixture

The FITASC sporting practice is a very recent introduction and I believe is situated on the far side of the ground near the pond.

Saw when I was there at the weekend that they are now opening on a Thursday and Friday as well as the usual Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

As regards that difficulty on the sporting I think that when the new owners took over it was as difficult as as when Charlie had it but the last couple of shoots I've shot there have been easier but still a good round.

They new owners seem to be willing to put new things on and change the targets every week. They are also investing in the infrastructure with new outdoor seating and from what I hear new traps etc.

[shaun4860]

Shaun

 

This is from their Website;

 

Our clay pigeon disciplines are available for practice three days a week which include sportrap, skeet, English sporting, FITASC, A.B.T. (Automatic Ball Trap), D.T.L. (Down The Line), Double Rise, Double Trap and Universal Trench. All of the shooting disciplines are setup and regularly checked in accordance with the C.P.S.A. recommendations.

 

Here is a link to the site;

 

http://www.orston.com/

On the Saturday we were there it was simulated game shooting up by the pond,

 

There wasn't Double rise nor Double Trap on when we were there either,

 

But, the whole point of me starting this thread was to sing its praises and I still stand by that,

 

It's a fantastic ground and if the PW Charity shoot goes there again we will all have a great time

 

[matone]

Thanks Shaun,yourself and other posts have answered my question.I had heard it was silly hard but obviously it is sensibly set at present.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Amen to that!

[Guest stevo]

Anyone who goes to orston will NOT be disappointed that's for sure. I can only speak from the trap side of things. But the UT is wicked good. As good as Beverly.

With regards the other shooters there. I have made a lot of great mates there. Always a good laugh and great atmosphere.

 

Oh and the breakfast is bang on 👍

[bunnykiller]

Where was that?

When we asked what was available to shoot FITASC wasn't mentioned

I found the targets ok, not silly hard but not silly easy either, a good mixture

 

There was fitasc on when we were there Shamus. Blackie and beef shot it, it was up by the driven.

[shaun4860]

There was fitasc on when we were there Shamus. Blackie and beef shot it, it was up by the driven.

Now he tells me

 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Well, having sung the praises of Orston Shooting Ground and its new owners, we turned up today to a very poorly run 100 bird World Sporting Competition.

 

We booked in and were told to go to the first stand and shoot and then a scorer would take us through the next two stands and we would then move on to each pair of stands with a different scorer.

 

We were expressly told to work through consecutively. This we did and at stand three we gained an extra shooter and became a squad of three.

 

We worked our way around being held up by other shooters who failed to heed the request.

 

£40 for a ramshackle shoot was very poor, especially as the shoots we have been to recently were so well run.

 

When a group of us raised this with the owner he was dismissive of our concerns and even told a friend of mine that if he didn't like it to not bother coming back!

 

So we may well take his advice.

[shaun4860]

Thats a shame,

 

Never been there for a competition,

 

Essex Masters works quite well with everyone starting at the same stand 1 at timed intervals,

 

Smaller squads will always catch up the larger ones but if people are stand jumping then they should have been told

 

[deershooter]

I herd this type of scoring was going to take place on Friday morning and just as I expected it didn't work ,why mend some thimg that isn't broke . It's like they don't want us club shooters just the posh tweed corporate do's

[jasper682]

Dan has employed this system with some success at his old ground , Prescott. But this was with very limited numbers. No one queue jumping then . Maybe bit more impatient up that way. also keeps cost down for the ground , although these seldom seem to be passed on to the shooter.

Edited August 23, 2016 by jasper682

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Jasper, do you know the owner?

 

He doesn't like to be told how poorly run it is, the poor chap from World Sporting took quite an ear bashing over the whole sorry affair too.

 

I can't see it continuing if it is not better run.

[Sian]

I have to say this is out of character I think for the new owner and with regard to the way you follow the shoot, I have been to quite a few large shoots now where they have done it this way and so long as people actually abide by the order and not do their own thing it has worked very well.