raistrick Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Hi Guys, At the moment my university club commute from Bristol centre to a couple of grounds around 50 mins away (on average) down in Somerset, that have always been great to us. However, with costs increasing all the time, student fees increasing, fewer people being available to drive and with the time it takes to commute, we're wondering if there was anywhere closer that we could go on a fairly regular basis? We don't want to break ties with any of the clubs we work with at the moment, but a ground close by - no matter how basic! - would be ideal for us to use at weekends, or of spring/summer evenings and some afternoons. I know there are lots of places that do corporate shoots near Bristol, but I wasn't sure whether they would be keen on giving any of their downtime over to a growing university club? We could even get a grant for a couple of our own traps if we could find anyone who would give us permission to use their land (farm, quarry, anything) - but I've no idea how I could begin to set this up. Does anyone know of anywhere suitable? Does anyone have any ideas on how I could best help this club develop? We're not short on numbers, with around 200 people signing up every year and around 50-60 shooting over the first few weeks, to around 40 fully paid members and 20 regulars. We suspect many are put off by the cost and lack of flexibility. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniel Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Hi Not sure about the down time etc but you could always visit Pete Rawlings at the Valley shoot, on the Chippenham road as i know he does corporate days but also holds shoots every other Sunday. I have not got his contact details but im sure if you ventured up there he would be about... Bistol/Chippenham road, half way up you come to Shoe, turn left just before the garage and he is along the lane , think its 2nd turning on your RHS, go along there about 200 yds and you will see the car park entrance on your right...he will be through the gate and down the slope in his portacabin Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SidneyG Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 This probably isnt much help, and doesnt adresse the issues, but do you ever shoot at South Wales 2000 shooting ground? Its about 45 miles from bristol, but I know they cater for Cardiff uni club. If you do have potentially large groups they can certainly cater for you, and a little chat with Mr and Mrs Amodeo about the situation MAY get a reduced bulk student deal, especially if you shoot during the week. Doens'nt help with the travelling problem I know, but it is an excellent ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raistrick Posted March 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Cheers, saw Cardiff uni people last week. We shot with them at Litts though. We will go to South Wales 2000! It's on the to-do list HiNot sure about the down time etc but you could always visit Pete Rawlings at the Valley shoot, on the Chippenham road as i know he does corporate days but also holds shoots every other Sunday. I have not got his contact details but im sure if you ventured up there he would be about... Bistol/Chippenham road, half way up you come to Shoe, turn left just before the garage and he is along the lane , think its 2nd turning on your RHS, go along there about 200 yds and you will see the car park entrance on your right...he will be through the gate and down the slope in his portacabin Cheers When you say Bristol/Chippenham Road do you mean the A420? I'm sure I've driven by Shoe before (am from Chippenham myself) but can't picture where it is! Can't find it on google maps either... keep getting shops. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexm Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Are you with BUCPC per chance? In halls of residence? Now your other thread about not keeping the gun where you live makes sense! Anyway, small world! I was one of the people who originally took the club to Mendip SG back when he was still building the ground. Before that we exclusively went to Litts. We too looked long and hard at the time for nearer venues but there was nowhere close that wasn't affected by the 28 day rule and therefore couldn't offer regular shooting on a Weds. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raistrick Posted March 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Are you with BUCPC per chance? In halls of residence? Now your other thread about not keeping the gun where you live makes sense! Anyway, small world! I was one of the people who originally took the club to Mendip SG back when he was still building the ground. Before that we exclusively went to Litts. We too looked long and hard at the time for nearer venues but there was nowhere close that wasn't affected by the 28 day rule and therefore couldn't offer regular shooting on a Weds. Alex Hall Tutor. *sigh* and a nervy magistrate for a warden... Also this year's treasurer and next year's club chairman. Ah, you may be just the man to give us some info on how old the club is, we've no idea! A year would really be good for our logo! Think the club has fluctuated in popularity and debt in the last 4 years, but right now we're doing rather well and have enough in social fund for a shiny new gun (we could do with another 20 bore for the girls, so perhaps planning on begging alumni or getting sponsorship). By the by, alumni are always welcome to get in touch and come shoot - UBCSC. BUCS even have a graduates tournament at the nationals from this year. What's the 28 day rule? :S I asked Adventure001... but so far haven't had a reply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniel Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Cheers, saw Cardiff uni people last week. We shot with them at Litts though. We will go to South Wales 2000! It's on the to-do list When you say Bristol/Chippenham Road do you mean the A420? I'm sure I've driven by Shoe before (am from Chippenham myself) but can't picture where it is! Can't find it on google maps either... keep getting shops. Thanks! Up the A420 to the top of tog hill and you come to the large roundabout to turn right to Bath Straight across and you will go pass Marshfield, then the roads starts to bend round and down slightly and you will come to a small cross roads with a garage/car forecourt on you right hand side...right turn on the crossroads will take you to the RAF base, but you take the left turn. when the shoot is on a Sunday there will be a small sign up on the junction saying The Valley Shoot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raistrick Posted March 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Up the A420 to the top of tog hill and you come to the large roundabout to turn right to BathStraight across and you will go pass Marshfield, then the roads starts to bend round and down slightly and you will come to a small cross roads with a garage/car forecourt on you right hand side...right turn on the crossroads will take you to the RAF base, but you take the left turn. when the shoot is on a Sunday there will be a small sign up on the junction saying The Valley Shoot Great stuff. Ah, might know a person here... Since I know a public sector tech company in Marshfield very well Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexm Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Ah, you may be just the man to give us some info on how old the club is, we've no idea! A year would really be good for our logo! Good question! Well I joined in 1993 and I know for a fact that it had been going at least 2 or 3 years before that but by the time I was on the committee there was very little paperwork left from earlier days. I am still in touch with some committee members who were there before me, I'll ask them when I see them! Think the club has fluctuated in popularity and debt in the last 4 years, but right now we're doing rather well and have enough in social fund for a shiny new gun (we could do with another 20 bore for the girls, so perhaps planning on begging alumni or getting sponsorship). By the by, alumni are always welcome to get in touch and come shoot - UBCSC. BUCS even have a graduates tournament at the nationals from this year. Good to see it's still going strong, although when did the name go PC and get changed from Clay Pigeon Club to Clay Shooting Club? We used to get creative with the AU grant application so that we could afford to take as many people to the nationals as possible. We used to enter a Men's A, B, Ladies and sometimes an alumni's team, although they started getting funny about the alumni team at one stage. Good to see it's back though, there are quite a few of us about! What's the 28 day rule? :S It's a planning constraint on shoots that don't have planning permission. Effectively this is why small shoots only shoot once every 2 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniel Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Great stuff. Ah, might know a person here... Since I know a public sector tech company in Marshfield very well Cheers! Think i know the one you are talking about as we have a contract with them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raistrick Posted March 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Good question! Well I joined in 1993 and I know for a fact that it had been going at least 2 or 3 years before that but by the time I was on the committee there was very little paperwork left from earlier days. I am still in touch with some committee members who were there before me, I'll ask them when I see them! Please do, it would be really good to know. 1993 is far earlier than we expected! What guns did you have? We've still got a beretta essential and a beretta ultralight (both rarely used). We had a member last year with rather a lot of money, so we have 6 beretta 686 E's that we got donated brand new, a beretta semi-auto (rarely used) and a silver pigeon 20bore. Previous committee seemed quite obsessed with having berettas and turned their nose up when I bought my cynergy. How did you guys go about buying cartridges? Did you have anywhere you could store in bulk? Good to see it's still going strong, although when did the name go PC and get changed from Clay Pigeon Club to Clay Shooting Club? We used to get creative with the AU grant application so that we could afford to take as many people to the nationals as possible. We used to enter a Men's A, B, Ladies and sometimes an alumni's team, although they started getting funny about the alumni team at one stage. Good to see it's back though, there are quite a few of us about! I think for a long while nobody ever called it anything other than "UoB Shooting Club", so I'll confess to having just thrown UBCSC on the website - but that's about the only place you'll see it. We're probably going to have air pistol shooters joining the club next year. There appears to be a lot of girls interested in modern pentathlon who want to find somewhere to practice. Since they can shoot for around a fiver at Mendip, I said we'd accommodate them. That's sort of why we've stuck to just Shooting Club as a name, to make sure we look prepared to expand. Just a shame we can't find a ground really close by. There's plenty of countryside. I've heard there are places over in Portishead/WSM (perhaps corporate) and some in South Gloucestershire, but unable to find out much detail. The police officer who signed off my certificate claimed they used to do clay shooting on the portway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T.C. Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Best of luck from an old graduate ( 1973) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raistrick Posted March 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Best of luck from an old graduate ( 1973) Woah, hold on... were you in the university shooting club in 1973?! I'm keen to know when the club started because, well, if there is one thing the modern university is lacking it's a sense of where they came from and tradition. Bristol is having its centenary this year and I think in the spirit of that it would be really good to add some history and testimonials from previous club members to the website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T.C. Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 (edited) Sorry Raistrick , we did not have a shooting club when I was there (1968-1973). Despite that we still managed to have a lot of fun ! By the way , have you tried contacting the Young Farmers Club to see if they will help you out with some land . With that comes a club house and storage facilities. http://www.nfyfc.org.uk/contact.html http://www.somersetyfc.org.uk/ Pm me if you need advice. Edited March 23, 2009 by T.C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexm Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Please do, it would be really good to know. 1993 is far earlier than we expected! What guns did you have? We've still got a beretta essential and a beretta ultralight (both rarely used). We had a member last year with rather a lot of money, so we have 6 beretta 686 E's that we got donated brand new, a beretta semi-auto (rarely used) and a silver pigeon 20bore. Previous committee seemed quite obsessed with having berettas and turned their nose up when I bought my cynergy. Jesus, you've done ok there! We inherited a right old load of rubbish. I can't even remember what they were for sure but I think we traded in an old semi auto with a ridiculously short stock, an old baikal of some description and something else for a budget Beretta. I can't remember what model but it was the one with an all black action. We also had a Browning 325 which we won at a competition and a mirouku I believe. Thankfully most of the members had their own guns! How did you guys go about buying cartridges? Did you have anywhere you could store in bulk? We used to buy bulk from Litts and store them in our houses. Just a shame we can't find a ground really close by. There's plenty of countryside. I've heard there are places over in Portishead/WSM (perhaps corporate) and some in South Gloucestershire, but unable to find out much detail. The police officer who signed off my certificate claimed they used to do clay shooting on the portway! There is a ground in Portishead, a stones throw from my front door, however he has been under intense pressure from the planners and has had to curtail the regular clay shoots. He used to run a 60 bird sporting shoot once a month but now the only shooting they do is corporate stuff. A few locals have managed to arrange a couple of shoots but it has to fit around the other bookings. He might be able to do the odd one-off shoot. Subsonic cartridge restriction too unfortunately. http://www.westonlodgeshootingground.co.uk/clay-pigeon.htm There is also a good shoot at Weston that shoots once a fortnight. I think they are restricted by the 28 day rule though but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to ask. http://www.woodspringbayshoot.com/ The other place that springs to mind is Brookbank but that is probably as far as Mendip anyway. They use claymate traps with electronic counters. Not sure what the rate is but they might do you a discount for regular midweek sessions? http://www.brookbankshooting.co.uk/index.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raistrick Posted March 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Brilliant help guys, thanks. We sometimes shoot at Brook Bank, its a great ground. Allows one of our OT shooters to practice regularly. If only it was a tad closer. Hoping to shoot there a lot on my own during the summer since they have a time delay pull. Think I may PM T.C. soon about the young farmers idea. Wouldn't know exactly what to pitch to them Will certainly give the Woodspring Bay Shoot and Weston Lodge an email asap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexm Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Brilliant help guys, thanks. We sometimes shoot at Brook Bank, its a great ground. Allows one of our OT shooters to practice regularly. If only it was a tad closer. Hoping to shoot there a lot on my own during the summer since they have a time delay pull. Yes, it's a good setup for practice sessions. I go there to practice too. The only problem I find is that I get obsessed and find it impossible to leave until I can repeatedly hit every target he has on. Hundreds of cartridges and big $$$ later.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raistrick Posted March 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Yes, it's a good setup for practice sessions. I go there to practice too. The only problem I find is that I get obsessed and find it impossible to leave until I can repeatedly hit every target he has on. Hundreds of cartridges and big $$$ later.... You must have been shooting many years then. Able to teach beginners/intermediate/team for a set fee by any chance? Club could do with a dedicated coach... 20 times a year plus some day trips to Autumn Cup (EJ Churchills) and Nationals. Just sporting at the moment, maybe some Skeet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexm Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 (edited) It's flattering of you to ask, but there is more to being a good coach than just a reasonable shot. Coaching is a whole other skillset. There is the small matter of having a full time job to hold down too! Your members would probably be better served by a pro. Do you get coaching at any of the grounds you shoot currently? We used to get two coaches at Litts many years ago as part of the normal price. One would take the ladies team, and the other the mens team. Then suddenly two coaches became one coach... and then he completely lost interest and we ended up coaching ourselves. There is a chap who coaches up at Woodspring sometimes, I could find out his details if you like. He isn't fixed to one ground, he basically accompanies people around various grounds. That said, I'd be happy to offer some free pearls of wisdom once in a while if I can sneak off work on a weds afternoon or if you are shooting on a weekend. Edited March 24, 2009 by alexm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raistrick Posted March 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 We don't really get coaching as such. We get tuition when we pay for it... sometimes they won't charge us for it, often when its just a few of us who've turned up for skeet. But I guess there's a big difference between having a tutor booked who tells you what you're doing wrong and teaches you how to shoot a particular stand, and a coach who each week is interested in how each of his team are performing and teaching competitive shooting. We've been fortunate a couple of times recently at Mendip (when shooting skeet - where the club used to always do sporting) to have a couple of their club members shoot with us or watch and give advice - it made a huge difference to what I felt I got out of the session above the standard tuition. What we'd like is more of that, but reliable. There's probably room in our grant for coaching costs... not sure if it's a lot, planning on begging for an increase next year. I wasn't on the first team last year (although we don't really split off into teams this year as nationals only collects scores as teams, people shoot as individuals), but I believe we did have a guy who hung around with the 1sts last year. Unfortunately, his career has developed and he no longer works down at the ground. Please do let me know if you know anyone who would be inetrested in providing us with the wealth of their experience each week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T.C. Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Hi Raistrick I would strongly advise you to get some regular coaching if you want to progress in any form of clayshooting . It will be well worth the cost plus any travelling expenses . I would start by looking on the CPSA website for senior coaches in your area . PM me if you would like any further guidance/info/further reading etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raistrick Posted March 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 I would strongly advise you to get some regular coaching if you want to progress in any form of clayshooting . It will be well worth the cost plus any travelling expenses . I would start by looking on the CPSA website for senior coaches in your area . PM me if you would like any further guidance/info/further reading etc. Cool, thanks, might email some people on there. I think one of them in Avon is the guy we used to see, but he can't make it anymore. Perhaps I'll email him and see if we can have team training at a weekend. There's another guy on there too. Good to see the CPSA website has entered the 21st centuary! Does anyone know what the going rate would be for a coach? Being a student club there will be a limited amount that we could afford. We'd want weekly tuition for 10 weeks Oct - mid Dec and 10 weeks mid Jan - March. I know we could claim travel expenses at 20p per mile for 50 miles on top of any other fees. Ideally we'd like to find grant/sponsorship to send a club member on a CPSA course, but doubt that could happen soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave12bW Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 hello mate, try bristolclayshooting.com. based in south gloucestershire, they shoot two grounds alternate sundays. I've been travelling up from near weston every sunday for the last six weeks. friendly bunch with lots of helpful advise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 HiNot sure about the down time etc but you could always visit Pete Rawlings at the Valley shoot, on the Chippenham road as i know he does corporate days but also holds shoots every other Sunday. I have not got his contact details but im sure if you ventured up there he would be about... Bistol/Chippenham road, half way up you come to Shoe, turn left just before the garage and he is along the lane , think its 2nd turning on your RHS, go along there about 200 yds and you will see the car park entrance on your right...he will be through the gate and down the slope in his portacabin Cheers Do you shoot at the Valley regularly Spaniel? I am known to put in an appearance there every now and then. FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raistrick Posted April 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 Is that the closest ground to Chippenham? Parents have lived in Chippenham since I was 5 and never knew any shooting ever went on other than at a game fair out near Lacock. Would be nice to know where is best around there too for when I visit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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