rayduv Posted July 17, 2009 Report Share Posted July 17, 2009 Hi new to clay shooting and am looking for opinions on shooting grounds in kent near maidstone area.I am looking to have a few lessons before starting up and also places that are open for shooting mid week as i do shifts and cant make all sunday shoots.The only ground i have been to so far is west kent on national shooting week and thought it was set out well but have no comparison to other grounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyoftheboy Posted July 17, 2009 Report Share Posted July 17, 2009 ray... you could try dartford..... this is open Thurs & fri's (as well as sat & sun) - 50 or 100 birds http://www.dartcsc.co.uk/ you have JJ's, which is nr Bluewater - open weds, fri & sat for practice (70 birds) http://www.jjscsc.co.uk/index2.html they are most probably your best 2 fairly close, west kent is most probably the best in the area. west kent & dartford do lessons - you pay for the instructor, then for your clays as though you were doing a round & your carts I had lessons at tunbridge wells, here http://www.clayshoots.co.uk/about.html they are not a commercial ground, just a small school. I can highly recommend Frank Copper as an instructor.... knows his stuff & is very friendly. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayduv Posted July 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 thanks for the info i have looked at these grounds websites but it is always better to have someones opinion on them and i will deffo give them a go. now this may be a stupid question but if i go for practice mid week can i can the traps be operated by myself while shooting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyoftheboy Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 at dartford & west kent yes, as they both have a delay system at JJ's no.... they may send you round with a trapper.... if they have someone around, otherwise you'll have to try & team up with someone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayduv Posted July 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2009 I have booked a lesson at tonbridge for saturday thanks for that ,talking on the phone to them they sound nice and helpful.I have been to a couple of shoots before on my first 50 bird shoot i hit 32/50,First time i had fired a shotgun and i thought WOW this is easy.The first attempt got me hooked the second though showed me as a newb 6/50 but i am hooked and i love it.I play golf self taught and am pretty good if i say so myself but i think lessons and advice is the way to go on this cus i think it could take over my life, so life of poverty for me for now on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyoftheboy Posted July 21, 2009 Report Share Posted July 21, 2009 I have booked a lesson at tonbridge for saturday thanks for that ,talking on the phone to them they sound nice and helpful.I have been to a couple of shoots before on my first 50 bird shoot i hit 32/50,First time i had fired a shotgun and i thought WOW this is easy.The first attempt got me hooked the second though showed me as a newb 6/50 but i am hooked and i love it.I play golf self taught and am pretty good if i say so myself but i think lessons and advice is the way to go on this cus i think it could take over my life, so life of poverty for me for now on. are you having the lesson from Frank Copper? or Adrian Black... do you know? going to meadowhead yeah? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayduv Posted July 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2009 It's with Adrian Black. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesburchell Posted August 3, 2009 Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 Hi, I'm a member at Dartford, and can thoroughly recommend it as a ground. I've been shooting since I took up the sport last year. They have a full range of layouts including DTL and other trap disciplines as well as a 10 stand sporting layout and a couple of skeet layouts. - (Not to mention their very inviting clubhouse with great bacon sarnies for those cold mornings!) I've not experienced their onsite coach, but they will allow visiting coaches. Best of all, they have a 'loyalty bonus' which effectively means you can get discounts off your rounds if you buy more than 4 at a time. (You don't have to shoot them all on the same day.) West Kent is a lovely ground, but for those of us who work for a living, a ground which doesn't open at weekends is just for the odd treat (or sickie!) Good luck wherever you end up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akita Boy Posted August 16, 2009 Report Share Posted August 16, 2009 Hi All, I'm a newbie and live West Malling way, recently got my certificate and bought my first gun. I've only tried Hawley Shooting Ground... Have shamelessly nicked all the tips posted about the other sites around here!! Thanks for the advice.....!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter De La Mare Posted August 16, 2009 Report Share Posted August 16, 2009 Hawley is quite quaint.... http://www.hawleycsg.co.uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyb79 Posted August 17, 2009 Report Share Posted August 17, 2009 Hi Akita, I live not far from West Malling and although shoot Dartford quite regularly, I have recently discovered the delights of West Kent Shooting School in Paddock Wood - about a 15-20 min drive from West Malling. If only it was open on weekends I'd be there every week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayduv Posted August 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2009 Hi akita boy and jimmyb79 i to live near west malling in larkfield infact if any of you ever want to meet up for a shoot get in touch. i'm a newbie and am waiting for my SGC at the mo but am looking for people to shoot with at the local grounds . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatcatsplat Posted August 17, 2009 Report Share Posted August 17, 2009 For the Malling chaps, try the Robin Hood Shoot at Bluebell Hill near Maidstone - Alternative Sundays - Give 'em a google and you should come up with the dates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyb79 Posted August 18, 2009 Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 Thanks for the Robin Hood tip, I can also recommend Abbey shooting. They put on a shoot every Sunday at Detling showground apart from one Sunday when its in some woods just up the road from Snodland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akita Boy Posted August 18, 2009 Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 Hi jimmyb79 & rayduv I'm off work thurs/fri/sat/sun fancy meeting up for a shoot?? As I say I've only every gone to Hawley, so am up for trying any of the other places recommended...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jinxy72 Posted August 22, 2009 Report Share Posted August 22, 2009 pm sent to rayduv, jimmyb70 and akitaboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyoftheboy Posted August 23, 2009 Report Share Posted August 23, 2009 For the Malling chaps, try the Robin Hood Shoot at Bluebell Hill near Maidstone - Alternative Sundays - Give 'em a google and you should come up with the dates. Went to robin hood again today after not having been there for a couple of months. Must say was very disappointed. they have reduced it to a 50 bird from an 80 bird shoot. it wasn't busy, but by reducing the no. of stands, meant quite a lot of waiting to shoot as it bottlenecked somewhat. their still seemed to be enough teenagers to staff 8 stands, so much so that 2 were larking around behind one of the stands that Bigweed & I were shooting - putting their mate off who was scoring. He was marking hits as misses & misses as hits, plus pressing the button to release the birds even before we called pull. doubt I'll be back.... shame, as was a nice little shoot when it was 80 birds & all the scorers had something to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyb79 Posted August 24, 2009 Report Share Posted August 24, 2009 Went to robin hood again today after not having been there for a couple of months. Must say was very disappointed. they have reduced it to a 50 bird from an 80 bird shoot. it wasn't busy, but by reducing the no. of stands, meant quite a lot of waiting to shoot as it bottlenecked somewhat. their still seemed to be enough teenagers to staff 8 stands, so much so that 2 were larking around behind one of the stands that Bigweed & I were shooting - putting their mate off who was scoring. He was marking hits as misses & misses as hits, plus pressing the button to release the birds even before we called pull. doubt I'll be back.... shame, as was a nice little shoot when it was 80 birds & all the scorers had something to do. Sounds pretty frustrating. Have you tried Abbey shooting at Northdown? Its just up near Holly Hill between Snodland and Vigo village. Website with directions: http://www.abbeyshooting.co.uk/ They run regular Sunday shoots at Detling showground, and once a month in the woods. Quite a pleasant shoot and good bacon sarnies last time I went! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyoftheboy Posted August 24, 2009 Report Share Posted August 24, 2009 Sounds pretty frustrating. Have you tried Abbey shooting at Northdown? Its just up near Holly Hill between Snodland and Vigo village. Website with directions: http://www.abbeyshooting.co.uk/ They run regular Sunday shoots at Detling showground, and once a month in the woods. Quite a pleasant shoot and good bacon sarnies last time I went! are you a regular there Jimmy? might have to have a wee try of Detling.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyb79 Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 I've not tried the Detling shoot, but I have been up to the Northwood shoot on a few occasions. Good range of targets and a friendly bunch. I'm currently laid up with leg injury but as soon as I'm up and about I'll probably be heading over there for a go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 Hi Akita, I live not far from West Malling and although shoot Dartford quite regularly, I have recently discovered the delights of West Kent Shooting School in Paddock Wood - about a 15-20 min drive from West Malling. If only it was open on weekends I'd be there every week! Probably the best shooting ground in Kent (certainly the most professional). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyoftheboy Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 Probably the best shooting ground in Kent (certainly the most professional). Yeah, agreed Cranfield. do you get there much cranfield? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akita Boy Posted August 27, 2009 Report Share Posted August 27, 2009 Just got back from my first time at the West Kent Shooting School, cannot reccommend it enough...... Wish my shooting was as good as the site!! Will definately be making it a regular place to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayduv Posted August 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2009 Just got back from my first time at the West Kent Shooting School, cannot reccommend it enough...... Wish my shooting was as good as the site!! Will definately be making it a regular place to go. Yes it is a nice plece to shoot only been twice but i liked it, well set out i thought and poeple seemed friendly.I will deffo join when SGC comes through as i do shifts and need a place to shoot mid week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted August 27, 2009 Report Share Posted August 27, 2009 Yeah, agreed Cranfield. do you get there much cranfield? Its quite a drive for me, so I go there when I have to call into Country Way, West Malling for a cartridge restocking session. I have also bought cartridges at West Kent as they have some very keen prices as well and occasionally beat Country Way. I shoot mostly at Willow Farm near Appledore/Tenterden, only because its the shortest drive, not because its much good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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