Membership

The sport of Clay Target Shooting has given sportsmen and women all over the world a tremendously rewarding and enjoyable pastime.  It is a game of skill, using hand-to-eye co-ordination to hit moving targets flying at approximately 120km per hour.  The Clay Target itself can vary in size, depending upon the discipline involved.  Essentially, it is a round disc made of pitch and lime which is thrown or ‘launched’ from a machine known as a ‘trap’.  A smooth-bore shotgun (not a rifle) is used to fire at the targets - the cartridge being made up of lead pellets.  When the pellets hit the target, the target shatters.  The most popular size of target used is 110mm in diameter, and is usually either black or orange.  Flash clays can also be used (although they are expensive) which explode into a cloud of pink dust when hit.

There are thousands of licensed shotguns in South Africa, a percentage of which are used by live quarry hunters and Clay Target sportsmen.  However, many of these shotguns are not used and many owners know little about their weapon.  A firearm owner has an obligation to be responsible and to know his firearm - what could be a better way to do this than to have a go at Clay Target Shooting?  It is an outdoor sport enjoyed by men, women and youngsters alike and is brilliant fun to take part in.