Try clay pigeon shooting
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
Clay shooting is a test of timing and focus, swinging a shotgun to meet a small disc thrown across the sky. A first "have a go" lesson comes with a coach, the gun, cartridges and ear and eye protection, so all you bring is outdoor clothing.
GentleUnder £100 / $130An afternoonOutdoorsAlone or with othersUK and US
What a first lesson is like
The Clay Pigeon Shooting Association (CPSA) says there are CPSA certified grounds and instructors all over the country. Your instructor supplies the gun, cartridges, safety glasses and hearing protection, and you need only comfortable outdoor clothing.
In Great Britain you do not need a shotgun certificate to shoot clays at a time and place the police have approved. Section 11(6) of the Firearms Act 1968 lets a person use a shotgun without a certificate at a time and place the police have approved for shooting at artificial targets. Organisers apply for this; Avon and Somerset Police asks them to accept responsibility for safety, make safety equipment available and load guns only at the firing point.
In the US, the National Sporting Clays Association describes sporting clays as "golf with a shotgun", with each course different. It says eye and ear protection are necessary any time you are on a course, and that the first rule is to treat the gun as if it is loaded.
Ways in compared
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| CPSA certified grounds, UK | Introductory lesson with a qualified instructor; clays, cartridges, gun and equipment included | From £25 |
| Braces Shooting Ground, Bristol | Sunday Have a Go beginner session; 90 minutes; 25 clays and cartridges, gun hire, eye and ear protection; from age 12 | £40.00 per person |
| Arizona Game and Fish Department, Ben Avery Clay Target Center | Intro to Clays: one hour; shotgun rental, ammunition, targets, eye and ear protection and individual instruction; from age 9 | $25.00 |
At Braces, under-18s must come with a responsible adult; at Ben Avery, young people aged 16 and under must have a paying adult.
How to start
- Find a ground with a qualified coach through the CPSA's club finder in the UK, or a club or range that runs beginners' sessions in the US.
- Book a beginners' or "have a go" lesson and check what the price includes, such as the gun, cartridges, clays and protection.
- Wear comfortable outdoor clothes and listen to the safety briefing before anything else.
Where to go
- Clay Pigeon Shooting Association: how to start UK
- Braces Shooting Ground, Bristol: Have a Go beginner session UK
- Arizona Game and Fish Department: Intro to Clays, Ben Avery Clay Target Center US
We opened these links on 10 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. The hard part of a day out is the timing: the right season, tickets and getting there. The plan watches the calendar for you.
Questions people ask
Do I need a shotgun licence to try clay pigeon shooting?
Not in Great Britain, if the ground or event has a police-approved exemption. Section 11(6) of the Firearms Act 1968 allows people to use a shotgun without a certificate at a time and place approved by the police for shooting at artificial targets.
How much does a clay pigeon shooting lesson cost?
The CPSA says introductory lessons start from £25 with clays, cartridges and the gun included. Braces in Bristol lists £40 for 90 minutes and 25 clays; Arizona Game and Fish lists $25 for a one-hour class.
What should I wear for clay pigeon shooting?
Comfortable outdoor clothing. The CPSA says the instructor provides safety glasses and hearing protection.
What is the difference between clay pigeon shooting and sporting clays?
Sporting clays is one form of clay shooting. The NSCA calls it golf with a shotgun, because each course uses the terrain differently and no two are alike.
Where this comes from: Clay Pigeon Shooting Association, How to start; legislation.gov.uk, Firearms Act 1968, section 11; Avon and Somerset Police, Clay pigeon shoot exemption; Braces of Bristol, Try clay pigeon shooting Bristol; National Sporting Clays Association, Sporting clays basics; Arizona Game and Fish Department, Intro to Clays: Beginner Shotgun Program. Opened 10 November 2026.
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