Frequently asked questions

General

I have my own gun, have been shooting for a while & I am struggling with moving forward can you help?

We cater for all levels & yes we can help, we regularly get shooters who have hit problems both new & old hands, we believe that the basics are key, you will be amazed by the number of shooters who have never had any instruction & expect to shoot well. We will take the time to understand your concerns & use recognised techniques to help you understand what areas to work on.



At your open shoots what happens & can I attend?

Our open shoots are held twice a month & open to all, we generally lay out sporting target stands, novice stands & of course our simulated game trailer for driven target shooting. Please note that as we use working farmland all cartridges must be fibre wad only, we have scorecards should you wish to partake in a score sheet with your friends.



I am looking to have a private event, is this something you can do?

Yes we realy enjoy producing events from corporate clients to stag & hen parties, let us know what you require or your thoughts/ideas & we will provide a competative quotation, the event can be held at our locations or we are fully mobile so can come to you as long as we can satisfy safety criteria for the shooting to take place.



Where are you based?

We have 2 regular locations that we hold open shoots at, Whitfield Racecourse (NN13 5TQ) & Home Manor Farm Wappenham (NN12 8SX), we are however fully mobile & as long as you have legal permission for the land to be used then we can always come to you.



What is ShotKam?

The ShotKam unit is a very clever piece of equipment, the camera attaches to the gun being used & records shots being taken, the footage is then downloaded onto a memory stick that allows you to review video clips at your leisure. Many issues can be identified & fed back as there is an indicator within the footage that shows the gun position in relation to the target, this allows understanding of the techniques being used (or issues with that technique) & it can confirm good techique visually when targets are broken. Lessons are available, book in to try.



I am going to my first game shoot, how can you help?

We can provide instruction & coaching both before & at the shoot helping you to get the most from your day, contact us to have a chat, remember we had our first shoot once!



New to Shooting

I am new to shooting & have no equipment, am I stiil able to come along?

We welcome all persons who wish to start shooting, you will be provided with all equipment & quality instruction to ensure a great start to your new hobby, we will also offer impartial advice about guns or any other shooting related questions you may have. The bad news is shotgun shooting is addictive & you will find all the help you need to make those informed decisions.



Do I need lessons to be able to shoot I have a friend who will teach me?

The best possible start is what we offer as part of our comprehensive novice lessons, you will understand the importance of the master eye, gun fit & stance after your first lesson, generally most peole have 3 or 4 lessons before being able to explore the different targets. Your friend may be a great shot however it does not necessarily make them the best coach!



I want to learn to shoot.

You have found the perfect place, our coaches are qualified with BASC (British Association for Shooting & Conservation) so you will get the best possible start, all BASC coaches teach to the same system & are assessed by BASC every 3 years ensuring that standards are maintained at the highest level. We can provide everything that you need to start shooting such as equipment & guns.



What is "eye dominance"?

This is established by a simple test that will be conducted by your coach, with a shotgun it is vital that the master eye is looking straight down the rib (barrels) of the gun, we regularly get shooters who either do not know or "think" that they have a left or right eye dominance & generally (about 75% of the time) they are wrong or do not fully understand the concept. Take a lesson & find out for sure, it will without doubt improve your shooting & consistency.



You have a beginer layout at your open shoots, do I need a lesson or can I just turn up & borrow a gun?

The process of learning to shoot is very important, all too often there are horror stories of poor safety or presons being frightened of recoil due to poor gun fit or not knowing the correct way to hold the right gun! We require that any novice shot completes a couple of lessons to ensure safe handling of the gun & a base understanding of technique, once we are happy with the basics we would allow you to shoot under the supervision of another shotgun certificate holder, however they must be a competent shot & understand that they are taking responsability for your actions!



I have been given a Silverstone Shooting School gift certificate, how do I book in for my shooting or lessons?

Congratulations! Please get in touch the best way is by email to info@silverstoneshootingschool.co.uk & we will respond with the dates & times we can accommodate you.



Simulated Game Shooting

I am a game shooter but feel I need a little practise before the season starts, what can you offer me?

Yes, we are too, we have our Promatic Huntsman available at all of our shoots for practise on "driven targets", we are regular field shooters & can help you with those tricky shots, we also have available "ShotKam" that can be used to provide impressive video feedback. Should you require a loader/instructor for your game day then please let us know & we can support you with this.



I would like tor try Simulated Game shooting?

We have the outstanding Promatic Huntsman within our equipment that is available at all shoots, very easy to take part, shooters can either shoot individually or take part in teams, great fun & it will improve your driven target shooting without a doubt. Warning, it is very addictive, the machine can put up to 100 targets in the air in 1 minute if we let it!



What is Simulated Game Shooting, sounds like something that you play ona PS4?

Simulated game shooting is the presentation of clay pigeon targets that simulate driven game on a formal driven shoot or game shooting day, teams of guns line up on "pegs" & clay targets are fired across the gun line at different angles, heights & speeds replicating feathered tarets. This type of shoting is for intermediate & experienced shots, however we all have to start some where & we can facilitate the use by novice clients who have learned the basics & wish to explore this route.



Ladies Shooting

I find most clay shooting to be very male orientated, how do you support ladies shooting?

We have many ladies who started shooting with us (& still are) you will find a positive attitude to ladies & great support, again we can cater for novices to experienced shots. We have a lady BASC accredited coach if required & regularly hold ladies days, we also support BASC ladies shooting events.



12 Bore or 20 bore what is the difference, why do a lot of ladies shoot a 20 bore?

One could argue that the only significant difference is the weight of the gun being used, most 20 bore guns are less than 8lbs (generally between 6.5 & 7.5lbs) making them much easier to handle for ladies, some ladies may prefer a 12 bore that is a lightweight unit. The key difference apart from ease of handling is that a heavier gun absorbs recoil better so felt recoil is less with a heavier gun, to summarise it will be down to choice, we can't emphasis the importance of the gun fitting the person, without this basic requirement consistent shooting will always be difficult.



BASC Safe Shot

I need to demonstrate to my shooting syndicate that I have a level of competence?

BASC Shotgun Safe Shot provides those that take it with a chance to demonstrate a confident and safe use of shotguns in a field based situation. The Safe Shot assessment is not a training course – it was designed with the knowledgeable live quarry shooter in mind to give an overview of the correct use and management of a shotgun however a certificate is issued. Since the scheme’s launch at the CLA Game Fair in 1998 many hundreds of people have successfully taken the award and proudly wear their gold Safe Shot pin on their shooting attire. Contact us for your assessment the cost is just £20, if you are a shooting syndicate we can come to you to conduct this.