Melbourn and District u3a

clay shooting

bolting rabbits, right crossers, incoming birds, down the line ...

Clay shooting is the sport of shooting flying clay targets with a shotgun - and it is safe, exciting, challenging and fun. Hitting the target requires skill and timing and there's quite a feeling to be had when you pull the trigger and see the target shatter into pieces! Clay shooting is a great leveller - as it can be enjoyed regardless of age and physical ability. Men and women compete on equal terms.

AT SEPTEMBER 2026 We’ve failed to agree on the conditions and price for future sessions at Nuthampstead Shooting Ground. For the last ten years we’ve used one of the better shooting sheds but now that other business is increasing we have been ousted to a lesser space. Furthermore our monthly price has been raised again so in the light of this change, group leader Frank Martin feels that this ‘less for more’ deal is too unattractive for us to book for the rest of the year. u3a clay shoots at Nuthampstead are cancelled for the rest of 2026 but you are welcome to visit them as an individual if you prefer but you will not be allowed to make use of the usual shed, only the four Sporting Stands.
But there is an alternative - at Lea Valley Shooting Association, Bramfield Road, Hertford SG14 2HZ (map link). Phone: 01992 552011. The ground is open for u3a Royston and Melbourn at certain times. Those without their own shotgun can hire one from the Ground for £10 per session, if you so wish. Costs: one box of 25 cartridges £8.50 plus clays @ 0.45pence per clay (25 x 0.45 =£11.25 + £8.50. Total £19.75 plus gun hire if required. Members are welcome to contact Frank Martin on 07307 311855 or clayshoot@melbu3a.org

Status:Active, open to new members
Leader:
Frank Martin Tel: 01763 246876
Group email: clay shooting group
When: Monthly on Wednesday afternoons
3rd or 4th Wednesday monthly
Venue: Nuthampstead Shooting Ground

Frank Martin writes: Royston u3a clay shooting group welcomes local u3a members who wish to join us (ie without paying another u3a annual subscription fee).

There is a good atmosphere amongst the members and we don’t worry if at first you don’t hit anything - we do not expect you to if you are new to our sport, so relax!

our ‘top gun’ for that month is seen here in a newly refurbished hut. Notice there are three cages each of which offers a different challenge. Each session we shoot 24 cartridges, in sets of four.
20 bore and 12 bore are two sizes of shotgun cartridges
A hit on a orange-coloured ‘clay.’ Despite the name, ‘clay pigeons’ are not made from clay. They’re made from a mixture of pitch and pulverised limestone. The combination allows it to be thrown from a trap at high speed, whilst also being easily broken by pellets from a shotgun. The most commonly used clay is slightly domed in shape and it measures 110 mm in diameter.
Frank Martin adds: January’s TopGun joined us only last Summer as a complete novice and this month scored 23 points out of a possible 24 points and beat all present including me. She is using a Remington semi-automatic 12 bore shotgun supplied by the shooting ground.