Sunday May 3rd, 12.30pm – 4pm
Our Introduction to Shotgun course offers a comprehensive four-hour immersion into the world of clay target shooting, designed to build a solid foundation of safety, technique, and confidence. We begin the experience with a thorough introduction to shotgun safety and equipment in a relaxed classroom or outdoor setting. You will learn the essential rules of firearm safety within a sporting clays environment, mastering the techniques for safe handling, loading, unloading, and carrying your shotgun on the course. We’ll also cover the mechanical operation of the firearm, basic maintenance, and the specifics of gear like shot size and chokes. We place a high priority on firearm fit, showing you how adjustments to length of pull, grip, and recoil pads can significantly improve your comfort and control.
As we move to the range, we shift our focus to the physical fundamentals of the sport. We will work with you to develop a stable, comfortable shooting stance, focusing on precise foot positioning and the mechanics of a proper gun mount. Our instructors will guide you on how to minimize felt recoil through core stability and proper form. We also include a critical eye dominance test to help you establish a clear sight picture and develop natural hand-eye coordination. Through target tracking techniques and practice on stationary targets, you will begin to master sight alignment and the essential skill of follow-through, all while developing a natural, repeatable shooting form.
From here we’ll begin active target engagement and introduce you to basic clay target types, such as crossing and outgoing birds, and teach you to focus your vision on the target rather than the bead of the gun for more instinctive aiming. To help you stay smooth and accurate, we emphasize a relaxed trigger pull and a gradual build-up to the shot. Through progressive drills, we help you find your timing and rhythm, providing constant, personalized feedback on your grip and focus. This stage of the course is dedicated to turning these new skills into muscle memory, helping you feel the satisfaction of consistently breaking targets.
Finally, we’ll take you through a practical walk-through of the sporting clays course, offering a strategic perspective on how to approach different shooting scenarios. You’ll learn how to analyze station setups, choose effective break points, and establish a consistent mental rhythm to stay focused. We will rotate through various practice stations with diverse target types, allowing you to apply everything you’ve learned in a real-world environment. We’ll wrap up with some individual feedback for each student, ensuring you leave us with a clear understanding of your progress and the confidence to enjoy the shooting sports safely and effectively.
$450 per person (plus applicable NJ sales tax). All cartridges and clays are included. Must be 12 or over – those under 18 must have a parent present during the class.
Dress code: no t-shirts, blue jeans or open-toed shoes please.
Cancellation Policy: Must contact us to cancel 10 days prior to class to receive full refund, or 72 hours prior to class to receive a 50% refund (minus credit card processing fees and applicable NJ sales tax). Any cancellations made less than 72 hours before the class date cannot be refunded.