Everything you need to know about compak sporting, a clay pigeon shooting discipline

Once the hunting season is over, many hunters turn to clay pigeon shooting in the off-season. This is not surprising, since this discipline combines various skills such as address, precision, and concentration. However, not all clay pigeon shooting enthusiasts are necessarily big or small game hunters: it is indeed an activity in its own right.

Managed by the French Ball Trap Federation and the FITASC (Fédération Internationale de Tir aux Armes Sportives de Chasse), clay pigeon shooting is divided into 4 activities: the Universal Trench, the DTL, the Sporting, and the Compak Sporting. The latter is a combination of the trench and the sporting. Specifically, in compak sporting, the shooting range consists of 5 stations, with "cages" limiting the angles for safety purposes. This feature prevents shooters from pointing their guns at their neighbours. Above all, however, they are there to restrict the gun position at the moment of shooting. Who better to introduce you to this discipline than Maxime Cambier, Decathlonian for 6 years, and responsible for the nature section in the Digne-les-Bains store. He is a former member of the French Compak Sporting clay pigeon shooting team!

#1 Compak sporting: what are we referring to?

Passionate about clay pigeon shooting since he was 12 years old, Maxime comes from a family of shooters: "I was lucky enough to learn from my father, who was approximately 15 times a member of the French team," explains this enthusiast. "Thanks to his advice and my training, I too had the opportunity to join the French Compak Sporting team several times during my Junior years."

Providing an excellent compromise between the rigour of the Universal Trench and the variety of Sporting courses, it is a highly technical discipline due to the diversity of trajectories and the use of "cages", which adds an additional constraint to positioning. "This forces us to think and work out the most comfortable position to have a chance of hitting the clay pigeon"," explains Maxime.

The Compak Sporting is made up of 5 cages lined up in a similar way to the Universal Trench: the shooting is done at a maximum of 35 metres, with cartridges of 28g maximum, on clay pigeons with receding, re-entrant, and crossing trajectories, etc. Generally, "at each station, we shoot 3 clay pigeons in singles with 2 rounds and a double with one round per target". Each station - A, B, C, D, E, etc., has a menu that displays the order of shots that the shooter should take. It should be noted, however, that the latter is free to choose. He can shoot in the shouldered position or not.

#2 How to do well at compak sporting?

A round of Compak Sporting consists of 25 targets divided into 5 rounds of 5 targets. Depending on the menu, there can be either 5 single targets, or 3 single targets and one double, or one single and two doubles. The doubles are launched simultaneously or at the shot of the rifle.

According to Maxime, there are some essential aspects to success, notably "managing your emotions, especially your stress. You also have to prepare yourself well before each target launch. You need to take the time to breathe well and analyse the trajectories in order to have a perfect swing to optimise the outcome. It is a sport requiring a great deal of rigour, reflexes, and reflexes in order to progress". As in any activity, training is an essential part of the: ""you have to practice regularly, and as far as possible shoot on a variety of ranges and shooting points to get a feel for as many trajectories as possible,"" notes Maxime. The goal? Knowing how to fire on all the targets!

And what better way to introduce you to one of our new products for 2019 than with a video: our 28g Sporting cartridge in 8 pellet.

"My advice for making rapid progress at Compak Sporting is to train specifically on the targets that pose problems and on which you do not feel comfortable. This will enable you to analyse your mistakes and to better understand the gesture to be made".

New Solognac T900 28g cartridge for Compak Sporting

#3 Which cartridge should i use for compak sporting?

The Compak Sporting range is bounded by a rectangular zone of compulsory overflight of the clay targets, from a minimum of 35 m wide to a maximum of 40 m and 25 m deep. To shoot, according to Maxime, the ideal would be "to use a 76 mm barrel rifle with 1/4 or 2/4 chokes to favour medium range shots.

In addition, you ideally need cartridges with a small pellet, such as an 8, and a wad that favours medium-range shooting. In this respect, the T900 Sporting Solognac is, in my opinion, an optimal cartridge for this type of shooting." With a piston wad, it is ideal for the first shot thanks to its dense pattern. The grouping is optimal. Velocity: 395 m/s (measured at 2.5m) with + or - 5 m/s and 16mm head. Approximately 424 pellets are contained in this 28g cartridge in 8 pellet, 3.4% more than in 7.5 (28g).

Cartridges for the Compak Sporting T900 Solognac

#4 Complementary accessories for the practice of compak sporting

To enjoy under optimal conditions, safety is an essential consideration. This requires the use of good glasses, ideally with several interchangeable lenses - neutral, yellow, and dark, like the Solognac clay pigeon shooting glasses. According to Maxime, this enables "adapting the colour of the lenses to suit the weather conditions". This way, regardless of the conditions, the targets remain clearly visible.

For this, "prefer a jacket that guarantees proper ease of movement". Thus, the versatile Solognac blue trap 500 jacket is pleasant and light to wear thanks to its cut-out on the shoulders for a better weight distribution. It also has mesh vents for better breathability. It has several pockets - 4 front pockets, 1 large back pocket, and 1 side pocket with a zipper. "Whatever the case may be, know that it is absolutely necessary to place yourself in the best conditions to shoot so that your mind is 100% focused on the upcoming target!" adds Maxime.

So, what are you waiting for to take up clay pigeon shooting?

Now you know more about clay pigeon shooting and Compak Sporting in general. Practice, concentration, and perseverance are the key words to master this demanding discipline. Equipped with the best accessories including cartridges, rifle, and clothing, there is no doubt that you will soon hit the future clay targets that come your way.