FIELD NOTES / BRITISH SHOOTING GUIDE
English Skeet
Explore the seven stands, crossing clays and changing gun direction.
ENGLISH SKEET / A CLOSER LOOK
Skeet: the choke and the discipline.
Two uses of the same word, explained separately.
Skeet choke
A very open choke, commonly around 5 thousandths of an inch (0.005″ or 0.127 mm). It sits between true cylinder and quarter in this guide. It is not the same as quarter choke; always check the manufacturer’s specification. [1, 2]
Its name comes from its association with close crossing clay targets. “Skeet” on a tube identifies a choke designation, not a restriction to one type of shooting.
English Skeet shooting
Clays are launched across the layout from a high house on the left and a low house on the right. Shooters use seven stands around a semicircle, encountering singles and pairs. CPSA’s English Skeet reference ↗
The changing stand position changes the view of the crossing targets. The sketch below illustrates the layout and the two directions, not the full shooting sequence.
Tap a numbered stand to move the gun. Tap or drag in the diagram to turn it, or use the gun-direction slider. Play the clays to compare the view from each stand.
The flight paths stay the same as you change stands. Your viewing angle changes: near the ends, targets look more incoming or going away; near the centre, more like crossers. Dotted sight lines show each clay’s current direction, not where to aim ahead of it.
The gun is a plan-view symbol. This demonstration does not calculate lead, elevation, shooting order or permitted shooting arcs. Use your ground’s rules and a qualified coach for practical instruction.