Matt,
Drop me a PM of what you would require for an article on NSSA skeet and the kind of format that you would want it to follow. I will see what i can do.
NSSA skeet really is not that much different but some how is much more fun / a bigger challenge IMO. Here are the highlights......
The targets are slightly faster and are supposed to travel 60m instead of the 52m that ESK does. (The advantage of this is better target flight and more consistent targets).
There is no pair on station 4 in regular NSSA skeet
On station 7 the high house is shot first on the singles.
The last two (or three) targets are shot on station 8 - first all the squad members take a turn shoot the high house, then the whole squad turns round and they all take a turn to shoot the low house.
If you are still straight then the final "option" target is another low 8 - 2 x low 8 is what you want - ..
Everything else is exactly the same target sequence as ESK.
There is no SILLY restriction on how many registered targets you can shoot at a ground in a day - if you want to turn up and shoot 200-300 registered NSSA 12 gauge in a single day to make the drive worth it you can.
That is a basic round of 12 gauge singles and once you join anyone can do this with a normal shotgun that they own. You can then add in the following if you choose too:-
With NSSA there is the option to shoot further gauges which simply add to the fun IMO. There are 4 gauges and doubles able to be registered and competed in.
12 Gauge - this is the one MOST shooters own as their standard shotgun and is the easy one to get into NSSA skeet with.
20 Gauge - this is slightly smaller with a maximum load of 24gram cartridges.
28 Gauge - slightly smaller again with a maximum load of 21gram cartridges. My favourite gauge by a mile - breaks of a 12 with next to no recoil.
.410 bore - slightly smaller again with a maximum load of 14gram cartridges. The real challenge and the one to master if you can.
Doubles - shot in EXACTLY the same format / target sequence as ESK Doubles. You can use any of the 4 gauges above but kinda obviously most choose to use the 12 gauge.
90% of the NSSA shooting in the UK is standard registered targets which is all shot in "targets only" format. You simply book on at the ground of your choice that is holding a registered event that day and shoot. This usually costs between £27 - £30 per hundred targets so comparable to birds only registered ESK. You can choose to shoot any gauge and they "mix" the squads so you do not have to book onto a squad only shooting the gauge you want too.
The REALLY good thing is that as soon as you have shot 100 targets in a gauge is that you are classed and so do not have to shoot U/C any longer.
There are 4 major shoots in the UK for NSSA -
Ironman.
This is a 400 target event usually held late March / Early April all shot with the 12 gauge (or a smaller one of you choose). It is shot over two days with 200 targets per day and those 200 targets are shot straight through with no break - hence the name. This event was sadly cancelled in 2013 due to lack of entries and if the same happens again in 2014 BSSA are contemplating changing it to a "all gauges event" for 2015. So if you have an interest in getting into NSSA skeet and fancy a challenge this is the major event to try IN 2014 as you need no extra kit than you already have.
UK Open.
This is the next event usually held late May and is a "all gauge" event although YOU CAN JUST ENTER THE 12 GAUGE / DOUBLES EVENTS. This is a 500 target event shot in the following format:-
Friday afternoon - 100 x doubles
Saturday - 100 x 12 gauge (am) / 100 x 28 gauge (pm)
Sunday - 100 x 20 gauge (am) / 100 x .410 bore (pm)
BSSA Championship.
This is usually held in Mid July and is a 400 target event (but again you can JUST enter the 12 gauge if you wish) held in the same format as the UK Open but NO DOUBLES on the FGriday afternoon.
European Open.
Usually held around the end of August and is also the shoot where the AGM is held at. Exactly the same format as the UK Open.
I learned something from this thank you. Can I just clarify - I though NSSA was gun down - have I got that wrong because if so that is more tempting to me to try.
