A 200-targets Universal Trench competition with 144 participants, sponsored by Corsivia clay targets.

Our sales team was present at the competition to check that everything was in order: the Corsivia shooting clay targets, the trophies, the raffle…

A great success, which we want to share with you!

JOSÉ MARÍA JIMÉNEZ MEMORIAL

Since 2016, the Pilar shoot has been held punctually every year in Villanueva del Gállego, Zaragoza.

From 2021, this grand prize has become the José María Jiménez, “el maño” memorial. Died in August 2021, he was a great collaborator of Corsivia and an indisputable reference in technical shooting facilities.

He had an enormous experience in sport shooting and a great prestige that preceded him in a multitude of shooting ranges all over the country.

This year 2023, his memory has also been present in the competition.

ONE COMPETITION, MANY SUCCESSES

As we have already mentioned at the beginning, this year there has been a Universal Trench competition with 200 targets in 8 heats with 144 participants.

At the end of the competition, the prizes were distributed as follows:

1st category:

• Xabier Azpeitia: champion with 197 broken targets.
• Vincent James: second with 195 broken targets.
• José Luis Aguaron: third with 195 broken targets.
• Gregorio Fuentes: fourth with 195 broken targets.
• Julio Jimenez Álvarez, fifth with 194 broken targets.
• Antonio Gutiérrez: sixth with 193 broken targets.

2nd category:

• Oscar Manuel Martin: champion with 192 broken targets.
• Rubén Cano: second with 191 broken targets.
• Noel Mestre: third with 190 broken targets.

3rd category:

• Manolo Parra: champion with 187 broken targets.
• Eduardo López: second with 186 broken targets.
• Jordi Martí: third with 185 broken targets.

4th category:

• Sergio Martínez Ros: champion with 182 broken targets.
• Rufino Ruiz Orosa: second with 174 broken targets.
• Fernando Fanlo: third with 167 broken targets.

Seniors:

• Antonio Gutiérrez: champion with 193 broken targets.
• Jean J. Susperregui: second with 192 broken targets.
• José Ibáñez: third with 192 broken targets.

Ladies:

• Judit Jimeno: champion with 164 broken targets.
• Laura Massons: second with 164 broken targets
• Francesca Noel: third with 159 broken targets.

Veterans:

• Mariano Ralui: champion with 188 broken targets.
• Sebastián Ayestaran: second with 179 broken targets.
• José Castillo: third with 177 broken targets.

Masters:

• Jesús Garralda: champion with 171 broken targets.
• Rafael Velasco: second with 168 broken targets.
• Juan Yebenes: third with 167 broken targets.

Adapted:

• Jorge Julve Barra with 179 broken targets.

Commercial equipment:

• Camping Car: champion with 578 broken targets.
• Armería Prieto Valladolid: second with 576 broken targets.
• Rizzini Team: third with 568 broken targets.

The targets? Corsivia, of course.

THE COMPETITION CLAY TARGETS

Our Eco-Smart and Corsivia Innova offered their full potential to the shooters, who achieved great scores in the competition:

Two all-natural lines, which not only offer great potential for shooters during competitions, but also help range owners to fulfil their commitment to the environment.

Do you already know them?

Eco-Smart:

• Made with eco resins. PAH<10.
• Same advantages as traditional Corsivia.
• Superior visibility.
• Certified by Bureau Veritas ISO 14021.
• Suitable for all shooting disciplines, especially for Simulated games.

Corsivia Innova

• Made of completely inert material.
• Consistent and stable flight path.
• High visibility.
• Less than 1% of null targets.
• Certified by Bureau Veritas ISO 14021.
• Suitable for all types of shooting sports.

This is how they broke during the competition, thanks to their great breakability.

THE CORSIVIA TEAM AT YOUR SERVICE

There were Enrique, CEO of Corsivia and passionate about helping customers to develope their shooting range successfully, and Sonia, the head of the export department and your contact for any issue related to your orders. She is the one who makes sure that everything always goes smoothly so that you only have to worry about managing your shooting range.

Were you at the competition and were you able to experience the full potential of our Eco-Smart and Corsivia Innova targets? Have you used them before?

We’d love to hear from you!

La entrada ECO-SMART AND CORSIVIA INNOVA, OFFICIAL TARGETS OF THE 2023 EDITION OF TIRADA DEL PILAR se publicó primero en Corsivia.

Today we are going to talk about the keys you need to know to build an Olympic Trap shooting range, but first we are going to review these two modalities.

Here we go!

UNIVERSAL TRENCH: THE MODALITY FOR THE MORE DARING

The Universal Trench is considered one of the disciplines in which the shooter must always be alert to be able to act quickly, because the targets are launched randomly from the 5 trap machines.

It is a modality in which it is necessary for the shooter to have a very good composure and technique, which makes it one of the favourites of the most experienced shooters.

In the pit, installed in front of the shooting stations, there are 5 machines, each of which bases the launching of the targets, controlled by a distributor, on one of the 10 official schemes established by the FITASC.

Although the trajectories of the targets vary from shooter to shooter, all shooters fire the same number of targets at the end of each round.

The targets used in this modality are 11 centimetres in diameter. Shotguns must be of 12 gauge and cartridges of up to 28 grams of lead.

In a Universal Trench championship, 8 heats are shot with a total of 200 targets, that is, 25 targets for each heat.

OLYMPIC TRAP

In this modality, regulated by the ISSF, and considered as the most representative Olympic discipline, a total of 15 trap machines are used, 3 for each of the 5 shooting positions.

From each position, 5 trajectories are shot in each of the 5 rounds, with a total of 125 targets for the men’s category, while in the women’s category a total of 75 targets are shot in 3 series of 25 each.

For this discipline, 11-cm clay targets are also used. Their output speed is around 120 km/hour, and they are configured to travel up to 80 meters at different heights.

The shooter is aware of the point of origin of the target, but does not know the angle of exit. Therefore, the shooter’s reflexes, concentration and shooting speed will be decisive to achieve the best results.

A 12 gauge shotgun and cartridges of 24 grams of lead are used for the practice of the Olympic Trap.

CHARACTERISTICS AND SAFETY MEASURES AT SHOOTING RANGES

We already told you about it in our article “Steps and regulations to follow to build a shooting range“.

But it is not out of place to make a small reminder of some of them, which, In Spain, you will find in the annex of the Weapons Regulation in its article 150.

These measures focus on four essential points to be taken into account:

• Safety zone: comprised within a circular sector of 45 degrees on both sides of the shooter and 200 meters radius.
• Protection of the trap machines, which must be protected inside a subway construction with a concrete roof.
• Spectator protection: The area provided for this purpose must be located behind the shooters’ backs, and access to the shooting range must be from the rear or perpendicular to the firing line.
• Enclosure and signage: Ideally, the field should be fenced around its entire perimeter.

Please, refer to the annex mentioned above for more information.

SPECIFICATIONS FOR BUILDING A TRAP SHOOTING RANGE

In this type of field (discipline of which we have already talked about in this article of our blog), a shooting line will be placed with a determined unit of posts, parallel to a pit, placed at a distance, according to regulations, where the trap machines will be located.

The housing of trap machines should be constructed so that the highest surface of the roof is at the same level as the surface of the firing positions. The interior dimensions of the pit should be approximately 20 m from end to end; 2 m from the front to the rear and 2 to 2.10 m from the floor to the underside of the roof. These dimensions should allow freedom of movement for the work of the personnel and sufficient space to store the plates.

The trap machines, as well as the operators, must be protected inside a subway construction with a concrete roof, since they will always be within the line of fire.

HOW TO ARRANGE THE TRAP MACHINES IN THE PIT

Each pit must have 15 machines fixed to the floor or the front wall of the pit and must be divided into 5 groups of three. The centre of each group must be indicated only by a mark painted on the top of the roof, which must be positioned to indicate the point on the central machine of each group from which the plate will come out when the zero degree throw is selected.

The distance between machines, within each group, must be equal and from 1.00 m to 1.10 m. The distance between the central machines of the groups should be from 3 m to 3.30 m. For existing courts, it can be from 3.00 to 6.00 m.

In case machines are used where the shuttle rotates clockwise, the distance between the machine on the left (as seen from behind) and the one in the centre of each group can be reduced to less than 1.00 m to 1.10 m.

Machines should be installed in the pit so that the stud on which the launcher rotates is 0.50 m (+ 0.10 m) below the top of the pit roof and 0.50 m back (+ 0.10 m) from the front edge of the roof, when the machine is set at 2 m. height.

HOW THE FIVE FIRING POSITIONS SHOULD BE ARRANGED

The five shooting stands must be arranged in a straight line, at a distance of 15 m backwards from the front edge of the pit. Each shooting stand must be indicated by a square, 1 m by 1 m, clearly delimited, and must be centred on a line perpendicular to the shooting stand line, which must extend towards the painted mark indicating the zero degree launch point on the central machine of each group of three.

A sixth position should be marked, about two meters back and slightly to the left of position 1, where athlete number 6 should be placed.

All six stands must be provided with a table or bench where athletes can place their surplus cartridges and other accessories. The stands should be firm and level in all directions. Each stand should have a piece of wood or piece of carpet or rubber about six inches square or round, on which the sportsman can rest his gun.

WHAT ARE THE BEST CLAY TARGETS FOR TRAP PRACTICE?

Without a doubt, we cannot recommend any other clay targets than our beloved Olympic and Green Dream.

For the practice of Universal Trench, nothing better than our Olympic clay target. A target widely used for this discipline in France and that offers multiple advantages:

• It is manufactured with sufficient consistency to withstand the output of the shot-blasting machine and break with the minimum impact of the pellets.
• It offers a consistent and stable flight path.
• It offers less than 1% of null birds.
• And it features high visibility.

For Olympic Trap practice, the Green Dream is the best clay target for reasons such as these:

• Manufactured with natural resins. PAH = 0.
• Same advantages as our traditional clay target.
• Superior visibility.
• Excellent breakage, causing huge smoke clouds.
• Certified by Bureau Veritas ISO 14021.

Both with permanent stock in our facilities and immediate delivery to any country in the world.

Now you have all the information you need to build your own Trap shooting range or to check that everything is correct in your working shooting range.

Anyway, if you need us to give you a hand, remember that we put at your disposal our Coworking Service for anything you may need.

La entrada TRAP: WHAT IT IS AND HOW TO BUILD A TRAP SHOOTING RANGE se publicó primero en Corsivia.

In England, they know this well and, for this reason, the British Association for shooting and conservation has created a code of good practice for shooting sports, which not only covers safety issues in this sport, but is also concerned with wildlife conservation on the tracts of land where any shooting sport is to be carried out.

A code that, as a good shooter, you should always have at hand.

Today we are going to focus on the most important sections of it.

THE IMPORTANCE OF A CODE OF GOOD PRACTICE FOR SHOOTING SPORTS IN ENGLAND

Shooting sports have a long tradition in Great Britain. Two of the most popular are hunting and Simulated Game Days, which we told you about in this blog post.

Both require large tracts of land that need to be managed in the best way to ensure their conservation, the marked improvement of the landscape and the enhancement and maintenance of wildlife.

Annually, the practice of these sports moves approximately 2 billion pounds in the United Kingdom, an amount that represents a substantial contribution to the rural economy, where, sometimes, income from other means is scarce.

This is a great argument for promoting these sports in England. However, shooting sports also have their detractors. Not everyone likes the same things, that’s for sure!

The aim of this code is to avoid, or even reduce as much as possible, this number of detractors, involving all lovers of these sports to comply with good practices necessary for a good coexistence with the rest of the population.

Knowing the code and disseminating its understanding among the shooting community is of vital importance to prevent any practice related to this sport from being misjudged by how its participants and suppliers behave.

WHAT DOES THIS CODE OF GOOD PRACTICES CONSIST OF?

The code of good practice establishes the correct framework for any shooter to follow to ensure sustainable shooting, paying attention to the habitat and avoiding disturbing others.

It is made up of 10 sections, some of which we will develop below, offering advice on how to develop a sustainable shot and to achieve best practices, thus avoiding any deviation that needs some kind of justification.

BEHAVIOR DURING A SHOOTING DAY

Any shooter or person involved during a shooting day should act as a good ambassador for the sport, complying with the code and encouraging others to do the same through actions such as these:

• Abide by the rules of safety, observance of the law and good customs.
• Respect the quarry, the habitat and the landscape.
• Seek help and support associations that represent and promote this sport.

RESPONSIBLE SHOOTING

As far as shooters are concerned, the code of good practice indicates actions such as the following:

• They must be assured of their skills and capabilities.
• They must recognize the target and use the correct lead shot according to regulations.
• Inexperienced shooters should work to improve their skills through practice with clay targets and should be accompanied and supervised by a suitably experienced professional.
• Shooters should avoid depositing lead pellets in wetlands, as they are important for feeding waterfowl.

WITH REGARD TO THE RECOVERY OF HUNTING…

During a hunting day, shooters must take into account these indications:

• Do not shoot in places where it will not be possible to recover the prey.
• The organizers of the day must ensure that everything necessary to recover the dams is available.
• Each shooter must be concerned with picking up his own prey and helping others when it is in his power to do so.

CONSIDERATIONS FOR OTHER PARTICIPANTS IN A SHOOTING DAY

Respect, courtesy and care for the interests of the other participants in a shooting day must be the main premises to be taken into account:

• Everyone involved in a shooting day must have respect for others and ensure their safety at all times.
• The frequency of firing should not result in too much disturbance to neighbours, particularly noise.
• Those in charge must ensure that they have applied for the relevant permissions prior to the start of the shooting day.
• Shooters should use cartridges with degradable wads whenever possible, disposing of all cartridges and other debris after each shot.
• Managers and shooters must ensure that roads, paths, trails and walkways are not obstructed, including the installation of information signs.

LEGAL REQUIREMENTS FOR A SHOOTING DAY

The person in charge of the shooting day, his employees and the shooters must comply with the legislation in force. In particular, special attention must be paid to the following:

• Shooters must comply with the firearms law and have the corresponding certificate.
• Organizers must inform participants about safety issues and risk assessment.
• The use of lead shot on salt marshes or beaches is prohibited.
• Empty cartridges should be deposited in special landfills as contaminated waste.

These are just some of the points that the code of good practices takes care of. To view the full content, you can do so here.

In any case, if you are in England, you can always contact the British Association for shooting and conservation where they will inform you of everything you need to know.

Or you can contact us by any means you prefer, and we will try to guide you as much as we can.

Did you already know about this code of good practices?

La entrada <strong>CODE OF GOOD PRACTICE FOR SHOOTING SPORTS IN ENGLAND</strong> se publicó primero en Corsivia.

This time we would like to go a bit further and explain everything you need to know to build your own skeet shooting range, one of the most specific disciplines in terms of its design and rules. But first, let’s take a quick look at what this Olympic discipline is all about.

Let’s go!

WHAT IS SKEET AND WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE?

Skeet is an Olympic shooting discipline, regulated by the ISSF, that was created in the 1920s by Massachusetts natives Charles Davis and William Harnden Foster, a noted grouse hunter.

Its name resulted from a vote in a US shooting magazine offering $100 to anyone who could come up with a name for this sport.

During skeet competitions, shooters must shoot from eight positions on a semicircle with a radius of 21 yards (19 m), with a “high” and “low” house at each end of the course.

Starting at the high house, shooters move through seven positions around the semicircle, firing a set combination of shots at each station. Station 8 is located between the high house and the low house, and the final shots require the shooter to break a target launched from each station.

As shooters move from one station to the other, traps launch the targets at a variety of angles designed to simulate the shots that upland hunters encounter in the field.

The targets, 11 centimetres in diameter and with a fixed trajectory and velocity, are launched in five rounds of 25 targets each, for a total of 125 targets, all of them much closer to the shooters and launched in a wider variety of patterns.

The shotgun must be a 12-gauge shotgun and is fired with 24-gram cartridges.

Let’s take a look at skeet in a bit more detail.

SPECIFICATIONS FOR BUILDING A SKEET SHOOTING RANGE

When it comes to a skeet shooting range, the main difference between a skeet and trap range is the absence of a trench and the layout of the firing line.

As we mentioned above, in skeet shooting targets are launched from two houses, one high and one low, and eight shooting stations.

HOW TO SET UP SHOOTING STATIONS

Remember these specifications when setting up the shooting stations:

• Stations 1 to 7 are arranged around a segment of a 19.2 m circle with a base chord exactly 36.8 m in length, which is 5.5 m from the centre of the circle (the target crossing point, which is marked with a stake).
• Station 1 is located at the left end of the base chord, with station 7 at the right end. Both positions must be visible from either side of the semicircle and face the centre stake.

• Stations 2 through 6 are equally spaced along the periphery of the arc, that is, the exact distance between the centre of stations 1 and 2, 2 and 3, 3 and 4, 4 and 5, 5 and 6, must be 8.13 m measured along the base chord.

• Stations 1 through 7 must be 0.9 m by 0.90 m square areas, with two sides parallel to the radius of the circle drawn to squares of the stand mark (centre of the shooting station).

• Station 8 is a rectangular area 0.9 m wide by 1.85 m long, with the long axes of the area parallel to the base chord.

• The location of each shooting stand must be accurately indicated. Shooting stations 1 to 7 must be in the centre of the side closest to the target crossing point, while shooting station number 8 must be centred midway on the base chord.

• All 8 shooting stands must be at the same level, with an elevation difference of ± 0.05 m.

HOW TO LAUNCH TARGETS FROM THE TRAP HOUSES

Every shooting station must have a trap house in a fixed position.

Targets thrown from the high house emerge 0.9 metres behind station 1 (measured along the extension of the base chord) and 3.05 m above ground level of station 1.

The targets launched from the high house must appear at a point 0.9 m behind the mark of shooting position 1 (measured along the extension of the base chord) and 3.05 m above the level of stand 1.

Targets thrown from the low house emerge 0.9 m behind station 7 (measured along the extension of the base chord and 0.75 m outside the base chord) and 1.07 m above the ground level of station 7.

Targets properly released must pass through a circular area 0.9 m in diameter located with its centre 4.6 m above the target crossing point.

In calm weather conditions, the target should carry 68 m measured from the front of the houses behind stations number 1 and 7. If the correct distance cannot be verified by measurement, the jury will decide whether the trajectory of the targets is correct.

HOW TO ESTABLISH SHOOTING BOUNDARIES

The boundary markers for shooting at stations 1 through 7 are placed at 40.23 m from the trap from which they are thrown. The boundary for shooting on station 8 is the line drawn through the station connecting station 4 with the target crossing area.

These shooting boundaries should be marked with suitable markers placed on the flight path of the target, at points 40.3 metres, 67 metres and 69 metres from both stands, to indicate the distance of a legal target.

MANDATORY SAFETY MEASURES

Like in any sporting discipline, it is necessary to establish a series of safety measures to protect both participants and spectators.

In skeet, the mandatory safety measures are:

● To protect the operator of each machine from possible injury from direct or ricocheting shots, a safety screen must be installed at the opening of each station so that the operator is not in view of the athlete when using any of the stations.

● A wire or rope barrier, parallel to the base chord, must be placed between 7 and 10 m behind station 4 to keep spectators from entering the space.  In this case, the referee or members of the jury will be responsible for ensuring compliance with this rule.

● A coloured light must also be placed on the outside of both the high and low houses. These lights must be switched on immediately when the puller presses the firing button and must be switched off when the targets are thrown. The lights must be clearly visible to the referee and must be installed on the side of the stands facing the spectator area at a height of between 2.2 and 2.8 m on the high house and between 1.6 and 2.0 m on the low house.

All new skeet ranges are required to meet these specifications.

The only thing left for you to do is to get to work on your own skeet range.

However, if you still feel like you need a little help, our Coworking service is available to help you make your dream come true.

Don’t hesitate to write to us now that you have all the info you need to start building your range and ask us all the questions you have.

We’ll be delighted to help you!

La entrada <strong>SKEET: WHAT IS IT AND HOW TO BUILD A SKEET SHOOTING RANGE</strong> se publicó primero en Corsivia.

And, of course, the equipment the sport requires has also changed dramatically.

That includes the cartridges for clay target shooting.

Today we’re going to delve into their history and evolution so that you can learn, first-hand, all the changes that cartridges have been through since they were first introduced way back in the 16^th century.

Let’s take a look!

WHAT’S IN A CARTRIDGE?

Before we get into it, let’s first take a look at what a cartridge is.

In reality, a cartridge is nothing more than the load of powder and ammunition, or powder alone, for each round of a shot of a firearm. The shot may be wrapped in paper or canvas or be loaded into a metal tube, called the shell, which can hold only the powder, the powder together with the shot, or both, plus the primer.

TYPES OF CARTRIDGES

There are two main types of cartridges:

●      Semimetal or shotgun cartridges. These are designed to use in a smooth-bore weapon. They have four major components, which we will discuss below: the primer, the powder, the wad and the ammunition. The main calibres are 12, 16 and 20 calibres.

● Metal cartridges. These are made entirely of metal. They have only one projectile, which they fire at a high speed that reaches more than 2000 m/s. Due to their multiple uses, there are an infinite number of shells with different calibre bullets, from the small 5.5 mm to other more powerful ones.

WHAT A SHOTGUN CARTRIDGE IS MADE OF

A shotgun or semimetal cartridge has several parts:

●     Case and head. The outside of a cartridge is formed by the case and butt. The case is a polyethylene plastic cylinder that encases all the cartridge’s components. This prevents the pellets and powder from coming into contact with the walls of the barrel, which would result in uneven lead shot. At the front end of the cartridge is the head, made from a piece of brass, which is crimped to the plastic tube to make the case.

●     The primer is located in the centre of the head and is the first thing you need to produce the shot. The cartridge is ignited (or, in other words, the combustion of the gunpowder is sparked) via pressure from the shotgun’s firing pin, which then launches the projectile or projectiles, either in the form of a bullet or pellets.

●     Gunpowder. It tends to come in granular form and, because of its characteristics, should not be stored in damp locations, as dampness prevents its long-term use. It is a chemical component which, when activated by the primer, explodes into a gas at high pressure and causes the pellets to be released from the cartridge. It provides the energy necessary for the projectiles, whether a single large projectile (bullet) or many smaller ones (cartridge with pellets), to be properly fired.

●     Explosiveness. There’s a key parameter when it comes to gunpowder: explosiveness. Not all gunpowder can be used with all cartridges, since there are more explosive gunpowder and ones that are less so. A gunpowder will be more explosive the faster it burns and the more sharply the pressure rises (for example, in cartridges for clay pigeon shooting with low grammage) and it will be more progressive, with slower combustion, for hunting cartridges with a high grammage. The ideal gunpowder will be the one that offers an optimum velocity-pressure ratio.

●     The wad. The wad is the internal part of the cartridge that separates the gunpowder from the shot, preventing them from coming into contact. It absorbs the initial impact after the explosion, acting as a spring, providing a seal that prevents gas from blowing through the shot rather than propelling the shot out of the shotgun, and contains the shot, preventing them from rubbing against the inner wall of the barrel during firing. A good wad should work as an insulator, preventing the high combustion temperatures from melting the shot, ensuring uniform momentum and velocity. The wad also determines the dispersion of the shot.

● The shot. The entire cartridge is designed to eject the pellets from the barrel of the shotgun. The shot is made up of circular lead pellets. Their quality is determined by how spherical and regularly shaped they are. The main objective with shot is to prevent them from deforming, since only a perfectly spherical pellet will stay on its trajectory. The size of the shot will vary depending on the game you’re hunting.

EVOLUTION OF CARTRIDGES

But this wasn’t always the case.

It wasn’t until around the second half of the 16^th century that the first cartridges made of paper appeared.

They are believed to have originated in Spain, where they were called “cachuchos” and were used by the artillery to make it easier to load their rifles. Later, around 1630, the Swedish infantry troops of King Gustavus Adolphus also started using them for their small arms.

This type of cartridge contained only the gunpowder, which forced the shooter to load it in several stages. That is, the powder cartridge had to be loaded first, then the projectile, then the primer, and so on until the gun was ready to fire.

Which mean that opening fire was an extremely slow process.

The most obvious solution was to wrap the projectile together with the powder charge. This didn’t help much, however, because the scoring of the barrel bore meant that a spherical bullet had to be rammed into the gun, sometimes requiring the help of a mallet, which greatly reduced the rate of fire.

To solve this problem, French captain Claude-Étienne Minié designed a cylindrical bullet with a hollow base where a conical piece of wood was inserted, called a cup; when the ball was fired, the cup was forced forward, expanding the base and increasing its calibre.

Later, the English perfected this bullet, which they called the Minié ball, by removing the wood cup.

The use of this new bullet made loading easier with a rate of fire of two or three shots per minute, although it still had to be primed.

It was in 1799 that Edward C. Howard discovered fulminating powder, a gunpowder that could explode or ignite when struck.

Unfortunately, no application was found for it until 1807 when Scottish priest Alexander Forsyth invented the percussion lock for the ignition of gunpowder in firearms.

This idea worked extremely well and was later perfected by a number of gunsmiths until the Englishman Egess invented the primer.

Now all that was left was to find a way to attach the primer to the cartridge and to design a reloading system that would eliminate having to load the gun through the muzzle. It was then that Jean Nicolas Dreyse invented the pin fire and the self-contained cartridge in 1836, two great inventions that revolutionised the system of loading firearms.

THE DREYSE SELF-CONTAINED CARTRIDGE

The cartridge that Dreyse designed was a paper case that held the three basic elements: powder, bullet and primer.

However, the order of these elements was somewhat peculiar.

The primer was loaded in front of the powder charge, at the base of a wooden block, and then came the egg-shaped lead bullet.

On pulling the trigger, the needle was impelled forward, piercing the paper case and the whole length of the powder charge before hitting the primer and igniting the charge.

First, the position of the primer was changed in order to reduce the length of the needle, giving rise to the cartridge known as the Chassepot, the first cartridge that bore a strong resemblance to today’s designs.

The next step was to replace the paper with a cardboard case reinforced with a metal head with an external firing pin that hit a piston inside the cartridge.

This change was made in 1836 by Casimir Lefaucheux, who subsequently realised that the risk of accidental ignition when the needle was struck could pose serious dangers. So, in 1846, he reworked the cartridge and the case became all-metal.

THE MODERN SHOT CARTRIDGE

The cartridge as modified by Lefaucheux was not very successful from a military standpoint and was eventually replaced by new designs.

Some of these cartridges are:

● Flobert cartridge. Developed in 1845 with a metal case and a light fire. It contained no powder charge, and the primer was the only element used as initiator and projectile charge.

● .22 Short cartridge. This is considered to be the first modern cartridge and was launched in 1857 by Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson as an improvement on the Flobert cartridge. It added a small charge of black powder for a more powerful shot. Its success was spectacular, leading to the development of even more powerful and larger calibre rimfire cartridges.

● Berdan cartridge. When a flaw appeared in the firing system of the short 22 cartridge as the power of the shells increased, Berdan designed a new cartridge where the primer was located inside a percussion cap housed in a hole in the base of the cartridge case butt. This cartridge would eventually be called the centrefire cartridge.

● Edward Boxer cartridge. The simplest and most inexpensive centrefire cartridge to manufacture. The cartridge case is made from a thin sheet of brass wound around a metal mould. An unsuccessful design, since the sheet would separate from the case and lead to many misfires, making it impossible to reload and reuse.

● Frankford Arsenal Cartridges. In 1873, this American arsenal decided to experiment with a series of cartridges from the various systems used at the time and develop a new design. This resulted in the cartridge we know today, the basic concept of which has changed very little.

And research and development centres continue to experiment with existing cartridges, making them more powerful, reliable and accurate to enhance their performance.

FUN FACTS ABOUT CARTRIDGES

And finally, we leave you with some fun facts about cartridges that we think you’ll find interesting.

What are the differences between a competition cartridge and a hunting cartridge?

A competition or clay pigeon cartridge is usually loaded with extra hardened or magnum shot to give it a better chance of breaking the target. They are also usually loaded with a different gunpowder.

How fast do the pellets come out of a shotgun?

Cartridges have an average velocity of four hundred metres per second.

How long does it take for the cartridges to degrade?

Every hunter or clay target shooter is required to pick up their shells from the field, not only because of environmental concerns, but also because it is required by law. Different cartridges degrade at different rates, but it can sometimes take several years.

How many pellets are in a hunting cartridge of average weight and lead?

A thirty-two-gram cartridge of lead number seven contains three hundred and sixty-two projectiles or pellets.

Any other interesting fact you’d like to share with us?

Leave us know in the comments. We’d love to hear from you.

La entrada HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF SHOTGUN CARTRIDGES se publicó primero en Corsivia.

From then until now, we industrialists have been on a rollercoaster of emotions unlike anything we have experienced in the past few years. 

The government’s recommendations in March 2020 that we should work from home were followed by the government shutting down all business activity in companies that are non-essential to the economy for a fortnight.

At that time, many companies were forced to carry out Temporary Redundancy Plans (ERTEs).

Those industries that chose not to implement them and saw their sales significantly reduced likely had to resort to ICO (Official Credit Institute) credits to finance the growth of their stocks. Incidentally, these credits are due to be repaid starting in April 2022, after the two-year grace period.

By mid-May 2020, it looked as if things were beginning to return to normal with the “phased de-escalation”, the lifting of the states of alarm, etc.

It was a mirage. By September 2020, the state of alarm was back in place.

And 2021 arrived and, as naturally as we had become accustomed to living with the health crisis, we began to deal with a weak economic climate during which we noted that:

1. International supply chains were broken, with delays in international shipments and deliveries despite extravagant transport bills, particularly for maritime transport.
2. Raw materials became scarce and expensive.
3. Energy prices reached unprecedented levels.

In short, 2021 was characterised by COVID in combination with an easily bankrupt economic situation.

We left 2021 behind and moved into 2022 immersed in the sixth COVID wave. We dared to think that, with the rapid disappearance of the Omicron variant, our entire life (health and economy) would be back to normal.

On the contrary, although COVID is indeed evolving from pandemic to endemic, with the Russian army’s invasion of Ukraine, all of Europe is plunged into a humanitarian and economic crisis of still uncertain dimensions. Unrecognisable inflation and shortages of essential raw materials are once again affecting our way of life.

Everyone is talking about product shortages. Sunflower oil is just one example.

There is also a rumour among clay target shooters that there is a shortage of cartridges and clay targets.

So, is it true that there might be a lack of clay shooting targets on the market, and how did it come to this?

Yes, it’s true. Although Corsivia’s customers have a guaranteed supply of clay targets, there are several reasons for the reduction in supply:

• As we constantly hear on television, there is a shortage of raw materials and the few raw materials that do exist come at exorbitant prices. The manufacturing of clay shooting targets is no stranger to this reality.

• All industries have to process and therefore consume energy. It is common knowledge that consumers (domestic and industrial) are paying up to five or six times more for energy than they did in the past.

• The Russian army’s invasion of Ukraine is also creating supply difficulties in eastern countries, which exacerbates the above-mentioned situation.

• Supply chains, which had not fully recovered after the problems of 2021, are again being disrupted by both the invasion and fuel prices.

• But, in addition, the clay target manufacturing industry is suffering an additional crisis… Our industry is being forced to evolve from manufacturing with traditional binders to “new generation” ones, often environmentally friendly and much more difficult to handle, which is leading to the closure of some manufacturers.

THE TRUTH ABOUT ECOLOGICAL CLAY TARGETS

I would like to take this opportunity to say that, as much as clay targets manufacturers and shooters love to talk about “ecological clay targets”, there is very little regional, national and/or European legislation regulating environmentally friendly clay targets. Few people in the shooting world know how to be specific in this regard.

Sometimes I ask myself, does it make sense that we in the sector place “the noose around our own necks” by demanding ecological clay targets?

I don’t think so. We already have enough problems without putting even more pressure on ourselves to go green.

In any event, Corsivia has already done its “homework” and can now inform the market that its product lines Corsivia Innova, Corsivia Eco Smart and Corsivia Green Dream are eco-labelled product families certified by Bureau Veritas according to ISO 14021.

These are not easy times for any manufacturer. These are times for the bold and brave.

An industry colleague of mine recently posted on Facebook that “we are forced to face this unbelievable situation, and we apologize immediately to all our customers for the inconvenience caused by the sudden and significant changes in the financial terms that were agreed, but unfortunately, I would like to emphasize that IT’S NOT UP TO US”.

I agree 100% with his words. Does Corsivia have control over the price of raw materials? And over the price of energy?

Better times will certainly come, but in the meantime, from Corsivia, like my colleague, I also “apologise” to our customers and friends, and we very much regret these exorbitant prices.

At the same time, we continue to manufacture at 120% to ensure that there is no shortage of clay targets on the market. We in the industry have learned to be resilient.

La entrada THE ECONOMY AND THE RISING COST OF CLAY TARGETS se publicó primero en Corsivia.

Although with fewer visitors than in previous editions due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic, more than 900 exhibitors gathered in the fantastic 40,000 square metres of the fair with the sole purpose of helping you to establish new and rewarding business relationships and to give you all the advice you need so that you don’t have to limit your business to just the warmest months of the year.

Among them, of course, was us, CORSIVIA.

But even though it’s now the largest international shooting sports trade fair, it hasn’t always been that way.

Do you know anything about its history?

You don’t? We’ll tell you all about it. Keep reading…

IWA OUTDOORCLASSICS: 40-PLUS YEARS OF TRADE FAIRS

A lot has happened since the trade fair started back in 1974.

Back then, IWA Outdoor Classics started out as a national product fair for the arms retail trade and gunsmiths with just under 100 exhibitors.

Its current name only came into being once the fair had crossed the borders of Germany due to two main factors:

• The multi-thematic product range it offered.
• Being able to cover the field of both traditional craftsmanship and innovative ideas for outdoor equipment, functional clothing, hunting sports and shooting sports.

To give you an idea of its international reach, in 2019 (the last edition of the fair before the pandemic) 61% of the 45,476 professional visitors who came to Nuremberg were from 122 countries outside Germany as well as 81% of the 1619 exhibitors.

But what are the products that help turn IWA Outdoors Classic into the industry’s largest international trade fair?

THE MOST INTERESTING PRODUCTS FOR THE WORLD’S BEST TRADE FAIR

If you’ve ever attended the trade fair, we don’t need to tell you that your visit has helped you with a long list of things, from updating your product range to learning about the latest trends in the world of shooting sports, outdoor equipment and equipment for civil and official security applications.

As an international firearms trade fair, it has become one of the most important exhibitions for arms manufacturers from all over the world in the firearms segment that includes pistols and revolvers, sporting firearms and shooting sports equipment and firearms and accessories for airsoft and paintball.

As far as shooting sports are concerned, clay target shooting occupies a leading position where Corsivia has had the opportunity to present a wide range of both traditional and eco-friendly shooting targets:

• Green dream: our all-natural resin target.
• Eco-smart: one of our eco-friendly ranges, perfect for trap and skeet.
• Sporting: 6 different models for practicing this discipline.
• American Trap: traditional target used in trap.
• Traditional.

But that’s not all. We’ve also been able to learn about fascinating projects and establish even more exciting collaborations.

Here’s just a sample…

OUR EXPERIENCE AT THE IWA OUTDOORCLASSICS 2022

Fortunately, we have received visits from all our friends, distributors and customers from France, Portugal, Germany, Spain, England, Lebanon, Turkey…

The not so lucky part is the one for which all those attending the fair will remember it: THE IMPORTANT INCREASE IN RAW MATERIALS, due to their scarcity and lack of supplies for the recent war in Ukraine. Something talked about in every corner.

Even so, we always like to keep the most positive part of all: at CORSIVIA we assure all our customers the immediate availability of the product, since our clay targets are in stock to be shipped all over the world.

What do you think?

If you weren’t able to make it or didn’t have the chance to have a virtual meeting during the fair, but you’d still like us to give you a hand with your project, please contact us HERE and we’ll tackle it together.

To get you started, how would you like a free copy of our BEST PRACTICES MANUEL FOR SHOOTING RANGE MANAGEMENT?

Were you able to attend the fair? Want to tell us about your experience?

La entrada IWA OUTDOORCLASSICS: THE BEST FAIR FOR SHOOTING SPORTS se publicó primero en Corsivia.

Not being able to enjoy your favourite sport all year round is a real struggle, isn’t it?

Simulated Game Days mean that you get to spend a fantastic day with your shooting friends just like you would during hunting season. They’re also an opportunity to host exclusive, unique day trips for your clients or employees.

But what are Simulated Game Days all about?

Check out the rest of our article to learn everything you ever wanted to know about this clay target shooting discipline.

WHAT ARE SIMULATED GAME DAYS ALL ABOUT?

Like we said, Simulated Game Days are a clay target shooting discipline that replicates every aspect of game shooting out of season.

While participants won’t be shooting live animals like they would during hunting season, the  clay targets specifically designed for this purpose simulate driven pheasants, partridge, grouse and rabbits, the closest to the real thing as possible.

Simulated Game Days are held on an exclusive country estate that incorporates stunning drives and a topography designed for hunting. This not only offers multiple benefits for the environment, but also promotes the biodiversity of the species.

A typical Simulated Game Day plays out just like a game hunt during hunting season would.

The day kicks off with a hearty breakfast for all participants, during which the estate host will explain how the day will go and all the safety considerations to keep in mind throughout the day.

Once breakfast is over, the tour of the estate begins. Stops are made to practice shooting at different spots on the estate. And even though you might have to walk a bit to climb a hill or two, the experience is well worth it.

The tour is followed by a tasty lunch on the estate.

And you might be wondering: do I have to be an expert shooter to be able to participate in one of these events?

The answer is a resounding NO.

You don’t need to be an experienced shooter to join Simulated Game Days. In fact, it’s a good way for novices to dip their toes into the world of clay target shooting or hunting, since these estates usually have staff and instructors on hand to help you with anything you need.

So, if you’ve been thinking about it for a while, but can’t make up your mind, a day of Simulated Games could put all your questions to rest.

We’ll now try to answer some of those QUESTIONS and make your decision as easy as possible.

What are the main differences between a Game Day and a Simulated Game Day?

There are three main differences. The first and most obvious one is the type of targets used in each:

• On Game Days, the targets are live game birds (pheasants, partridges, ducks, etc.).

• On Simulated Game Days, the clay targets are specifically designed for this purpose and simulate driven pheasants, partridge, grouse and rabbits as close to the real thing as possible.

The second difference is the volume of targets to shoot:

• On Game Days, only a certain number of birds (between 150 and 500) are usually shot.

• There is no limit to the number of targets that can be shot on Simulated Game Days.

The third difference is what happens when you shoot other participants’ targets:

• On Game Days, shooting at other participants’ targets is frowned upon and is considered rude.

• Shooting at other participants’ targets is recommended on Simulated Game Days.

What gear do I need for a Simulated Game Day?

Just like with Compak Sporting, the equipment needed for a Simulated Games Day is a shotgun and some cartridges (which we’ll discuss a little later).

You’ll also need a cap or hat, safety glasses and hearing protection which, although not mandatory, is highly recommended.

And, of course, you should wear clothes suitable for the countryside and the time of year, as well as good boots or shoes that are sturdy and easy to clean.

Do I need to have a gun or shotgun licence?

If you already have your own gun and would like to bring it with you to the Simulated Game Day, the event organisers will ask you for a licence, which you needed to purchase the gun. Having your own insurance would also be a good idea in this case.

You don’t need to condition your gun to be able to shoot, but it is true that with a well-fitting gun means you will be able to shoot more consistently, and you won’t need to adjust your body as much to make successful shots.

Some estates even offer a gun fitting service for interested guests.

If you don’t have a gun because you’re new to the sport or are still thinking about it, you can rent one at the estate itself. All estates where Simulated Game Days are held usually provide this service.

In this case, it is also a good idea to ask for an instructor’s assistance.

Please note that if the estate where you will be spending the day is in the UK, and you are prohibited from using a firearm because of previous convictions, you will not be able to participate in Simulated Game Days there.

What are the best cartridges to use on a Simulated Game Day?

The best cartridges to shoot on a Simulated Game Day are 21- or 24-gram shells (7 s/7.5 s/8 s).

People often fire off anywhere from 400 to 500 rounds over the course of a Simulated Game Day. Which makes using lighter cartridges recommended as a way to decrease the recoil.

Many clay target shooting estates also use 100% biodegradable fibre shot shells, which offer a viable and environmentally friendly alternative to single-use plastic shot shells.

In addition, in the spirit of being as environmentally friendly as possible, steel shot is being introduced to replace lead shot which, although more expensive, is considerably less harmful to the environment.

Another important point to bear in mind is that the estate managers are responsible for meticulously removing and cleaning the cartridges used during and after each shot.

How much does a Simulated Game Day cost?

Obviously, this will depend on the estate where you plan to spend this fantastic day.

On average, the cost of a Simulated Games Day is considerably less than the cost of a Game Day.

The price can be in the range of £175.00 per participant.

Where can I enjoy a Simulated Game Day?

There are plenty of places where you can enjoy Simulated Game Days.

If you live in the UK or Australia or are thinking of spending a holiday there and would like to play Simulated Games, here are the links to the associations in those countries where you can find out more about the estates and the dates available for Simulated Game Days.

England is home to The British Association for Shooting and Conservation, founded in 1908 by Stanley Duncan FZS and Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey Bt. It is the largest shooting organisation in the UK that promotes sustainable shooting not only has many shooting experts on staff but also very good resources for enthusiasts.

Australia has its Field & Game Australia, Inc., the country’s leading organisation for conservation, hunting and clay shooting sports, committed to the conservation and preservation of both plants and wildlife.

However, if you prefer, you can contact any of our distributors in those countries who will be happy to help you find the best estate for Simulated Game Days:

England: you’ll find Rob Hall Shotting Supplies at The Gun Room (https://www.facebook.com/TheGunRoom300/ or https://www.instagram.com/thegunroom300/).

Scotland: you have Tom Young at the North Ayrshire shooting ground (https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Gun-Range/North-Ayrshire-Shooting-Ground-400143304107/).

South of England: you can contact Sussex Guns with Jeremy Syver (https://www.facebook.com/Sussex-Guns-241981689178550/).

And in Australia, you have Beretta Australia (https://www.facebook.com/BerettaAustralia/ or https://www.instagram.com/beretta.australia/?hl=es).

With all this information in your hands, the only thing left for us to say is happy Simulated Game Day to you and share a few ultimate tips to keep in mind:

• Pay close attention to the breakfast briefing.

• Enjoy the day – forget about your mobile for a few hours.

• Follow the shooting safety rules to the letter.

• And always make sure you stay in the correct position that you’ve been assigned.

Have a great time and don’t forget to tell us all about your experience when you get back 😉.

Have you already experienced a Simulated Game Day? Tell us about it 👇!

La entrada SIMULATED GAME DAYS: THE FAVOURITE DISCIPLINE FOR HUNTING ENTHUSIASTS se publicó primero en Corsivia.

And this is what they discussed during the interview.

Alsina: The problem with the containers is not that they’re packed together or that they’re on ships going round in circles, but that there are other things, that it’s a situation due to other factors that we in the sector have seen coming for a year. So, I called Óscar to enlighten us on this issue: the containers, maritime transport and the issues with a lack of certain goods in some sectors.

Alsina: Good morning, Óscar. Explain to us a little bit about exactly what it is you do?

Calvo: We’re a forwarding company specialized fully in maritime transport. Similar to the way travel agencies generally don’t have hotels or planes, but organize everything for you, from picking you up from your home to the tours you want to take in the country you’re going to visit, freight forwarders don’t have ships, don’t have containers because they’re owned by the shipping company, but they organize the entire trip according to the conditions that the buyer and seller agree on. They organize all the paperwork, that is, customs clearance, organizing the booking with the shipping company, transport at origin and transport at destination to your warehouse, all the formalities to ensure that the goods reach you successfully and on time.

Plus, there are platforms, well, we’ve developed a platform that makes real-time tracking possible, so you can see where the ship is and know when your goods are going to arrive.

Alsina: So, you manage all the information, not only on prices, but also on transport delays: how long it’s taking for goods to get from one place to another in the world, what’s happening, the shipping delays that are occurring, the increase in transport costs… You mentioned to me the other day: there are other factors, and this has been coming for a year.

Tell me, what are these causes of what we’re now seeing?

Calvo: Well, ultimately, what José Antonio was saying about crammed containers and ships turning around, we have to bear in mind that this sector is a tightly interlinked chain. Each link involves a maritime company that puts its ship on a specific rotation that goes round a circuit. When China stopped in January last year, this meant that ships that were supposed to sail on a specific schedule didn’t. During the Christmas period, they began to cancel trips because there wasn’t enough merchandise, and these shutdowns that occurred in China were then replicated until they reached Europe. We also shut down in March, so when China started up, Europe was at a standstill. Since Europe wasn’t able to receive these goods, they began to be diverted from the chain between China via the Far East and Europe, and these containers or part of these containers began to be diverted to the chain between the Far East and America. Mainly, the west coast, which is the one that transports the greatest flow of goods at a global level, excluding the intra-Asian section.

Of course, the market logistics from Asia to Europe aren’t the same as those from Asia to the United States. When you unload an import container in Europe in 2-3 days, as a general rule, that container is empty again and can be used for export.

Internal logistics in the United States are much more complex, and once a container is unloaded, it takes the shipping company several weeks to get it back to reuse it for export. If we add all this to the congestion in Los Angeles, which we’re talking about 70 container ships and, in addition, we’re talking about ships that transport an average of 20,000 containers each, then ultimately the bottleneck is produced because the ships arrive, and the port doesn’t have the capacity to unload everything that arrives. There aren’t enough lorry drivers in the United States to pick up all the goods arriving at the ports and, therefore, bottlenecks begin to form that make the circuits that the ships have to do in 30 days longer, and they don’t have time to do all the circuits scheduled. The capacity of the ships is reduced, in turn, and there is a delay and the ports become backed up with containers in storage.

Alsina: Then the major issue lies in the capacity of the ports in the USA. Is the bottleneck occurring in the ports on the west coast of the USA?

Calvo: It’s a part of it. That’s why I commented on my Twitter that it was part of the situation. There’s a combination of several factors here:

➢ There was a collapse in the Suez Canal in March.

➢ There are Chinese ports which are suffering a COVID crisis, which means that they are stopped for weeks at a time.

➢ There is an increase in demand due to the fear of running out of supplies, and that makes people buy more than they need.

➢ There is an increase in the price of raw materials.

➢ Maritime freight rates have increased sevenfold since the beginning of the year and this also leads to a sense of uncertainty, driving people to buy now for fear that it will cost them more later.

So, it’s a combination of factors that means that there are more containers in one part of the world than in another, when they shouldn’t be.

Alsina: And the cost of freight has increased sevenfold. Why are we paying more to get the ships and containers when ships are moving less around the world? In other words, is the one who pays the most the one who ends up getting them, or why have they become so expensive?

Calvo: Well, we have to keep in mind that we’re in a really concentrated sector. In terms of container ships, five shipping lines have more than 65% of the market share and, if we extend this to the top 10 shipping lines worldwide, they have more than 85% of the market share. So, there’s a tremendous concentration that makes freight rates much more controlled.

When shipping lines that have been losing a lot of money for many years saw that the demand for space was greater than the supply, this caused prices to start to increase and if we add in the factor that ships are less productive, that is, there is less possibility of space on the ships, this makes the freight rate increase even more. It’s the sum of many factors.

Alsina: In other words, those who are making the most of the situation right now are the big shipping companies, those who control the business.

Calvo: In a free market it’s assumed that it’s ultimately a question of supply and demand, and that is the way it is. But of course, we have to also consider that there are exceptional situations such as the extension of the maritime alliances until 2024, because there are 10 shipping lines that are then grouped into three alliances, which means that supply is much more concentrated. 

Not only that, but artificial elements such as blank sailings are also being used, that is, I don’t have enough cargo to fill my ship, so instead of taking advantage and clearing out that port, I cancel a voyage, wait until the cargo starts to increase again and that way I keep supply and demand tight, my ships are full and my profits increase.

Alsina: And what forecasts or perspectives are you working with? We heard some reports, I don’t know if it was from the World Trade Organization, that said that we shouldn’t expect things to go back to a certain level of normality until at least until the second quarter of next year, in other words, that transport times and transport prices will return to the levels they were at before the pandemic. What are yours?

Calvo: Ours are the same. We don’t expect this to recover in terms of transit times until after the summer. You were talking about a two-month transit time for goods coming from China to Spain. That’s counting the time from when they’re picked up at the supplier’s warehouse, the time they wait in port until the ship arrives and then there is a transit time of approximately 35 days depending on the port of origin and destination and then delivery at the destination.

Of course, if the ports of origin are backed up, and you have to wait two weeks instead of 4-5 days, if transit times are increasing by 7-10 days and then delivery is also delayed, then that means that those months have to be recovered little by little.

But the transfer ports are backed up as well, we’re talking about the bottleneck in Los Angeles, which is going to take a long time because not only is it an issue with supply and demand, but also because of the endemic problem they have there with the transport issue that you were also talking about just now.

Well, we think that the situation won’t start to return to normal levels until after the summer, that is, when a customer called you, you loaded that same week, the container was loaded onto the ship the same weekend the ship set sail, and it continued on its route to its final destination.

Alsina: You were telling me at the beginning about how long it takes in a European port compared to what it takes in a port on the West Coast of the United States from the time the container has been emptied until it can be used again for export. What’s the difference between 1 or 2 days in Europe and up to a week or more in the USA?

Calvo: You have to keep in mind that we’re talking about distances. You can be loading a container in Los Angeles that has to be unloaded in New York. The main port of entry for the entire Asian market is the port of Los Angeles. So that’s where the goods are redistributed to many inland points in the United States. Rail transport in the United States is highly advanced compared to Spain, which accounts for a very small part of all goods. Rail transport is much more sustainable, it allows you to move large volumes, but logically it has less flexibility and less agility than road transport. These are all factors that mean that it takes longer to get that container back to a port where it can be used for export. And these containers are part of those that were on the route from the Far East to Europe. This also means that the volume of available containers drops when the European factories started to operate again starting this past March.

Alsina: A 20-foot container, how much is that in metres?

Calvo: 6 metres, 5.90 inside.

Alsina: 6 metres long by 3 metres wide?

Calvo: No, by 2.35 wide, approximately.

Alsina: Is that the one that’s used most?

Calvo: Well, it depends on the type of goods. Normally, the ones that are used most are 20 feet, which is the 5.90 interior metres, and 40 feet, which is 12 interior metres. If the goods are really heavy and have a small volume, 20 feet is used, for example, for tiles or very heavy products, and if the goods have more volume than weight, for example, electrical appliances, then 40 feet is used.

And this concludes everything that Óscar Calvo has shared with us to help clear up our questions about shipping delays.

Many thanks to Óscar Calvo, CEO of JCV shipping.

La entrada Why are there shipping delays right now? se publicó primero en Corsivia.

Hunting became, without doubt, the precedent for the sports we know today as Sporting Shooting or Olympic Shooting.

The vast majority of today’s shooters took their first steps in the world of hunting. This is not surprising, since our beloved sport helps the shooter test his marksmanship, skill and speed with the shotgun. And what’s more, it’s an activity that can be enjoyed all year round.

What hunter isn’t looking for just that?

ORIGINS OF CLAY TARGET SHOOTING

1871 marked the dawn of shooting sports when the National Rifle Association held the first big-name competitions in the United States.

However, it was not until 1880 that it went from being a hobby for only a privileged few from the upper social classes to becoming a very popular sport.

The reason: money, of course.

The cost of using the traditional pigeon for the sport dropped considerably when it was replaced by a clay device that promised very similar flight functions.

It was in 1915 that the discipline of “clay target shooting” first appeared in Massachusetts. Shooters took part in what was then known as “shooting around the clock”. In this discipline shooters stood at 12 different points on a circumference in order to change the variety of shooting angles.

This led to what is nowadays known as “Skeet shooting”.

DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES OF CLAY TARGET SHOOTING

Nowadays, clay target shooting is split into two main types: sporting and Olympic disciplines.

Sporting shooting includes numerous disciplines, such as Universal Trench, Mini-Trap, Sporting and Compak Sporting.

As for Olympic shooting, its best known discipline is Olympic Trap, although there is also Double Trap and Skeet.

Although as an Olympic sport, clay target shooting is relatively new, the number of fans is growing and it has undoubtedly become a contemporary Olympic sport.

But how did clay target shooting become an Olympic discipline?

THE BEGINNING AND EVOLUTION OF OLYMPIC CLAY TARGET SHOOTING

The sport of clay target shooting was first recognised as an Olympic discipline in the Olympic Games of Athens in 1896, and was included in the programme of activities.

On that occasion, 285 athletes from 13 different countries took part in competitions such as the free pistol over a 50-metre distance and the 25-metre rapid fire pistol. 116 of these athletes took part in Olympic shooting disciplines.

In the 2nd Olympic Games held in France in 1900, 166 shooters took part. And it was in 1908, in the Olympic Games of London that new forms of long gun, rifle and carbine were incorporated as individual disciplines.

A little later, in the 47th World Championships held in Barcelona in 1998, 2500 shooters from over 100 countries took part, being the first competition in which blind shooters put on a show.

Since its inclusion as an Olympic discipline, Olympic shooting has been a faithful participant at every Games. Although the number of events was reduced from 17 to 15 in the Olympic Games of Beijing in 2008, this sport has become increasingly popular with more and more people taking part.

So much so that there are now 16 shooting events included in the Olympic programme.

OFFICIAL REGULATORY BODIES

The International Shooting Union (UIT in French), which was established in Zurich (Switzerland) in 1907, was responsible for establishing the rules governing Olympic clay target shooting.

In 1998 this body was renamed the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) as we know it today.

If you love outdoor sports and want to test your aim, clay target shooting is the ideal option that will allow you to improve your reflexes while having fun.

If you love this sport as much as we do, don’t miss our blog posts.

We promise you very interesting contents.

Would you like to find out more about this sport? Drop us a line, we’d be happy to help you.

La entrada HISTORY OF CLAY TARGET SHOOTING se publicó primero en Corsivia.