SHOOTING STAR PREPARES TO LAUNCH UK-MADE CLAYS WITH ‘FLYING SAUCER’ INNOVATION

Shooting Star, a long-standing player in the UK shotgun cartridge market, is preparing to enter a new chapter in its 30year history by launching a domestic clay manufacturing operation. At a time when imported targets dominate and pricing concerns loom large, the company is aiming to reintroduce British-made clays to the market—with a technical twist.

Founder Nick Levett-Scrivener spoke to Gun Trade Insider about the decision to expand, the challenges of getting a manufacturing line off the ground, and the story behind their novel new target: the Disco Volante.

“Like anything in manufacturing, it’s not been without its setbacks,” Levett-Scrivener admits. “We’ve had pump issues, material viscosity problems—things that just take longer to resolve than you’d like. But we’re almost there now. Production is coming.”

The project began when Nick connected with Will and Toby, two entrepreneurs based in Essex trading under NEWR Industries. Following the closure of Czech manufacturer Hornet, Shooting Star acquired some of their equipment, clay presses and related machinery, which has since been refurbished and installed in a purpose-built factory in England.

“It’s been a bigger job than anticipated,” he says. “But once we’ve got the final engineering issues resolved, we’ll be producing clays right here in the UK. And that’s something no one else is doing at the moment.”

Indeed, with giants like CCI having ceased UK production and Laporte returning operations to France, Shooting Star stands to become the only domestic manufacturer of clay targets. It’s a timely move, given the supply and pricing issues currently facing grounds and retailers.

“We’ve had four price rises in a month from one major European supplier,” he says. “It’s created a bit of a monopoly, and that’s never healthy. It puts pressure on everyone down the chain.”

But the venture is not just about filling a supply gap. At the heart of Shooting Star’s innovation is the new Disco Volante target, Italian for ‘flying saucer’, which has been engineered to fly further and faster than a conventional clay.

“It’s designed mainly for simulated days,” explains Levett-Scrivener. “You’re trying to throw a target that moves like a MIDI but is as visible as a standard. The Disco Volante does that. It’s got lower drag, 0.19 versus 0.28 on a standard clay, so it travels further and holds speed longer, but it’s still big enough to see clearly.”

Crucially, it’s compatible with existing trap machines, allowing grounds to stack it alongside regular targets with no need for specialist equipment.

The Disco Volante isn’t the only plan in the pipeline. Shooting Star is also preparing to offer full-circle services to customers, including a cartridge case recycling programme.

“We already import a wide range of cartridges, RC, Joker, Trust, Bioammo, a bit of Victory, and now we’ll be in a position to deliver cartridges and clays, then take the used cartridge cases away for recycling. It’s a more sustainable model and it saves shooting grounds a job.”

The reaction from the trade has been positive so far, he says.

“We’ve had a lot of interest, particularly since the British Shooting Show. If we’d had production going then, we could have sold... well, a lot,” he laughs. “Nobody’s pushed back on the idea. As long as the price is right and the clays come off the arm cleanly, that’s what grounds care about.”

While the initial focus will be on supplying grounds and clubs, rather than retail outlets, Levett-Scrivener believes there’s potential for expansion once production is established.

“Shops do buy clays occasionally, especially for customers who want a box for a weekend BBQ or small event. But 95 per cent of the volume is clubs and shooting grounds, and we’ll stick to that model for now.”

Looking ahead, Levett-Scrivener is optimistic that UK-made clays can carve out a niche, especially with ongoing shifts in the market and increasing scrutiny on environmental performance and cost transparency.

“We’re not trying to reinvent the industry. We just want to offer a solid alternative, one that’s local, reliable and competitively priced. The more choice the market has, the healthier it is for everyone.”

Shooting Star will be exhibiting at the Game Fair this July on Gunmakers’ Row, where visitors can learn more about the brand’s cartridge lines, including smaller gauges and new paper-wad offerings.

For now, the UK clay market remains under pressure from price rises and supply consolidation, but with domestic production on the verge of returning, Shooting Star may have timed its move perfectly.