Compak Sporting vs FITASC Sporting: What's the Difference?

Clay shooters new to the sport in South Africa often ask the same question: what''s the difference between Compak Sporting and FITASC Sporting? Both disciplines fall under the same international governing body, both use sporting clays, and both reward the same core skills — but they are very different games on the day.

## Same governing body, different layouts

Both Compak Sporting and FITASC Sporting are governed internationally by the Fédération Internationale de Tir aux Armes Sportives de Chasse (FITASC), headquartered in Paris. In South Africa, both disciplines fall under the Clay Target Shooting Association of South Africa (CTSASA), and Compak SA is the recognised body running national Compak Sporting events.

Where they split is in layout:

- **Compak Sporting** is a compact, fixed-frame discipline. Six traps throw targets into a defined 40m × 25m rectangle, and shooters move through five shooting cages (stations). Everyone shoots the same targets from the same positions — it''s designed to fit into a small footprint and run a lot of shooters efficiently. - **FITASC Sporting** is a walk-around "parcours". A squad of six shooters moves between three or four pegs in a natural setting — usually woodland, bush or open veld — and shoots a different menu of targets at each peg. There''s no cage; you stand on an open peg and the targets use the terrain.

## Target presentations

Compak''s six fixed traps mean target combinations are choreographed: singles, report pairs (second target on the report of the shot), and simultaneous pairs are called by the referee in a set sequence. You see the same target as everyone else.

FITASC takes the same target families — standard, midi, mini, battue, rabbit, teal — but presents them across a far wider range of distances, angles and crossings. A single FITASC layout can swing from a 12m teal to a 45m crosser within the same peg. Targets are typically longer and more varied than at a Compak shoot.

## Gun position

This is the rule that surprises most newcomers.

- **Compak Sporting**: gun-up is allowed. You may pre-mount the gun before calling for the target. - **FITASC Sporting**: gun-down is mandatory for the first target of every pair. The heel of the stock must be visible below the armpit line until the target is visible. Mount, swing and shoot — all after the call.

The gun-down rule is the single biggest stylistic difference between the two disciplines and is the main reason FITASC feels like a more "field-like" discipline.

## How they fit together in South Africa

Most South African sporting clay shooters do both. Compak is the everyday weekend game — short, repeatable, easy to host, and the format used for the bulk of registered shoots on the Compak SA calendar. FITASC is the international showcase discipline, with continental and world championships drawing the same shooters who do well at Compak.

If you''re starting out:

1. Start with Compak Sporting at a local club shoot. The fixed layout and gun-up rule give you a fair, repeatable platform to learn the basics. 2. Move on to FITASC once your mount is consistent — the gun-down rule punishes a poor mount more than any other discipline. 3. Use the [Compak SA competitions page](/competitions) to find your next registered Compak shoot, and follow CTSASA for FITASC fixtures.

Both disciplines feed the same skill set — reading the target, building a smooth gun mount, and trusting your lead. Pick whichever fits the day, and shoot the other one next month.

By Compak SA