Trap shooting
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Trap shooting is one of the two major forms of competitive shotgun shooting at clay targets (the other is Skeet shooting). There are many versions including Olympic Trap, Double Trap (which is also an Olympic event), Nordic Trap, and several national versions such as American Trap.
The sport is in some ways a replacement for a game where the targets were live pigeons. Indeed, one of the names for the clay targets used in shooting games is clay pigeons. The layout of modern trap shooting is different from skeet shooting in that there is only one house that releases targets and the shooters only move through 5 different positions.
Trap shooting has been a sport since at least 1793 when it used real birds, usually the then-extremely abundant Passenger Pigeon. Fake birds were introduced around the time of the American Civil War as the Passenger Pigeon was nearing extinction and sufficient numbers were not reliably available. Clay targets were introduced in the 1880's.
International Versions
- Main articles: Olympic Trap and Double Trap
Double Trap is a relatively new Trap form, Olympic since 1996 (from 2008 it has Olympic status only for men), where two targets are thrown simultaneously but at different angles.
Regionally and Nationally Recognized Versions
In the Nordic countries and Great Britain (which is part of the Nordic Shooting Region), a form of Trap formerly known as Hunter's Trap and now as Nordic Trap is popular. It is easier than the Olympic version.American Trap is popular in the United States and different from Olympic Trap. Official events and rules are governed by the Amateur Trap Shooting Association or ATA. The ATA also runs the Grand American World Trap Shooting Championships, which is held every August. Starting in August of 2006, it will be held at the new World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, Illinois.
American trap is broken down into three categories: 16 yd singles, 16 yd doubles and, handicap which is shot between 19 and 27 yd. In singles each shooter takes one shot at five targets in each of the five positions in sequence and is shot while standing 16 yards back from the trap house. The trap rotates back and forth so it is impossible to know which way the target is going to come out. Handicap is the same as singles but shot from further away. You start at the 20 yd line (19 if you are a new Lady or Sub-junior shooter) and work your way back earning yardage if you shoot a score of 96 or higher, you win a championship or other major event, or you shoot the highest score when 15 or more competitors shoot that event. No two shooters on the same squad should have a difference of more than three yards between them. Doubles is shot from 16 yards and the trap is fixed to fire straight away with the left and right targets appearing to be straight away when standing between positions 4 & 5; and 1 & 2, respectively. Two targets are thrown at the same time and you get one shot per target. There is no second shot on any target in American trap singles or handicap.
When shooting American trap for practice or fun a squad of five will shoot 25 targets each for a total of 125. Registered ATA shoots require shooters to shoot 50, 100, or 200 targets per squad (depending on the scheduled event) and they are allowed to shoot as many squads as they wish during non event shoots. Most of these shoots are for your personal average or handicap yardage. In order to qualify for the Grand a shooter must shoot a minimum of 2000 singles, 1500 doubles, and 2000 handicap targets in a year.
American Trap uses similar targets as Olympic Trap, but they are thrown at a slower speed. A variant of standard trap is Wobble or Wobble Trap. The main differences are a much more extreme target flight path (the elevation of the target is random) than in standard Trap shooting, shooters are allowed two shots per pull, and shooters at stations 1 and 5 stand at the 18 yard mark while positions 2-4 stand at the 17 yard mark. Although this version of trap is not sanctioned by the ATA, many shooters consider it to be both more challenging and engaging as well as a more realistic preparation for bird hunting. More experienced shooters will often shoot from the Skeet positions to increase the difficulty.
Arms and Equipment
Trap is generally shot with a 12 ga. mono (such as the Browning BT-99) or double barrel shotgun. Shooters will often buy a combo-set of a mono and stack barrel gun for shooting singles and doubles respectively. Semi-autos are popular due to the low recoil and versatility as they can be used for singles, handicap, and doubles. Trap-specific guns are normally a manufacturer’s top of the line model and often embellished with engraving or inlay work and higher grades of wood. Trap guns differ from field and skeet guns in several ways and normally shoot higher than their counterparts as the targets are almost always shot on the rise. The most obvious difference is in the stocks; they are normally Monte Carlo or have an adjustable comb, an adjustable butt plate, or both. Such changes make for effectively no drop at the heel. Such guns also have long barrels (from 28 to 34 inches), often with porting, and anything from a modified to a full choke. The majority of trap shotguns feature interchangeable choke tubes, but older guns generally have fixed chokes. Some shooters have a complete set of choke tubes (modified, improved modified, light full, full).
Most shooters wear a vest or belt that will hold 25 cartridges with a second pocket for the spent shells.
Ammunition
American trap is shot with lead target ammo only, with a shot size between 7 ½ and 9. Twelve gauge ammo should have no more than 3 dram equivalent of powder and no more than 1 1/8 oz of shot. Maximum loads are generally only needed for long handicap or the second doubles shot. Amateur Trapshooting Association rules state that only 12 and 20 guage shells may be used to shoot trap.
Although Winchester AA and other higher end shot shells have been popular in the trapshooting world for quite sometime, cheaper shells such as Federal Top Gun and Rio are becoming increasingly popular due to the increase in price of the higher end shells. Federal Top Gun and Rio still offer the decent firepower of Winchester AA shells, but lack a sturdy hull thus making them difficult to reload. Reloading is also becoming much more popular since it doesn't cost nearly as much as buying new boxes of shells and doesn't take quite as long to manufacture a box of shells as it used to due to the invention of hydraulic reloading machines.
Trap Etiquette
American Trap shooting, more so than other shooting disciplines, including international trap, develops a certain rhythm to a squad timing between shots. The manners of any other squad member(s) can affect the performance of individuals within a squad. Shell catchers are a must for anyone using a semi-automatic - a shell hitting you in the head or arm can certainly disrupt your concentration. Most shooters also carry a few extra shells in case they drop one. It is better not to pick up any dropped shell, or other item, until after the 5th shooter has fired his 5th shot of the station and the squad is about to rotate to the next position. Idle chatting between shots, vulgar calls, and unnecessary movement can be generally disruptive. Things are considerably more relaxed during a practice squad, but one should use some discretion.
Commands from the scorer and other shooters are as important to squad timing as the behaviors of the shooters on the squad. To start a squad the shooter will ask if the squad and puller are ready, followed by asking to see one free target and his first target. The scorer will call missed targets with a command of: loss, lost, etc. When the first shooter has fired his final shot of the position the scorer will sometimes call “end” and will command “all change” after fifth shooter has fired his last shot. The shooter on position five then moves behind the rest of the shooters on his way to the first station and will signal when he is ready to the First shooter who is now on station two. The standard call for a target is “pull,” but many shooters like to use their own variations of "pull," or words that will help them concentrate on the target.
Youth Shooters
Trapshooting is becoming ever more popular among younger shooters. The ATA allows shooters under the age of 18 to shoot for half-price at the Grand American as well as many other large ATA sponsored shoots. Some state shoots have also resorted to this.
The Scholastic Clay Target Program, or SCTP has been promoting safe shooting in trap, skeet, and sporting clays, and organizes annual events at the state and national level in which youth shooting teams from different gun/sportsmens clubs compete against each other in a 200-bird singles event. Teams are divided into five divisions: Rookie, Junior-Novice, Junior-Experienced, Senior-Novice, and Senior-Experienced. Trophies cover third place, runner-up, and champion in each division. Teams that win their division at the state level have the chance to go to the Grand American and compete in the National Scholastic Shooting Competition.
External Links
- [Amateur Trapshooting Association]
- [Scholastic Clay Target Program]
- [World Shooting and Recreational Complex]
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