Double trap is a shotgun shooting sport , one of the ISSF shooting events . Participants use a shotgun to attempt to break a clay disk flung away from the shooter at high speed.
92-451: The layout of double trap shooting is similar to that of trap shooting . The shooter stands 16 yards behind the house that releases the targets. Two targets are released simultaneously from the house. They follow set paths, usually 35 degrees to left and right of straightaway. The shooter can take one shot at each target. In international Double Trap competitions, the course of fire is 75 doubles for both men and women. The men's event involves
184-435: A "fixed" constriction. Interchangeable choke tubes can come in a variety of constrictions and may use names such as "modified", "improved cylinder", and "full". Trap guns are built to withstand the demands and stress of constant and lengthy repeated use—hundreds of shots in a single day of events, whereas typical field guns are built to be lighter, carried afield, and not shot in such quantity. Common accessories include wearing
276-778: A 25-double final for the top six competitors. The women's event was taken off the Olympic program after the 2004 Summer Olympics . Final shooting for women was discontinued in international competition as a result. The men's event was taken off the Olympic Program prior to the 2020 Summer Olympics resulting in the event being taken off from the ISSF World Cup but still remaining in the ISSF World Championships, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games etc. . References: Trap shooting Trap shooting
368-405: A 34 degree arc (up to 17 degrees right and left of center)., and the competitor does not know where in that arc the target will emerge. In doubles, the machine does not oscillate, but throws two targets simultaneously with each competitor shooting at five pairs (10 targets) from each station. In the handicap events, the machine operates the same as in singles, but the shooters stand farther away from
460-428: A 45 degree arc and each competitor shoots in turn, then moves station after having attempted 5 targets from each station in each round of 25 targets. Two shots are permitted at each target, but second shots incur a points penalty. 3 points are awarded for each first-barrel hit, 2 points for a second-barrel hit, and 0 for a miss. A perfect score in a 100-target competition is written as 100/300. The points score, rather than
552-479: A 75 cm (30 in) diameter pattern at a distance of 20 m (22 yd). A trap shooter shooting at distant targets traveling away from the gun might use 0.75 mm (0.030 in) of constriction to produce a 75 cm (30 in) diameter pattern at 35 m (38 yd). Special chokes for turkey hunting, which requires long range shots at the small head and neck of the bird, can go as high as 1.5 mm (0.059 in). The use of too much choke and
644-410: A barrel and without installing new screw-in replaceable chokes. Advantages claimed for a "jug choke" include improved patterns, reduction of recoil, and an increase of choke in a shotgun that does not have replaceable choke tubes. When a "jug choke" is implemented in an existing choked barrel, the bore inside the bored-out section of barrel effectively becomes "overbored", and this also typically lessens
736-440: A barrel is manufactured by increasing the diameter of the bore inside a barrel, creating what is called a "jug choke", or by installing screw-in chokes within a barrel. However implemented, a choke typically consists of a conical section that smoothly tapers from the bore diameter down to the choke diameter, followed by a cylindrical section of the choke diameter. Briley Manufacturing, one maker of interchangeable shotgun chokes, uses
828-467: A choke in order to reduce the dispersion of shots, but his design was not popular in the 1820s. The invention of choke boring is usually attributed to American gunsmiths. J.W. Long, in his book American Wildfowling , credits Jeremiah Smith of Southfield, Rhode Island , as the gunsmith who first discovered the concept, as far back as 1827. The first known patents for choke boring were granted Sylvester H. Roper , an American inventor and gunsmith. This
920-421: A comb height adjustment, a butt plate adjustment for length, angle, or both. Trap guns typically have longer barrels of 762–863.6 mm (30.00–34.00 in), possibly with porting and featuring tighter chokes to compensate for the longer distances at which trap shooting targets are broken. The majority of trap shotguns built today feature interchangeable choke tubes as opposed to older guns, which used chokes of
1012-408: A conical portion about 3 times the bore diameter in length, so that the shot is gradually squeezed down with minimal deformation. The cylindrical section is shorter and usually between 15 and 19 mm (0.6 to 0.75 inches) in diameter. A choke is designed to alter or shape the distribution of the shot as it leaves the firearm. For shooting most game birds and clay pigeons , a desirable pattern
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#17327873514011104-421: A constricted bore diameter near the muzzle. Chokes are almost always used with modern hunting and target shotguns to improve performance. Their purpose is to shape the spread of the shot "cloud" or "string" to gain better range and accuracy, and to deliver the optimum pattern of pellet density, for the particular target, depending on its size, range, aspect and whether it is traveling towards, across or away from
1196-433: A density similar to or greater than lead, and with a shot softness comparable to lead. These shells provide more consistent patterns and greater range than steel shot. They are also generally safe to use in older shotguns with barrels and chokes not rated for use with steel shot, such as for bismuth and tungsten-polymer (although not tungsten-iron) shot. The increase in performance of "heavier than lead" non-toxic shot comes at
1288-413: A handicap sub-event is shot is 27 yards (24.7 m). Safety regulations prohibit members of a handicap squad from shooting at varying yardages of more than 2–3 yards (1.8–2.7 m) apart, depending upon the handicap classification. In American Trap, each shooter is allowed only one shot per target. Unless the target was an illegal target, in which case the target is either broken or has broken regulations
1380-606: A higher cost. Boxes of such non-toxic shotshells can cost upwards of $ 40 (2013) a box for twenty five shells, compared with less than $ 8 per box (2013) for lead pellet shotshells. In practice, steel shot patterns as much as two chokes tighter for a given amount of constriction. In other words, a choke that patterns "Modified" with lead or bismuth shot would give a "Full" pattern with steel shot. To avoid excessive wear or grooving from occurring within chokes when shooting steel shot, many manufacturers recommend avoiding shooting steel shot in any chokes marked tighter than "Modified", unless
1472-463: A hit and add a visual effect. For the shooters who liked live game sport, targets were filled with feathers. Bogardus took up glass ball and clay pigeon shooting in 1868, and went on to win many championships. He was known as one of the most successful trap shooters in the early years of the sport. In the spring of 1883, he was defeated by a competitive shooter named Doc Carver. Carver idolized Bogardus and other renowned shooters. He attempted to attract
1564-402: A method of practice for bird hunters. Use of targets was introduced as a replacement for live pigeon-shooting . Indeed, one of the names for the targets used in shooting games is clay pigeons . The layout of a modern trap shooting field differs from that of a skeet field and/or a sporting clays course. Trap shooting has been a sport since the late 18th century when real birds were used; usually
1656-525: A modified choke when shooting steel or tungsten shells. For such hunters, wishing to continue to use older shotguns with chokes not rated for use with steel shot, the use of bismuth shotshells in the place of lead shotshells is common. Other alternatives to lead shotshells than bismuth also exist that are legal for hunting waterfowl, and which are safe for use with older chokes. Within recent years, several companies have created "heavier than lead" non-toxic shot out of tungsten , bismuth , or other elements with
1748-593: A more complex course, with many launch points. Trap shooting is practiced all over the world but is most popular in the United States (particularly the Midwest ), Canada and Europe. Trap shooting variants include, but are not limited to, international varieties Olympic trap , also known as "International Trap", "Bunker", "ISSF Trap", "Trench". Non-Olympic shooting variants include Down-The-Line , also known as "DTL", Nordic Trap, and double trap . American Trap
1840-462: A perfect fit as the relatively high 100 km/h (62 mph) exit speed of the target allows no time for conscious compensation of a poor fit as it so often can occur in the slower 64 km/h (40 mph) exit speed target games of American trap and skeet. Double trap is a relatively new trap form. An Olympic event since 1996 (from 2008 it has Olympic status only for men), two targets are thrown simultaneously but at slightly different angles from
1932-643: A shot pattern wider than it is tall, are sometimes found on combat shotguns , primarily those of the Vietnam War era. They were available for aftermarket addition in the 1970s from companies like A & W Engineering. Military versions of the Ithaca 37 with duckbill choke were used in limited numbers during the Vietnam War by US Navy Seals. It arguably increased effectiveness in close range engagements against multiple targets. Two major disadvantages plagued
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#17327873514012024-424: A small pattern increases the difficulty of hitting the target; the use of too little choke produces large patterns with insufficient pellet density to reliably break targets or kill game. As far back as 1787 a Frenchman by the name of M. Magne de Marolles gave an account of choke-boring, though he argued against it. Some sources state that the first pioneer was a Czech named Dominik Brandejs, who made shotguns with
2116-413: A usually stationary target, and usually with at least a few seconds to aim. Trap shooting involves shooting hundreds of pellets at a time, at a target that is moving quickly downrange, and often quickly laterally, typically with less than a second to move the gun and fire. Most shotguns have a bead at the end of the rib, located on top of the barrel(s), and a smaller bead halfway down the rib, used for aiming
2208-640: A vest or pouch that will hold at least 25–50 cartridges. Most ranges and clubs require eye and ear protection due to the extremely loud environment and possible danger of using firearms. Shooting glasses may be something as simple as the eyeglasses or sunglasses one presently wears. However, this is generally considered unsafe as standard eyeglasses and sunglasses are often not shatter proof. Specialized shooting glasses typically have interchangeable colored lenses, are adjustable, and are designed for high-impact resistance. A spectrum of different colored lenses are offered to compensate for light conditions as well as enhance
2300-405: Is 1290 FPS (Feet Per Second) for shot charges up to 1 1/8 oz. and 1325 FPS for shot charges up to 1 oz. A variant of standard trap is Wobble or Wobble trap. The main difference is a more variable target flight path than in standard trap shooting because the trap machine oscillates up and down as well as side to side. Shooters are allowed two shots per pull, and shooters at stations 1 and 5 stand at
2392-417: Is a "hand thrower" which is a hand-held arm which holds and releases that target when a person swings it. Another type of manual, non-electrical thrower utilizes a spring-loaded mechanism that is cocked and subsequently released by hand or foot. Trap typically uses lead shot ammunition, with shot sizes (for lead shot) ranging between #7 ½ and #9 (2.0–2.4 mm). The major components of a shotgun cartridge are
2484-470: Is broken down into three categories: singles, doubles, and handicap. The targets are thrown by a machine located at approximately ground level and covered by a "trap house." For singles and doubles, there are five "stations", each 16 yards (14.6 m) behind the trap house. In singles, each competitor shoots at five targets from each station. The trap machine oscillates left to right within a 54 degree arc (up to 27 degrees right and left of center), and at least
2576-459: Is employed to provide uniformity in target release times. The process of a round is as follows: There are six shooters, one to each station, with the sixth shooter initially starting at a holding station immediately behind shooter number one. At the beginning of first round of the day, test firing is allowed at the referee's permission. Upon receiving the start signal, the first shooter has 10 seconds to call for his target. After firing at his target,
2668-541: Is given. Trap shooting is shot at either single or double target presentations. This refers to the number of clay targets which are launched simultaneously. Both general purpose shotguns and more specialized target-type shotguns are used in trap shooting, and may be double-barreled or single-barreled. Shooters who shoot all sub-events will often buy a combination-set of a single and double barrel for shooting both singles and double targets respectively. Semi-automatic shotguns are also popular for recreational shooting due to
2760-464: Is measured experimentally by observing the percentage of pellets in a charge that impact inside a 75 cm circle at 35 m (25 m for "cylinder" and "Skeet"). Although different choke manufacturers have different identification of their chokes, the notches in the chart below are generally accepted. A common method of expressing the amount of constriction is by "points". A "point" is equivalent to 0.025 mm (0.001 in) of constriction of
2852-404: Is one of the three major disciplines of competitive clay pigeon shooting . The other disciplines are skeet shooting and sporting clays . Trap shooting is distinguished by the targets being launched from a single "house" or machine, generally away from the shooter, compared with skeet shooting where targets are launched from two "houses" crossing in front of the shooter. Sporting clays involve
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2944-502: Is one that is as large as possible while being dense enough to ensure multiple hits on the target, at a particular range. The choke should be tailored to the range and size of the targets. Shotguns intended for defensive use often have cylinder or improved cylinder chokes for the widest shot pattern at typically short defensive ranges; "cylinder barrels" have no constriction. A skeet shooter shooting at close crossing targets might use 0.13 mm (0.005 in) of constriction to produce
3036-553: Is popular throughout the United States and may be the most popular form of clay target shooting in North America. It is widely practiced at clubs and facilities that offer trap shooting. Trap shooting outside of any official event is common and arguably the majority of American trap shooting. Most official events are governed by the Amateur Trapshooting Association or ATA and its rules. The ATA
3128-522: Is still the largest ATA event. The ATA sanctions registered trap shooting competitions at local clubs and facilities throughout North America, and it coordinates Zone competitions leading up to the Grand American each summer along with "Satellite Grands" throughout the U.S. State organizations hold state championship shoots each year, which are coordinated with and sanctioned by the ATA. American Trap
3220-517: Is that waterfowl hunting with lead shot was identified as a major cause of lead poisoning in waterfowl, which often feed off the bottom of lakes and wetlands where lead shot collects. In the United States, UK, Canada, and many western European countries (France as of 2006), all shot used for waterfowl must now be non-toxic, and therefore may not contain any lead . One method commonly used to work around this legislative change, at least for hunters with newer shotguns with chokes designed for steel shot,
3312-599: Is the predominant version in the United States and Canada. American Trap has two independent governing bodies. The Amateur Trapshooting Association (ATA) sanctions events throughout the United States and Canada, as well as the Pacific International Trapshooting Association (PITA) which sanctions events on the West Coast of North America. Trap shooting was originally developed, in part, to augment bird hunting and to provide
3404-420: Is the primary governing body of American trap shooting and is one of the largest shooting sports organizations in the world. The Pacific International Trap Association (PITA) is an independent governing body, and is active in the western US and British Columbia. PITA rules are nearly identical to ATA rules. Trapshooting outside of official events follows ATA rules and norms to widely varying degrees. The ATA hosts
3496-549: Is the second largest clay target program in the country, with just under 15,000 participants. SCTP promotes gun safety, personal responsibility, and sportsmanship among primary and secondary students. Teams compete at the local, state, and national level. Athletes are divided into four divisions based on academic grade level and experience: Rookie (fifth grade and below), Intermediate (sixth through eighth grades), Junior Varsity (ninth through twelfth grades), and Varsity (eleventh and twelfth grades with at least two years of experience at
3588-434: Is to use steel shot, but the use of steel shot may damage chokes on older firearms that were designed for use with lead shot only such as Damascus-barreled shotguns. Most non-toxic shot shells produce higher chamber pressures than lead shot and can severely damage these older shotguns and as a rule of thumb, use a more open choke than one would for lead shells. An example would be an improved cylinder choke will perform like
3680-651: The "hull" (casing), "primer" (ignition device), "powder" ( smokeless gunpowder ), "wad" (shot cup and cushion), and "shot" (round pellets). The "shot" consists of approximately 300–450 small spheres. Cartridges are allowed a maximum payload weight of 1 + 1 ⁄ 8 oz (32 g) of shot. Velocity may vary but is limited based upon shot mass: 1,290 feet per second (390 m/s) for 1 + 1 ⁄ 8 oz (32 g), 1,325 ft/s (404 m/s) for 1 oz (28 g), and 1,350 ft/s (410 m/s) for 7 ⁄ 8 oz (24 g). Maximum loads are generally only needed for longer "handicap" yardages or
3772-492: The 18 yards (16.5 m) mark while positions 2–4 stand at the 17 yards (15.5 m) 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. Down-The-Line (DTL) is a form of trap popular in Great Britain , Australia , and South Africa . The trap machine oscillates left to right within
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3864-475: The 1860s and began to partially replace live birds, but live targets are still used in some parts of the United States. The glass ball targets were invented by Charles Portlock, of Boston, and were used by notable shooters such as Annie Oakley , Doc Carver , and Capt. A. H. Bogardus . Most of the glass ball targets were made of colorless glass and had a diameter of 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (6.4 cm). Some targets were filled with colored powder to indicate
3956-518: The 18th century. A publication known as Sporting Magazine states that by the year 1793, trap shooting was "well established" in England. The first recorded organized trap shooting in the United States is likely to have taken place at the Sportsman's Club of Cincinnati, Ohio in 1831. Originally, live birds were used as targets, released from under hats. Glass balls came into use as targets in
4048-544: The American Trapshooting Association. In 1923, the American Trapshooting Association was renamed Amateur Trapshooting Association , and the same organization is still active today. Olympic trap , also known as international and/or bunker trap, is one of the ISSF shooting events , introduced to the Olympic program in 1900; the current version was introduced in 1950. In international competitions
4140-924: The Grand American World Trap Shooting Championships, which is held every August. After decades in Vandalia, Ohio , the "Grand" moved to the new World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, Illinois . The Grand attracts 4,500 (2015 numbers) shooters for the thirteen-day event. It was billed as the world's largest shooting event until the USA High School Clay Target League 's Minnesota State Championship held in Alexandria, MN reached over 5,000 participants in June, 2015. The Grand American
4232-765: The Junior Varsity level). Trophies and college scholarships are awarded to third place, runner-up, and champion squads in each division at the SCTP National Championships, which are held concurrently with the first two days of the Grand American Trapshooting Championships in Sparta, Illinois. The Amateur Trapshooting Association launched its youth program, AIM in October 2008. With about 3000 participants,
4324-465: The Shoot-Off. The exit end of a choke is smaller by some dimension than the actual bore of the barrel. This difference in diameter is the amount of constriction. For example, for a 12 gauge, the bore diameter of the barrel is nominally 18.5 mm (0.73 in), although different manufacturers do vary their as-manufactured bore from this diameter slightly. This is commonly called "overbore", when
4416-402: The amount of choke for each barrel is usually stamped on the side of the choke tube, or there may be thin slots cut in the exposed rim of the tube at the barrel opening with the number of slots corresponding to the number of stars in this table. (The four wider slots present in the exposed rim of the tube are intended for use with a choke wrench, in the event that a choke tube ever becomes stuck in
4508-403: The amount of shot deformation, thereby increasing the shot pattern density. The following list should only be used as a guide, and there may be exceptions. Older shotgun barrels and chokes were designed for use with lead shot only. Due to changing worldwide waterfowl hunting law restrictions, the use of lead shot has been banned in many parts of the world by international agreement. The reason
4600-435: The as-built diameter exceeds the nominal actual diameter of 18.5 mm (0.73 in). The advantages touted for "overbore" are a perceived reduction in recoil, and a lessened shot deformation for improving shot patterns. Generally the constriction ranges for chokes will be 0.00-1.15 mm (0.00-0.045 inch) while the constriction for relatively common turkey chokes may be as much as 2.50 mm (0.10 inch). Choke
4692-411: The barrel, and have no relationship to the amount of choke.) For the case of older, side-by-side, Spanish guns, the choke is often marked on the tang of the barrels, becoming exposed when the wooden forearm is removed, after the double barrels are pivoted off of the break-action, such as when performing a field-stripping and cleaning. The manufacturer's mark, along with the proof marks, and the weight of
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#17327873514014784-506: The barrel, it is sometimes still possible to change the choke to a tighter choke. This is done by increasing the diameter of the bore inside the barrel for a short length of barrel, while the portion of the barrel and bore nearest the muzzle is left as it was. The effect is to form what is called a "jug choke" or a "reverse choke". This method is sometimes used by gunsmiths to implement a tighter choke on an existing gun without replaceable chokes, and can be done without requiring replacement of
4876-410: The barrel. These tubes are often extended tubes, meaning they project beyond the end of the bore, giving more room for things like a longer conical section. Shot spreaders or diffusion chokes work opposite of normal chokes—they are designed to spread the shot more than a cylinder bore, generating wider patterns for very short range use. A basic spreader choke is simply a "choke" with a larger diameter than
4968-597: The barrel; the spreader choke still makes the barrel more restrictive than just having a shorter barrel, but a shorter barrel may not be allowed due to legal restrictions. A number of recent spreader chokes, such as the Briley "Diffusion" line, actually use rifling in the choke to spin the shot slightly, creating a wider spread. The Briley Diffusion uses a 360 mm twist (1:14"), as does the FABARM Lion Paradox shotgun. Oval chokes, which are designed to provide
5060-433: The barrels in grams, and the proof test pressures are also stamped alongside the choke marking on the tang of the barrels, near where the shells are inserted into the barrels. In practice, choke tubes tighter than "Full", such as "Turkey", are also commonly marked with but a single thin notch on the end of the tube. Hence, to distinguish between "Full" vs. even tighter chokes, such as "Turkey", it becomes necessary to measure
5152-734: The best 12 bore gun in the London Gun Trial of 1866 could only average 127. Naturally, the advertisement generated considerable controversy, especially from rival manufacturers of cylinder guns, who refused to believe the numbers quoted in the advertisement. To resolve the controversy, the editors of Field magazine decided to conduct a public trial in 1875. The London Trial of 1875 pitted choke bores and cylinder guns of various manufacturers in four categories—Class 1 (large bores, any boring), Class 2 (choke bores, 12 gauge), Class 3 (guns of English boring or cylinders) and Class 4 (small gauges, any boring). The choke bored guns performed better than
5244-544: The birthday of the shooter. Categories are Pre-Sub (11 and under), Sub-Junior (12–14), Junior (15–18) and Graduates/Collegiate (18–23). For purposes of determining age category the category declared by the participant on the first day he/she shoots shall be used. AIM Shooters have the opportunity to compete at local and State/Provincial levels as well as at the Grand American World Trapshooting Championships. The AIM Program offers
5336-429: The bore exit diameter of the choke tube to determine precisely which choke type is present among the "Full" and tighter (smaller diameter) chokes. Other specialized choke tubes exist as well. Some turkey hunting tubes have constrictions greater than "Turkey", or additional features like porting to reduce recoil, or "straight rifling" that is designed to stop any spin that the shot column might acquire when traveling down
5428-477: The bunker who keep score. With modern technology, computer screens may be used both at the bunker and in the club house to show the rounds' progress. In major matches, there is a board, perhaps 1 m × 2.5 m (3.3 ft × 8.2 ft), to one side that shows the scoring status clearly to all with large tiles: white to show hits, red to show misses. The guns may be loaded—but open-actioned—between stations 1 through 5. Guns must be unloaded and open in
5520-472: The choke formation was derived from instructions given in a customer's letter, in early 1874. The customer's instructions described a choke but did not give any details on the size or shape nor how it was to be obtained. Hence, Greener had to conduct many experiments to determine the perfect shape and size of a choke for a given bore. After that, he developed tools to produce the choke bore profile correctly and smoothly. The system of choke boring that he pioneered
5612-497: The color of the target thrown while muting the color of the background. Adjustable glasses allow on-range changes for conditions of light, color, etc. Hearing protection also comes in a variety of styles. Dense foam and electronics are used to reduce sound levels. Typical hearing protection is either an "earmuff" (worn over the ear) or an "ear plug" (worn in the ear canal ). Some shooters use both simultaneously to gain greater noise reduction ( NRR ). There are also "ear plugs" molded to
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#17327873514015704-478: The course of fire is 125 shots for men and 75 shots for women. There is a 25-shot final for the top six competitors. Olympic trap uses 15 fixed-angle machines as opposed to the single oscillating machine used in American trap or DTL. The 15-machine, computer-controlled program is designed to deliver 10 left, 10 right and 5 straight-away targets to each competitor in a randomized sequence. A microphone release system
5796-543: The cylinder guns in all these tests, and W.W. Greener choke bore guns won the class 1, class 2 and class 4 categories. Greener Choke bores also won at the London Gun Trials of 1877 and 1879, and the Chicago Field Gun Trial of 1879. The results of these trials were responsible for making the W.W. Greener name famous, and for confirming the practical advantage of a repeatable method of controlling
5888-516: The firearm. Instructors generally refer to the process as "pointing" the shotgun rather than aiming it. Notable champion shooters include: Trap shooting is becoming ever more popular among younger shooters. There are a number of programs geared towards encouraging youth shooting. The USA High School Clay Target League is the largest youth clay target shooting program in the world, with nearly 50,000 participants yearly. The USAHSCTL runs high-school trap shooting leagues in various states nationwide,
5980-535: The first mention of Greener's choke bore appeared in an article by J.H. Walsh, the editor of Field magazine. The article mentioned the extraordinary shot pattern that the Greener shotgun could produce. The next issue came with an advertisement from Greener, stating that the firm would guarantee that their new guns would shoot a closer pattern than any other manufacturer. The advertisement claimed that Greener 12 bores were warranted to shoot an average pattern of 210, when
6072-447: The first shooter waits for the second shooter to complete firing, then moves to station two, with the shooter on station six smoothly moving to station one. This procedure continues through the squad until the completion of the round. Generally, the round is refereed by a person on the line, behind the shooters. They use a bicycle-type horn, or similar, to signal lost targets. The referee is assisted by one or two flankers to either side of
6164-460: The first shot. Since the UIT, now ISSF, mandated the 24 gram (7/8 ounce) shot load in 1991, chokes have tended to become tighter. Often competitors will use 0.64–0.72 mm (0.025–0.028 in) for the first barrel and 0.80–1.00 mm (0.031–0.039 in) for the second. Guns are regulated to shoot dead on or, at most 5–8 cm (2.0–3.1 in) high. Considerable effort is expended to ensure
6256-401: The great Bogardus, but it wasn't until six years later that the two legends finally came together for a match, and the winner was the less-experienced Doc Carver. Carver won 19 out of 25 matches. In most of those matches they used Ligowsky targets. In 1880, "clay" birds (disks) were invented by a man named Fred Kimble, although George Ligowsky took credit for the invention. The Ligowsky target
6348-407: The inner diameter of a choke. Hence, 40 points of constriction would correspond to a constriction of 0.040 inch (≈ 1 mm) in the inner diameter of a choke, corresponding to "Extra Full". The marking is usually stamped on the underside of the barrel for older guns without choke tubes, or is spelled out in abbreviated text on the barrel near the gauge marking. In the case of choke tubes,
6440-524: The largest of which is Minnesota, where 12,000 students from nearly 450 schools compete. All teams in USAHSCTL leagues are school-sanctioned as a prerequisite for team/league formation. The Minnesota State High School Clay Target League Championship is the largest trap shooting event in the world with over 8,000 student athletes participating in 2018. The League's motto is "Safety, Fun, Marksmanship - In that order." The Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP)
6532-428: The lower perceived recoil and versatility because they can be used for singles, handicap, and doubles. Shotguns used in trap shooting can differ from field and skeet guns in several ways and normally are designed with a higher "point of impact" as the targets are intended to be shot as they rise. Trap shooting shotguns can be adjustable. Stocks may have a " Monte Carlo " (fixed, raised "comb") configuration and/or include
6624-413: The machine's oscillating throwing position. International or Olympic trap employs 15 trap machines housed within a large elongated traphouse recessed into the ground to form a "bunker" which resembles a trench. International or Olympic trap may at times be referred to as bunker trap. Modern automatic throwing machines can store hundreds of clay targets in a carousel and systematically self-load targets onto
6716-571: The now-extinct passenger pigeon , which was extremely abundant at the time. Birds were placed under hats or in traps which were then released. Artificial birds were introduced around the time of the American Civil War . Glass balls (Bogardus) and subsequently "clay" targets were introduced in the later 1800s, gaining wide acceptance. Trap shooting is typically shot with a 12 gauge shotgun . Smaller gauge firearms (e.g. 16, 20, 24, 28, 32 gauge and .410 bore) can be used, but no allowance
6808-643: The number of perfect scores, unlike ATA/NSSA where perfect scores are the norm. Missing a single target in a large ATA or NSSA match means the competitor has a limited chance of winning, whereas missing a target in Bunker or International Trap still allows a competitor a good shot at victory. With her victory in women's skeet shooting at the 2012 London Olympic games , Kim Rhode became the first American to win medals in five successive Olympic games. Her prior Olympic medals were for doubles trap shooting in 1996, 2000, and 2004 and for skeet shooting in 2008. American trap
6900-616: The number of targets hit, determines the winner and is used to determine classifications (AA, A, B and C class). 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. The technique for trap shooting is fundamentally different from rifle or pistol shooting. The latter shoots one projectile and aims to place accurately at
6992-418: The opportunity to compete in a unique sport that is heavily reliant on mental focus as well as enjoy the thrill and excitement of registered trap shooting. Choke (firearms) A choke is a tapered constriction of a firearm barrel at its muzzle end. Chokes are most commonly seen on shotguns , but are also used on some rifles , pistols , or even airguns . Notably, some .22 LR match rifles have
7084-510: The performance of a choke on a shotgun. The choice of choke type has an impact on performance in shooting competitions . At the Shoot-Off at the 2018 Shotgun World Shoot , U.S. shooter Scott Greene and Russian Roman Anikin both fired their last shots almost simultaneously, but Greene had chosen a more constricted barrel choke. This gave a tighter shot pattern and a greater risk of missing, but ultimately led to his target falling faster to win
7176-452: The program, focusing on academics, integrity, and marksmanship, seeks to provide a safe and positive experience with firearms for youth, elementary through college age. AIM encourages good sportsmanship and personal responsibility through competition in order to make trap shooting a lifelong avocation. Categories and classes are designed to create a more level playing field and encourage genuine competition. Age based categories are established on
7268-522: The second shot in double trap. Steel shot , which may be required at certain trap clubs or ranges, is used with slightly larger shot size (e.g. #6 or #7). Reloading or self-loading of ammunition is popular among a segment of trap shooters, due in part to the sheer quantity of ammunition used in trap shooting as well as the fact that many ranges will have casings that are used only once and are able to be obtained by people who reload their own cartridges at little to no cost. Trap shooting has been around since
7360-401: The shape of the ear, which can be used for listening to music while shooting. Trap shooting requires the use of a target throwing device(s). American trap and DTL utilize a single trap machine, which is typically enclosed within a traphouse, downrange from the shooters' shooting positions. The house provides protection for the machine (e.g. from weather and errant shots) and also acts to obscure
7452-501: The shooter may reshoot that bird. When shooting American Trap for practice or fun, a squad of up to five individuals will shoot a "round" of trap which equals 25 targets per participant. Registered ATA events may require each shooter to shoot 50, 100 or 200 targets, depending upon the scheduled sub-event. Many of these shoots are for personal average or handicap yardage. ATA rules specify that shotgun gauges larger than 12 gauge (such as 10 gauge) are not permissible. Maximum shot velocity
7544-413: The shooter. Chokes are implemented as either screw-in chokes, selected for particular applications, or as fixed, permanent chokes, integral to the shotgun barrel. Chokes may be formed at the time of manufacture either as part of the barrel, by squeezing the end of the bore down over a mandrel , or by threading the barrel and screwing in an interchangeable choke tube. Chokes may also be formed even after
7636-414: The station three bank of machines. The target speed is about 80 km/h (50 mph), very close to that of ATA doubles. The only unique item is that the targets are released with a variable delay up to 1 second. This was instituted to minimize the practice of spot-shooting the first target. The ISSF has continuously adjusted the difficulties of its disciplines (trap, skeet, and double trap) to minimize
7728-437: The system. One was erratic patterning. The second was that the shot would spread too quickly providing a very limited effective zone. Offset chokes, where the pattern is intentionally slightly off of center, are used to change the point of impact. For instance, an offset choke can be used to make a double barrelled shotgun with poorly aligned barrels hit the same spot with both barrels. For shotguns with fixed chokes integral to
7820-440: The throwing mechanism. Manual electric target throwers require a person in the trap house with the trap machine to set the target(s) by hand onto the machine arm. For both types, an electrical signal, from the push of a button or a sound-activated device, causes the trap machine to throw its targets after the shooter calls for their bird(s). Temporary or informal trap shooting can utilize other methods to launch targets. The simplest
7912-399: The trap house. Recent changes specify a minimum handicap yardage of 19 yards (17.4 m). Each time a competitor wins an event or shoots a score of 96 or higher, s/he may earn additional yardage (also known as "getting a punch"), and must thereafter shoot from farther away from the traphouse. The increase in effective distance is designed to increase difficulty. The maximum distance at which
8004-431: The walk from station five back to one. The unloading must be done before the shooter makes the turn to step off station five. This open action requirement alone tends to discourage the use of auto-loading shotguns, as it is time-consuming to unload if the second shell is not used. Additionally, there are issues of reliability and the loss of the advantage which a more open choke of the over-under shotgun type can provide for
8096-574: Was a big success in the competition community. In the 1912 Olympics, Jay Graham became the first American to win the gold medal in doubles trap. Three years later, in 1915 the American Amateur Trapshooting Association (AATA) was formed with John Philip Sousa as president. This organization was the first organized and run by amateurs. When the AATA was disbanded in 1919, it was absorbed by an organization called
8188-463: Was followed by a patent claim in London by W.R. Pape, an English gun maker, whose patent application was six weeks too late to the 1866 Roper patent. While American gunsmiths were the pioneers of the choke boring system, they had not really progressed beyond the elementary stage and their choked shotguns would lead, throw irregular patterns, and not shoot straight. W. W. Greener 's first intimation of
8280-409: Was made to throw glass targets. This trap was able to throw the targets for a distance of 28 to 35 yards (26 to 32 m). It was operated by a person behind the shooter, who pulled a string and released an elastic spring, launching the target. The first automatic trap machine to launch clay targets was used in 1909. Following the invention of the automatic trap machines, doubles trap was introduced. It
8372-415: Was so successful that it was later adopted by other manufacturers and hence, some authorities give him the credit for inventing the concept, since his method became the first repeatable method of choke boring. William Wellington Greener is thus widely credited as being the inventor of the first practical choke, as documented in his classic 1888 publication, The Gun and its Development . In December 1874,
8464-576: Was used widely in the early trap shooting community as a replacement for the glass ball targets. The downside of the Ligowsky targets was that they were too hard to break when hit. Fred Kimble made a more breakable target. Unlike the Ligowsky target, which was made of hard baked clay, the Kimble target was made of coal-tar, pitch, and other ingredients. There were many different types of target throwers, also known as “traps,” like one made by Bogardus, which
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