Tips for Trap and Sporting Clays

[abrams12]

I need a little help with my techniques for shooting trap and sporting clays. I have a cheap thrower that I use at my mom's house, and with that thrower I can hit all but two or three out of every twenty five or so. But, I tried trap last year for the first time at an actual range, and missed quite a few more. Same with sporting clays. Any suggestions or tips? Thanks.

 

[lubemupski]

I think the best thing to do would be to seek out someone who is experienced and willing to give you some advice. This can either be a friend or a professional instructor. They will be able to tell you the fundamentals of proper technique for whichever clay sport you are interested in. Also, give skeet a try, it gives you an opportunity to shoot many different types of shots with varying lead, which can help you on the sporting course.

There are also books, dvds and a wealth of resources at shotgunworld.com but I don't believe there is any better resource than personal instruction and a lot of practice.

 

[singlesix]

Trapshooting Basics

This will give you the layout of a standard regulation (ATA) Trap Field. I bet your home setup is vastly different. If you want to improve in Trap or Shooting Clays the only way is to shoot that discipline. Yes there are fundamentals and any Trap decent club will have members more than willing to help you learn the fundamentals.

I shoot at Brownsburg and Marion County Fish and Game (Indianapolis area) if you are close PM me and I'll be happy to help you out.

 

[badapples]

Like singlesix said, go to a club and ask for advice. Trap shooters are more than happy to help. It is a dying sport that needs new people so most will lend a helping hand. Been doing it for 25 years now and have met some of the nicest people doing it.

 

[Twangbanger]

I would just be guessing, but would assume the reason you're hitting most of the targets from the portable thrower is they throw pretty slow, and you know what the angle is going to be most times. It's almost like rifle shooting in the sky; the target is basically going straight away from you and it's almost like aiming a rifle. Then, you go to a range with an oscillating trap that throws a true 50-yard target with angles, and miss more. At least that was my experience when starting out. Don't worry, "it gets better," and rapidly, at the point in the process where you are.

Some random points, in no particular order:

Equipment-wise, use a gun well-suited to wingshooting. Long and heavy are good; short and light make hitting harder, and make recoil harder, too. The gun needs to fit you well. There's a lot more to that than most beginners can learn right away, but to get a good jump start, pattern your gun at 15~20 yards (close enough so the pattern center can be accurately identified within a few inches). The pattern should be centered around your aiming dot on the paper, or slightly above it. If the gun hurts you in any way, you must change that. Have a knowledgeable shooter and/or gun-fitter check your gun fit, add weight, add soft padding, whatever it takes to make that recoil manageable. Absolutely do not shoot 3-dram loads when starting out; stick with nothing hotter than 2&3/4 dram-equivalent (I assume you're shooting a 12-gauge; or 2&1/2 dram if using a 20-gauge...20 gauges are lighter and can kick the snot out of you if you use heavy loads in them).

As far as shooting technique, seeing the target is more important than anything else, and will remain so your whole shooting career. It's more important than guns, foot position, leads, anything else. Your eye needs to "lock on" to the target fairly soon in its flight, and stay focused on it through completion of the break. If you look back and forth from barrel to target, your swing will be hesitant and interrupted and you'll miss too much. But if you keep your eyes on the bird, with the barrel coming into peripheral view near the end of the shot, your brain will "record" and learn from your good shots, and will perform automatically to do the same on future ones. Your brain will eventually establish the correct lead instinctively, based on what it has seen before. Finally - and I cannot stress this enough - don't move the gun until the target's direction is identified. Wait for the bird...then move to it. Especially when you go to a range with electric machines...since the bird is always released about the same time after you call pull, it's very easy to get in a "rhythm" where you begin moving the gun a set period of time after you call for the bird, whether it's actually appeared or not. This is death, death, death to the clay target shooter. Your gun will go one way, the target goes the other, and you have to "correct" your swing in mid-flight. That initial move must be accurate and made only after seeing the bird. Shoot based on SIGHT, not based on timing. You teach yourself to shoot, based on what your eyes see.

And all the usual stuff about going to a club, learning from the people there, and finding someone you can trust to help work out your problems. I will warn you, although trapshooters are usually very helpful to beginners, you still have to think for yourself and not just blindly follow what they say. A lot of bad information gets handed out along with the good, so this is why you may want to seek out a clinic or reputable instructor.

Welcome and good luck...

 

[abrams12]

To everyone, thanks very much for the information. Our local shooting club has a lot of very nice people. I think I'll consult with them for advice in the spring when trap and clays come back in. Until then, I am going to practice practice practive with my thrower every chance I get. I think I'll try some different angles with my thrower and some longer distances to help simulate what I'll see on the trap and clays ranges. One thing for sure, my thrower definitely throws the clays a lot slower than I experienced last year at the actual range. Thanks again for the advice.

 

[rhino]

Does anyone shoot trap or sporting clays with a 20 ga? I recently acquired a Remington 870 Express Youth model (with a modified choke) that fits me really well, but I'd like to shoot some aerial targets to get better with it. Are the trap shoots in Brownsburg and MCFG open to non-members?

 

[singlesix]

Yes 20ga is fine and you can shoot at both clubs.

 

[rhino]

Yes 20ga is fine and you can shoot at both clubs.

What days do you usually shoot? I might stop by on my way home from work.

 

[singlesix]

What days do you usually shoot? I might stop by on my way home from work.

MFCG Thurs 6 - 10PM
B'Burg Sat Noon - Dusk

 

[85t5mcss]

This may sound strange but what helped me was not shouldering ahead of time. More of a Sporting Clays hold just below the shoulder. I tried to break the habit but I wanted to "aim" more than point and shoot. With the gun down a few inches I was able to see the clay sooner and get on target and still hit it at the same distance as if I had the gun shouldered already. I did this for a few months to help my mind train for it. Ended up helping me a lot with follow through and improved my scores. I'm still no pro, but can do 25 on a good day but I'll never get the 100/100. But left shoulder issues keep that from happening.

 

[gncc600]

Bring some money with you. ATA fees, targets, shells....a day of shooting registered trap gets into the triple digits.

 

[cyprant]

I have a question -

Trap is the only game near me and I have shot trap a few times with my pump gun. I recently was lucky enough to win a Franchise Affinity from a friends of NRA dinner. Its an auto loader and was wondering if it was rude to use an auto? I have heard people mention this but need to know if people will actually be upset about shells flying about...

 

[singlesix]

Get a shell catcher. It's not fun dodging shells. Also some shooters have nice wood stocks and flying shells can scar the wood.

 

[RLC]

Save-It 12 Gauge Shotshell Shell Catcher | MidsouthShootersSupply.com
A lot of guys don't mind the shells flying but some shooters get pretty upset about it.

 

[gregkl]

I started shooting Trap this year. It has been frustrating for me, especially until I did something with my eye cross dominance. But it has always been fun. I went a few time to Wildcat Creek's Monday clays, but mostly the MCFG Thursday's. The seasoned shooters are always willing to lend a hand. My shooting improved over the Summer, though I have a long ways to go.

I always thought I was pretty good. This was based off of shooting informal clay birds off a thrower out in a field. Shooting Trap is a whole new experience for me.

Tips:
Shoot what you have.
Use a shell catcher if you are bringing and auto-loader
Read, watch videos, seek instruction from folks at the clubs when you are there
Look for the older guys. They don't have cocky attitudes and they know what they are talking about
Be patient, I am realizing that shooting good scores comes down to having a lot of little elements done right. (IE, stance, cheek weld, frame, etc.)