III. Firearm Information by Type
E. Shotguns
4. Miscellaneous
b. The Difference Between Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays
by Scot E. Heath (scot@hpfistu.fc.hp.com)
> What is trap shooting, skeet shooting and sporting clay shooting ?
> Specifically, what is the difference between the three ?
Here is as brief an answer as I can give you about the three (actually 6) games
you mentioned.
American trap shooting, as governed by the Amateur Trap Shooting is
composed of three different events. Singles, Handicap and Doubles. All
events are shot on a field consisting of a house 5 runners spaced ~ 12 degrees
apart and extending from 14.6 meters (16 yards) to 24.7 meters (27 yards)
behind the house (top view shown below).
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TARGET PATH *************
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HOUSE --------------> |___|
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RUNNERS ----> . . . . .
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Targets are thrown out of the house in a random arc but always at the same
height. A total of 25 targets (50 in doubles) are shot in each sub-event on
any one field. There are typically 5 contestants at a time, one on each
runner. Beginning with the contestant on the far left runner, each contestant
in turn calls for and receives a target (2 in doubles) then fires one shot at
each target. After each contestant has fired 5 shots (10 in doubles), the
contestants move one position to the right and the contestant on the far right
moves to the far left station. Typically, a total of 100 targets are shot
at by each contestant in any event, singles, handicap or doubles.
Contestants all stand at the 16 yard line in singles and doubles.
Contestants stands at various distances from 17 to 27 yards in handicap,
depending upon past performance.
Equipment is limited to shotguns no larger than 12 gauge and shells of a
maximum of 1-1/8 oz of shot and 3 dram equiv. powder.
International trap shooting differs quite a bit from ATA trap. A top view
of the field is shown below.
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TARGET PATH ---> *************************
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BUNKER -------------->|_______________|
PADS -----------------> . . . . .
Instead of one machine in the house, there are 15 machines in the bunker,
three per pad. Each machine is pre-set for an angle and height and does
not vary during any sub-event, however, the competitor does not know from which
of the 3 machines related to any particular pad the target will be thrown.
The targets are thrown much faster than in ATA trap. A sub event consists
of 25 targets but they are shot differently than in ATA trap. As soon as
the competitor on pad 2 shoots, the competitor on pad one moves to the
right behind the competitor on pad 2. When the competitor on pad 3
shoots, the competitor on pad 2 moves to the right behind the competitor on
pad 3 and the competitor who was waiting behind pad 2 moves into position
to shoot from pad 2. This pattern of shoot/move/shoot/move is repeated
non-stop until each competitor has fired at 25 targets. One of the main
differences is that a competitor may fire at all targets 2 times, a hit on
either shot counts as a dead target.
The sport of international doubles now exists. In this game, targets are
thrown from 2 of the 3 machines located in front of pad 3. Competitors
shoot the same 2 targets from each pad, shooting and moving as described
above. One shot is fired at each target, a round of shooting consists of
25 pairs or 50 targets.
Equipment is limited to shotguns no larger than 12 gauge and shells of a
maximum of 24 grams of shot and 3-1/4 dram equiv. powder.
American skeet is shot on a field as shown below.
LOW HOUSE HIGH HOUSE
TARGET PATH ---> ******** ********* <-TARGET PATH
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HIGH __ _ ******** _ ******** _ __ LOW
HOUSE--> |__| |_|1 |_|8 7|_| |__|<-HOUSE
_ _
|_|2 6|_|
_ _
|_|3 5|_|
_
|_|4
The field consists of 8 pads, 7 of which are arranged in a semi circle and
the eighth at the center of the semi-circle, and 2 houses where the target
throwers reside. The targets are always thrown in exactly the same direction
and at exactly the same height. The target out of the high house starts at
approx 3.5 meters off the ground and is thrown nearly horizontally. The
target out of the low house starts at nearly ground level and at the point
the target paths cross, is the same height as the high house target,
approximately 3 meters.
Once again, a total of 25 targets are fired at by each competitor. The
competitors take turns shooting from the pads in the order they are
numbered with all competitors finishing each pad before proceeding. A
perfect round of skeet is shot as noted below:
Pad 1 - One high house target, one low house target, one of each thrown
simultaneously (known as a pair). Nearly all competitors shoot the
target from the house they are standing closest to first when shooting
a pair.
Pad 2 - One high house target, one low house target, one pair.
Pad 3 - One high house target, one low house target.
Pad 4 - One high house target, one low house target.
Pad 5 - One high house target, one low house target.
Pad 6 - One high house target, one low house target, one pair.
Pad 7 - One high house target, one low house target, one pair.
Pad 8 - One high house target, two low house targets.
If a competitor misses a target, he/she will immediately attempt to shoot
an identical target again ONLY ON THE FIRST MISS. When this happens, the
last low house target on pad 8 is eliminated.
Equipment is limited to shotguns no larger than 12 gauge and shells of a
maximum of 1-1/8 oz of shot and 3 dram equiv. powder for the 12 gauge
contest. There are typically also 20 gauge, 28 gauge and .410 bore
contests as well; I don't know what the requirements are for equipment
here.
International skeet is shot on a field identical to the American field, but
the competitors must start with the butt of their guns touching an
imaginary line running around their hips at the point of the hip bones.
In the previous three games, contestants are allowed to shoulder their guns
before calling for a target. In International skeet, there is a random
delay of from 0 to 3 seconds between the time the contestant calls for the
target and it actually appears. The gun must remain touching the
line around the hips until the target appears. The target mix is somewhat
different than American skeet:
Pad 1 - One high house target, one pair (a target thrown from each house
simultaneously) shooting the high house target first.
Pad 2 - One high house target, one pair shooting the high house target first.
Pad 3 - One high house target, one low house target, one pair shooting the
high house target first.
Pad 4 - One high house target, one low house target, one pair shooting the
high house target first.
Pad 5 - One high house target, one low house target, one pair shooting the
low house target first.
Pad 6 - One low house target, one pair shooting the low house target first.
Pad 6 - One pair shooting the low house target first.
Pad 8 - One high house target, one low house targets.
Sporting Clays is widely varied. Most courses consist of 50 targets but
they can be thrown in limitless configurations. This game requires the
competitors to start with the butt of their guns below their arm pit until
they see the target.
This is the fastest growing of the shotgun sports. It was originally
intended to simulate a variety of hunting situations and is an enormous
amount of fun!
If you're interested in more detail, I suggest you visit your local library.
If you're interested specifically in ATA trap, the address for the ATA is:
Amateur Trapshooting Association
601 West National Road
Vandalia, Ohio 45377
The governing body for the international games in the United States is now:
USA Shooting
One Olympic Plaza
Colorado Springs, CO 80909
Good Shootin'!
-Scot