About Trap Shooting

TRAP SHOOTING

A practice or competition event will consist of shooting two 25 target rounds for a total of 50 targets from the 16-yard station. Up to five athletes (squad) will occupy the stations on a trap field. Station one is assigned the “squad leader”.

TRAP FIELD

The trap field is the area of a shooting range where trap shooting occurs. Each field contains shooting stations (typically concrete walkways with yardage markers) and a trap house.

The trap house is the structure in front of the stations from which the clay targets are launched. Only facility personnel shall enter and maintain the trap house. A cone or flag will be displayed when the trap house requires maintenance and shooters are required to exit their shooting station and make firearms safe until the trap house maintenance is completed and the cone or flag is removed.

AMMUNITION RECOMMENDATION

Ammunition specifications must meet the use requirements of the shooting range.

Typical ammunition used for trap shooting:
Gauge            Shot                       Shot Size
12           1 oz. or 1-1/8 oz.         #7.5 or #8
20                 7/8 oz.                        #8

TARGETS AT EACH STATION

Five shots are taken at each of the five stations. After the first five shots are completed by the entire squad, each shooter will move to a new station by:

• Verifying the gun is unloaded.
• With the chamber open and the shotgun pointed in a safe direction, rotate in a clockwise manner to the next station.
• Station one will move to station two, two to three, three to four, four to five, and five to one.
• Station five will rotate to their right moving away from the station four shooter who is moving to station five and continue to walk behind the other shooters to station one.
• Await the “START” command from the scorekeeper.
• The squad leader is the first to shoot in each round.
• Repeat process until all shooters have each shot 25 targets.
• No shooter will move to the next station until the last target in a round is completed.

A practice or competition Trap event will consist of shooting two 25 target rounds for a total of 50 targets from the 16-yard station. Up to 5 shooters (squad) will occupy the stations on a trap field. Station 1 is assigned the “squad leader.

The trap house is the structure in front of the stations from which the clay targets are launched. Only facility personnel shall enter and maintain the trap house. A cone or flag will be displayed when the trap house requires maintenance and shooters are required to exit their shooting station until the trap house maintenance is completed and the cone or flag is removed.

Ready

At the moment the shooter calls and until the target appears, the shooter must stand in the “READY” position including:

• Both feet entirely within the assigned shooting station area.
• Holding the gun with both hands.
• The “squad leader” (Station 1) calls for a single target to be launched as an example of flight.
• A shell may be in the chamber, but the action MUST be open until it is the shooter’s turn to shoot.

Start

Upon a “START” command from the scorekeeper, each shooter, in turn, will:

• Take proper shooting position.
• Load one shell (if not already loaded and action is open)
• Close the action.
• Clearly call “PULL” or some other command for the target.
• Shoot at the target.
• Scorekeeper does not comment when a target is “HIT”
• Scorekeeper will say “LOST” loudly when a target is missed.
• Discharge empty shell(s).
• Wait for next turn.

A shooter may close the action only after the previous shooter has completed his/her turn.

No shooter will turn from the shooting station before the shooter’s action is open and empty.

Each shooter should begin his/her turn promptly after the last shooter has fired at a target and the result has been recorded.

At the end of each round, the scorekeeper announces the scores for that round in firing order.

“Lost” Target

A missed target must be declared “LOST” when:

• It is not hit during its flight.
• It is only “dusted” and no visible piece is broken from it.
• A shooter, for no permitted reason, does not shoot at a target for which the shooter has called.
• The shooter is not able to fire his gun because he/she has not released the safety or has forgotten to load it.

Disputed Call

In the event of a lost target dispute:

• The shooter immediately raises an arm to notify the scorekeeper.
• All shooters must unload their shotguns and make them safe.
• The scorekeeper defers to the entire squad for majority ruling decision.
• If a majority ruling cannot be made by the squad, the lost target score will stay as-is.
• Unless there is a disputed call, no score can be changed after a shooter has completed his/her shot.

“Refused” Target

A shooter may refuse shooting at a released target if:

• A target is not released immediately after the shooter’s call.
• The shooter is visibly disturbed by some external cause.
• The Scorekeeper agrees that the target was flying along an irregular path other than that specified in angle, elevation or distance.

The shooter refusing a target must indicate this by opening the action on their shotgun and raising an arm.

“No Bird” Target

A scorekeeper may declare a “NO BIRD” when:

• A broken or irregular target emerges.
• Two targets are thrown at once (trap).
• A shooter shoots out of turn.
• Another shooter fires at the same target.
• The scorekeeper notices the shooter was visibly disturbed by some external cause.
• The scorekeeper notices shooter’s foot position is outside his/her lane.
• The scorekeeper detects a violation of the shooter’s allowed time limit.
• The shot is discharged involuntarily before the shooter has called for the target.
• A target is thrown before the shooter’s call.
• A target is not released immediately after the shooter’s call.
• A target’s trajectory is irregular.
• There is an allowable malfunction of shotgun or shell. Even if the shooter has fired a shot, a “NO BIRD” allows the shooter to replay the shot without a penalty.

Moving From Station To Station – Trap Shooting

After the first 5 shots are completed by the entire squad, each shooter will move to a new station by:

• Verifying the gun is unloaded.
• With the chamber open and the gun pointed in a safe direction, rotate in a clockwise manner to the next station.
• Station 1 will move to station 2, 2 to 3, 4 to 5, and 5 to 1.
• Station 5 will rotate to their right moving away from the station 4 shooter who is moving to station 5 and continue to walk behind the other shooters to station 1.
• Await the “START” command from the scorekeeper.
• The squad leader is the first to shoot in each round.
• Repeat process until all shooters have each shot 25 targets.
• No shooter will move until the last target in a round is completed.

Stop

When the command or the signal “STOP” or “CEASE FIRE” is given, shooting must stop immediately.

• All shooters must unload their shotguns and make them safe.
• Shooting may only be resumed at the appropriate “START” command is given by the scorekeeper.

“Out” or “GAME”

Upon the completion of a round, the scorekeeper will declare “OUT”. Shooters will be notified of their scores, make their shotguns safe, and carry the gun in the approved manner and exit the field.