The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Pump gun shooting trap

zippy13 · February 28, 2011, 12:24 AM

For trap practice, I follow the procedure described by LSnSC. When shooting competitive targets with my squad, I speed it up just a bit by closing the bolt just after the shooter two posts prior to me fires. I've completed this well before the shooter to my left has mounted his gun. When he, the shooter to my left, fires I mount my already loaded gun. After firing, as I dismount and unload my gun, the shooter to my right is mounting his gun, and the shooter two posts beyond me has closed his action.

This may seem contrary to the general safety rules -- many shotgun sports have a rule that allows you to load only when on station and it's your turn to shoot. But, ATA rules allow you to load when you are on the firing station. This speeds-up competition. When practicing with non-ATA types, I don't load until it's my turn to shoot -- I don't want to confuse them. Here's an extract from the ATA rules for those not familiar with them:

SECTION IV, ATA TOURNAMENTS, PART I. SAFETY
12. A contestant shall place a live shell in his/her gun only when on a
post facing the traps. In Singles and Handicap shooting he/she may
place only one (1) live shell in his/her gun at a time and must remove
it or the empty shell(s) before moving from one post to another. In
Doubles shooting he/she may place two (2) live shells in his/her gun at
a time and must remove both live or empty shells before moving from
one (1) post to another. In changing from one (1) post to another, the
shooter shall not walk in front of the other competitors.

February 28, 2011, 12:24 AM	#7
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	For trap practice, I follow the procedure described by LSnSC. When shooting competitive targets with my squad, I speed it up just a bit by closing the bolt just after the shooter two posts prior to me fires. I've completed this well before the shooter to my left has mounted his gun. When he, the shooter to my left, fires I mount my already loaded gun. After firing, as I dismount and unload my gun, the shooter to my right is mounting his gun, and the shooter two posts beyond me has closed his action. This may seem contrary to the general safety rules -- many shotgun sports have a rule that allows you to load only when on station and it's your turn to shoot. But, ATA rules allow you to load when you are on the firing station. This speeds-up competition. When practicing with non-ATA types, I don't load until it's my turn to shoot -- I don't want to confuse them. Here's an extract from the ATA rules for those not familiar with them: SECTION IV, ATA TOURNAMENTS, PART I. SAFETY 12. A contestant shall place a live shell in his/her gun only when on a post facing the traps. In Singles and Handicap shooting he/she may place only one (1) live shell in his/her gun at a time and must remove it or the empty shell(s) before moving from one post to another. In Doubles shooting he/she may place two (2) live shells in his/her gun at a time and must remove both live or empty shells before moving from one (1) post to another. In changing from one (1) post to another, the shooter shall not walk in front of the other competitors.