trap etiquette?

[porrpk]

hey all,

new to forum and to trap shooting. Been enjoying shooting at a local range. Still a bit of a newbie, and would appreciate any tips on etiquette for behaviour at range so as not to be 'that guy'.

Done a decent amount of range shooting, but just getting into trap, and it seems there is a whole different dynamic.

Also, do I look like a jerk shooting a tac shotgun for trap? I have a trap gun, a remington 870, but I just bought a mossberg 590 and prefer to shoot at moving targets instead of paper silouhettes...

thanks

[dcobler]

As far as the etiquette is concerned, I have no clue either.

As far as the

Also, do I look like a jerk shooting a tac shotgun for trap? I have a trap gun, a remington 870, but I just bought a mossberg 590 and prefer to shoot at moving targets instead of paper silouhettes...

who can call you a jerk for getting in some good training???

[Ridge_Runner_5]

I did my first session of trap today, myself...4 of us there, 2 of us had pump action tactical-style shotguns (my Charles Daly Field Tactical, and another fellow with a Benelli SuperNova) and the other two had break actions...

We had a really good time. Lots of friendly chatter. Word of advice, though, dont mention to another shooter how he is doing great...he misses the next 4-5 shots afterwards

I played 3 rounds, 25 shots each...ended up hitting 31 targets...nothing special, but I'm proud of myself. First time Ive fired a shotgun in 11 years...

[porrpk]

many of the guys at the range I shoot at are all 'pro gear' and there are a number of 'old timers', who I'm pretty sure get a chuckle out of the guy shooting singles with a tactical, but you're right.

I sure do have to lead the pigeons with the short barrel though.

[Jim Watson]

Do not load the gun (with one shell) until it is your turn to shoot. Especially do not change stations with a shell in the gun, count to five. Doubly so not to go from station 5 to station 1 with a shell in the gun.

Trapshooters are quieter than skeet shooters. Skeet shooters seem to talk all the time they are not actually shooting. Trapshooters say little besides "Pull!" and do not move around on the station. Sorry Ridge, I would not want to shoot with your bunch.

Don't worry about the appearance of your gun, that is very secondary. If they make fun of you, just break all the targets.

[porrpk]

what is the difference? are there different rules? (trap/5 stand)

I've noticed that there is little talking in trap.

What is the general rule if you have a misfire (dud)? do you count that as your turn, or reload and 'pull' again, I have observed both.

[dropthehammer]

Safety is always the number one rule. If you are shooting on a squad with 4 of your friends, a little friendly chatter is ok as long as there is not a squad behind you waiting to shoot, or you are not distracting another squad on an adjacent field. Short barreled guns are loud and can be distracting to serious shooters. Nobody was born a trapshooter. Almost all Trapshooters are willing to help a new shooter, if you are sincere and behave properly on the line. Observe other squads with experienced shooters. Watch every shooter, observe their rythem and actions. Once again, trapshooters take their game seriously, but 95% of them are great people, always more than willing to help. Go to the club on a slow night till you get the hang of the rules. Please don't get discouraged, trap is a great game. If your ever in Northeast Ohio, I would be happy to take you.

[Rembrandt]

- Don't pick up your empty hulls till all five stations have been completed. Irritable distraction to the veteran shooters when a rookie is busy retrieving hulls.

- Never chamber a round till it's your turn to call for a target, keep the action open.

- Keep the barrel pointed down and toward the trap house

- Shower praise on the other guys about their guns and skills....most shooters are vain and will eat it up....they may even buy you a Coke.

[oneounceload]

Regarding trap versus 5-stand - while both use clay targets and shotguns, the similarities end there. A typical trap set up has one machine oscillating back and forth. The 5-stand at my club utilizes 12 machines in their set up - throwing overheads, rabbits, crossers, teal, quartering out goers, quartering incomers, arcing loopers, etc...And when youi miss the easy one, be prepared for some good-natured ribbing about it as well

[waterdog89]

I prefer to shoot a Mossberg 835 ulti mag in full camo. I look like an idiot and get called it until I outshoot everyone at the range. As far as acting goes, just follow firearm safety and have some fun.

[Ricky B]

The gun is not important at my local club. Some of the regulars have dozens of different shotguns, and whatever you have, it's a safe bet that one of the regulars has it too. And has brought it out to shoot every once in a while.

The barrel length and loads may be an issue. My local club does not permit barrels shorter than 26" or shells with greater than 3 dr. eq. because of noise issues and complaints from neighbors. Also no pellets larger than 7-1/2.

I will add some comments to what Rembrandt and the others have posted:

- Don't pick up your empty hulls till all five stations have been completed.

Don't pick up anyone else's empty hulls either, at least not without express permission. Even if they abandon them and walk off the field. The club may view abandoned hulls as belonging to the club or its members. Get express permission from the club member in charge of the trap field before you start scrounging.

- Never chamber a round till it's your turn to call for a target, keep the action open.

One round, and one round only, unless you're shooting doubles.

When moving between stations, keep the action open, no round in the gun, and muzzle pointed safely

I shot one round with a guy on the squad who carried the gun balanced in his right hand, down by his side, pointing straight down the line at me and the other shooters. His action was open, but I didn't like it at all. If he hadn't left at the end of the round, I would have had a quiet conversation with him about that.

When you are at station 5 (far right when looking at the trap house), turn to your right and walk to station 1 behind the line. This avoids your bumping into the guy with the $5,000 shotgun who is moving to station 5 and dinging it with yours. If the guy on station 5 always turns right and goes behind the line, bumping accidents are miminized.

If you shoot an autoloader, it is bad etiquette to allow your shells to hit the guy next to you. Buy a T&S shell catcher (Google it if you don't know what i is) and use it.

[zippy13]

Porrpk

Not to worry, with either your 870 or 590 you be noticed as a newbie -- everyone is a newbie at one time. The trick is not to be an objectionable/obnoxious newbie. As in any sport, it will take a little while for you to get into the procedures of a new sport and how it's done at your particular club. You choice of starting with trap is wise, it's the least complicated of the shooting sports. Following are some comments on newbies fitting in at a shotgun club:

* Don't arrive at the club with a loaded gun. If you pull your gun out of it's case and shuck out a mag full of shells, you'll most likely be treated like you have a very aggressive communicable disease.
* Don't violate the safety rules. If at a new club, it's wise to read their rules before you get out your gun. If you have any questions, ask the rangemaster.
* Don't argue that you prefer not to shoot with safety glasses or ear plugs.
* Don't shoot inappropriate ammo, target shooters don't wanna have magnums going off around them. And, the club may have specific rules about ammo. Heavy loads may drop shot beyond the club's safety zone. And, a few clubs required non-toxic loads.
* Don't assume it's okay to shoot any type of gun. The club may have restrictions on short barrels or cutts-type compensators, they tend to be louder than typical target guns. Also, if you live in a boarder area, don't be taking an auto-loader into a jurisdiction that prohibits them.
* Don't make the newbie mistake of loading before you get on station. Keep your gun unloaded and the action open until it's your turn to shoot and you're on station.
* Don't shoot from the shell box. Use a shooting vest or shell pouch. Shooting with carpenter's nail bags is better than trying to stuff 25 shells/hulls into the pockets of your jeans. The club may have loaner vests and/or bags.
* Don't get caught short, have a few extra shells with you. It's not unusual to have the target you just shot called "no target" and you get a mulligan (do-over). So, you may need mulligan shells. Also, extra shells may be needed if you re-shoot a pair because of a second shot malfunction. Have you ever noticed shooting vests and shell bags with two shell loops stitched in? They are for your mulligan shells.
* Don't cycle your singles thru the mag, just plop your shell in the slot and close the action. Newbies unnecessarily cycling their pumps just slows things down and annoys folks.
* Don't eject your hulls all over the place. Learn to eject with your hand over the port and catch your hulls.
* Don't pick up your grounded hulls until you observe the other shooters. Different clubs have different rules: Some clubs don't want your hulls littering their grass and want you to police them as you shoot. Other clubs don't want you spending time picking up your hulls.
* Do observe squads shooting before you sign-up and you'll get a feel for the procedures. The natural thing is to watch the targets break, but that won't teach you anything -- watch the shooters and what they do. Typically: they load, mount, go to their hold point, call for the target, determine the direction of the target, swing on the target, see their lead, shoot, and follow through. It will soon become apparent that some folks are a lot smoother doing this than others.
* Don't take the first or last position of the squad as a newbie. These positions have duties that may not be apparent to new shooters. Failure to preform these minor activities will immediately identify you as a beginner and interrupt the progress. When starting a round, it's up to the leader to determine when the squad is ready and call for the spotting target/s. In trap, as the squad advances, the leader must make sure the squad is ready before he commences. During the change, the last man responds to the leader's gaze with a nod indicating that he's ready. These simple courtesies keep a round of trap functioning smoothly.
* Do be safe and have a great time.

Originally Posted by Jim Watson

Trapshooters are quieter than skeet shooters. Skeet shooters seem to talk all the time they are not actually shooting. Trapshooters say little besides "Pull!" and do not move around on the station. Sorry Ridge, I would not want to shoot with your bunch.

True! Trap is pretty much an individual sport and each member of the squad advances from post to post after his 5 shots. Skeet shooters advance as a team from station to station. With trap and 5-stand, you're on station and prepared to shoot as soon as your predecessor fires. With skeet, only one firing station is ever occupied at one time, and there is time to briefly socialize and not interfere with the flow of the round -- not so in trap. I've shot ATA and NSSA, and with trap the competitor goes to his post and waits for the event to start. The entire event can be conducted with little social interaction between the squad members. With skeet, the whole team starts at the same station, and the shooters will introduce themselves before the event starts. It's common for skeet team members to encourage each other during the event, not so in trap. If you're an introvert, you may prefer trap.

[GE-Minigun]

Remind me NOT to shoot trap with half of you guys...talk about running a tight ship!!

[JWT]

Porrpk requested information on proper etiquette when shooting trap and Zippy13, Ricky B, and Rembrandt have covered the subject quite nicely.

Trap shooters tend to be a very friendly lot but also folks that appreciate it when their squad mates follow appropriate behavier as the three gentlemen have articulated.

[zippy13]

Originally Posted by GE-Minigun

Remind me NOT to shoot trap with half of you guys...talk about running a tight ship!!

A tight ship is a safe ship. Somewhere between casually tossing targets in a cornfield and the Grand Nationals, rules and procedures need to be established. If not at the local club, then where?

[BigJimP]

Understand the clubs safety rules and follow them.

A loaded gun is any gun with any part of a shell touching a gun ( shells in a magazine, etc ). You cannot ever move around the grounds of the club with a shell in your magazine - let alone in the chamber of a gun.

Never - on singles Trap - ever load more than 1 shell.

Ask the range master - and the squad leader - before you go to the line with a tactical shotgun. Remember you are standing shoulder to shoulder about 8 feet apart - and a short barreled shotgun / as you move on a target hard left or right brings the muzzle blast right in front of the shooter beside you / and anyone with a barrel under 28" is giving the guy next to them a horrendous muzzle blast. Ask if they mind / and don't be surprised if they do. I would not shoot in a Trap squad with anyone shooting a short barrel. I don't care how the gun looks / its the muzzle blast.

Watch the rythum on a couple of sqauds before you go out / fumbling with your gun on the line - is a little frustrating to experienced shooters. Everyone was a newbie once - just be prepared / make sure you know how to operate your gun / and have some fun.

GE-minigun / if you don't follow these rules of etiquette - I would stop the squad and talk to you quietly / or ask you to leave the field if you were shooting on my squad. Fooling around with a shotgun - when I'm standing 8 feet away - is way too close for any accident / or to have anyone around that won't show some respect for the game, the etiquette or the safety rules. If you can't handle it - sorry, but its serious for a reason. I don't want to pick 200 pieces of shot out of my leg - because somebody was unsafe / or swinging a loaded gun around.

[porrpk]

great advice guys, thanks a lot. I'm starting to feel much more comfortable with the idea of learning a new sport. much appreciated.

A few more questions....

I've seen some squads shoot from fyrther back behind the line, and some squads start off at the front, and move back as the rounds progress, are there different names for the different round configurations, I don't want to sign up for a round that I'm not familiar with, or without knowing the protocols.

-porrpk

[zippy13]

Porrpk

The five trap "paths" have shooting stations every yard from 16 to 27 yards. Trap is shot as several events on the same field. With everyone shooting at the closest point it's known as Singles or 16-Yard Trap. Handicap Trap is another event where you shoot at different distances based on your ability. If someone is assigned a 27-yard handicap, you know he's an experienced shooter. Another game, Doubles is shot from the 16-yard line, and (surprise, surprise) you get two targets at a time. For the new shooter, just tell the starter that you want to shoot some 16-yard trap.

Be safe and have fun,
Pete

[B.L.E.]

Trapshooters are quieter than skeet shooters. Skeet shooters seem to talk all the time they are not actually shooting. Trapshooters say little besides "Pull!" and do not move around on the station. Sorry Ridge, I would not want to shoot with your bunch.

If you wan't lots of kibitzing, tall tale tellin', an' comments from the peanut gallery while shooting trap, what you need to do is get a muzzle loading shotgun and enter a muzzleloading trap match.

[BigJimP]

In my area - the game you descibe is called a "slider" - but it is not a normal "Trap" event / and a great deal of caution should be used.

Shooters start on 16 yard line ( only after all 5 shooters have fired at one bird) - everyone clears their guns / and then steps back to 18 yard line / then goes to 20 yard line / 22 yard / 24 yard line.

Then after 5 targets - all shooters clear guns again / move one station to their right at the 24 yard line. This time they march forward ( 24, 22, 20, 18, 16 yards ) - then move to right at 16 yard - etc until 25 targets are fired on for each shooter. Its fun ( but keep that muzzel pointed downrange / or up in the air ) and no shells in the gun when you're moving.

[Garage Dog]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

hey all,

new to forum and to trap shooting. Been enjoying shooting at a local range. Still a bit of a newbie, and would appreciate any tips on etiquette for behaviour at range so as not to be 'that guy'.

Done a decent amount of range shooting, but just getting into trap, and it seems there is a whole different dynamic.

Also, do I look like a jerk shooting a tac shotgun for trap? I have a trap gun, a remington 870, but I just bought a mossberg 590 and prefer to shoot at moving targets instead of paper silhouettes...

thanks

Wow, I could have written this almost word for word! I have been to the range twice now with my 590 and have had a great time shooting trap. When i pulled my 590 out of the case and placed it of the rack one guy asked me where the rest of my gun was, but it was a good natured ribbing. Everyone I shot with was very forthcoming with information. There is a "practice range" where I and the rest of the nubs shoot but the some of the experanced guys were shooting there as well. They would correct me in between rounds when necessary, nothing major, and were fun to be around in between rounds. Most were older, sort of like golfers only with shotguns! One of the guys had a $5000.00 shotgun...beautiful. He offered me one of his used trap guns for $1200.00. I'll be on the lookout for a used $300 or $400 unit. I'm not that serious about it but it sure is fun to shoot at a moving target.

[zippy13]

Originally Posted by Garage Dog

One of the guys had a $5000.00 shotgun...beautiful. He offered me one of his used trap guns for $1200.00.

I'm sad to say, at many gun clubs there's a limited element of gun traders who keep an eye open for enthusiastic newbies. Once identified, the newbie is like dead meat to a buzzard. A gun may look beautiful on the outside, but have a lot of internal wear. This is especially true with trap guns where heavy loads for handicap and pot shooting are not uncommon. Some great gun club deals can be made, especially in economic times like today; but, be careful to avoid the proverbial pig in a poke.

[porrpk]

hey guys,

when shooting in a handicap trap situation, will they pair shooters with like handicaps or will people be shooting from varying distances during the round, that sounds a bit dangerous, or time consuming if people have to step up and back between shooters...

[BigJimP]

When you sign up on a squad / there are 5 spots - and it should say whether it is 16 yard - or if it is a "handicapped" distance what distance it says.

In general, it would not be safe for any shooters on the field to be separated by more than 2 yards / although 1 yard makes me feel better - and ideally, everyone should be on the same yard line in a squad.

[porrpk]

thanks for the info on the other thread, just what I was looking for.