Went Trapshooting today

[461]

First time I ever shot Trap and really enjoyed it. I met a great bunch of guys who were very helpful. I found out we have a very old and highly regarded Trap club here in Sacramento, been there since 1915 and is very nice with clubhouse, pro shop, and 10 Trap ranges.

I've joined the leagues and will be shooting every Thursday night for a while.

Score was 18 out of 25 at the 16 yard line, is that decent for a first time? I used a Modified choke tube in my Winchester 1200.

Ammo was Remington 2 3/4 eq - 1 1/8 oz #8 shot at 1145 FPS

Any big time Trap guys with any advice? Thanks.

 

[Dave McCracken]

(Picture large older man with grin)....

And so it starts. Next thing, you'll be buying shot by the half ton and leaving the car outside at night because the garage is now the reloading room....

18's good for the first time.

Pattern with your ammo of choice. We want the center of the pattern a little over POA.

Try one oz loads. Same effect, less kick especially with a lighter shotgun like the 1200.

And, trapshooters are a great bunch for the most part, and willing to help new folks learn to shoot trap. Learn, and enjoy...

 

[461]

Actually reloading has pretty well already taken over my garage so I'll have to move into the office for shotgun reloading. Having never been into shotguns I guess I just ignored the fact you could reload shotshells as well. Is shotgun reloading as common as metalic cartridge reloading?

 

[ThreadKiller]

Careful!!!! Bustin' bluerocks is addictive!!! I load waaaayyy more shotshells than I do rifle/pistol rounds. I run a MEC 9000H hydraulic shotshell loader to keep up with my addiction.

18 is very good for a first timer. And I second 1 oz loads. That's all I shoot from 16 yds, even in registered events. Less recoil and they pulverize rocks if you do your part.

Tim

 

[Dave McCracken]

More shotshells get reloaded every year than rifle and handgun rounds combined. Few people save money reloading shotshells, most just shoot more for the same money.

A case of STS loads here will set me back about $58 right now. That's $5.80 a box. Even with the price of shot escalating, I can reload a box for $3.00 or less. I use a MEC 600 JR, a superb little piece of machinery that takes me less than 12 minutes to load a box. Progressive presses are much faster.

 

[Black Majik]

18 is a good score for your first time. Definitely better than I did on my first time.

Remember to BA/UU/R and take lessons. Point instead of aim, feel the rhythmn and get in the groove!

Its an addicting sport. Once you get into it I'd suggest getting a shotgun dedicated to the clay sport. That way you can use something you're familiar with and you'll be more comfortable with you walk up to the line.

Anyways, good luck!

 

[Rupestris]

I'm not proud. You smoked my first trap score of 11/25
Nice shootin'

 

[DJW]

if you think the trap guys are great just wait until you meet some skeet shooters! took me years to wander down to that end of our club and I was amazed at just how much fun I had down there!

 

[ysr_racer]

Trap & skeet are "nice" little games. Step up to sporting clays for some real fun

 

[Dave McCracken]

Rupestris, 12/25 is about average for a first time at trap, according to Jerry Meyer. And it's not our first scores that count, it's our last ones.

DJW, great folks turn up in all the clay games. One advantage of shooting several games is we get to meet more shotgun folks, most of whom are good people. It also nicely rounds out our proficiency.

ysr, SC may be the most challenging of the games I've shot yet, but I see some local SC hotshots do horribly at trap and wobble. And ALL of the games are fun! Shoot them all for hoots....