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respectable trap shooting?

7782 Views 23 Replies 13 Participants Last post by  bobski
so i'm new to trap and just started shooting it a little over a month ago (been to the range i think 4 or 5 times now). first time was horrible, needless to say, though i still had fun. next few times have been better, but i'm kind of wondering what's considered respectable in a given round of trap? i think my best so far was probably my third trip when i got 15-16 of them out of 25. what does the average/decent trap shooter typically break? 20? 22-23? just kind of want to know how badly i'm sucking and how to get better.:)
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forget what others do.
its your job to add one more bird to your last score every time you shoot.
and, its your job to remember the leads on the ones you hit.
the game is all about recall at the right time.
now get back out there and do it.
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bobski is right. Relax and enjoy the game, you will improve.....Robin
I agree, in American Trapshooting or ATA type trap shooting you essentially compete against yourself. Spend some time working on your stance, gun mount, and gun fit. Read up on as much as you can about where to aim and how to see the target, and then practice, practice, practice. You will get better.

At most registered shoots any score in the 90's (90/100) is considered to be pretty good. If you're not there yet don't let it get you down. Learning how to shoot better is half the fun in getting to the higher scores.
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Just try and improve each time out. Don't get frustrated. Some days it's like you can't miss and other days things just won't come together. I shot competitively for about 10 years, starting out as a D Class shooter like all the other new guys. I ended up AA-27-AA and I have to admit it wasn't quite as much fun anymore. If you drop one bird, you know it's over (at least in a shoot of any size). I once saw a guy throw his Grade 4 Browning as far as he could throw it, get in his truck and leave when he dropped one target. A bad sport who got banned from our club, but just an example of how you can get too serious. (He did come back a few hours later to get his gun.) Other guys shoot for years and never shoot 100 straight. They don't get too serious and still have fun.

Trap is a mental game. If you have good hand-eye coordination and acquire a good feel for shooting basics, you can break any target you see. The hard part is doing it 100 times in a row without losing concentration. The good guys tend to get into their own personal zone when competing. That's why they don't like to chit-chat between rounds.

I'll admit I was a slow learner. I hung around for a couple years in B Class and short yardage. Then one day something clicked inside my head. I can't tell you what it was, but all of a sudden I was on fire. I went from the 22 to the 27 yard line in one summer and zoomed up to AA in singles and doubles. The only thing I can take credit for is not giving up and putting in lots of practice. For me that was the key. I just don't want to think about all the money I poured out the end of those barrels.:rolleyes:
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I agree, in American Trapshooting or ATA type trap shooting you essentially compete against yourself. Spend some time working on your stance, gun mount, and gun fit. Read up on as much as you can about where to aim and how to see the target, and then practice, practice, practice. You will get better.

At most registered shoots any score in the 90's (90/100) is considered to be pretty good. If you're not there yet don't let it get you down. Learning how to shoot better is half the fun in getting to the higher scores.
any good resources you can recommend for reading up? being new, i don't know who the gurus and goto guys are.
take a vacation in march and come to my camp. youll leave ready to take on pro's.

go on line and order this book and ignore what people say about it.

'gun digest book of skeet and trap shooting.'
art blatt, 1984
dbi books, northfield, ill
isbn:0-910676-66-6

ignore the age, its all still the same. the shooters are old, and the guns and prices may be dated, but read the insight and it will all make sense. this was way before computers and apps.
just sit down and read it.
trick is not to pick and choose.
READ IT ALL.
trust me on this one.
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take a vacation in march and come to my camp. youll leave ready to take on pro's.

go on line and order this book and ignore what people say about it.

'gun digest book of skeet and trap shooting.'
art blatt, 1984
dbi books, northfield, ill
isbn:0-910676-66-6

ignore the age, its all still the same. the shooters are old, and the guns and prices may be dated, but read the insight and it will all make sense. this was way before computers and apps.
just sit down and read it.
trick is not to pick and choose.
READ IT ALL.
trust me on this one.
awesome! thanks. and if i have a vacay then (such as spring break) i'll look into that, though the last place in MO i visited was destroyed by a tornado shortly thereafter. not sure if you want my karma visiting you. ;-)
God is good to us. btw..we are 2hrs due east of the big hit last year.
any good resources you can recommend for reading up? being new, i don't know who the gurus and goto guys are.
For a good resource about how your gun should fit try "The Stock Fitters Bible" by Rollin Oswald. It's avalable on his website or on Amazon.

Also do searches on Leo Harrison III, Harlan Campbell, Kay Oyhe, and trapshooting. You'll find lots of good information.
That's why the ATA has different classes. Learn by doing, listening and observation.
Practice, the only person you want to do better than the last time is yourself.
Don't worry about getting to AA or the 27, if you get better you'll make it, if not enjoy the sport, nothing wrong with being the best shooter in class D if that's the best you can do.
Forget about everything and everyone on the field.

The only competition on the trap field is you against the bird. Are you going to bust the bird or is it going to get away? Nothing else matters
A lot of solid advice here, thanks for Bob on the advice of a book, its on order.
I am going to repeat what most others have said.
Hand-eye coordination is essential, this is real-time, real-life action that computer games cannot prepare you for. You have to place a lot of rounds down range to build proficiency.
Your mental attitude plays a decisive role; you must have confidence in yourself to handle the situation and your gun competently. Do not be afraid to miss. Keep going and don't give up.
Talk to shooters and observers as to what you are doing wrong, apply the suggestions one at a time to figure out what works best for you. You cannot apply three different changes in your shooting at once and understand what worked and didn't. (Second rule of network troubleshooting)
Maintain a good sense of humor. This is a game of skill, not a profession. Find a range or group of individuals that are safe, like to have a good time, and don't take themselves seriously. They tend to coach satisfactorily, and the fun factor builds mental confidence. If you can't take a joke your in the wrong sport.
Best regards,
KenC
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If you intend to do competition, do yourself a favor and get a lesson or three NOW before you learn a bunch of bad habits that have to be unlearned. If you're just for fun, don't worry about your score
If you shot 25 out of 25 it would get boring. 15 is decent, but the fun is improving up to that day when you can break 25.
You may well shoot a 25/25 someday, but don't be surprised if it takes a long time to repeat that score.
I have had my hat shot already, but there are still days when I struggle to shoot a 20.
the book i like is by art blant.
The second Amazon URL I listed is that book by Art Blatt dated 1989. I ordered a "like new" used one for $0.01 + 3.90 shipping. Pretty good deal!
Greatly appreciate the recommendation!
remember, it really is old school! his book was 1st edition, so if its 89, its probably a reprint hopefully with the corrections. 1st edition had a lot of pen and ink errors like pic headings under wrong pics etc...but the gist of it was pretty solid.
just remember back then, in the book, sporting clays was called a quail walk.
i was self taught. this book was all i used when i visited ranges. it got me going, and then i started gleening off those around me and i developed my own style. i dont claim any one teacher/instructors influence.
much like a martial arts pro might note, i got a karate style kick, with a judo style flip, with a thaiquandoh mishmash of ju-gitzu in betweens......that works.
it works to my advantage because no one can tell what im about to do next at big shoots. everyone tries to figure me out with....is he a bender style or woo style? no, it seems to be a jb combo with a paxton flip and a mayes backhand.....or whoever else is now king of the hill, lol.

they try so hard not to admit...its just bob kuczynski shooting the bob kuczynski way. individuals today arent suppose to know what to do without a world class teacher that taught them...or at least bought the video. its just not the rage and so not cool to be self taught. heck, video gamers even buy the books on how to beat the game before playing it! lol.

tiger woods i am not. but i do kuczynski real well.

i mean serious? how many ways are there to eat a hamburger? and whats the purpose of eating the hamburger?
it all starts with ordering a burger, sitting down and doing the preparation to eat.
after that its hail mary.
this book is what i bit into and started choking, spitting, using ketchup, hold the onions with...and before you knew it....i liked hamburgers and always ordered the same one when i was hungry...and it went down a lot nicer and was more enjoyable.
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