Any tips on shooting Trap handicap?

Busta Capp

Busta Capp

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Relatively new to Trap, and I have finally gotten more consistent at the 16yd line, but my scores drop going back to 20yds. I understand that this emphasizes any weaknesses in your shooting, so was curious if anyone had any general tips for shooting handicap over 16yds, or is it mostly just focusing on the basics? I was also curious if light target loads make any difference at that range, or too negligible to notice? Any thoughts appreciated.
 
1-Get some friends together and practice from the 20,22 and 24yd lines
2-Shoot Progressive trap; every time you break a bird step back 1 pace, very time you miss step forward 2 paces. [Start at the 18 yd line]
3-Shoot back up to a friend; if he misses then you shoot the bird or a large pc of a broken bird.

All 3 methods are a fun way to shoot with friends and become a better shooter......All the best.
 
I think if you pattern your shot you will know where the shot is going.

If you have a trap gun and if you shoot under the bird at 16 yards, when you move back to shot at 20 yards your point of aim may be less. It's practice that will improve your score.
 
A very good shooter once told me when I first started shooting to shoot it the same as you do at 16 yards. He claimed there was no change from 16-20 but that there was major change from 21 onwards and especially from 25-27. After 33 years and attaining the 27 yard line in 1999 I believe he was somewhat correct but all of it boils down to two main ingredients, focus and practice. The more you can practice the better.
 
the spank said:
A very good shooter once told me when I first started shooting to shoot it the same as you do at 16 yards. He claimed there was no change from 16-20 but that there was major change from 21 onwards and especially from 25-27. After 33 years and attaining the 27 yard line in 1999 I believe he was somewhat correct but all of it boils down to two main ingredients, focus and practice. The more you can practice the better.
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Out of curiosity, what is the major change from 21 onwards other than difficulty and small mistakes in form are amplified?
 
Falconflyer said:
Practice, practice, practice!

As Arnold Palmer once said, "the more I practice the luckier I become".
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However, mr Lombardi (yes the guy who has a coaching trophy named after him) said Perfect Practice makes Perfect...,

If your practicing the wrong things or a bad habit it can actually make it worse or harder to break. Having someone (knowledgeable) even if not a professional coach, can help point out flaws and help call out if your ahead, behind, above or below or something off your doing.

I don’t shoot clays often but when I do I go from 75% to a hell of a lot better when my dad (old timer) is behind balking at me and pointing out what I’m missing. Might tick me off some but the results are always there.
 
1-trident-1 said:
velocity
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Don't worry too much about higher velocity. An increase in 4 yards requires an increase in milliseconds of velocity. Your brain can't process it anyway. The thing with handicap is that the farther back you move the greater your mistakes are amplified. A marginal hit at 16 becomes a miss at 23. At 20 yards the difference is mostly in your head. You think you need to do something different, you do and then you miss. Pattern your gun at 36 yards instead of 32 and you will find very little difference. For that matter, pattern your gun all the way out to 45 yards and note where it shoots. You may need to raise or lower your comb as you move back. Also remember that you will have to lead the target more as you move back. Almost all misses in trap are above and/or behind the target.
 
Foxer2373 said:
However, mr Lombardi (yes the guy who has a coaching trophy named after him) said Perfect Practice makes Perfect...,

If your practicing the wrong things or a bad habit it can actually make it worse or harder to break. Having someone (knowledgeable) even if not a professional coach, can help point out flaws and help call out if your ahead, behind, above or below or something off your doing.

I don’t shoot clays often but when I do I go from 75% to a hell of a lot better when my dad (old timer) is behind balking at me and pointing out what I’m missing. Might tick me off some but the results are always there.
Click to expand...



I agree completely!
 
Much depends on whether you are a young guy with fast reflexes, who is on the bird close to the house, or an old guy in his 70s like me, who is slower now.
You might want a tighter choke for 24 to 27.
It depends on the pattern delivered by your gun, at the distance you are breaking the birds.
 
You really don’t need to go to the pattering board . I shot ata trap for 30 yrs never went to a pattering board . All the guys I shot with for all those yrs never went to a patterning board . I made it to the 25 yd line many guys I know made it to the 27 yd line . Everyone shot the same gun at the 16 yd and the 27 yd line . This is what you practice stance is very important!!!. Focus trap is a psychological game you beat yourself. Go to a registered trap shoot and watch someone shoot From the 24-27!yd line they are like a machine it is zen . Or even a good 16 yd shooter with a 99% average . Nothing ever changes from shot to shot .
 
If you're breaking targets consistently with the odd miss due to a brain fart then a trip to the pattern board may not prove or disprove anything at all but if your struggling then it may point you in the right direction, not every one has 30 years of trap shooting behind them. I've sent more than one person who is struggling to the pattern board only to find out that their gun isn't shooting anywhere near where it should be, but obviously these people were fairly new to the sport.
 
Having a handicap average in the low 90s even is pretty uncommon it is difficult and it’s supposed to be.

Singles, are miss and out
Doubles, is a trick

Handicap, now your shooting.


Take advice but in the end there is no proper way except what gives yourself the best results.
 
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Many moons ago, I was told, we all waste our practice dollars on shooting 16 yard targets ... spend your money practicing handicap and doubles and the 16 yard targets will fall into line.

Patterning can help with certain problems, especially with new shooters or a new gun or choke that doesn't seem to perform the way you expect. The best patterning is on moving targets. Patterning on paper is two dimensional and targets are three dimensional. It can be a helpful tool that many of us forget about.

About 5% of the shooters are good enough to run 100s and make it back to the 27 yard line. I think part of that is a gift and part mental discipline. So, bearing that in mind, the further back you move, the lower your score will be. As was stated earlier, a chip at 16 yards is a miss at handicap, even at 20 yards. If you take an edge off a target at 16 yards, that becomes a chip at 20 yards.

Assuming that everything performs as it should ... I like an 1145 fps #8s shell at 16 yards with a modified choke, a 1200 fps #7.5s at 22 yards with an improved modified choke and at 25+ yards 1250 fps #7.5 with a light full or full choke. In my mind this will give you a similar sight picture at the different yardages.

People often move the gun before the target appears and another common thing is that the head comes off the stock. As a good friend often reminds me, there is no magic shell or choke that will make up for a bad move to the target. So it goes back to being disciplined and consistent.
 
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