First time out shooting trap

[StevieK]

So I decided to go out today and try trap shooting for the first time. I have never tried any clay shooting sports before. I spent a few hours at the Hamilton gun club and had a great time.
An older gentleman that worked at the range was kind enough to oversee my first round. He had some great tips and pointers for me, and with the help of his advice I shot 16 in my first round. He told me that was pretty good for a first round.
So unfortunately now I believe I am completely hooked, which means i'm probably going to pour lots of hard earned money into the sport. This was also the first time I was out shooting with my SX3, and although it shot great, it is outclassed on the rack by almost everything else there. I might just have to buy myself an O/U trap gun to fit in better

 

[Sharptail]

StevieK, welcome to the sport. It will be a wonderful, lifelong hobby. Don't worry about "fitting in". Everyone who shoots on a regular basis fits in. Trust me on this.

There is nothing wrong with your SX3, for now. You can get (or may already have) shims for the stock which allow you to alter the drop and cast to fit you better (if required).

You will do considerably better if you take the money you would spend on a new shotgun and buy ammo and rounds of trap instead. By the time you have burned through all that ammo you will be a much better shot and have a good idea of what you really want in a shotgun. Your investment will have meaning, other than just looking good at the club.

Few shooters start with a Perazzi, and there is great satisfaction in beating a poser with an expensive gun. Each shooter has different style and technique (and physique). By the time you have worn out the SX3 you will have the knowledge to select a gun which is right for you.

The only way to get better at trap is to shoot. Spend your money on rounds and ammo and a little bit of instruction. Just my $0.02.


Sharptail

 

[Claybuster]

16 for a first time shooter is very, very good. I'd second the opinion on sticking with your SX3 and getting better with it. If I had to choose I'd rather outclass them on the score sheet than outclass them on the rack.

One of the mistakes new shooters make is spending more on their gun than on targets. Some reading, viewing of videos and instruction if available will help more. When you sort out the basics then you can consider another gun. Don't be in a hurry to buy something new. The more you show up at the club and get to know other shooters the more likely you will get to try a variety of guns.

The SX3 will also be good if you try other games such as skeet or sporting clays. Trap IMO is the gateway drug for the true addiction of sporting clays.

 

[StevieK]

Sharptail, I have the walnut field model SX3. It does not come with the shims to adjust drop. I have tried asking around to see if the shims supplied with the composite stock will fit the walnut but I have had no answers. The drop in comb of my stock is a bit high, just enough to make my cheek a little sore after 3 rounds. I know that many shooters deal with this by compensating their aim, but personally I like to look right down the rib, and get my face as low as possible for easier pointing. Do you have any idea if the shims will fit the walnut stock??

 

[Sharptail]

StevieK, I don't really know if the shims will fit the wood stock, but I bet they will. Winchester does not make 2 different receivers for the gun, so any difference will be in the head of the stock (a notch or something, possibly). For what it's worth, the Beretta system of shims works with both their wood and synthetic stocks.

By the way, if your cheek is getting sore it is just as likely due to lifting your head. If your cheek is hard on the comb and you are looking flat down the rib, you could be unconsciously lifting your head to get a better view (very common). Try putting an eighth of an inch of leather over the comb (with lace or velcro) and see if it makes any difference.


Sharptail

 

[StevieK]

I had the gun out afterwards to just shoot at some cardboard to see the pattern density. When I rest my cheek on the gun in a position that is natural and comfortable, I see almost the whole top of the vent, and my shot is higher than where I am aiming. There is no pain when I shoot like this. If I push my cheek down so that I only see the bead above the vent, then my shot is right on target but the stock hits my cheekbone instead of the flesh underneath. With target loads it's not a big deal, and after 3 rounds there is only slight tenderness, but if I am planning on doing this often I want to be as comfortable as possible. And hopefully a stock adjustment of the SX3 will be the easiest fix. The shims that come with the composite stock claim to lower comb by 1/4", and I think that should be perfect.
It seems as though the smallest annoyances and issues with fit get amplified after 3 or 4 rounds. An issue with fit may not even be recognizable after only one shot with a gun.

 

[R&R Rancher]

I see almost the whole top of the vent, and my shot is higher than where I am aiming.

This is a good thing. A trap target should be shot as it's rising. If a gun shoots high, you don't have to cover, and loose sight of, the bird when you shoot it. Call it a built in vertical lead. Trap shooters refer to this as Point of Impact and it's in a ratio, say 70/30, which is the percentage of the pattern above/below the point of aim.

The trap bug bites hard. Before you know it you will have a flock of shotguns, and will be shooting trap, skeet, and sporting clays. Enjoy the ride

John

 

[Koko83]

In my limited experience, the SX3 is a fairly light gun. Anyone know if there's some way to add weight to the gun? Some lead shot in the stock, or a heavy mag extension? Just a thought. Worked well with my old 870.
Also, definitely consider some soft rubber strapped to the comb. Just make sure you do something. You don't want to develop a flinch too early into your career.
Have fun! Maybe I'll see you at Hamilton sometime soon. Like, at a winchester shell shoot Friday, July 29th.

 

[StevieK]

The gun is definitely very light, but it's balanced well so I don't want to mess with adding weight and ruining the balance. The recoil system is very soft with the SX3, during a round of trap I barely notice the recoil. I only feel the tenderness after the fact.
I put a strip of moleskin on the stock and decided to try a few rounds with my cheek positioned a little higher on the stock, basically in the "natural position". It took a few shots to adjust for the point of impact but I can shoot just as well this way and the recoil is not felt on the cheek.
The only thing that slightly worries me is that having the cheek higher so that I see a bit of the rib is fine for trap since the targets are rising, but not so great for skeet and landing geese. For those of you who shoot trap and sight high on your guns, do you find hunting and skeet shooting to be more difficult or will I be able to adjust quite quickly?