A number of seasoned shooters have collected some useful information for anybody new to the sport of clay target shooting. We’ll start with an introduction to the various disciplines and go from there.
Disciplines
English Skeet
English Skeet is shot from two trap houses situated approx. 40 metres apart, at opposite ends of a semi-circular arc on which there are seven shooting stands. The targets are thrown at set trajectories and speed.
Squad are usually made up of five competitors but no more than six. Each shooter takes it in turn to shoot a set sequence of targets which is:
- Station 1: High house single, low house single and a pair taking high house first.
- Station 2: High house single, low house single and a pair taking high house first.
- Station 3: High house single and low house single.
- Station 4: High house single, low house single and a pair nominating which one you are going to take first.
- Station 5: High house single and low house single
- Station 6: High house single, low single and a pair taking the low house first.
- Station 7: Low single, high single and a pair taking the low house first.
The round consists of 24 targets, the first target that is missed you have to shoot again, if you get to station 7 with out missing a target you can nominate the target to shoot at, this making up the 25th target.
The targets are thrown to a distance of 50m to 52m and pass within 45cm of a point 4.57m above the ground known as the Target Crossing Point.
Down the Line (DTL)
Squads are made up of five shooters, with five shooting stations. Each competitor shoots at a single target in turn, but without moving from the stand until they have all shot five targets, once all five targets have been shot the referee with call change, shooters will then move one place to the right and continue to do so until they have all completed a standard round of 25 targets. Scoring of each target is 3 points for a first barrel hit and 2 points for a second barrel hit and 0 for a miss (maximum 75 points per round)
Targets are thrown to a distance of 45 to 50 metres at a fixed height of approximately 2.75m and with a horizontal ‘spread’ of up to 22 degrees either side of the centre of the Trap House.
Sporting
While other disciplines only use standard targets, in Sporting almost anything goes. Targets are thrown in a great variety of trajectories, angles, speeds, elevations and distances. Shooter are squadded in groups of no more than six shooters and are shot within cages for safety reason. There will be a board with the presentation of targets for each stand, these can be single targets, report targets and Instant targets. Generally, there will be three to five pairs per stand or three to five single targets with full use of gun. The persons setting the course can use any type of clay target to make the shoot as enjoyable or testing as possible.
Pro Sporting
A Pro Sporting round consist of 25 targets which are shot by each competitor in 3 groups from the same stand; singles, report pairs, and instant pairs.
To begin, competitor A takes to the stand and shoots 5 single targets, each of which is called individually. Full use of gun is allowed on each target up to a maximum of two shots. When competitor A has shot 5 singles, competitor B takes the stand to do the same. The next section consists of 5 report pairs whereby the first target is released on request and the second target is released automatically as soon as the first target is shot. This section is also completed by each competitor in turn before moving onto the instant pairs which are released simultaneously, giving the shooter a choice as to which order he or she will attempt the targets.
The round is over after each shooter has completed their instant pairs. Note that although a Pro Sporting round consists of 25 targets, a competitor may use up to 30 rounds due to having full use of gun on the singles.
Automatic Ball Trap (ABT)
Squads are made up of five or six shooters with five shooting stations. Each shooter shoots at a single target in turn before moving to the next station to shoot the next target. Two shots are allowed at each target with either shot scoring the same. ABT targets are faster than DTL targets and have a greater range of angles and heights.
Olympic Skeet
Olympic Skeet is an Olympic shooting discipline which is particularly challenging and requires smooth and efficient gun movement. As with English Skeet it is shot from two trap houses situated approx. 40 metres apart, at opposite ends of a semi-circular arc on which there are seven shooting stands. However, there is an eight stand with is mid-way between stand one and seven.
The targets are thrown at set trajectories and speed, however the targets in Olympic Skeet are thrown to a distance of 68 metres +/- one metre
Squad are usually made up of five competitors but no more than six. Each shooter takes it in turn to shoot a set sequence of targets which is:
- Station 1: Single High, then a pair (High target first)
- Station 2: Single High, then a pair (High target first)
- Station 3: Single High, then a pair (High target first)
- Station 4: Single High, then a Single Low
- Station 5: Single Low, then a Pair (Low target first)
- Station 5 Single Low, then a pair (Low target first)
- Station 6: Pair (Low target first)
- Station 4: Pair (High target first)
- Station 4: Pair (Low target first)
- Station 8: Single High target – Single Low target
There is a delay when calling for a target from between 0 to 3 second this is random, also gun position is in the low position which means that the toe of the stock must be touching the body at a line affixed to the skeet vest level with the natural drop of the elbow.