First Time Shooting Trap Today! (with some questions?)

BigD: As I understand it, the pattern is a function of both velocity and shot size. Since individual pellets are not spin stabilized, air passing around them can create more ballistic error. Faster speeds increase the effect such that individual pellets have a much greater chance of veering off the intended path. Heavier pellets compensate for this because it takes more force to change their direction.

That's part of the reason that local shooters recommended I use 7.5 shot when shooting trap. Since the distances are typically longer, you want a heavier pellet so that the pattern is better at longer distances. With Skeet, you use a 9 because you want as much dispersion as possible given the very close shots.

(is that correct?)
 
More good info, BigD. I don't think I've ever learned this much, or gotten this much food for thought from one thread.

Method, I've found a couple NSSA affiliates not too far from where I live. They really do sound good. I like grouping into similar skill level. Sounds nice, I'll look into that.

Also, BigD, you said you test with a Chronograph. Would you know what length barrel these velocities would be coming out of, normally? I know from most of the ammo tests I've watched, that velocities tend to be on the low end when tested with a chronograph. Sometimes with a rifle, it will come close, but handguns generally seem to come lower.

For .22lr as an example, it seems like they test out of something like a 20-22 inch barrel vs 18, so velocities come in low. With shotguns, or more specifically for defensive ammo, you would think they would test with shorter barrels, but they probably don't. Would a 28" give you a good representation of velocity going off the box, or would a 30 or 32 give you "actual" velocity?
 
Barrel length really doesn't matter like it does with a rifle. My barrels are 32" long with a Briley extended choke - about another 3/4"- the chrono was set 6 feet from the muzzle (per the instructions) and the skyscreens were used. With the slower load, the SD was 5, and the average for 5 shots was 1210 fps. I am using reclaimed shot, so shot size is a mix of everything from 9 to 7.5 and most are not the roundest pellets.

As to pellet size, you'd be surprised how far #8s will break a target. It only takes three pellets to break a standard US target at US speeds. I do not shoot trap or skeet any more, I shoot sporting clays, 5-stand, and FITASC, which is sporting clays on steroids and shots range from 35-about 65 yards, at all angles, heights, curls, dropping, etc.

All are fun, but I like those because the targets are never the same.

In trap and skeet, the difficulty is not hitting the targets -they never change. The difficulty is now not missing any so you can get into the shootoff with about 20 others who also shot a perfect score. Sporting clays, 5-stand, and FITASC are all about trying to hit as many as you can, There have been VERY few perfect scores anywhere. It may seem like a subtle difference, but it really makes the point
 
1oz of 8's.....is a good all around 12ga load.....for Skeet, Sporting clays and Trap .../ old school was you needed 1 1/8oz of 7.5's for Trap ...and for the most part that's a dead issue - unless you get back beyond the 20 yard line.

Most of us just keep it simple and stay with one 12ga shell.
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In Trap in general ...a longer and heavier gun is an advantage ...because the longer and heavier gun helps on follow-thru. There is less left to right movement on Trap singles ...than there is, in general, on Skeet and Sporting clays...so my preferred Trap gun is a Browning XT Trap, 32" barrels, adj comb, at around 10 lbs.

My all around guns - where I will use one gun for Skeet, Sporting Clays, 5 Stand, and field hunting ..is an O/U with 30" barrels and a gun at around 8 lbs....like a Browning Citori XS Skeet model with an adj comb. For me, that spec on a gun works really well...its quick, nimble, balanced and versatile. I happen to have that gun in a 12ga, a 20ga ....and a 28ga and a .410 ...and I shoot them a lot.

If for some reason my shoulder hurts (rebuilt - and rebuilt bicep) - or my hands hurt ( especially in bad weather ) ....then for an all around gun I'll turn to a semi-auto. The semi-auto I prefer is a Benelli Super Sport model, synthetic stock, comfort tech system built into it, in a 12ga I like the 30" barrel...its a light gun at 7.2 lbs....and easy to shoot, and carry, all day long. But I stick with the same 1oz of 8's as a shell. I have their 20ga version as well...and the longest barrel they have in that gun is a 28"...and its really light at 6.2 lbs or so .../ I really bought it as a training gun for my grandkids and young or new shooters...but I shoot it once in a while.

But all of this varies from shooter to shooter...my buddy still prefers 26" barrel O/U's for Skeet...and for Trap he'll either go to a single break open 32" or a 30" O/U. He likes his skeet gun a little heavier than I do ...his with 26" barrels is at about 9.5 lbs.../ he thinks my 32" XT Trap gun feels like a big ole sewer pipe ...and is heavy and clumsy ....
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So you have to figure out what works for you. I'm in my 60's, and 6'5" and 290 lbs.../ one of my grandkids is 6'5" and 200 lbs.../ so what works for me, may not work for him as well.

Get some help on a proper gun mount .....and whether your current gun fits you or not / take it to the pattern board, with a full choke, and check the point of impact ...to see if it hits where you look ( it may or may not ) ....and then figure the adjustments you need to make in the stock, or the comb - maybe a pad ...etc....so it hits where you look.

Adjust the gun - and leave it alone --- for at least 250 targets...and work on your gun mount and swing fundamentals...not worrying about score so much. Don't be too eager to make all kinds of adjustments after every 25 targets....walk, before you start running !! --- and enjoy the journey !

Set goals ...like an 18 average on Trap singles....( for every 100 targets ) so a 72 out of 100 .../ but no single score below a 15 and no one station with more than 2 misses. So no 5's, 4's, 4's, 2's, 0's .../ that's not ok, even though its a 15. 3's, 3's, 3's, 3's, 3's ....would be better...( then try to get to all 4's, etc.....) and averages of 20, 21, 22, etc out of 100.../ maybe eventually a goal of a 92 with no one score below a 22 out of 100 - and some days when you start to string some 25's together.

It takes time ...and committment...and calmness...and focus....( and money) ....its not a cheap pasttime..
 
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Has anybody seen porting on a Beretta or Perrazi?
Click to expand...
Yep!
I've got both. My old SC3 (light action Perazzi) has factory porting and Tula chokes. Others have non-factory porting. One reason you don't see porting in international competition is because there are prohibitions against it. My MX8 (heavy action Perazzi) is not ported.

I agree with Big Jim, porting isn't so much to reduce recoil but to quicken second target acquisition.
 
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