Sporting Clays, Skeet, Trap... what's the difference?

Wow, thanks all for the informative answers and color on what's what.

When the weather warms up in a few months, I'm going to have to finally put my (one and only for now) shotgun to use (it's a Benelli Supersport, 12ga, 28" barrel, semi-auto -- it's only seen use at an indoor range so far).
 
While many gun clubs have membership dues, etc., most are also open to the public - the difference is typically a member gets a reduced rate on targets and supplies from the pro shop. Before you go buy a thrower and take the time to layout a trap or skeet field, you might look into local clubs, go there and explain you're new and ask for help. Most shooters I know are more than glad to help a new person.

Just shot sporting this morning at one of the local courses - we had a small turnout, about 9 or 10 - basically two squads - and everyone gives everyone a hard time when they flub an easy one (all in good natured fun)
 
"Skeet=crossers, Trap=away birds, and everything else is a combination of the two."

Not even close. Sporting offers both those targets, but many other combos, many orders, speeds, types of targets, and in constantly changing orders, lighting, and stand locations/angles.
I've never seen a battue, rabbit, incomer, 30yd crosser, gravity rabbit or teal in skeet or trap.
 
Don't forget the midi's and mini's; shooting on the side of a hill, having overhanging trees and sun light in your eyes, chondelles (GRRRR), and many of the other frisbee-like ones thrown just to mess with your head.
 
Safety First

Greetings, unkleschilke, and welcome aboard.

It would take some time to calculate all of the possible target presentations. But, don't forget, the standard Load just one shell at a time, except for doubles rule. Your Speed Skeet might be fun in the stubble fields, but unacceptable at safety conscious clubs.

Have fun and shoot safely.


[SIZE=-1]Please, diligently practice safe gun handling precedences at all times -- the life you save might be mine.[/SIZE]​
 
I personally have never been told "one shell at a time, except for doubles" at any of the skeet ranges that I have shot at. (station 8 being the exception).
 
Oh, no! One of Skeet's dirty little secrets has been unearthed!
eddyb74 said:
I personally have never been told "one shell at a time, except for doubles" at any of the skeet ranges that I have shot at. (station 8 being the exception).
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Eddyb74, you're correct, that may well be your experience. If you know what you're doing around the Skeet field, you probably never will.

Most gun club rules are trap based, because trap is the senior game. The trap shooters got there first because trap fields are the cheapest to construct. And, the majority of shotgun sports tournaments are sanctioned by the ATA. Club unified rules typically use the ATA's rules as a model:
[SIZE=-2]ATA 2010 Rules extract.
Section IV IV ATA Tournaments
I. Safety
12. A contestant shall place a live shell in his/her gun only when on a post facing the traps. In Singles and Handicap shooting he/she may place only one (1) live shell in his/her gun at a time and must remove it or the empty shell(s) before moving from one post to another. In Doubles shooting he/she may place two (2) live shells in his/her gun at a time and must remove both live or empty shells before moving from one (1) post to another. In changing from one (1) post to another, the shooter shall not walk in front of the other competitors.[/SIZE]
​
The one shell at a time for singles general rule works great for trap and general shooting. Except, at the Skeet range, many shooters (myself included) prefer to load two shells for singles. It speeds up the squad and doesn't unevenly wear your O/U unevenly. The new 2010 Skeet rules recognize this.
[SIZE=-2]NSSA 2010 Rules extract.
Section III - Shooting Procedure
D. Gun Malfunctions
7. Loading Two Shells
During the shooting of single targets, a shooter may load two shells except at Station 8 high house, or for the last single target on any station, or unless forbidden by club rules, and if the gun jams or malfunctions between shots, it shall be scored as a malfunction and the shooter permitted to shoot the target over. However, the shooter is still restricted to two allowable malfunctions with one gun in one round.[/SIZE]​
Oops… now we have a contradiction. What to do? At the Skeet field it's become a case of Do what I say, not what I do. We quote the club rules to the new shooters about loading a shell at a time for singles in their R-870s and M-500 and then we load two in our O/U. It's interesting that the ATA rule is in the Safety section or their rules and the Skeet rules refer to loading two in the malfunction section. Also, the Skeet rule contains the phrase unless forbidden by club rules.

It's almost a case of Catch-22; but, there's a solution: In the club rules, something like the following can be added after the one shell rule. In nationally sanctioned events, if the official rules allow the loading of more than one shell for singles, the club rules shall not restrict the competitive shooters. Since visiting competitors may arrive early to practice before a tournament, the exemption applies to practice and well and match rounds. It doesn't make any sense to make them shoot under two different sets of rules.

When the casual shooter asks why I load two for Skeet singles and he can't, I tell him that I'm practicing for a match and he's not. In reality, the non-comp shooter isn't generally aware that some load two for Skeet singles. The question typically comes up when some fellow is stuffing his hi-capacity HD gun full of shells.
 
Zippy - you could avoid all that stuff if you'd just slide on down to the 5-stand section - you always load two for every target, whether single or double....:D
 
Oneounceload, my friend, you don't wanna get me started on the exemptions to the "standard rules" that had to be made when we set up our 5-stand fields. :D
 
Sporting clay course set up master

If you have ever shot a sporting clat course that was set up by one of the masters at it, you realize that the set up is intended to play tricks with your perception of what the clay is doing, as well as challenge you're ability to make just about every kind of shot you can imagine with a shotgun (crossing, rising, falling, straight toward you, etc...)
Sporting clays is designed to simulate hunting. try it and you'll love it, no matter what score you shoot.
I use a pump sometimes, just to keep in condition with it.
 
Sporting has become like trap and skeet unfortunately - a target game, no longer simulating hunting. Gone are the duck boats on springs, duck blinds, uneven hillside shots, etc. You can also now use a premounted gun. FITASC does not allow it, the targets are typically faster and further away.
 
What's the key difference and what attracts you to one over the other?
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The key differences are the shooters.

Trap shooters are usually grumpy old farts who eat their way to double A and put 10 thousand dollars guns into two dollar cases. They mumble a lot.

Skeet shooters are a delicate breed who would otherwise be engaged in competitive ballroom dancing. Their world is short and small as in distances and gauges. They are given to fits of crying if it's windy.

Sporting clays shooters are the shotgun equivalent of pack mules. They need golf carts, pull carts, tractor trailers to haul around 97 choke tubes, 8 different shooting lenses, two vests, 300 shells for a 100 target course, an extra gun, umbrella for the sun, rain gear, 6 hats, three pairs of gloves, range finder, lip balm, assorted over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, cell phone, four choke tube wrenches, 7 other tools of uncertain function, a bottle of water and a partridge in a pear tree. They often cheat on their scores and curse the target setter.

Seriously, all the games are fun but what keeps me coming back is sporting clays. I like the variety of presentations and the need to develop a plan for each station. Trap and skeet are great as well but I learned long ago that I don't have the mental discipline needed for those games. I get bored and start missing targets. Running 100 straight in trap or skeet is an endurance test and for me doesn't provide the same satisfaction as shooting well in sporting.
 
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Sporting clays is designed to simulate hunting.
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I think that if it really was designed to simulate hunting, it would be set up so that:
1. The shooter does not call for the targets, they are released whenever the trapper feels like it.
2. It includes illegal birds that give you a penalty if you shoot them.
3. It includes hopelessly out of range birds that subtract points if you miss but don't if you pass on the shot.
 
At one time, "poison" birds WERE part of the target scene. In some of the disciplines, there can be up o three second delay before launch. As I mentioned, in FITASC you start with a low gun and cannot start your move or mount your gun until the target is visible - IMO, it keeps more of the hunting aspect in the game
 
PJR is right on with his assessment of the shooters of the different games! I shoot sporting clays because trap & skeet bore me rather quickly. Our SC course is changed every week, so you always have new targets. I think most of us started out on trap or skeet tho.
 
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