Can somebody explain the difference between Trap and Skeet?

[Cgrutt]

EvilD need not apply, lol.

So what's the difference? If I'm at my buddy's and we're just chucking pigeons from same spot next to shooter, what's that most like?

Anybody what to show me the difference. Have new shottie and range membership, lol....

[thughes]

Shooting flying targets out of the air with a shotgun is cool, I don't care what EvilD says. Wish you were closer man, I'd give you a crash course. You had better let me know if/when you ever get down this way, we got some serious shooting and drinking to do.


Trap: Targets launched from in front of you, may be launched straight out or up to @ 45 degree angle to either side (angle is random)





Skeet: Targets launched across the field (left to right/right to left) directly in front of you



Stolen from another forum:

TRAP: With trap you shoot from 16yds behind where the targets are launched. You do not know exactly what angle the target is going to fly so your job is to see the target, catch up with it and shoot it out of the sky (usually about 40yds from the shooter.) It's a game of target acquisition and rythmn. Fairly easy to become mediocre and very difficult to master... Most everyone shoots 12 gauge. As the game progresses the shooters move from left to right after each set of 5 shots have been fired (the shooter on the far right moves to the far left.) Most shooters use a tight (full) choke.

SKEET: Skeet is a game of speed and leads. All targets are shot at 10 to 20 yds from the shooter. The field has 8 stations in a semi-circle. All targets must fly thru an imaginary 3' hoop in the center of the field about 10' in the air (they actually put the hoop up when calibrating the throwers.) You always know where the targets are going. Station 1 is far left, under the "high house" (the high house launches targets from about 8' in the air toward the low house). The stations (shooting positions) increase in number around to station 7 at the "low house" (targets launch from 3' above ground toward the high house). Station 8 is in the middle of the field and the targets fly over the shooter's head (or nearly so). At stations 1, 2, 6, and 7 you get 2 targets launched at the same time. You have to shoot the target flying away from you first, then catch up to and engage the target speeding by you. In Skeet you get one "do over" (if you miss a target you get to shoot at it again.) If you break all 24 targets without missing you get a second shot at station 8 from the low house (hence "happiness is 2 at low 8" means you had a perfect round). At stations 1 and 7 the birds are flying directly away from you so no "lead" is necessary. At station 4 you have to lead the target by about 6' in order to break the clay. Skeet is a game that's difficult to get mediocre but once there it's fairy easy to master (at which time you start using a smaller shotgun - the really good guys use a .410). Most shooters use a Improved cylinder or skeet choke.

[Meketrefe]

The skeet and trap both make a shooter a better shooter in many other disciplines. The brain gets hardwired
to shoot at moving targets or stationary targets when you move and change angles and speed. All skills hard
to improve without constant change in dynamics.

Here some footage from that time when men were men...

[big flash]

sporting clays is pretty dang fun too. a lot more variety

i like shooting trap & skeet though I'm not very good at it. neither is as much fun though as just going into the back 40 and taking turns throwing for each other. though a machine throwing makes it a lot less effort!

[Calculon]

sporting clays is pretty dang fun too. a lot more variety

^^^THIS

I just took my son to shoot sporting clays for his bday this weekend in New Paltz at Mid Hudson Sporting Clays.
http://www.midhudsonsportingclays.com/
(For some reason their website is down today.)

Sporting clays was described to me as "golf with shotguns" and the description is pretty much right on. For the day we each shot about 100 rounds from 16 different stations. At a minimum you shoot at 3 targets from an "A" machine and 3 from a "B" machine. Some stations have "C" and "D" as well but the are much more challenging. Machines vary in height/speed/angle and each station has different terrain (open, wooded, etc). They give you a card that you put in the reader at each station and it counts the number of clay birds you launch throughout the day. They charge $0.42 per clay for adults and $0.24 (I think) for 16 and under. Cost us $66.

We had a great time and will definitely do it again. It took me about 45 minutes to get there from Dutchess and its probably about the same from West Point area. A couple other places we will check out next are:
Orvis Sandanona in Millbrook (I hear this place can be a little elitist but I'll let others who have been there confirm or deny)
http://www.orvis.com/s/sandanona-sho...8&cat_id=27380

Dover Furnace in Dover Plains
http://doverfurnace.com/html/sporting-clays.html

Dover Furnace is owned or sponsored by Beretta and I'm told it's a gorgeous place. Beretta pro shop on site.

If anyone wants to head out to one of these places one weekend and give it a shot I'd enjoy going again.

[gtnorry]

I find trap boring. I don't know why I just do. Trust me - it's not because I hit them all. But it's better then not shooting at all.
I like skeet. Maybe because there is more movement than trap.
Sporting clays is great. Nice day walking through the woods. Stop at 9 or 18 stations and shoot at 4-6 clay birds.

[Chicken Shoot]

I've always wanted to try either but I'm not sure where or when they are in my area .... I probably wouldn't have the time to participate in many, but just to try it once and see how I did would be fun.

[Calculon]

Try wheretoshoot.org.

[dsdmmat]

Skeet tastes like chicken, and trap tastes like pigeon.

[catskillkid]

Thanks for asking the question. I've often gotten confused about the difference between the two of them myself but was always embarrassed to ask.

[Meketrefe]

You might have heard this before...

- Trap is like the driving range.
- Skeet is like the green.
- Sporting Clays is more like hunting.

All provide great shotgun skills. Sometimes in the summers overseas I shoot some leagues that is olympic trap.( trap with doubles ).
Also sporting clays are very popular, specially in the UK and spain.