Trap

Mon 9am-12pm, Wed 6pm-9pm, Sat 9am-12pm

Each round consists of 5 shots from each of 5 positions, 5 participants per round. Cost: MSI members $5 per ticket or 10 ticket card for $40, Non-Members $8 per ticket or 10 ticket card for $70 1 ticket required per round of singles, 2 tickets required per round of doubles. Purchase tickets at MSI clubhouse (ticket sales close at 7:45pm)

Info

• Shooting vest or Shell pouch recommended • Stands will be available to hold box of shells while on the line in needed on limted basis • Shooters   are   not   to   touch   the   mic   stands,   if   there   is   a   malfunction   the   operator   will   come out to address. • Handicap   Rounds:   All   shooters   in   squad   will   shoot   the   same   yardage,   the   operator   will   set up the mics for the squad. • Picnic tables and gub racks are under the canopy.

Beginner Trap Shooting Clinic

If you have never shot trap – this clinic is designed specifically for you! Brand new shooters are encouraged to take this clinic prior to shooting a round of trap. The clinic will include the following: • Shotgun Safety – learn the principle safety rules of handling a shotgun at the range. • Trap   Basics   –   Understanding   the   basics   of   how   to   shoot   trap,   how   to   mount   the   gun, where to start the gun at each station for best target breaking results, and more. • Proper trap range etiquette. • Group / Personal instruction. When: 4th Sunday of each month. 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM Cost: $15.00 / participant

What to bring:

• Shotgun • Eye and ear protection • 2 boxes (50 rounds) of proper gauge shotgun target loads. No shot size larger than #7 1/2 (Shot size #6, #5, etc., is not allowed). Ammunition is available for purchase in the clubhouse subject to inventory on hand. • A great attitude to learn and have fun. Registration   is   required   prior   to   clinic   and   is   limited   to   the   first   10   registration   each   month. You can register by using the below link; SIGN-UP HERE

“25 Straight Club”

Shooting a clean round, 25 out of 25 birds hit, earns you honorary membership in the “MSI 25 Straight Club”. Will you be next? Be warned, shooting a straight 25 not only gets you into the club, but also following tradition the shooters out that day will shoot your hat!

How To Play The Game Of Trap

Trap   shooting,   often   called   “American   trap   shooting”   to   distinguish   it   from   other   forms   of   trap   shooting,   is   but   one   of   many   sports   based   on shooting   small   disks   launched   into   the   air.   These   disks   are   of   various   sizes.   They   are   shaped   somewhat   like   a   Frisbee   and   fly   in   a   nice   arc   through the   air.   They   are   made   of   various   combinations   of   substances   so   that   they   break   when   hit.   Well,   sometimes   they   don’t   break,   but   they’re   supposed to   break.   The   matter   of   “hard”   clay   pigeons   is   a   constant   source   of   complaint.   Clay   pigeons   are   commonly   called   “birds”.   In   addition   to   trap   shooting, people   also   shoot   other   games   involving   these   disks,   such   as   skeet,   sporting   clays,   5   stand   and   wobble   trap.   This   last   is   like   trap   shooting,   except the trap machine is set up to very both the direction of the clay pigeon’s flight and the angle of elevation. Trap   is   shot   at   the   MSI   trap   range.   A   trap   range   has   at   least   one,   and   perhaps   many,   trap   fields,   each   of   which   has   a   little   structure   called   the   “trap house”   that   houses   the   machine   that   throws   the   birds   into   the   air.   This   is   called   the   “trap   machine,”   and   sometimes   just   the   “trap.”   The   trap machine   throws   the   birds   in   a   random   pattern   limited   to   a   44   degree   horizontal   arc,   with   the   birds   exiting   the   house   at   about   47   miles   per   hour   and traveling   about   50   yards   before   hitting   the   ground.   The   trap   range   uses   either   a   hand   release   run   by   the   score   keeper,   or   voice   calls   that   respond   to the   shooters’   voices   to   send   an   electric   signal   that   causes   the   trap   machine   to   launch   a   bird.   Each   trap   field   has   five   shooting   stations   in   an   arc,   each station   being   11   degrees   away   from   its   neighbour.   The   shooting   stations   are   paths   radiating   out   from   the   trap   house   with   distances   from   the   house marked from 16 to 27 yards. A round of trap is 25 birds, 5 birds being shot from each station in rotation. Trap   shooters   commonly   shoot   three   events:   singles,   handicap   and   doubles.   Singles   are   single   birds   shot   from   the   closest   distance,   16   yards   from the   trap   house.   Since   the   birds   are   usually   about   15   to   25   yards   out   by   the   time   the   shooter   fires,   even   the   16   yard   singles   are   31   to   41   yards   away. Handicap   is   like   singles,   except   it   is   shot   from   various   distances,   depending   on   one’s   ability,   between   19   and   27   yards.   These   birds   are   35   to   52   yards away,   depending   on   one’s   handicap   and   reaction   time.   Since   very   few   shooters   with   slow   reaction   times   ever   earn   a   27   yard   handicap,   that   52   yard figure   is   an   exaggeration.   27   yard   shooters   actually   shoot   their   birds   at   47   yards   or   less.   As   you   might   imagine,   a   little   disk,   40+   yards   away   and flying   at   40+   miles   per   hour   can   be   a   difficult   target.   Doubles   are   two   birds   launched   simultaneously,   shot   from   16   yards.   Doubles   are   even   more difficult and are, by far, the most fun. A round of doubles at MSI is 15 pairs, or 30 birds. You   can   use   any   shotgun   gauge,   up   to   12   gauge.   Using   anything   smaller   than   a   12   gauge   entails   a   loss   of   hitting   power.   Some   do   choose   smaller guns   for   their   lower   weight   and   reduced   recoil.   Note:   in   shotguns,   a   larger   numerical   gauge   designation   refers   to   a   smaller   bore.   A   20   gauge   is smaller   than   a   12   gauge.   This   holds   true   for   all   shotgun   bore   sizes   other   than   the   .410.   “.410”   refers   to   a   bore   that   is   .410   of   an   inch   in   diameter. Unless   you   are   truly   crazy,   you   will   not   be   using   a   .410   to   shoot   trap.   It   is   just   too   small.   You   may   use   up   to   1   1/8   ounce   of   shot   in   12   gauge.   You   may use   shot   sized   7   1/2   and   smaller.   Like   gauge   sizes,   a   lower   shot   size   number   refers   to   a   larger   shot   size.   The   maximum   velocity   allowed   is   1250   feet per   second   for   1   1/8   ounce   loads.   You   may   use   slightly   higher   velocities   for   lighter   loads,   and   the   whole   thing   gets   really   complicated.   Why   bother with all that? Just get some 1 1/8 ounce #8 shot target loads. If   you   want   to   try   trap   shooting   MSI,   and,   you   really   should.   Come   out   Saturdays   between   10   and   4,   gather   up   the   necessary   equipment,   and   go. You   will   probably   feel   intimidated   by   the   prospect   of   trying   this   sport,   but   if   you’ll   just   go   and   give   it   a   try,   you’ll   find   that   you   will   be   welcomed   by the   participants.   Practicing   safe   gun   handling   is   the   primary   concern.   Even   though   trap   shooting   is   a   game,   there   is   absolutely   no   room   for   unsafe gun handling. You’ll   need   a   shotgun,   ammunition,   hearing   protection,   eye   protection   and   some   money.   Trap   ranges   fee   for   a   round   of   trap   can   be   found   on   the MSI   home   page.   Glasses,   including   sunglasses,   will   suffice   for   eye   protection.   Hearing   protection   consists   of   either   ear   muffs   or   those   little   foam thingies   you   stick   in   your   ears.   I   could   never   get   used   to   those,   so   I   use   ear   muffs.   Some   trap   shooters   get   high-tech   ear   muffs   with   electronic circuits that allow normal hearing while blocking loud noises. As explained above, ammunition is limited to 1 1/8 ounce of shot. Just   about   any   shotgun   with   a   full   or   modified   choke   will   do.   If   you   can   handle   a   12   gauge,   that   will   work   better   than   a   smaller   gun.   Trap   shooters often   use   specially   configured   trap   guns.   One   of   the   best   shooters   at   my   local   club   shoots   a   regular   field   gun.   If   you   really   get   “into”   trap   shooting, you   will   learn   the   characteristics   of   trap   guns   and   field   guns,   and   you   will   be   better   able   to   decide   whether   you   want   to   put   money   into   a   trap   gun. You   don’t   need   a   trap   gun   to   try   trap   shooting.   On   the   other   hand,   you   will   find   that   having   a   shell   holder   belt   will   be   useful.   This   is   a   belt   with   a container for holding shotgun shells. Trap   shooting   has   some   simple,   straightforward   rules.   Always   practice   safe   gun   handling.   Only   load   your   gun   when   it’s   your   turn   to   shoot.   Only   load one   shell   unless   you’re   shooting   doubles.   For   doubles,   you   may   load   two.   If,   while   you’re   on   the   trap   field,   the   staff   needs   to   tend   to   the   trap   house, to   reload   the   machine   or   otherwise   adjust   the   machine,   unload   your   gun.   In   trap   shooting,   the   gun’s   safety   is   ignored.   Do   not   bother   with   it.   Your gun is either loaded and ready to shoot, or unloaded. The only “safety” is an unloaded gun. There   are   several   interesting   rules   about   gun   failures,   broken   birds   and   so   on.   Your   fellow   shooters   and/or   the   score   keeper   will   help   you   with   them. Just   don’t   get   flustered.   While   shooting   doubles,   remember   that   you   are   only   allowed   one   shot   at   each   bird.   If   you   miss   your   first   bird,   you   must switch   to   the   second   bird   and   try   to   break   it   instead   of   shooting   at   the   first   bird   again.   Even   though   a   round   consists   of   25   birds,   and   a   round   of doubles   consists   of   30   birds,   you   should   carry   some   spare   shells   in   addition   to   the   25   or   30   you   expect   to   shoot.   If   a   bird   is   broken   in   the   process   of being   thrown,   you’ll   get   another   bird   to   shoot.   If   you   shoot   at   that   broken   bird,   you’ll   need   a   spare   shell.   If   you   shoot   out   of   turn,   you’ll   need   to reshoot   that   turn.   If,   in   doubles,   you   shoot   the   first   bird   without   noticing   that   your   second   bird   broke   while   being   thrown,   you’ll   have   to   reshoot   that turn.   If   your   gun   fails   to   fire   after   you   hit   your   first   bird   in   doubles,   you’ll   have   to   reshoot   that   turn.   Obviously,   if   you   miss   your   first   bird,   a   failure   to fire on your second bird counts as a lost pair. Otherwise, sly shooters would tend to have a lot of “fail to fire” episodes after lost first birds. “Lost   birds”   are   birds   you   didn’t   break.   “Dead   birds”   are   the   ones   you   did   break.   A   dead   bird   means   you   definitely   broke   the   bird.   Knocking   a   little dust   off   it   isn’t   enough.   You   must   at   least   knock   a   chip   out   of   the   bird.   Ordinarily,   the   score   keeper   announces   the   lost   birds   but   not   the   dead   birds. Among   trap   shooters,   dead   birds   are   the   norm,   and   therefore   not   worthy   of   mention.   On   the   other   hand,   lost   birds   are   announced   with   great gusto.   Hearing   “lost”   over   and   over   again   can   get   to   be   quite   annoying,   to   say   the   very   least.   In   doubles,   the   score   keeper   announces   the   results   of every shot: “dead pair,” dead, lost,” “lost, dead,” or “lost pair.” “Lost pair” is never a pleasant sound. Trap   shooters   welcome   all   “newbies”   except   the   ones   who   don’t   practice   gun   safety.   Parents   or   other   responsible   parties   should   accompany children.