You might not expect it, but trap shooting is somewhat of an ancient sport—and by ancient, I mean it has been around for well over 200 years. Trapshooting originated in England around 1750 and by 1793 was “well established” in that country. The first recorded organized trap shooting in the United States was in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1831. The New York Sportsman’s Club held its first trap shooting competition in 1840. Trap shooting has been a part of the Olympic games since 1900.

As with most sports, trap shooting has come a long way since then. Guns have changed, targets have changed and the method for throwing those targets has evolved repeatedly through the centuries. What hasn’t changed, however, is how much fun it is to go out to the local trap club and shoot a round or two with your buddies.

Trap Shooting 101

While there are different variations of the game, here we’ll concentrate on American Trap. In this game, targets are thrown from a single “house” forward of the shooters’ position. Shooters shoot from five stations located 16 yards behind the trap house. 

In singles, shooters shoot at five targets from each station, with a round consisting of 25 targets. In doubles, the machine throws two clays simultaneously for a total of 10 targets per station. Another variation, handicap trap, is similar to singles but shooters stand farther back from the trap house.

The object, of course, is to break as many of the clay birds as possible. And note that even just breaking a chip off a clay target constitutes a “hit.” Whoever breaks the most wins. As with any other shooting sport, the most important thing to focus on is safety. Trap might be a game or competition, but a shotgun can be a dangerous weapon if not handled and shot safely using accepted firearm safety rules.

For shotgunners, trap is a fun game to play. While many shoot trap for practice for upcoming hunting seasons, others fully embrace the sport for what it is and shoot both recreationally and competitively all the way up to the world-class and Olympic levels.

Now, let’s take a look at the bare-bones equipment needed for jumping into skeet shooting with both feet.

Shotgun

At its highest level, trap is a game of 12-gauge shotguns for the simple reason that the 12-gauge delivers more shot to the target than do 20, 28 or .410 shotguns. That makes the likelihood of breaking the clay much higher, resulting in higher scores. Of course, the tradeoff is somewhat more recoil, but purpose-made trap guns are designed relatively heavy to absorb some of that recoil.

Most trap shooters prefer a double-barrel shotgun, since you don’t need multiple shells in this game and there are fewer moving parts than in a semi-auto, alleviating some potential failures. However, many enjoy shooting trap with the same semi-auto shotguns they use for hunting game birds, and there’s certainly nothing wrong with that.  

For beginners, whatever shotgun you have will probably work. Likewise, whatever gauge you have is fine for waiting out. If you plan to buy a new shotgun to start shooting trap, I’d recommend an over/under double-barrel in 12 gauge with 28- or 30-inch barrels. A little bit of research can guide you to what the top-level competitors shoot.

Shotgun Choke

Trap is a little longer sport than skeet, so a little bit tighter choke often yields better results. While skeet shooters might choose an improved cylinder choke or even more open,  the “best” choke is considered to be an Improved Modified choke as it provides a good balance of pattern density and shot spread, making it suitable for various trap shooting distances, especially from the standard 16-yard line. 

More experienced shooters, however, sometimes opt for a full choke. As with any other aspect of shooting, experimenting with a couple of different chokes is a good way for new trap shooters to determine which is best for their style of shooting.

Ammunition

Typical shotshells with lead shot are most used for shooting skeet. Those with smaller pellets, like No. 8, are best, as they have more pellets within their pattern, and clay birds aren’t all that hard to break if you hit them squarely. Look for shotshells labeled “Trap Loads” or “Target Loads,” and they should be just what you need for getting started.

Top-level shooters in trap shooting, like in other shotgun competitions, often use shells purpose-made for trap shooting. They are frequently more expensive, but at the highest level can mean the difference between winning and being runner-up.

Eye & Ear Protection

As with all shooting sports, protecting your vision and hearing is a critical consideration in shooting trap. Even one shot without hearing protection can cause permanent hearing damage, and a ricocheted pellet in the eye could cause blindness.

Many companies make top-quality shooting glasses that will do the job. While a typical pair of sunglasses can be worn at the range, purpose-made shooting glasses with stronger lenses and various colors of lenses to aid vision are always safer and better. Simple ballistic-rated glasses like the Beretta Challenge EVO glasses retail for about $30 and do the job just fine. At the other end of the spectrum, Ranger’s Phantom 2.0 Frame and 3 Lens Kit offers three interchangeable lenses of different colors and will set you back about $170.

Ear protection is also easy to find, and different modes run from super cheap to very expensive. Howard Leight’s High-Visibility Disposable Foam Earplugs only cost about $11 for a bag of 50 and have a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of 32. Muff-type over-the-ear hearing protection, like the Razor Slim electronic muffs from Walker’s, amplifies sounds like range commands but then protects your ears from the sound of the shot. These are typically more expensive, but still reasonable when you consider the value of being able to hear.

Shell Caddy Or Vest

To navigate your way through a round of trap shooting, you’ll need something to carry shells in. A simple shell pouch will work, or a purpose-made trap shooting vest like the Bob Allen Full Mesh Dual Pad Shooting Vest from Boyt Harness Company is even better, as it not only has recoil-reducing pads on it but also compartments for things like chokes, wrenches and snacks.