Barrel Regulation

[Eldon Goddard]

At the trap range recently I am required to shoot with only one barrel loaded. I always load the barrel with the front trigger. I have found that my numbers are quite appalling when I do this. Is it possible that the gun was meant to be shot with both barrels loaded or am I just making up excuses for my poor shooting? I don't think it helps that my OCD goes nuts loading one round in a double barrel. Maybe it is just a bad placebo effect.

[Rick Losey]

POI (point of impact) and barrel regulation are two different things

regulation is to make sure the barrels print together at a specific range

POI is aim- is the gun shooting where you aim and has more to do with fit

i truly doubt having the ounce and a half or so of additional weight sitting in the left chamber will affect anything

[John Dallas]

As an Old (take that any way you want) Hunter Ed Instructor, I'd call you out of having two shells in the gun. Oh, by the way, I can't imagine how a shell in the other chamber could possibly affect regulation. I suggest a lesson from a good instructor

[Dean Romig]

Generally, the front trigger/right barrel is the more open choke unless the gun is choked F/F in both barrels. There are even a few Parkers originally choked with the right barrel tighter. How is yours choked?

Trap shooting, which originally involved live birds, was always shot with both barrels at the same bird... it was in the rules - otherwise there wouldn't be a need for the second shot or barrel.

My how times change! "Vintage Trap" still allows both barrels to be fired at the same bird if the first shot is ineffective.





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[Chuck Bishop]

Eldon, if you are shooting trap, the rule is one shell in the gun unless you are shooting doubles. It's more your POI that needs to be figured out. SxS's generally shoot flat, that's why trap guns are built to shoot high to compensate for a rising target. Trap guns off the shelf are made to shoot a 60%/40% or 70%/30% meaning 60 or 70 percent of the pattern is above your point of aim, this compensates for a rising target. When I buy a new trap gun, I go to the club and have them lock the trap to throw only a straight away from post 3. I add or subtract padding to the comb until I center the target.

[Pete Lester]

Generally, the front trigger/right barrel is the more open choke unless the gun is choked F/F in both barrels. There are even a few Parkers originally choked with the right barrel tighter. How is yours choked?

Trap shooting, which originally involved live birds, was always shot with both barrels at the same bird... it was in the rules - otherwise there wouldn't be a need for the second shot or barrel.

My how times change! "Vintage Trap" still allows both barrels to be fired at the same bird if the first shot is ineffective.

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Times did not change I think the game changed. Olympic/Bunker/International trap is and has always been two shots per target. Were two shots ever allowed in "American" Trap?

[Chuck Bishop]

American trap (16yds, and handicap) only allow 1 shell in the gun per target. It's a safety rule. It's been that way for as long as I can remember. American doubles of course is two shots. Bunker, Skeet, and Sporting Clays are a 2 shot game.

Copied from the ATA Rule Book:

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.

[Drew Hause]

Inanimate Single Target Shooting 1890 American Shooting Association Rules
https://archive.org/stream/fieldcovertrapsh01boga#page/468/mode/2up
Single target - One shell
Double targets - Two shells.
Double targets were part of the “E.C.” Inanimate Target Championship Cup held in May, 1896, but the first GAH Doubles Competition (non-exhibition) was in 1908
http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/SportingLife/1908/VOL_51_NO_17/SL5117024.pdf
Won by H.E. Buckwalter (Lefever) of Royersford, Pa. with 18x20.

Live Bird Rules allowed 2 shots
The Art of Wing Shooting: A Practical Treatise on the Use of the Shotgun
William Bruce Leffingwell. 1895
http://books.google.com/books?id=e34EmE3tkfkC
“Rules for Inanimate Targets”
http://books.google.com/books?id=e34EmE3tkfkC&pg=PA167&vq
“Rules for Live Bird Shooting”
http://books.google.com/books?id=e34EmE3tkfkC&pg=PA177&vq

An interesting exception was the 1901 Anglo-American Match during which the U.S. Team (mostly using Parkers) used ONE 1 1/4 oz. shell and the British could use 2 1 1/8 oz. shells. The U.S. still won.
https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=185YOyQl7GIB9OYLs9Hr3tnMLHqs4rjEdR4j_E9l4HL w

Eldon: get thee to the pattern plate, for both POI and pattern % at the distance at which you usually break targets, on those rare occasions ;)

[Eldon Goddard]

Well thats what I figured. Looks like I need to start building a pattern board. In the mean time Im sticking to trap doubles. Dean both the Parker I have been shooting and the L.C. Smith are choked full/full.

[Dean Romig]

Well, Full/Full should do the trick every time... as long as we do our part.





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[Paul Harm]

Unless you are a top notch shooter, full choke at 16 yards would be a handicap. A mod choke would be more than enough. Many good doubles shooters use even a IC choke on the first barrel and a IM or full on the second. The really good shooters like a full choke so they see a " dust ball " so if they get a little off they can tell where to correct it. That dust ball doesn't leave much room for error. As suggested, go to station 3 and with just straight a-ways see what sight picture you need to break the targets. You'll probably need some padding to see the bird when it breaks. Good luck.