Here at The Big Shoot, we know that Clay Pigeon Shooting can sometimes be a bit confusing, especially for the beginner. To help make things that little bit clearer, we are proud to announce our new A-Z of Clay Pigeon Shooting as we focus on the different disciplines within the sport. This time around, we will be looking at the various disciplines which lie between the letters of S and U – Single Barrel, Skeet Doubles, Sportrap and Universal Trench.
Single Barrel
This particular discipline follows the same layout, rules and procedures as Down The Line (DTL) except for three points. Firstly, only one barrel may be loaded (like the name suggests) and only one shot is allowed to be taken at a target. Secondly, there must be nothing used – like a spent cartridge or snap cap – to block the unused barrel. Finally, scores are defined as a ‘hit’ or a ‘lost’. There is one point for a hit, and no points for a loss – simple!
Skeet Doubles
Doubles are the name of the game in this one, as they are shot at each station. This differs from English Skeet, where both singles and doubles are shot. Despite this, the layout in Skeet Doubles is the same as in English Skeet. The first round involves 24 targets – a double is shot at each one of the 12 stations – and the second round comprises of 267 targets.
Sportrap
Think Sportrap; think mini English Sporting – but with a few twists. A total of five targets are thrown on each stand: a single target, a simultaneous pair and a report pair. In order to provide a variety of angles and trajectories, up to five stands may be used. These must be labelled so that the shooter can be informed of not only the order, but the combination of shots, too.
Universal Trench
Universal Trench or otherwise known as Five Trap, involves the throwing of targets from, yes you guessed it, any one of the five traps which are placed in a trench in front of the shooting stands. Upon the call of “Pull!” a random target will be released from a trap which can vary in horizontal angle, target distance and elevation. You’d better be alert if you are to succeed in this one!
Final Thoughts
So, that’s it for the final edition of our glossary of disciplines in the A-Z of Clay Pigeon Shooting. We hope that you’ve learnt a lot about all the different disciplines that are on offer in this diverse sport. If you’re feeling inspired by these different types of Clay Pigeon Shooting, you can try them out yourself at any one of our Clay Pigeon Shooting grounds located across the UK.
Photo Credits:
Clay Shooting Magazine
Fololia