shell reloading – Fast Cast Rods

Trap and Skeet shooting is very popular, and can get people of all ages to have fun, while learning gun safety and team sports type of environment. Trapshooting has been around a very long time, and shows no signs of slowing down. If you like to hunt, or want to shoot without harming animals, I highly suggest that you try this sport out. What is the best type of shotgun for trap shooting? The over and under shotgun is by far the most popular shotgun used in skeet and trap shooting, especially in competitions. Since skeet and trap will only throw a maximum of two clay pigeons, holding two shots at a time is critical. The over an under shotgun design also makes reloading much faster as you can reload it in seconds. The second most popular gun would be a semi-automatic shotgun but can take longer to load, so it is not as popular. Is Trap Shooting A Sport Yes, trap and skeet shooting is very much a sport, and they have national skeet and trap leagues for all age groups. Trapshooting is the oldest shotgun shooting sport in America, and is usually shot in "squads" of five shooters. There is also the Scholastic Clay Target Program that aims at getting younger kids into the sport at an early age. I had two family members that shot skeet from a very early age, and by the time they were in high school, they were going to state championships. Can You Reload Your Own Trap Shells Absolutely you can reload your own shotgun shells! Reloading your own shells is very popular among skeet and trap shooters, especially people that are in leagues. Shotgun shells can be upwards of $25 - $30 dollars a box for trap loads. People are now buying the reloader, and all of the necessary equipment to reload old used shells so that they can save money on ammunition. You will need to be old enough to buy the gun powder, so if you under the age, you will need to have an adult buy the equipment for you. It is always a good idea to have a parent or guardian with you while reloading to make sure you get the mixtures right, or you could have serious issues when you try to fire your reloaded shells. You will also need to make sure that your shells have not been reloaded so many times that it is not safe to reload that old shell. Is Trap Shooting In The Olympics? Trap and Skeet are both Olympic sports, for both men and women! Men also have a double trap competition, and it is very popular. Trap and Skeet are played in the Summer Olympics and goes back as far as the Paris Olympics in 1900. From what I can find, Skeet has only been around since the 1968 Mexico Olympics, and have been in every summer Olympic games since. Almost all images that I can find for these skeet and trap sports are of shooters using an over and under 12 gauge shotgun. Unfortunately, it looks like the women's Skeet and Trap have not been around that long. How Big Are Clay Pigeons Clay pigeons are small round disks, that are of course made out of "clay". Modern birds, or clay pigeons, are 11 cm (4.25 inches) in diameter and 3 cm (1.12 inches) in thickness and are made of pitch and clay or limestone, weighing 3.5?4 ounces (99?113 grams). They are so brittle that even one pellet from a shot will usually shatter them for a score. Clay pigeons are normally a black color and have a fluorescent orange color on them, but can also have white on top so they are easier to see. Are Skeet And Trap Shooting The Same It differs from trapshooting, from which it derived, in that in skeet, traps are set at two points on the field and targets may be thrown diagonally across the shooter?s field of vision as well as directly away from him. Skeet is more popular, but harder because you are trying to hit two clay pigeons before they are out of range. Trap only has one pigeon flying at a time, so it is considered easier for the shooter to score points. Pigeons can fly around 50 yards, at speeds of 60mph, so the speed at which you can aim and fire is critical for a score. Both Skeet and Trap are scored on 25 clay pigeons thrown for a total of 25 points per round. Is Trap Shooting Expensive Trapshooting can be expensive depending on your setup. Can you spend hundreds to thousands on a shotgun depending on how good you are. If you are starting out in the sport, I would recommend getting a nice semi-automatic shotgun, or over and under that run around $500 dollars if you watch for sales. I would not invest into reloading your shells until you get into a league, or go on a very consistent basis. After purchasing your gun, a box of shells and a round of Skeet or Trap at a local range might run you around $50 dollars depending on when you go. The price per round will likely be less if you are going on a weekday or nonleague nights. Final Thoughts I love both Trap and Skeet shooting and have been in leagues before. If you like to shoot, or are an avid hunter and want a sport you can do in the offseason, I highly suggest you go and try it. There are even some ranges that will rent you a shotgun if you do not own one. It can be very addicting getting out there trying to break those clay pigeons, so be prepared to get into a sport if you try it! Related Topics What Does It Cost To Reload Shells For Trap And Skeet A normal box of shotgun shells for Trap or Skeet shooting will run you right around $25 dollars or a little less if you can find them on sale. If you were to buy all the equipment for reloading your own shells, you can lessen the cost to under $18 dollars if you look for deals on the materials. When you shoot 50 or more rounds each time you go, the cost to reload your own shells makes a very big difference, and most fulltime league shooters do reload their own. Is Reloading Shotgun Shells Worth The Cost? For an avid hunter or sport shooter, the cost to reload your own shells is a much better deal than buying a new box of shells every time you want to shoot. The biggest cost is the actual reloader, which starts at $149 and goes up to $700 dollars depending on what you get. The rest of the materials can be bought for around $15 to $25 dollars for wads, shot and everything else. You can reuse the actual shells as long as they are not too badly damaged after being fired. That is why you will see a lot of shooters bagging up their empty shells after shooting.