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Frequently asked questions |
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Frequently asked questions |
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Q. What kind of shotshells should I use? A. For shooting from the 16 yard line, 1-1/8 ounce, 2-3/4 dram, #7-1/2 or #8 shot. Q. What do those numbers mean? A. The weight of the shot pellets is given in ounces. The most common weight for trap is 1-1/8 ounce but 1 ounce of shot is sometimes used from the 16 yard line. The more weight, the more pellets are in the load, for the same size of pellet. 1 ounce loads will usually kick less than 1-1/8 ounce loads if the dram equivalent is the same. The dram-equivalent is a standard way of expressing the "power rating" of the shell. Modern smokeless powder is now used, but the dram-equivalent rating is the number of drams of blackpowder that the load is equivalent to. For a given weight of shot, a higher dram equivalent means a higher velocity, and more kick. 2-3/4 dram is ideal for the 16 yard line, and most shooters use 3 dram from the 25 yard line. Trap rules specify a maximum of 3 dram. The sizes of shot that are commonly used for trap are #6, #7, #7-1/2, #8, and #9. #7-1/2 is the most common. The larger the shot number, the smaller the pellets. #9 pellets are smaller than #6. Smaller pellets means there are more pellets per ounce of shot. Q. Where can I get shotshells for trap? A. You can by trap loads by the box at the desk on trap night at MCFG ($5.00 to $6.00 per box of 25, depending on type of shells). You can save money by buying shells in bulk (10 boxes for about $51 plus tax) from other shooting suppliers. Q. What about the shotshells on sale at Target / Kmart / Walmart etc? A. Although the prices are tempting, most of those shells are designed for hunting, not trap. You have to choose carefully. Some are only #6 shot, which is not ideal for trapshooting. Some are only 1 ounce instead of 1-1/8 ounce. And they are usually 3 dram or 3-1/4 dram. 3-1/4 dram is too much power for trap shooting and will kick much harder than what is needed. Even 3 dram is overkill for shooting from the 16 yard line. Shooting these low-price "promotional" shells usually means a sore and bruised shoulder for the beginning trap-shooter. And more importantly, they make it harder for the beginner to get over flinching in response to the heavier recoil. However, if you can find ones that are "3 dram, 1-1/8 ounce, #7-1/2 shot" or "3 dram, 1 ounce, #8 shot", those will suffice. Q. What should I do with the empty shells after firing? A. Most shooters carry an empties bag on their belt. You can buy a belt, with a dual compartment pouch to carry both live shells and spent shells at most sporting goods departments or stores. (We also have several at the front desk that can be borrowed.) If you think you'll do a lot of shooting, you will probably want to start reloading your own shells. If so, save up your empties for when you start reloading. If you do not want to keep your empties, please toss them into the boxes located at each of the shooting stations, or dump them into the boxes in the clubhouse near the front desk. Promotional shells such as Federals with the paper basewad, or Remington Field/Game shells are generally not considered reloadable. For
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