| ALL-AROUND (HAA): championship at
the Grand, Satellite Grand's, Zone, State and
other major shoots based on the combined scores
of the 400 championship targets— 200 singles,
100 doubles and 100 handicap. |
| AMATEUR: any shooter not classified
as an industry representative (see that term).
May and usually does shoot for money and other
prizes. |
| ATA: commonly-used abbreviation for
Amateur Trapshooting Association, not American
Trapshooting Association (one of the predecessor
organizations prior to 1923). |
| AMATEUR TRAPSHOOTING ASSOCIATION: governing
body of registered trapshooting in the U.S.
and Canada
with permanent headquarters at Vandalia, Ohio.
To compete in an ATA-regulated event, the shooter
must be a member of the Amateur Trapshooting Association.
There are two classifications of membership—life
and annual. Memberships are available only to
individuals, not clubs. |
| AUTOMATIC OR AUTOLOADER: a variety
of repeating or magazine gun in which part of
the energy of the first shot is used to recock
the gun for the next shot. The trigger must be
pulled separately for each shot, so the term automatic
is a misnomer but is commonly used rather than
autoloader, the correct term. |
| AVERAGE: the percentage of targets
the shooter has hit out of total shot at. Used
for handicapping and classifying purposes. |
| AVERAGE BOOK: yearly book compiled
by the ATA listing all singles, handicap and doubles
averages of each member who shot during the preceding
year. Also lists current state and zone champions
and high average leaders in each category for
previous year. |
| BACK-YARDAGE: positions in handicap
shooting from 24 to 27 yards behind the traphouse. |
| BLUE ROCK OR ROCK: the target. Carryover
of nomenclature from live-bird shooting, which
often used the European blue rock variety of pigeon.
Name is used in part of Midwest. |
| BROKEN TARGET: a) one which comes
out of the traphouse in pieces. It is declared
"no target" whether the shooter shoots
at it or not, and another bird is thrown. It does
not count, even if the shooter hits it. b) a whole
target which the shooter hits and is scored as
dead. |
| CALL: signal given by shooter for
release of target. Usually the word "pull,"
but any sound will do and may be used. |
| CARRYOVER: method of deciding ties
where shooters’ scores on the next event determine
winner after tie in previous race. |
| CASHIER: the person who takes the
entries of the participants, calculates winners,
purse winnings, etc. |
| CHIP: a) verb—to break only a small
piece from a target. b) noun— a small piece of
the target. |
| CHOKE: constriction in bore of gun
near the muzzle to restrict the spread of shot.
Most trap guns are "full choke" and
will place 70% of the shot in a 30" circle
at 40 yards. |
| CLASSIFICATION: a system of dividing
shooters into classes or groups—based on previous
records, ability, etc. in singles and doubles.
From two to six classes may be used. Classification
is done by a committee of shooters. AA is highest
class; D, or E where used, lowest. |
| CLAY, CLAY TARGET OR CLAY PIGEON:
the target. |
| DEAD: the term for a target broken
by the shooter. The target must have a piece broken
from it by the shot large enough to be visible
to the scorer, or the target may be completely
reduced to powder by the shot. Term carried over
from live-pigeon shooting. The shooter is never
said to have scored so many "bullseyes."
He might break, bust, smash or powder targets,
but he doesn’t "bring them down." |
| DOUBLE GUN: a gun with two barrels,
arranged either side-by-side or over/under. |
| DOUBLES: one of the three varieties
of events in trapshooting. The shooter stands
16 yards from the traphouse and fires twice, once
at each of the two targets which are released
simultaneously. |
| DOWN: the number of targets a shooter
has lost from a perfect score. If a shooter has
71 dead birds out of 75, he is down four. |
| DROPPED: refers to missed targets,
as "he dropped two." |
| DUSTED TARGET: a target from which
only a puff of dust appears when hit. Not scored
as a hit. |
| DUTCHED PAIR: in doubles, this is
a pair in which both targets are missed. |
| EARNED YARDAGE: the additional yardage
a shooter receives for his high handicap scores
in specific shoots or for his high average at
the end of the year. |
| EMPTY: a shell casing which has been
shot. Collected by some shooters for the purpose
of reloading. |
| ENTRIES: the number of shooters in
a specific event. |
| EVENTS: a) 25 targets in singles or
handicap; 10-pair or 15-pair in doubles. b) sometimes
the whole competition: i.e., the singles event
(of 100 or 200 targets). |
| FAST PULL: a target released before
the shooter calls. Shooter not required to shoot,
but result is scored if he does. |
| FIELD: the trap field; refers to the
entire layout of the trap and shooting positions. |
| FLINCH: a) an involuntary muscular
contraction usually resulting in jerking the gun
just as it is fired, with a missed target resulting.
b) inability to bend the finger to pull the trigger
at all. The shooter is scored with a lost target. |
| GAUGE: the size or bore of the shotgun
used; almost universally the 12-ga. in trap. A
scale of sizes of old origin. |
| GRAND: the Grand American Tournament.
The annual national tournament sponsored by the
ATA at its permanent grounds at Vandalia, Ohio,
usually the third week in August. |
| HANDICAP: a) one of the three varieties
of events in trapshooting. Single targets are
shot at by shooters standing a minimum of 18 and
a maximum of 27 yards back of the trap. b) the
distance a shooter stands from the trap, which
depends on his previous record and known ability. |
| HANDICAP CARD: a card issued by the
ATA and carried by each shooter showing the yardage
fr6m which he is to shoot. Shooter must have shot
the required minimum of targets before he is assigned
a permanent yardage and card. The card is punched
to indicate additional yards a shooter earns as
provided for in the rule book. A minimum yardage
is punched on a temporary card. |
| HIGH-OVER-ALL: championship based
on the combined score of all targets in a program
(or the total of the targets in at least the major
events). Often preliminary days are not included
in this total. At the Grand American, it includes
1,000 targets over the final six days of firing.
At other shoots, programs specify events involved. |
| HULL: the covering and brass
base which contain powder and other components
of a shotshell. |
| ILLEGAL TARGETS: targets thrown at
distances and angles which do not meet the specifications
in the rule book. Shooter allowed to refuse such
a target and call for another. |
| INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVE OR REP: a
shooter who receives compensation for the display
or sale of guns, ammunition, targets, etc. In
effect, a sales representative of one of those
companies. He is not allowed to compete against
the amateurs in most events, but there are often
special trophies at large shoots for his classification.
He may or may not be a good shot. Industry reps
spend much of their time at shoots assisting the
shoot management in such things as posting scores
and setting traps. |
| INTERNATIONAL TARGETS AND SHOOTING:
Olympic shooting. A variety of trap-shooting characterized
by the targets being thrown faster (farther),
at greater angles and with greater variety of
elevation than regular trap. Two shots at each
target are allowed. Common in rest of world, especially
Europe. In 1962 the ATA established an International
target division and now keeps separate records
for registered International-style shooting held
in the U.S.
and Canada.
(ATA division covers both true Olympic-style,
over 15-trap trench, and Modified Clay Pigeon,
over normal trap with modifications.) |
| JUNIOR: any shooter who has not reached
his or her 18th birthday. |
| LOAD: a) verb—to place the shell in
the gun. b) verb—to place the target on the trap.
c) noun—refers to the amount of powder and shot
and size of shot in a shell, as 3- 11/8- 8 load
(3 drains of powder, 11/8 oz. of size #8 shot). |
| LOST: the term for a target missed
completely or only dusted." Term carried
over from live-bird shooting. |
| LOW-YARDAGE: positions in handicap
shooting from 18 through 20 yards from the traphouse. |
| MALFUNCTION: a term applied only to
doubles shooting. It means the failure of the
gun to operate properly, thus preventing the firing
of the second shot on doubles. There is a limit
on the number of malfunctions allowed without
penalty. |
| MARATHON: usually 500 or 1,000
targets of the same kind shot in one day. |
| MID-YARDAGE: positions in handicap
shooting 21 to 23 yards from the traphouse. |
| MISFIRE: a shell in which the primer
fails to fire when struck by the firing pin. Shooter
is given another shot, with a limit to the number
of misfires allowed without penalty. |
| NO-BIRD: the call given by the referee
when the shooter does not have to fire at a target.
Examples: a target that is thrown from the trap
broken, an illegal target, etc. |
| NON-REGISTERED: shoots not scheduled
and approved by the ATA or scores shot in practice,
in shootoffs or at unregistered shoots. |
| NON-RESIDENT: any shooter not a resident
of the zone or state concerned. Also referred
to as out-of-zone or out-of-state. In larger shoots
there are often specific awards for non-residents.
Program specifies. |
| NO-TARGET: term which covers a number
of instances, all specified in the rule book,
in which the shooter is not required to fire at
the target nor is the result scored if he does.
Another target is allowed. (Same as "No-Bird.") |
| OPEN TROPHY: one awarded to shooter
regardless of residence. Both in-state and out-of-state
(applies to zone also) participants eligible. |
| OUTLAW: an illegal target. One which
does not meet the specifications of flight described
in the rule book. |
| OVER/UNDER: a variety of two-barreled
gun with one barrel above the other. |
| PAIR: the two targets thrown simultaneously
in doubles shooting. |
| PATTERN: the spread of the shot and
the area which it covers. |
| PENALTY YARDAGE: the yardage assigned
to shooters who have not met minimum-target specifications.
Minimum of 25 yards is used at the Grand American;
other shoots are governed by local or state handicapping
rules. |
| PIGEON: clay pigeon, the target. Carryover
of nomenclature from the shooting of live pigeons. |
| POST, PEG or POSITION: one of the
five positions from which shooters fire. |
| PRACTICE ROUNDS: non-registered shooting,
often at registered shoots, where the gunner shoots
for practice. |
| "PULL": command usually
used by shooters to call for a target to be released. |
| PULLER: the person who releases the
target from the trap, either by an electric switch
or by hand lever. Often also serves as scorer. |
| PUMP GUN: a pump. A variety of repeating
or magazine gun in which the shooter operates
the mechanism (pumps it) after each shot to reload
and recock the gun for the next shot. |
| REGISTERED SHOOTS OR TOURNAMENTS:
shoots carrying the official sanction of the ATA
and shot under its rules. Scores made in them
are recorded in the official records. |
| RELEASE TRIGGER OR RELAXING TRIGGER:
a trigger designed to fire the gun when the pressure
on the trigger is released instead of when it
is pulled. A common prescription for flinching. |
| RELOAD: a) noun—a shell which
has been reloaded. b) verb—to place component
parts in an already-fired shell or new empty case. |
| RELOADER: a) person who uses
his own component parts to load empty shells.
b) machine which the shooter uses to reload shells.
Sometimes called handloader, and the resulting
shell is called a reload or handload. |
| ROUND: 25 targets in singles or handicap
or 25 pair in doubles, as in "a round of
practice." Not used to designate a single
cartridge as in military terminology. |
| RULE BOOK: published by the ATA. Gives
all rules for shooting and holding registered
tournaments, plus other information regarding
the ATA organization. Available from the ATA office
in Vandalia, Ohio. It is published yearly, and
copies are sent to all ATA members. |
| RUNNER-UP: shooter who wins the second-place
trophy in a shoot. Could have tied with the winner
and lost the shootoff or could have shot the second-high
score. |
| SCORER: the person who judges whether
the target has been broken ("dead")
or missed ("lost") and records the result
on the score sheet. |
| SHELL: actually the cartridge casing
containing the powder, shot, etc. In common usage,
the complete, loaded cartridge used. |
| SHOOT: a) noun—an entire tournament,
as "the shoot lasted four days." b)
verb—to fire the gun. c) verb—to participate in
a race, as he shot the doubles." |
| SHOOTOFF: method of deciding ties
in which shooters fire another event. In singles
and handicap races, shootoffs usually consist
of an additional 25 targets, in doubles 10-pair.
Process repeated until winners are decided. All-around
shootoffs are 20 singles, 10 handicap and five-pair
of doubles. H-O-A shootoffs are at all types of
targets in proportion to original race. Shootoffs
are usually held after all of the scheduled events
for the day are completed. |
| SHOT: the spherical pellets fired
at the target. Called chilled shot from the manufacturing
process of dropping lead from a tower into cold
water. Shot consists of lead hardened by antimony.
No. 71 2 and No. 8 shot commonly used, having
diameters of .095 and .090 inches respectively.
There are about 395 and 460 pellets in a load
of these sizes. Shot is never referred to as buckshot
or bullets. |
| SINGLE GUN OR SINGLE: a gun capable
of holding only one shell. |
| SINGLES, 16-YARD SINGLES OR 16-YARD:one
of the three varieties of events in trapshooting.
Single targets are shot at by shooters standing
16 yards back of the trap. One shot fired at each
target. |
| SLOW PULL: a target released at a
noticeable interval after the call "pull"
is given. Shooter not required to shoot, but result
is scored if he does. |
| SMOKE: to hit the target so hard it
disintegrates into a puff of smoke. |
| SQUAD: a group of shooters (five or
less) who shoot together at one trap and who shoot
in rotation |
| SQUAD SHEET: the score sheet on which
is marked the result of each shot fired by every
member of the squad on one field. By regulation,
it must be a minimum of 12"x36" so that
all of the shooters on that field can see their
scores without moving from their shooting positions. |
| STATE SHOOT: the tournament held annually
in each state or Canadian province to determine
various state champions, etc. The ATA furnishes
six trophies bearing the ATA emblem to be awarded
to the top shooter in singles, handicap, doubles
and all-around, plus to the women’s and junior
singles champions. |
| STATION: same as post, peg or position. |
| STRAIGHT: the breaking of all the
targets in an event, usually 25. Longer straights
usually specify the number. |
| SUB-JUNIOR: where this classification
is used, it includes any shooter who has not reached
his or her 15th birthday. |
| TARGET, CLAY TARGET, CLAY PIGEON, BLUE
ROCK, ROCK, CLAY: the target shot at in trap
or skeet. An inverted saucer-shaped object, generally
made of powdered limestone and pitch. Regulations
specify it is 4 5/16 in diameter, 11/8 high and
weighs 3 1/2 ounces, with an allowable variation
of 5% from this latter figure. |
| TRAP: a) noun—the mechanism used to
propel the target. Name derived from the boxes
or traps used in live-pigeon shooting. b) noun—
term used to designate trapfield, as "Squad
5 is on trap 4." c) verb—to throw the target,
as "the club trapped 36,000 targets during
the shoot." |
| TRAP & FIELD: official publication
of the ATA. Twelve monthly issues plus the Average
Book are published. The only source of registered
shoot listings, plus reports on each one. Editorial
offices at 1100 Waterway Blvd., Indianapolis,
IN. 46202. |
| TRAP GUN: guns usually used for trapshooting.
A specialized item. Usually has longer and straighter
stock than a hunting or field grade gun. Often
decorated or engraved and fitted with fancy-grade
wood in stock and forend. Ventilated rib and recoil
pad are standard items. |
| TRAPBOY: the person who places the
target on the trap. Commonly includes all help
who operate the trapline. |
| TRAPHOUSE: a below-ground structure
16 yards in front of station #3 in which is housed
the trap, trapboy and a supply of targets. The
top of the house is usually about 2 1/2 feet
higher than ground level. |
| TRAPSHOOTING: shooting at a clay target
released at unexpected angles from a low trap-house
directly in front of the shooter. |
| VETERAN: at the Grand, any competitor
who is 65 years of age or older. Different limits
often are used at state and other tournaments.
Program will specify. |
| VOICE-PULL: a relatively-new, sonic
method of releasing the targets. Microphones are
at all five stations on the trap field. When the
shooter calls for a target, the sound waves are
electronically transmitted via the microphone
to the trap so that the targets are immediately
and uniformly thrown. |
| ZONE: a) one of the five districts
into which the ATA divides the United
States and Canada.
b) one of the districts into which various states
divide their territories. |
| ZONE SHOOTS: tournament sponsored
by the ATA in each of its five zones and for which
the ATA furnishes the major trophies. |
