Shooting self-learning: a short course for hunters. Skeet Shotgun Shooting: Making Shots Difficult

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A hunter is not just a man with a gun; first of all, he is a man with a big soul.

Classes on the stand or on impromptu shooting sites turn a mediocre shooter into a well-aimed hunter!

Many people say: they say, targets don’t fly like ducks and don’t quack like ducks. I will answer: it does not matter that the targets do not fly like live ducks, and even more so they do not quack. It is important to learn how to use weapons, correctly determine the distance to the target and choose the right lead.

I note that the result of hunting game is influenced not only by the skill of the shooter, but also by the hunter's knowledge of the habits of the game, the right place at dawn, the ability to disguise and hide the game.

I will give a number of tips and lead-up exercises for acquiring the skill of shooting on the hunt, through training on the stand or shooting from portable throwing machines (MM).

The recommendations are intended primarily for hunters and differ slightly from the requirements for training athletes. If there is a stand nearby, the training will take place without problems, and where there are no stationary stand sites, buy a throwing machine and several boxes of cymbals for yourself or in a pool. As a result, it will not be so expensive, and in this case, at least two people can engage in shooting. A portable throwing machine, even the simplest design, will be quite enough to get good shooting skills in flight, and with a thoughtful approach to classes and the use of the following recommendations, even without the help of an instructor.

Before you start shooting

The first thing to do before you start shooting is to adjust the gun (there is a lot of literature and articles on this subject). Pay special attention to the length of the stock, the height of the ridge and the pitch (using the pitch you can adjust the point of impact of the center of the shot scree, it is desirable that the center of the shot scree falls below the target). For hunting, the stock can be a little short, better than long, and the height of the comb (butt died) should not leave the aiming bar open, when the cheek is “pressed” into the crest of the stock, the front sight can even “fall through” slightly.

For "hunting shooting" the gun should be held 20-25 cm above the hip, the rules for the position of the gun when shooting on a round stand should be adhered to only relatively and slightly advanced forward to the level of the shoulder cavity, which will facilitate and speed up the shotgun, especially for beginners.

Hands serve only to lift and hold the gun; all turns, both in horizontal and vertical directions, are carried out only by the body. When vskidka, try to ensure that the ends of the barrels do not “nod” down and remain after raising the gun at the level of the initial manufacture or the intended flight path of the target (game), the barrels follow the flight path and only the butt rises to the shoulder.

The general position of the gun at an angle of about 45 degrees to the shoulder line

The trigger finger is tight, and the shot is made without stopping the gun during the leash.

How to study correctly

The course should be divided into several stages. Once you master one technique, move on to the next.

If you encounter difficulties in performing any exercise, do not try to get an immediate positive result by repetition. Better stop, take a break, try to analyze your actions and possible mistakes.

The first stage - shooting at a hijacking target

Practicing shooting at a hijacking target on the 7th number of a round stand or from a throwing machine (MM) located next to the shooter (in order to avoid injury, install a barrage shield between the MM and the hunter) to obtain general shooting skills for flying targets.

Initially, shoot from the shoulder at a hijacking (flying away) target, with the barrels ready along the target's flight path. The aiming point is along the bottom edge of the plate. Don't fuss, but fire right after you align the front sight with the aiming point, and the hits will follow one after the other.

Complicate the exercise by deviating the gun from the target trajectory for long distances in different directions during the preparation and bring the barrels (with the body) to the desired point, you need to bring the barrels from below to the target. Five, ten shots at the most, and now the cymbal is confidently struck. The target casting range is 50-60 m, and the flight height of 20 m from the machine is 4-5 meters. Having mastered these movements, proceed to shooting at the position of the gun before the target takes off at the waist.

If you work out a vskidka (home training) before shooting, then the results will be no worse, and the perception of the target’s flight will be much simpler. Look initially at the skeet with both eyes and only after lifting slightly squint your left eye (right-handed), if in the open state it interferes with aiming (if you see the target well with both eyes open, then you don’t need to squint your left eye).

The second stage - a target flying by

Primary for waterfowl hunting. Let's start by shooting at the second shooting station of the round stand at an oncoming target or at a MM target flying about 15 meters to the left of the shooter.

MM is installed from the hunter in 30-35 meters. When setting the MM and marking the shooting places, if possible, be guided by the dimensions of the round stand area; to simulate shooting from a tower, if the terrain allows, set the MM on a hillock.

Ready, the gun is 20-25 cm above the hip, the barrels are slightly to the left of the target. After the target takes off, make a vskidka (without jerking) and a leash (smoothly and working only with the body) behind the target, go forward 30-40 cm (maybe a little more) and, without stopping the gun, fire a shot when the target approaches the optimal distance. This simple exercise easy to learn.

Then go to number 6, and when using MM, stand so that the target flies to the right of the shooter. The movements on the opposite target are similar, only turning the body to the right is somewhat more difficult (for a right-handed person) than moving to the left, so “twist” the body a little, making it into the shooting zone ( left leg looks with his toe in the direction of the shot), and then, turning the body in the direction of the target departure, without crossing his feet.

To avoid "sagging" of the cymbal and a shot from above, the leash passes slightly below the target's trajectory with access to the point of the shot. Then master oncoming targets on numbers 3 and 5 on the stand or increase the distance from the flight path of the MM target to 20-30 meters; Leads will increase accordingly to 100-120 cm. Shoot at the oncoming skeet at 1 and 7 places or fired from the MM at 30-40 m and flying from the shooter at 5-10 m.

The difficulty here is due to the fact that the distance with the plate is rapidly decreasing, and the movement (rotation) of the body will be accelerated; the only difficulty is this, but the lead is minimal - 10-20 cm. In most cases, it is more rational to shoot at an oncoming target (game) at the shortest distance, when the direction of the shot is perpendicular to the target’s trajectory, so the visible lead coincides with the true one, which makes it easy to control, even by yourself shooter, both his mistakes in the amount of lead, making the necessary corrections, and the correct actions.

I note that in the most massive hunt, which is duck, if you do not yawn, then 90 percent of the shots will be on flying ducks. If oncoming targets are worked out, then success on duck dawns is guaranteed.

The third stage - hijacking targets on a trench stand

Working off theft targets - it is better to start on a trench stand with a reduced distance of 5 meters and a small target casting range - about 50 meters.

Shooting is carried out from the shoulder, the barrels are directed to the target or a little higher, the gaze is focused about 5 m further than the departure and slightly above the place where the skeet appeared.

After the appearance of the target, determine the trajectory of the target's flight, calmly make a movement with your body, as if drawing under the target and taking a lead depending on the angle of departure of the target. Fire a shot without stopping the gun, at the first miss, try to quickly make the necessary correction and work out with a second shot. Naturally, on direct (hijacking) targets or with small deviations, the lead is small and mainly only along the vertical.

In no case do not "aim" the hijacking, as well as the left and right targets, the shot should sound as soon as all the movements for working out the target are completed. Do not fuss, do not rush immediately after the target, when you are too ahead of the target (game), you have to slow down, and this is usually a shot from behind with an involuntary stop of the gun.

The movements of the gun on the left or right hijacking targets on the trench stand (from under the pointer post), as a rule, are accelerated. When practicing shooting hijacking targets from MM, shoot from a distance of 5 to 15 meters from the departure, changing shooting positions so that the angle of the trajectory of the skeet with the continuation of the line "arrows - MM" to the left and to the right is from 0 to 45 degrees; also change the altitude of the target.

At a shooting distance of 15 m from the MM, depending on the angle and casting distance, visible leads are up to 100-120 cm, this is not so far from the target. Having achieved 50-60 percent hit on a trench stand, work out shooting at hijacking targets on a round stand, at the beginning at 6 and 5, then at 2,3 and 4 places, and with MM - first hijacking targets going to the left and then to the right.

When aiming at a target, use the skills learned from skeet handling in trench shooting.

Ready, the position of the gun on the circle when shooting at stealing targets is somewhat further from the departure than when shooting oncoming targets, but the gaze is directed to the place where the target appeared. Since you are preparing for a hunt, distribute the weight of the shooter-hunter on both legs, and at the time of the vskid, leashes and shot, try not to strain and work only with the body.

Workout at home

The ability to control your body is not always as easy as it seems. In front of the mirror, try to raise the gun to your shoulder with your hands, so that the shoulder remains in place. It may not work right away. Bring the barrels quickly by turning the body to various intended points, at first it will be difficult to do this accurately.

Conclusion, before you start shooting, do a home workout.

Home practice is very important when shooting offhand.

This shooting technique is often used in hunting snipe, grouse in the forest, autumn woodcock.

For a more complete skeet skill, diversify your training, including approach shooting, pre-handled positions, various MM settings, and double shots.
If the booth is equipped with sports grounds nearby, then it is not difficult to do this.

Training safety

While doing it yourself, do not forget about safety precautions: after firing and when reloading the MM, unload the gun and keep it always open, and the semi-automatic with an open bolt, and do not point the barrels of even an open gun in the direction of people.

Install MM so that undamaged cymbals fall on tall grass and are reused without breaking.

When practicing shooting, it is advisable to use sports cartridges (less fatigue from recoil), headphones or earplugs in order to exclude the negative impact of a strong shot on the training process.

When the time comes for hunting, at dawn, having calmed down after a possible couple of misses, using the acquired skills of skeet shooting, without difficulty and with great pleasure from correct shooting, you will shoot the amount of game allowed for prey.

Sporting has parallels with baseball. When you shoot, you are the batter, and the one who launches the target is the pitcher. Just like real pitchers, each pitcher uses different tricks. Some try to beat you with speed and distance, but really good pitchers use tricks. Mike McAlpine of San Angelo, Texas has been taking shooters out of the game since 1986 and he's one of the best. In addition, he is a shooting instructor, teaching a three-day course on target delivery and how a shooter can read it. Here are some of the secrets he shared with me.

deceptive target

McAlpin follows the rules that he will never cause a shooter to miss with a short shot window, a very long distance, or a target that disappears from view. In any case, you are unlikely to have to make such shots on the hunt. He has many other ways to get you to miss - many of them use optical illusions, which are often the cause of missed hunting.

For example, McAlpin can use an inconspicuous hole in the ground and force you to shoot at a rolling target - a "hare". Often, he sets up the machines to feed fast, close targets that you have very little time to shoot at. He uses medium (90 mm) targets that, due to their small size, appear to be faster and farther away than they really are, often causing misses. Or he might spin a cymbal that, at first glance, will approach you at an angle, but in fact will fly straight away from you after it reappears behind the trees. He will loosen the spring on the launching machine pointing upwards so that the target appears to be climbing - but in fact it will fall.

But McAlpin never forgets that the task of the launcher is to make the match difficult but interesting, so that the shooters always want to repeat it. “If I install a 45-meter side, I first serve a twisted shooter leaving the weapon right in the starting position to hit the second, stealing target", he says. “So the average shooter can walk away from the range happy because he hit a difficult target.”

Understanding the behavior of a moving target is critical to success at any level. McAlpin tells the story: “At a national game in San Diego a few years ago, I set up a car on top of a small slope and launched targets parallel to the ground. So they looked like side, but actually fell through 90 centimeters. I was there with the national champion and the lead instructor. The champion missed 25 times in a row. The instructor hit three out of 25. They offered to shoot me. I hit 10 out of 10, but of course I knew what the target was doing."

Shooting a side-flying target.

You have one "demonstration" target at each station before shooting starts. Use it. Remember that tricky pitchers use the terrain to fool you, so you need something that isn't on the ground as a starting point. McAlpin knows a shooter who brings a racquetball to the shooting range and looks at the target through the strings. So he determines where the target is actually flying. But you can achieve the same with your hand. Instead of following a "demonstration" target, keep your front hand palm sideways and use the horizon line to determine where the target is flying.

It is also important to trace the entire trajectory of the target, all the way to the ground, so you can more accurately determine the distance and offset. Often when a target hits the ground, you realize how close it really is and that you need to take less lead. Learning proper lead when shooting on a stand will make your hunting shots effective. You will be better able to adjust to the bird's flight path, and you will also be better able to judge distance.

Shooting distant targets.

Plan ahead

After you have carefully observed the target - from the moment it appears until it disappears or hits the ground - you need to make a plan and stick to it. First, think about what technique you will use to shoot this target. (step tracking, takeoff, permanent leash) and then follow the six steps listed:

1. Choose a hit point. This is usually the point where you have the best view of the target. In most cases, this is also the point where the target moves under the force of the throw or gravity, but not the point of transition from one force to another.
2. Get ready. Turn your feet to the point where you will hit the harder target of the pair.
3. Wait. Determine the focus window in your head - the segment of the target trajectory on which it is clearly visible, and look at the beginning of this section.
4. Don't bully. Keep the gun at the ready, but do not raise the muzzle above the flight path, as you will close the target with the gun. It is very important. McAlpin says it's better to be 1.5 meters lower at launch than 12 centimeters taller."
5. Start here. Choose a point where you will point the gun while making your move. If you prefer step-by-step tracking, the dot will be behind the target; if you use a permanent leash - then in front. If there is a break, then this will be the leading edge of the target.
6. Keep focus. Fully

Mastering marksmanship should begin on shooting stands. Fortunately, our ancestors took care of this problem, and today there are shooting complexes at the service of hunters, which allow them to learn marksmanship in the “trap”, “skit”, “sporting” exercises and participate in competitions in these types.

The machine, at the command of the shooter, throws out the plates; the angle and direction of flight may change. Photo by Anton Zhuravkov.

The first shotgun shooting competition against fast-flying targets took place in England in 1793. Shooting was carried out at pigeons located in special cages.

At the command of the shooter, the feeder pulled the cord, and the pigeon was thrown out of the cage. Such competitions began to be called "land shooting", and shotguns with a sharp and heaped battle - "land shooting".

The first mention of shooting pigeons in Russia dates back to 1737, during the reign of Anna Ioannovna, who skillfully shot a gun. In the "Sankt-Peterburgskiye Vedomosti" of that time, they wrote about pigeon-shooting competitions at the royal court, where expensive prizes were raffled off.

Over time, the protests of animal rights activists against such an inhumane sport forced the lovers of "land" shooting to replace the birds with artificial targets. American Partlog from Boston invented glass beads with a diameter of 6.35 cm.

Photo by DOHA STADIUM PLUS/FLICKR.COM (CC BY 2.0)

Using a leaf spring, they were thrown at a distance of up to 32 meters. The balls were stuffed with smoke, dust or feathers, which, when hit, created a certain effect.

LADDER

In 1880, the American D. Ligovsky and the Englishman M. Kaski, being on opposite sides of the ocean, independently invented clay targets - plates - and the first throwing device.

The sites where throwing machines were installed in the trench began to be called stands, and at the place of their installation (trench) - trench, which gave the name "trench stand", that is, a ladder.

Shotgun shooting was first included in the program of the Second Olympiad (1900), where the first Olympic champion became Roger de Barbarin (France).

In 1910, the International Olympic Committee eliminated landing shooting at live birds and introduced shooting at artificial targets. The 1912 Olympics contributed to the spread of trap shooting throughout Russia.

The modern trench site is a rectangle 25 meters wide and 24 meters long. A trench is equipped ahead, in which throwing machines are installed on the foundation, three for each of the five shooting numbers.

In all groups, the machines provide throwing targets to the right, straight and left, with deviations to the sides up to 45 °, and in height from 1 to 3.5 meters. Their casting distance is up to 85 meters.

15 meters from the trench, across the entire width of the site, 5 shooting rooms are equipped for shooting from the “place”, connected by a two-meter track. Each number has a microphone for giving a command by a shooter.

The Soviet government paid great attention to shooting sports, thus solving one of the main tasks - preparing the population for the defense of the Fatherland. In 1923, the "Big Prize" of the Moscow Gubernia Hunters' Union was raffled off in Moscow.

A notable event in sports life Russia also became the First All-Union Spartakiad (1928). Her program included trap shooting. In the individual competition, the shooter of the Red Army N. Batyr became the winner.

Since then, army athletes have taken a leading role in trap shooting for a long time. But the Great Patriotic War broke out, and many leading athletes went to the front. Their experience and knowledge in shooting contributed to the implementation of complex combat missions.

The victorious volleys died down, and in the competitions of the Military Hunting Society in 1947, the Chernomorian A. Sukharev achieved an outstanding result, hitting 299 targets out of 300, setting three USSR records at once.

The first post-war championship of the USSR among DSOs and departments took place in Moscow in 1948. Army shooters won team shooting and excelled in individual programs, and V. Leontiev was the first in all the “trap” exercises.

In 1950, the USSR national team made its first debut at international competitions in Sofia. The first steps on the world platforms were difficult.

At the Olympics in Helsinki (1952), soldier Yu. Nikandrov was only 16th, but already in 1955 he became the champion of Europe. And from this date, the triumphal procession of Soviet benches on the sites of the world begins.

1960 Roman Olympics. S. Kalinin (VOO) wins the bronze medal.
1962 Cairo, World Cup. V. Zimenko, after repeated skirmishes, managed to put the squeeze on his opponent and win gold.

Events at the XVII Tokyo Olympics developed no less dramatically. P. Senichev (VOO) showed the same result with the American W. Morris - 194 out of 200. Skirmish.

P. Senichev missed with the first shot and, being sure that the target was beaten, he lowered his gun. One can only guess what our fans and coaches felt. But Pavel, seeing that the plate continued to fly, broke the almost falling target with a second shot and finished the series without a miss. Silver.

At the Moscow Olympics-80, R. Yambulatov hits 196 plates out of 200 in the “trap” exercise and takes 2nd place. At the 1981 World Championships in Argentina, USSR athletes won 4 gold medals and one of them in the trap team event.

A. Asanov became the world champion in this type of shooting. At the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, our athletes did not participate for political reasons. But at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, D. Monakov completed shooting with a score of 222 hit targets out of 225 and became an Olympic champion.

Perestroika, the political upheavals of 1991 and the ensuing economic crisis caused serious damage to shooting and clay sports. In the 1992, 1996 and 2000 Olympics, Russian stand-ups did not achieve significant victories.

In subsequent years, one can note the successful performance at the World Championship (2001) by P. Gurkin (VOO). 3rd place. In the same year, A. Alipov declared himself at the World Cup in Seoul, taking 3rd place. And already at the Olympics in Athens (2004) A. Alipov (VOO) wins gold with a score of 149 plates out of 150. At the Beijing Olympics (2008) Alipov managed to win bronze.

As for our women, they also won more than one medal in competitions of all levels. In 1962, V. Gerasina (VOO) became the first female world champion. Yu. Klekova was also a world champion. In 2001, at the World Championships in Cairo, I. Laricheva (VOO) won a gold medal.

At the World Cup in the same year, E. Tkach became the first among women with a score of 97 hit targets out of 100. I cannot help but name Elena Rabaya, Honored Master of Sports, five-time world champion, eight-time European champion, multiple champion of the USSR and Russia, senior coach of the women's Russian team. That's what it is, "ladder", and the success of Russian athletes.

SKIT

When hunting, you will not walk with a butt inserted into your shoulder, and you have to shoot game flying in different directions.

The need to create conditions for training in shooting, to a greater extent corresponding to real bird hunting, predetermined the appearance of a round stand (skit).

The origin of the round stand took place in the USA between 1910 and 1914 in the vicinity of Andover (Massachusetts).

The farmers - father and son Davisa and their neighbor B. Foster - were avid bird hunters and, although they were known as good shooters, sometimes they still made offensive mistakes, and in the simplest situations.

Some of them came up with the idea to install a throwing machine in the field, take a position relative to the flight path of the target in such a position that a miss was made on the bird, and shoot until you get a reliable hit.

Such shooting contributed to the correction of mistakes made on the hunt. But walking around the typewriter soon got tired of everyone. And the shooters built a circle platform with a radius of about 23 meters, with 12 shooting numbers arranged around the circumference, like numbers on a watch dial.

On a small rise, behind the 12th shooting number, a single throwing machine was installed, throwing a plate in the direction of the 6th number. Shooting began from the 12th number, the hunters moved in a circle, taking two targets on each number. The last, 25th target was taken from the center, which was not assigned a number.

Photo by Anton Zhuravkov

In the process of shooting, it became clear to the guys that the radius of the circle was large, and for this reason, after the shot, the target sometimes flew away intact, that is, the arrows fell into the so-called shot scree windows.

In 1923, the radius was reduced to 18.2 meters.

But B. Foster built a chicken coop near the 3rd rifle number. Because of him, shooting from shooting numbers 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 became impossible.

The site has been renovated again. The 6th number was renumbered as the 1st, and a second throwing machine was installed there; The 12th number became the 7th, and the shooting station in the center of the site was assigned the 8th number.

After some time, a platform 4.5 meters high was built behind the 1st number and a throwing machine was installed on it. Thus, the shooting range took on the shape of a semicircle with seven numbers and an eighth number in the center.

A new exercise in clay shooting called "skeet" (from the English skeet - sports shooting by plates). This exercise has crossed the oceans and gained wide use worldwide. The created stand area with slight geometric changes has survived to this day.

Today, the site of the round stand is a segment from a circle bounded by a radius of 19.2 meta and a chord drawn 5.49 meters from the center.

The length of the chord is 36.8 meters, at its ends, 0.91 meters from the intersection with the circle, there are booths, each of which has a throwing machine. From the left booth, the target flies from a height of 3.05 meters.

The right booth is low, a plate is released from it from a height of 1.07 meters. In contrast to the trench, the flights of targets on a round stand have constant directions. They must fly over the center of the site so that they are above it at a height of 4.575 meters.

The deviation of the targets in the middle of the site, both vertically and horizontally, should not exceed 0.455 meters, the plates should fly through a ring with an internal diameter of 0.91 meters, mounted on a control pole 4.12 meters high.

When serving a doublet, the targets must simultaneously fly through the control ring. Seven shooting numbers are located at the same distance from each other (8.24 m) along the arc of the segment, the 1st and 7th numbers are at the ends of the chord, and the 8th in its center. All shooting numbers are connected by a path. Behind the 4th room, 2-3 meters away, is the operator's booth.

Shooting on a round stand soon became so popular that in 1947 it was included in the program of the World Championship in Stockholm, where J. Kozelin (Sweden) became the first champion with a score of 95 targets out of 100.

The first post-war championship of the USSR among DSOs and departments took place in 1948 in Moscow. The team shooting was won by the athletes of the VOO. They also excelled in individual exercises of the program.

Shooting on a round stand was first included in the program of the national championship, and the first champion of the USSR was the soldier Ivan Abramovich Kantser (the author's trainer. - Ed.).

Success came at the World Championships in Moscow (1958), where Soviet stand-ups became winners in the trench and round stands in the team event. gold medal A. Kaplun won in the individual championship on the round stand.

N. Durnev announced himself at the round stand, who in subsequent years brought more than one medal to the USSR national team. At the 1959 World Championships, O. Losev (VOO) won gold in the skit exercise. In 1963, he again achieved a high result at the European Championship, becoming the European champion.

He was one of the first to be awarded the title of Honored Master of Sports of the USSR. Soviet athletes from year to year achieved world victories. So, at the World Championship (1962) N. Durnev had no equal. He defeated rivals with an amazing result - 200 hit targets out of 200 possible.

On XIX and XX Olympic Games ah E. Petrov won gold and silver medals in rather difficult conditions. They started talking about the highest skill of E. Petrov when in 1972 he won the competition "Shooting to miss" with a score of 231 plates. His record has not yet been surpassed by anyone.

The homeland highly appreciated the merits of the athlete, twice awarding him the Order of the Badge of Honor, medals "For Labor Valor" and "For Labor Distinction".

The most talented shooters and coaches are leaving the shooting ranges. Less and less often we applaud the victories of Russian shooters in the world championships, Europe and the Olympics. Why? The answer must be found by the coaches.

At international competitions, all athletes have one task - to defeat the Russians. You have to learn to resist it.

Shotgun shooting is one of the shooting sports that is considered part of Olympic Games.

Competitions are held on specially equipped open areas - shooting ranges.

Athletes fire from shotguns shot charges on targets (plates), which are launched by special machines from trenches.

Clay shooting lessons in the DOSAAF shooting club or sports school, sections

Shotgun classes are held at the following institutions:

Sports shooting clubs, for example, DOSAAF. This is a voluntary self-governing public-state association.

Its main task is to strengthen the country's defense capability and national security, as well as civil defense.

• Sports shooting schools, for example, DYUSSH (children and youth sports school).
• Sports shooting sections for children on the base sports schools where shooting master classes are held.

Types of competitions and their rules

Clay shooting is divided into four main disciplines: trench bench, round bench, double-trap and sporting.

trench stand

This task is suitable for people who are just starting to master the technique of shooting.

In another way, the trench stand is called ladder(from English trap, which means "trap" in Russian).

Arrows while shooting stand in the same line of fire. From a hidden trench, which is located in front of the shooting line, due to throwing machines (there are 15 in total) plates fly out in different directions.

round stand

Another name for the discipline is skit. Its occurrence in the mid 20s of the last century associated with an American named Davis. The task is to shoot at targets flying along the same trajectories and at a constant speed.

Athletes are moving from one position to another (there are 8 in total). Due to the change of positions, the fire is fired at different angles.

Plates are served from two throwing machines located at a distance 40 meters apart at opposite ends of the circle with seven positions.

Last thing eighth place set in the center of the semicircle.

Targets are launched one by one or in pairs. Total in one series there are 25 plates.

Double trap

This discipline is shooting at doubles saucers (doublets) that are launched from the trench and fly almost parallel to each other.

Sporting

Sporting is different from round and trench stand larger area. Organizationally, it is also much more difficult.

Sporting helps an athlete develop different skills in shooting.

An athlete who specializes in sporting can easily change disciplines, as he masters the basic technique and is able to navigate in almost all types of shots.

Features of this discipline:

• variety of trajectories flight targets;
• the most distant shooting distances;
• strict requirements for at the ready arrow;
• necessity move equipment over a vast territory (as in hunting).

Reference! Term sporting can be used for all types of bench shooting.

One Series includes 25 shots. It is required to move around the area (from one position to another). Starts in shooting at the same time 4 to 5. Duration one series with transitions is about an hour.

What is an Olympic sport?

The following are considered Olympic disciplines in shooting sports: three:

• ladder;
• skit;
• double ladder.

They are distinguished by the conditions that the shooter must fulfill during the passage of the task on the site.

Weapons and Equipment

In addition to the gun and cartridges, the shooter must also have other ammunition, in particular, special clothing(vest), earmuffs and goggles.

You will also be interested in:

Shotguns

Bench shooting is carried out from smoothbore guns. What specific characteristics do they need to meet?

Shooting vest

The vest is one of the important components of all the equipment of an athlete-shooter. He must be as convenient as possible so as not to interfere with the preparation and production of shots. Shooting vests for athletes differ in connection with the specifics of tailoring.

What are the basic requirements for a shooting vest?

• It does not restrict the movement of the shooter, but at the same time wraps around his body.
• Shoulders vests, as a rule, get off leather or special fabric, which prevents the weapon from slipping. Thus, the smoothbore gun is well fixed on the shoulder.
• The vest must have many pockets that help free your hands. For example, pockets are used to carry cartridges, and they can from 30 to 50 pieces.

Photo 1. Shooting vest with breathable mesh inserts, manufactured by Blaser, Germany.

It is also advisable to choose a vest depending on the discipline in which you specialize. For sporting, for example, a vest with double pockets, because you have to transfer four types of ammo. Obviously, it is better not to mix them.

What are the features of vests for sporting?

• Additional pockets for carrying interchangeable choke constrictions.
• Special visible line in front of the vest below the shoulder line by 25 cm. It can be located both on the left and on the right, depending on whether the person is left-handed or right-handed. Above this line, according to the rules, you can not raise the heel of the butt before the target takes off.

Important! On the vests for the round stand is also present brand, but in this case it is located on the waistline. There is no such line on clothing for a sporting compact, since the position of the gun in preparation for a shot free.

There are also summer, winter and demi-season vests. Winter, as a rule, very dense and insulated. At the same time, they have a larger size, as they are worn on a jacket in winter. In summer, instead of a vest, you can use large pockets that are attached to the belt.

Glasses

Shooting range goggles are a must.

Photo 2. Saber shooting goggles with interchangeable 3mm lenses, manufactured by Wiley X.

The shooter may not even be allowed to complete the task without them, as this is important eye protection: Fragments can bounce and get into the eyes, which is fraught with serious consequences.

Reference! Points are not broken by shots of small lead shot from a distance of 10 meters.

High strength due to the material from which they are made. These are high strength polymers. Application glass production is strictly prohibited.

The quality that fundamentally distinguishes shooting glasses from sunglasses is contrast, a high level of which allows the shooters to see the flying saucer against any background.

The effect is achieved through filters of various colors. Typically applied more than 10 shades at once.

The athlete's eyes are thus easily adapted to any target color, background and type of light.

Developed three main filter colors:

• dark grey- for the bright sun;
• yellow- for cloudy weather or twilight;
• red— for partly cloudy.

If a person has poor eyesight, he can order shooting glasses with diopters.

Headphones

Shots from weapons that usually have 12 gauge, create dangerous pressure on the hearing organs. To protect the ears, put on special headphones.

Important! If this protection is neglected, the athlete will not be able to avoid "bell ringing" in the ears and regular migraine attacks.

One of the leading headphone companies Peltor. Headphones in model range of this company differ in the degree of sound insulation. The higher it is, the more weight the products have.

There are also two types of headphones for shooting ranges:

Each pair of shooting headphones includes head size adjustment and also folds for easy transport.

Although the headphones large shells and differ high level protection, they are not always convenient to use: during a vskidka, the butt can touch them.

ammo

Since trap shooting is included in Olympic Games program, shotgun cartridges must meet certain parameters.

• The sleeve must not be longer than 70 mm.
• projectile weight - no more than 24 years
• The pellets are made in the shape of a sphere lead alloy or pure lead. The diameter is - no more than 2.5 mm.
• The cover may be copper, nickel and other materials.
• Fraction size - from 7 to 9.
• The sleeve can be either plastic, or folder.

My family was not fond of weapons, but I wanted to learn how to shoot. And I knew that I was not alone in my desire. According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the number of female shooting athletes has increased by 60% . While self-defense remains the most popular reason for learning how to handle firearms, there are two more - the desire to learn how to hunt and get the opportunity to shoot with family and friends.

And it is for these reasons that I decided to take up trap shooting in order to properly prepare for my first non-waterfowl hunt this fall. But it turned out that in addition to the basics of the technique and mechanics of shooting from a gun, you need to know a lot about the basics and etiquette in this sport. And here's what I learned from my own experience.

1. Know the etiquette

I grew up watching golf on TV with my dad, licking the foam off his Budweiser and bantering about the dark silence the audience kept, its quiet comments and polite applause. Little did I know that trap shooting etiquette would be very similar to golf until I decided to visit the Orvis Sandanona shooting range to see trap shooting for myself.

Located in upstate New York, Sandanona is the oldest shooting club in the United States. I arrived there on a windy morning wanting to learn the basics of clay shooting from head instructor James Ross.

Ross explained to me that, as in golf, silence is expected to be maintained when a group of shooters line up at the station. This sport is based on concentration, not chatter and laughter. And since the most important thing is always safety, no one keeps the weapon loaded, except for the shooter, and only when he or she is ready to fire.

The shooter will ask for a demonstration - a skeet target is launched into the air without firing, which allows everyone in the group to see the trajectory and estimate the speed of the target at that station.

“When the shooter is ready, he will give the command "Give!"that tells the launcher (the person who operates the target launcher) that the cymbals can be launched," Ross told me.

At each station, everyone shoots in turn. As in golf, the group moves from one station to the next in order.

2. Use the gun that suits you

A properly fitted gun is the first step to accurate shooting.. It is worth taking the time to fit your gun to your body structure with the help of a specialist. The shift on the ridge (the part of the stock that your cheek rests on) affects where the shooter's eye will look when properly inserted.

A shift on the buttplate, or on the top of the stock that rests against the shoulder, affects aiming in general; too much shift can increase recoil noticeably. A stock that is too long can get stuck under your armpit or caught on your shoulder; with a stock that is too short, you will feel more recoil on your shoulder or cheek.

When Ross checked the fit of my Browning Citori Micro Satin Hunter shotgun, he commented that the ridge shift was too much for me, so my eye was too low when properly inserted. He added a gel pad to slightly increase the height of the cheek and to ensure that my eye was in line with the front sight when aiming.

Shotgun shooting is often referred to as shooting golf. You move across the field and shoot from various stations. Many rules of etiquette are also similar - for example, you should not talk when someone is shooting.

3. Practice the right stance

The way you stand has a big impact on your results. Ross notes that "self-taught people usually lack a proper stance."

If you're a right-handed shooter, like me, your left foot should always be in the lead, meaning the toe of your left foot should always point to the point of impact (where you hit the target). And then follow the formula for the correct stance from Ross:

1. Imagine a clock face.
2. Place your leading foot at 12 o'clock.
3. If you are right-handed, the 1 o'clock point will show the gap between the heels, and the 2 o'clock point will be the place where you need to put the toe of your right foot.
4. If you are left-handed, the 11 o'clock point will show the gap between the heels, and 10 o'clock will be the place where you need to put the toe of your left foot.
5. Spread your legs shoulder-width apart, not wider.

The idea is to get into a comfortable stance that will allow you to move smoothly while raising, aiming and shooting. “Every time your legs are wider than shoulder-width apart, you are telling your body to tense up. It is not comfortable. This is a game of movement. Any inconvenience makes it harder,” explains Ross.

4. Decide for yourself where you will hit the target

There is a big difference between skeet shooting and flying bird shooting. The shooter always has at least a general idea of ​​where the target will come from and what its trajectory is, so he can plan where to point the gun. Hunters, of course, never know how a bird will fly.

When preparing to shoot a target, it is very important to focus on the point in the sky where your eyes will see the target, and not track its entire flight path after launch. This way you avoid chasing the target, and you can clearly and confidently focus on the place where the target will appear.

“The ideal place to hit the skeet is as close to the top of the trajectory as possible, because that's where it moves the slowest,” advises Ross. He also recommends aiming at the leading edge of the target.

By focusing on a point in the sky above a particular tree, you can start breaking cymbals from the very first shots. Understanding these basic principles not only gave me confidence in my own abilities, but also showed me how much fun trap shooting can be.