Point of Impact Overview - Part 1

Lets have a serious discussion regarding point of impact(POI). One of trap shootings most important fundamental. Where the shot must be to center the target. More important in trap shooting than other shotgun shooting disciplines based on the trap targets vertical travel during presentation.

Part 1

To premise this discussion, let's review the process of shooting at a moving target. A new shooter must load targeting data into their minds eye. Relating the bead to the target and being aware of timing, or speed and control moving the bead to the target. We all will imprint the bead/barrel to target sight picture into our brain, allowing for our subconscious to recognize the relationship and be able to pull the trigger without a conscious command. Every shot sequence of visual relationship, timing, angle/lead and proper follow will be stored in our minds eye. In trap shooting we have few angles, only one speed, and varied bead/barrel relationships are stored. Easier than the variable in target presentation of sporting clays, but similar to skeet based on consistent target presentations.

What is different in trap shooting compared to other shooting disciplines is the consistent vertical climb of every target. Angles are minimal even from post 1 or 5 with the wide presentations. Even a special design in gun configuration has been introduced to compensate for this vertical travel. A trap gun is born based on the vertical attitude of each target.

A side note. Often I see posters advising that a field or clay stock/rib configuration is a good choice to start shooting trap with. OK....I will buy into that advise, but we should also make the shooter understand that this choice will allow them to maybe get to average. With few exceptions for those that have the physical characteristics that allows for enough vertical height in shot placement from a low comb setting. All others will need a trap designed gun to get past 84 to 88 percent average shooting. If your stuck on 21's and 22's with as many lower scores as higher scores, you are average. You may have the skills and capacity to improve, but your limited by your choice of equipment. The reason I made this statement is based on experience, personal and witness.

There are 2 issues in finding your proper POI setting / stock and or rib setting. First, you must know where your gun is shooting. Both where the gun places shot and where you place shot during the shot sequence. Only the patterning board can give you this information. 13 yard bench patterning to know where the gun is sighted in at and target distance patterning to know where the gun places shot offhand. In both cases you only see a one dimensional depiction of a pattern and its impact logistics based on a stationary target. This is the fundamental. Relating this known information to a moving target and learning where the shot cloud must be to center targets is the next step in becoming a better shooter.

We make posts noting a gun shoots 60/40%, 70/30% or some variation in percentage, Another will post 3,4 or 5 inches high at 13 yards. Someone else will relate patterning from target distance. All confusing to a new shooter and all the same data, just in different perspective. I like the inches at bench 13 yards, because the info can be counted on to be accurate, but patterning info using any method can be equally counted on if done consistently. Knowing where your gun shoots/places shot is the only important point by any measure.

--Maltzie