Trap and Double Trap
Trap events are split into trap and double trap. Though the two events take place on the same range,
double trap involves shooting two targets airborne simultaneously at set angles, as opposed to conventional one-target trap,
in which shooters take aim at a single target thrown at a variety of surprise angles.
Event Format
Shooters are be divided into “squads” of six for three preliminary rounds,
and the six best shooters (regardless of their squad) will face off in a final round later that day.
Competition Area
Double trap rounds are contested between six competitors arranged in a horseshoe shape at the end of a
long outdoor range. Ten meters downrange is the “bunker,” which contains the eponymous “traps,”
mechanical throwers that launch the clay targets at specified angles and speeds.
The end of the range is usually a solid colored wall or row of trees for visibility,
Equipment
Much of the equipment used in double trap is strictly standardized. The dimensions of the
targets are specified to the millimeter and gram, and are usually brightly colored to make them easier to see.
The flying clay disks (the cool kids call them “birds” or “pigeons”) are flung at around 50 miles per hour out of
a mechanical thrower at a consistent angle at the verbal command of the shooter, usually “pull.” In high-level competition,
the command triggers an automated system that adds a random amount of lag, up to a second, to add difficulty.
The shooters supply their own 12-gauge double-barreled shotguns that allow two consecutive shots.
The guns themselves are highly personal, and shooters work with professional fitters to mold their guns to their particular body shape and preferences.
How To Win
In a round of double trap, the six competitors in a given squad alternate chances to shoot while rotating through different stations,
for a total of 25 shooting opportunities each (with two targets each time). Each bird hit earns one point, and the preliminary phase
consists of three rounds of shooting, resulting in a maximum score of 150 (the world record is 148). Each round employs a slightly different trajectory:
In the first round, one bird is thrown five degrees left of center and the second flies straight ahead. This configuration is reversed in the second round:
One bird is thrown five degrees right of center, the other straight ahead. In the third round, the birds are thrown five degrees left and right,
for a ten-degree total split. Twenty-four shooters have qualified for the games, and will compete in four squads in those three preliminary rounds.
The six shooters with the highest scores after the prelims compete in a final round of 25 chances to shoot, with the highest combined (preliminary and final)
score earning gold. This round uses the same ten-degree as the third round. Ties in both rounds are settled in a sudden-death shoot-off of alternating pairs,
with the first shooter to miss losing.
Trap Shotgun examples:-
