Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-05-27

The Sport Alluring! TrapShooting
is the King of outdoor sports. Not
only a diversion but a first class
tonic. How would 1 advise a be-
ginner to learn the art of trapshoot-
ing? Listen. This line of sport can
not be acquired through a corre-
spondence school. There is transit
tory stage, between the time you
break your first target, and the time
you are able to average 80 per cent,
which will seem slow and at times
discouraging. Remember that every
man who is now setting the pace
for you has met with many discour-
agements, but has had the tenacity
to stick. If YOU have the blood in
your veins which is the proper color,
disappointments will make you only
the more ambitious.
AS a first and most important
proposition. Your gun must f1t.
What do l mean by fitting a gun?
Very few people are built on the
same lines, as your tailor will tell
you. Difference in length of neck,
arms, avoirdupois cut a material
figure. You must be fitted by a
gun tailor" who is an expert in
the line. Go to some reputable
sporting goods store, or ask pro-
fessional who will wave trade is
sues and give you the benefit of his
experience and knowledge. Have
him look you over with reference
to make, up of gun, drop, length of
stock. heel, toe. comb (very import
ant on account of cross firing,
length of barrel, trigger pull, and
alignment of sights.
Your Gun Must Fit You
A straight stocked gun will shoot
high, which is the logical idea for
trap or field shooting. For shooting
over decoys a crooked stocked gun
is sometimes useful. Targets If shot
at the proper time are always shot
on the ascent, unless freak targets
are being thrown. Time is the es-
sence of success, coupled with ac-
curacy. A straight stock gun en-
ables you to keep your target in
sight, where you can cater to their
jumps and dips. When your gun
is thrown to your shoulder your eye
must be aligned along the center of
YOUR barrel. You will never sue
ceed fitting yourself to the gun. Too
much time is consumed locating
your target. The fractional part of
a second wasted means many feet
of added distance. And also a target
right after it leaves the trap, is ro-
tating rapidly and a few shot will
break it, but these same shot will
only dust" it a few feet farther.
Remember, that the sooner you
shoot target after it leaves the
trap, the more even will be the pat
lyn In n
there will be less lead. which means
less guess work and higher scores.
Affiliate yourself with a gun club,
where they are shooting frequently.
Watch and make a study of the
game. Confess that you are a no
vice in search of information. Mem
bers will take more interest in your
Progress. Acquire an easy position
at the score, which will enable you
to swing readily upon the angles.
You will become infatuated with the
snort. but don't over play, let OBJ
servation go hand in hand with your
patience. When you arrive at the
shooting park, get your head in ac-
ton, get a line on the wind and the
quarter it is coming from. If the
wind is blowing directly toward the
traps. targets will go high, with a
wind blows from the score toward
the trap house, the targets will be
low, forced down by the wind, with
a proba bility of their ducking. Note
the distance and velocity with which
the targets are thrown. Observe the
lay oe the grounds. If you are shoot
ing down hill. you must hold low.
II there is hill in the immediate
back ground. hold a little high. In
selecting your loads, use 3 drains of
bulk or "a grains of dense powder,
u OF. No. 71a chilled shot. in a 12-
gauge gun. 1t is a mistake, to at
tempt to use a small bore gun at
the trap. or to limit your load to "A
or of shot when your competitors
are using IL gauge. with Il OF. shot
There would be a percentage run
ming against you. which would be
the means of your defeat in all close
contests. Always hold your gun
firmly to your shoulder thus meas
urably avoiding the kick and sub
stituting a push or shove against the
shoulder. Learn to shoot with both
eyes open. Take an easy position
and concentrate upon every target
shot at Your gun must fit. Then
shoot your target just as you would
point your finger or throw rock at
running dog or shoot bow and
arrow, remembering to put in little
day light ahead of the object.
One of the most beneficial acces-
sories, to your equipment. which will
aid you materially in learning to
shoot is a Hand Trap" which is
easily operated. convenient and will
throw for you all the angles you will
ever experience at tournaments. The
Hand Trap" will soon teach you
concentration, GOODNESS and con-
fidence.
Trapshooting
Trapshooting is a science to which
any amount of thought may be prof
itably devoted. The angles must be
studied and the wind reckoned with.
The fact that one always shoots with