The ATA Handicapping System

Let's just say if I was the father of that excellent 13 yo shooter and I explained he was being punished by receiving those two yards for that 99 he just might say, "but dad, why am I doing this, should I have missed some"? On the other hand when a big dog breaks a 99 from the fence, plays the ticket but gets no yardage, he only gets a reward. So we can say adding yardage to the earned yardage table is punishment or a reward? I'll let you decide.

 

No, we haven't been pouring more concrete for a hundred years. In fact, we haven't poured any in over 50 years. In those days it was real easy to read traps and one of your named trapshooters couldn't break squat when interrupters were added. Certainly, in over 50 years there have been vast improvements in equipment and ammo yet, no increase in yardage. I suppose you forgot the name Frank Little when he ate up those wide angle long distance targets in that shootoff at Elysburg years ago? Yes, there is an adjustment period for wider angle targets. Great shooters soon adjust while lesser specimens quit.

 

Why does the ATA handicap reduction system become "unfair" past the "27" ???????

Why should anyone closer than the "27" have to shoot the required targets for a "reduction", if that system does not work past the "27" ??????

 

Neither punishment or reward. I would say it reflects a handicap system that is not working very well and is completely broken once a shooter reaches the 27 yard line.

 

I understood everything the man said, In Colorado #8s is the go to shell for std trap targets, Targets have less moisture in them, Air is dryer, which equals less DRAG, the Those 1250 Winchester 7 1/2s Eally Grind Targets, Including the 1250 Federal Paper Handicappers.

GB.............................DLS

 

FG, I am a big fan of going to 1 oz. loads across the board. Would make the sport better for many reasons. And, if it made for less "consistency" from the 27, that would be a good thing, eh? Easier change than adding 3 or 4 yards to the track.

As for your second sentence, boy are you ever right about that. And those ol' boys in the "occupy the 27" crowd do like to protect their territory.

 

Jake,
Any change made to the ammo in trap will hurt the least qualified shooters to a larger extent than it will the big dogs. Make mandatory reductions a hard rule and you will negate the (occupy the 27) crowd. Many may stop shooting handicap, but it would soon equal out. At the same time reintroduce the yardage options, this may help attendance. Roger C.

 

I dis-agree it was the Narrowing of targets, Then 1250Fps shells, that wa the ICING on the Cake/voice calls.

GB...............................DLS

 

Doc, I see you conveniently forgot to remember those Winchester Handicap Trap loads from many years ago-the black ones that punished targets and shoulders. I believe they came out in the 70's. Known as the early dynamite sticks. They chrono'd closer to 1,300 FPS.

 

Those were pretty stout loads for sure, lol Black Beauties

 

Olliedawg: Those shells had Nickle Shot too, we used them in Buddy Shoot offs over North of Newark, Ohio

GB...............................DLS

 

I know somebody who still has some Cases of them, 20 Boxes to the case.

GB.....................................DLS