Many sports are gaining popularity throughout the world as they start getting recognition because of the sportsmen included in them. One such sport is shooting.
Shooting sport has three types: skeet, trap and sporting clay. Though the two sports may look similar as they include shooting targets from different positions, it is important to know their difference.
Skeet vs Trap
The main difference between Skeet and Trap is that in skeet the targets are moving sideways and crossing each other making it harder to aim whereas for trap shooting they only move horizontally away from the shooter.
Skeet is the shooting sport where a group of people travel from one position to the other and take turns at aiming the targets that are released from two posts.
A trap is one of the oldest shooting sport where the people stand in a straight line in their respective posts and shoot their respective targets in a given order.
Comparison Table Between Skeet and Trap
| Parameters of Comparison | Skeet | Trap |
| Number of shooting stations | 8 stations | 5 stations |
| Number of shots given | Circulate between all the stations having one shot for each | Are given 5 shots for the same station |
| Target’s path | Can be crossing, moving towards or away from the shooter | Moving away from the shooter |
| Number of targets released at a time | One or two depending on the machine and the position of the shooters | Only one for each position |
| The time taken for aiming | Less time is permitted as they are moving right or left from the shooter. | Time can be taken as the path of the target is horizontal |
| Speed of the targets | 65 KMPH | 73 KMPH |
| Competitiveness | Can instil competitiveness as everyone can shoot once from the same position | No competitiveness involved |
| Communication | it is better since everyone moves in a group | Is harder since each of them is standing at different shooting positions in different corners of the arena. |
What is Skeet?
Skeet is a shooting sport that was introduced in 1920. It is a competitive sport where a group of people move from position to position within the arena taking chances at shooting the targets.
There are 8 shooting points in skeet and everyone in a group will have one chance from each shooting point. This helps in instilling competitiveness. It also helps in communication as they move together in a group.
The targets are shot by two posts and the direction of these are crossing, away or towards the shooter depending on their shooting positions. Skeet can have two targets at the same time.
So if you want to play the sport with a group of people, it is better to go for skeet.
What is Trap?
Trapshooting is one of the oldest shooting sports and has been in existence since the 18th century. It is the sport where shooters line up, each taking one shooting position and fire at their respective targets with a shotgun.
There are 5 shooting positions and each shooter is given 5 shots for aiming the target being released. Since each of them has different targets to aim, there is no competitiveness in this sport.
A shooter gets only one target at a time that moved horizontally away from them, giving them time to take their aim.
The first trapshooting was held in Sportsman’s Club of Ohio.
Main Differences Between Skeet and Trap
Conclusion
Skeet and trap are shooting sports that are popular in the West. Apart from their rules and regulations, the two sports can come across as quite similar. But it is important to differentiate if you ever want to try the sport.
Skeet is the shooting sport where the targets are released from two posts and the shooters are mostly required to shoot them with a shotgun. There are 8 shooting positions and the shooters move in a semicircle to each of these positions.
The trap is the shooting sport where the shooters stand in a line and shoot at the released targets one by one from their respective positions with a shotgun. Each shooter is given 5 shots to aim the target.
The key difference between the two is that in skeet, all the shooters move together and shoot at the targets from all the positions whereas, in a trap, they all stand in a line and shoot at their respective targets.
References
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