An Overview of the Olympic Clay Target Events and Their Required Facilities
A white paper prepared by USA Shooting for the Congressional Sportsman’s Foundation - 7 March 2002
Introduction
  Shooting is one of the original eight Olympic sports and has been part of nearly every Modern Olympic Games since 1896. Currently there are 17 Olympic shooting events for both men and women in four different disciplines; rifle, pistol, running target and shotgun. The current Olympic shotgun events include trap, double trap and skeet. United States shooting sports athletes have won six medals in the last two Olympics, five of which were in the shotgun events; a gold, a silver and three bronze. Shooters have won 72 individual Olympic medals for the United States sine 1896, more than in any other Olympic sport except for athletics and swimming.

Headquartered at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, USA Shooting is recognized by both the US Olympic Committee and the International Shooting Sport Federation as the national governing body for Olympic shooting in the United States. USA Shooting trains and selects the athletes who make up the US Shooting Team, which represents the United States in major international competitions, including the Olympic Games, World Championships, Pan American Games and Championships of the Americas, and at the numerous ISSF World Cup matches.
     
Olympic Shotgun Events and Equipment
  In general, the Olympic shotgun events are intended to be far more difficult than their domestic counterparts. The clay targets used in the Olympic events are flatter and of a more durable construction, making breakage much more difficult. The targets are thrown at far greater speeds, over much wider arcs and angles, and to a much greater distance than those in our domestic events. Firearms allowed include any 12-gauge shotgun holding two rounds. Over-and-under designs predominate due to their reliability and durability, having to withstand many tens-of-thousands of rounds fired in practice and competition each year. 12-gauge ammunition used in Olympic events is restricted to a lighter load of lead pellets to further increase the shotgun events’ difficulty.
     
Trap
  Trap has been a part of the Olympics since 1900. Squads of six shooters fire in rotation in rounds of 25 targets. Each shooter is presented with the same set of targets during the round, but in random order so the target’s flight can’t be anticipated. Targets emerge upon the shooter’s call from an underground bunker containing 15 throwing machines. One or two shots may be fired at each target. Men fire a 125 target qualifying round over two days, while women fire a 75 target course in one day. The top six shooters from the qualifying round proceed to the medals final round, firing an additional 25 target round with the final score added to the qualifying score to determine the medallists.
     
Double Trap
  Double Trap has been a part of the Olympics since 1996. Squads of six shooters fire in rotation in rounds of 40 targets for women and 50 targets for men. Each shooter is presented with the same set of targets during the round. Targets emerge in pairs upon the shooter’s call from an underground bunker containing 15 throwing machines, the center of which are used in this event. One shot may be fired at each target. Men fire a 150 target qualifying round in one day, while women fire a 120 target course in one day. The top six shooters from the qualifying round proceed to the medals final round, firing an additional 40 target round for women or 50 target round for men, with the final score added to the qualifying score to determine the medallists.
     
Skeet
 

Skeet has been a part of the Olympics since 1968. International skeet closely mirrors the domestic event and can be shot on existing skeet fields. Squads of six shooters fire a fixed course of 25 targets per round, fired from eight different shooting stations. Shooters start with the shotgun’s butt stock held at hip level and then call for their targets. Targets emerge from throwing machines housed at each side of the field, with the two houses referred to as the low house and high house. Targets will be presented as either singles or doubles, and only one shot is allowed at each target. Men shoot a qualifying round of 125 targets over two days while women shoot a 75 target qualifying course. The top six shooters from the qualifying round proceed into the medals final round, firing at an additional 25 targets. The final round score is added to the qualifying round score to determine the medallists.

     
VC4HSS Shotgun Intl Skeet Intl Trap Intl Double-Trap