when i shot trap competitively, particularly at 16 yds, ammo really didn't mean a thing. i used light 7 1/2's and it didn't matter what brand. ya gotta spend the time and practice, practice, practice. and seeing the clay.
at 27 yds i used heavy 7 1/2's, usually federal gold medals or win AA. don't know if they even make either anymore. and the hundreds of rounds a week practice...light 7 1/2 reloads. i never patterned my trap gun, used the same gun for 16 years. i spent thousands of hours at home mounting my shotgun over and over developing muscle memory.
the miss was totally on me and not the ammo
most misses are the shooter. you know what, most people will tell you when they were getting close to that first 25, when they knew they had a chance, they got cautious and started thinking and over compensated gun movement. once you break that 25 ice, the other milestones are easier.
I see lots of shooters miss #3 straightaway.
it's not the gun or the load, guaranteed the shooter stopped the gun when they saw the target and shot under it.
if someone is capable of consistent 23's or 24's, it's not the ammo preventing that elusive 25. sometimes it's a head game. i remember my first 25, 50, 100 & 200 like it was yesterday, i can tell you where i was and who i was with because it is a head game and i was shitting myself when i knew i was doing it.
Marksmen, and guys who just like to hear metal machines make big noise...
i almost agree. there are "natural" shooters who seem to win or place every time out, they hardly ever practice. there are serious shooters who constantly need to practice to succeed. i'm one of those. and folks who i call sunday club shoots who shoot the occasional 22-23 and think they're not capable of any better and settle there. for those that shoot ata, think lewis shooters.
some of the most successful trap shooters i've seen were superb wing shots out in the field. they knew how to keep the gun moving on extreme angles.
oh, let me say before i'm done, i've seen a lot of people drop targets cause 1. they took a late pull 2. their gun mount was wrong and instead if putting the gun down to remount, they called for the target anyway and 3. stopped the gun on extreme angles instead of swinging thru 'em.
again i apologize, a long winded post but someone might get something out of it. just my opinions and thoughts and others may vary.