While the rifle dominated the narrative of the American frontier, the shotgun held an equally important, yet often overlooked, role in daily life and early American sport. Initially a crucial tool for hunting small game, the shotgun eventually evolved into a specialized instrument for the competitive sports of trap and skeet. This article traces that transition, highlighting the firearms and innovations that defined the earliest American shooting games.

The Primitive Beginnings: Live Pigeon Shoots

The earliest form of organized shotgun sport in America was live pigeon shooting, a practice imported from Europe. This involved shooters attempting to hit live birds released from traps. The firearms used were often simple, heavy, muzzle-loading shotguns. These large-bore weapons were necessary due to the limitations of black powder and the need to launch a substantial payload of shot to ensure a hit.

The move away from live birds began in the late 19th century due to public and ethical pressure. This transition accelerated the development of mechanical traps and standardized clay targets, which in turn demanded more consistent and faster-operating shotguns.

The Breach-Loading Revolution and Double-Barrels

The adoption of self-contained, paper-hulled shotgun shells and the introduction of breech-loading mechanisms (allowing shells to be loaded from the rear of the barrel) marked the true birth of modern scattergun sports. The side-by-side double-barrel shotgun became the quintessential trap gun of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These offered two immediate shots, a huge advantage over single-shot arms.

• Key Features: Exposed hammers gave way to internal hammers, and standardized chokes (constrictions at the muzzle designed to control the shot pattern) became essential for optimizing the spread of shot at varying distances.
• Early American Brands: Manufacturers like Parker, L.C. Smith, and Ithaca became synonymous with high-quality, often ornate, double-barrel trap guns.

The Rise of Trap Shooting and the Pump Action

As trap shooting (a game where targets fly away from the shooter) became standardized, a new style of shotgun began to dominate: the slide-action (pump) shotgun. The pump-action provided reliable repeating fire, allowing shooters to quickly cycle the action for a follow-up shot without breaking their focus or grip.

• Innovation: The Winchester Model 1897 and, later, the Model 12, became legendary trap guns. Their robust construction and fast cycling capabilities made them ideal for the demands of competition.
• Dedicated Trap Models: Manufacturers soon introduced dedicated trap models with longer barrels, specialized stocks designed for recoil mitigation, and elevated ribs for better sighting, demonstrating a clear commitment to competitive excellence.

The Birth of Skeet and the Over/Under

The sport of Skeet was formalized in the 1920s as a simulated bird hunt, requiring shots from many different angles. Skeet demanded a faster handling gun than trap. This need, along with manufacturing advancements, ushered in the modern era.

The over-and-under shotgun design, where barrels are stacked vertically, became the preferred choice for skeet and, eventually, modern trap. This design offers several advantages over the side-by-side or pump-action:

• A single sighting plane (the top barrel), which aids aiming.
• Reduced muzzle flip compared to side-by-sides.
• Allows for two distinct chokes to be used immediately.

The pump-action remained popular, but the smooth, clean lines and balance of the over/under solidified its position as the premier sporting shotgun today. The modern competitive shotgun is now a highly specialized tool, a far cry from the heavy, single-shot guns of the early American sportsmen.