Issue 1: The Sunday Shot

Issue No. 1 | September 6, 2026

Fourteen years ago this week, I submitted The Trap App to Apple’s App Store.

I built it because I thought technology could make trapshooting a little easier-and a little better.

You’re receiving this because you signed up for The Trap App. Thank you for being part of it.

This week, I’m launching something new.

The Sunday Shot has a different purpose. Shooters have more information than ever—scores, podcasts, association news, product launches, club updates, forums and videos. What’s missing is a reliable way to know what matters.

So that’s what we’re going to build.

Welcome to the first issue of The Sunday Shot.

Every sport likes to say young people are its future.

At this year’s Grand American, that line felt outdated. Young shooters weren’t waiting their turn. They were already on the line, competing deep into the shoot-offs.

The young shooters I met throughout the week carried themselves with the safety, etiquette and composure the sport demands. They treated the Grand American the way it deserves to be treated: like it matters.

You could see it in the Blue Gray Shootout, in the trophy photos and in the shoot-offs that kept narrowing after dark, when most spectators had already gone home.

Then came the exclamation point.

Hunter Alver won the ATA World Clay Target Championship by breaking 200 straight in regulation and another 400 in the shoot-off. That is 600 consecutive targets at the Grand, with a world championship on the line.

The shoot-off started with 24 shooters who had already broken 200. I watched the first 100 shoot-off targets as the field shrank from 24 to five. After 200 shoot-off targets, four were left. They came back the next day. Alver kept going—another 200 straight—to finish the shoot-off without a miss.

He’s a sophomore on Drury University’s shotgun team. He wasn’t a feel-good youth sidebar. He was winning the ATA World Clay Target Championship with 600 straight.

The usual speech says young shooters are coming. At Sparta this year, they were already there—and winning.

$10 million-plus for ranges and college shooting

The growth of clay-target shooting is showing up in something more permanent: new ranges, expanded trap fields, better lighting and upgraded club facilities.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission selected ten projects for its 2026 Shooting Range Improvement Program. Bradford Gun Club will receive shotgun-field improvements, while Martinsburg Sportsman Association will renovate its handgun range and trap field.

Why it matters: Aging clubs cannot accommodate more shooters without usable, safe infrastructure. Pennsylvania is treating recreational shooting facilities as community assets worth preserving.

The Quincy, Illinois, City Council approved a $2.9 million purchase of nearly 124 acres for a proposed clay-sports park. The city also plans to finance the project with a $10 million, 20-year loan.

The city expects the complex to serve more than 350 local high school trapshooters and attract regional and national competitions.

The tension: Nearby residents have raised objections about noise, property values, the approval process and environmental-cleanup costs. Building new shooting facilities may be necessary, but it is rarely simple.

A MidwayUSA Foundation grant—combined with required matching support—will help Juniata College improve its home range at Shenecoy Sportsmen Club.

Plans include two additional trap houses, improved lighting, renovations to existing trap fields and restrooms, and upgrades to the club’s five-stand facility.

Why it matters: Juniata relaunched its collegiate clay program in 2026. This investment does more than cover one season’s expenses; it expands the team’s capacity to practice, coach and host competitions.

Eight international-trap shooters and six international-skeet shooters earned places on the new SCTP team.

The athletes receive ammunition, coaching, training opportunities and support for USA Shooting competitions. They will train under Terri Wentzel, a former Olympian, six-time national champion and 20-year veteran of the Army Marksmanship Unit.

Why it matters: Junior Olympic shotgun events are not currently available in every state. SCTP and USA Shooting are trying to change that, which could give more young shooters a practical entry point into the Olympic disciplines.

Steven “Magoo” Margherio joined Trap Talk after breaking all 300 doubles targets at the Ohio State Shoot and following it with another 200 straight at Iowa.

The useful part: Margherio explains the small adjustment that improved his first-target breaks, why strict spot-shooting was limiting his consistency, and how he handles his hold point, visual pickup and move to the second target.

Listen time: 56 minutes.

Not every target disappears in a smoke ball. Here are a few pieces that still count.

Gould began with standard target ammunition at 130 yards, moved to Federal Prairie Storm at 160 yards, and finally broke a 110-millimeter target at a certified distance of 201 yards using No. 7 tungsten shot.

Yes, it is a Benelli promotional video. But it is still remarkable to watch Gould work through the distances, ammunition and repeated attempts necessary to make the shot. Here’s the YouTube link if you’d like to jump straight into it.

For perspective: The target was more than two football fields away.

Outdoor Life’s test team fired at more than 1,500 clays over three days, checked point of impact against point of aim, and scored the guns for handling, construction and value.

Most of the tested guns lean toward hunting and all-around use rather than dedicated trap competition. Still, the test includes several clay-oriented models and shows what manufacturers are emphasizing this year.

The winners: Beretta’s AX800 Suprema took Editor’s Choice, the A400 Solo won Best Value, and the Browning Maxus II Golden Clays was named Best for Clays.

First 25. First 100. First trophy. First Grand. The punch that put you on the 27.

I’d like to hear about the shooting milestones you’ll always remember—and see the photographs that captured them.

Have something else worth sharing? Send a photo from the range, a story from your club, a shooter I should know about, or an article, podcast or video worth passing along. Beer and bourbon recommendations are also welcome. I may include your submission in a future issue!

Please send it my way.