30 Must-Know Skeet Shooting Terms, Phrases and Slang

Lock and load, young skeet gunslingers!

This guide is your secret ammo for mastering the sharpshooting lingo of clay pigeons.

We’ve scoped out 30 blazing terms to boost your vocab faster than you can shout “Pull!”

Ready to blast through the jargon?

Must-Know Skeet Shooting Terms, Phrases and Slang:

1. Bird
2. Break
3. Call
4. Clay
5. Double
6. Gauge
7. High house
8. Lead
9. Low house
10. Over-under
11. Pull
12. Shotgun
13. Skeet
14. Station
15. Swing
16. Trap
17. Wobble
18. Shot
19. Single
20. Reload
21. Round
22. Safety
23. Score
24. Shell
25. Shot pattern
26. Skeet field
27. Spreader load
28. Station
29. Sweep
30. Target

#1 Bird

Also known as the clay pigeon, the “bird” is the target in skeet shooting, a small, circular clay disc that is flung into the air to be shot at. Its nickname comes from its bird-like flight path when it’s launched.

#2 Break

The term “break” refers to the successful act of hitting and fragmenting a clay target mid-air with a shotgun blast. A clean break indicates precise aim and timing, and is the goal of every shot in skeet shooting.

#3 Call

“Call” is the term used by shooters to signal the person operating the trap to release a clay target; traditionally, shooters shout “pull!” This step requires concentration and readiness for the quick action that follows.

#4 Clay

The “clay” or clay pigeon is the standard skeet shooting target made from a mixture of limestone and pitch. Skeet shooters aim to accurately shatter these eco-friendly discs to score points.

#5 Double

In skeet shooting, a “double” refers to two clay targets thrown simultaneously from the high and low houses, challenging the shooter to hit both targets in quick succession.

#6 Gauge

The gauge of a shotgun indicates the diameter of its barrel; common gauges in skeet shooting include 12, 20, 28, and .410, with smaller numbers indicating larger barrels. The choice of gauge can affect the difficulty and strategy of the sport.

#7 High house

In skeet shooting, the high house is one of two structures from which clay targets are launched. Located to the left of the shooter, the high house is higher off the ground than the low house, launching targets from approximately 10 feet above the ground level, giving the targets a downward trajectory.

#8 Lead

In skeet shooting, “lead” refers to the distance ahead of a moving target where a shooter must aim to hit the bird. This compensates for the time it takes for the shot to reach the clay.

#9 Low house

Opposite the high house, the low house is the second structure from which clay targets are launched in skeet shooting. It is situated to the right of the shooter and lower to the ground, launching targets from about 3 feet above the ground level, resulting in an upward trajectory.

#10 Over-under

An over-under is a type of break-action shotgun with two barrels stacked vertically. It is favored by many shooters for its balance and the ability to have two chokes for different shot spreads.

#11 Pull

The term “pull” is used by the shooter to signal the trapper to release the clay pigeon. It’s an essential command that initiates the target’s flight and the ensuing shot.

#12 Shotgun

A shotgun is a firearm designed to shoot a spread of shot pellets and is the primary weapon used in skeet shooting. It comes in various gauges, suited for hitting small, fast-moving targets.

#13 Skeet

“Skeet” is a shooting sport involving participants shooting at clay targets thrown at various angles and speeds. The word also refers to the clay targets used in the sport.

#14 Station

In skeet shooting, a station is one of the fixed positions or markers around the semicircular skeet field where shooters stand to aim and shoot at targets.

#15 Swing

“Swing” in skeet shooting refers to the motion of the shotgun as the shooter tracks the flying target. A smooth swing is critical for maintaining aim and timing the shot effectively.

#16 Trap

In the context of skeet shooting, the “trap” refers to the machine housed within the high house and low house that throws or launches the clay targets into the air. The term can also apply more broadly to refer to the sport of trap shooting, which is similar to skeet but has different rules and target launch patterns.

#17 Wobble

In skeet shooting, wobble refers to a trap machine’s setting that adds random vertical and horizontal movement to the flight of the thrown target. This unpredictable motion challenges shooters, simulating more realistic flying patterns.

#18 Shot

A “shot” in skeet refers to the individual pellets that make up the load fired from a shotgun. The size and distribution of the shot determine its effectiveness for breaking the clay targets at various distances.

#19 Single

A “single” in skeet shooting is when one clay target is thrown from either the high house or low house. Shooters must react quickly and accurately to hit the target before it falls out of range.

#20 Reload

To reload in skeet shooting involves refilling a shotgun’s chamber with ammunition after firing. This skill is crucial for shooting successive rounds swiftly and maintaining a smooth rhythm during a sequence of shots.

#21 Round

A “round” of skeet involves completing a predetermined course of shots at 8 stations on a skeet field. A standard round comprises 25 shots, with shooters aiming to hit as many targets as possible to achieve a high score.

#22 Safety

“Safety” in skeet shooting refers to the mechanism on a shotgun that prevents accidental firing. It is essential for all shooters to engage the safety when not actively shooting to ensure the well-being of participants and bystanders.

#23 Score

In skeet shooting, ‘score’ denotes the number of targets hit out of the total presented. A perfect score is typically hitting all 25 targets in a standard round.

#24 Shell

The ‘shell’ is the ammunition used in skeet shooting, consisting of a plastic casing that holds the shot, gunpowder, and primer. It’s ejected from the shotgun after firing.

#25 Shot pattern

The ‘shot pattern’ describes the distribution of shotgun pellets after they are fired at a target. A tight pattern increases the chances of hitting the clay bird squarely.

#26 Skeet field

The ‘skeet field’ is the designed area where skeet shooting takes place, typically featuring eight shooting stations in a semi-circle around two trap houses.

#27 Spreader load

A ‘spreader load’ is a type of shotgun shell designed to create a wider shot pattern, making it easier to hit moving targets in skeet shooting.

#28 Station

‘Station’ refers to the eight different positions on the skeet field from which shooters take their shots. Each station provides a unique angle and challenge for hitting the clay targets.

#29 Sweep

Sweep refers to the movement pattern of the shooter’s gun as they track and shoot at the flying targets. It involves smoothly swinging the shotgun in a controlled arc, following the path of the target, and timing the shot so that the shotgun’s blast intercepts the moving clay.

#30 Target

In skeet shooting, the target refers to the clay pigeon, a small, circular disc made from a mixture of pitch and chalk designed to mimic the flight of a bird. The target is launched from the high or low house and the objective is to shoot the target out of the air with a shotgun.

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