doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Old time trap shoot questions

I am researching a shoot that took place in Wilmington DE in 1911 and have several questions about what I read in the newspaper accounts. This shoot was for the Eastern Handicap, it was shot in July at the Dupont gun club. According to the papers, the targets (150) for the first day was shot in 10 events of 15 targets at $1.40 per event with an optional sweepstake of $1.00 per event . There was a back system of $1.00 for the day. The second day was set up exactly the same for 150 targets same prices and specs. The third and final day of the shoot was for 100 targets (I think these were shot at handicap distances) carried in 5 events if 20 targets at $1.80 per event with optional sweepstakes of $1.00 per event and the back system of $1.00.

Question 1) How did they shoot the 15 (or 20) targets for an event? Everyone shoot 3 (or4) targets then change position like we do today when we shoot 5 then move or shoot 15 targets in the same position then move to the next position in the 2nd event and keep going in that rotation?

Question 2) What is an optional sweepstake? Is it money put into a pot that gets distributed among the high scoing shooters? Or what?

Question 3) What is a back system?

Thanks,

Jack K

Bill Murphy is the one person who can probably answer your questions. Where was the DuPont club? I used to shoot at the DuPont club near Newark in the 60's

I don't know whether the Dupont Club of 1911 is the same Dupont Club of the 1970s. I do know that the Dupont Club of the 1970s has moved to Millington, Maryland and is no longer affiliated with Dupont. I don't know how each individual shoot was conducted but your assessment of options in question 2 is probably right on target.

Here's the shoot report
http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/SportingLife/1911/VOL_57_NO_20/SL5720025.PDF

1899 Trapshooting Rules & Regulations
http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/SportingLife/1899/VOL_32_NO_21/SL3221012.pdf
http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/SportingLife/1899/VOL_32_NO_21/SL3221013.pdf

That cartoon at the bottom of shoot report is quite interesting.

Gents,

Thank you for the responses. The Dupont Gun club of 1911 was actually on the property of the Dupont Experimental Station, across the Brandywine River from the old black powder works. The trap fields and ranges were completed in May of 1911 in time for the Eastern handicap July shoot. It was the same club that was in Newark, however I don't know when the location changed or if there was an intermediate location. I was a Dupont employee and club member from the mid 70's until they closed and moved to Millington MD in 94.
Drew, thanks for the leads, those were very helpful.

Jack K