A system for launching a target disk above a terrestrial surface, including a first support, a first bracket attached to the first support, a second support connected to the first bracket and configured to pivot with respect to the first bracket in a first plane, and a second bracket attached to the second support and configured to pivot with respect to the second bracket in a second plane, the second plane being generally perpendicular to the first plane. A launching structure is attached to the second bracket, and the second support is configured to pivot with the second bracket. A track is configured to hold and direct the target upon launching, the track being configurable to present the target to be launched in a first presentation generally parallel to the terrestrial surface and a second presentation generally perpendicular to the terrestrial surface.

A system for launching a target disk above a terrestrial surface, including a first support, a first bracket attached to the first support, a second support connected to the first bracket and configured to pivot with respect to the first bracket in a first plane, and a second bracket attached to the second support and configured to pivot with respect to the second bracket in a second plane, the second plane being generally perpendicular to the first plane. A launching structure is attached to the second bracket, and the second support is configured to pivot with the second bracket. A track is configured to hold and direct the target upon launching, the track being configurable to present the target to be launched in a first presentation generally parallel to the terrestrial surface and a second presentation generally perpendicular to the terrestrial surface.

A trap wobbler includes a base with an inclined bearing seat and a bearing supported on the inclined bearing seat, a trap frame connector pivotally coupled to the bearing of the base for enabling the trap frame connector to be biased relative to the base, and a throwing trap fastened to the trap frame connector. When the throwing arm of the throwing trap is rotated to throw a clay, the inertia force thus generated causes the throwing trap and the trap frame connector to swing left and right. As long as the throwing arm is continuously controlled to continue throwing a clay before stopping of the swinging action of the throwing trap, the left and right swinging motions and amplitudes of the throwing trap is continuously increased.

A trap wobbler includes a base with an inclined bearing seat and a bearing supported on the inclined bearing seat, a trap frame connector pivotally coupled to the bearing of the base for enabling the trap frame connector to be biased relative to the base, and a throwing trap fastened to the trap frame connector. When the throwing arm of the throwing trap is rotated to throw a clay, the inertia force thus generated causes the throwing trap and the trap frame connector to swing left and right. As long as the throwing arm is continuously controlled to continue throwing a clay before stopping of the swinging action of the throwing trap, the left and right swinging motions and amplitudes of the throwing trap is continuously increased.

A method for selecting a choke from among a plurality of chokes to be applied to a barrel of a shotgun during a skeet shooting session is provided. The method involves firing at least one shot, after each shot fired, estimating a position of a point of impact between a clay target released from a launching machine and a shot fired from the shotgun of a shooter, calculating an impact distance between a position of the shooter and the estimated position of the point of impact, and selecting the choke as a function of the impact distance or of an average of impact distances obtained from a plurality of estimates of positions of the point of impact made after each one of a plurality of shots.

A method for selecting a choke from among a plurality of chokes to be applied to a barrel of a shotgun during a skeet shooting session is provided. The method involves firing at least one shot, after each shot fired, estimating a position of a point of impact between a clay target released from a launching machine and a shot fired from the shotgun of a shooter, calculating an impact distance between a position of the shooter and the estimated position of the point of impact, and selecting the choke as a function of the impact distance or of an average of impact distances obtained from a plurality of estimates of positions of the point of impact made after each one of a plurality of shots.

A launching device for launching a sports shooting target made of a biodegradable material includes a launching head configured such that a hub portion of the target can be positioned on the launching head. The launching head includes a plurality of pivotally mounted retaining, claw members that are configured to be able to pivot between a first state, in which the claw members retain the hub portion of the target to the launching head and a second state, in which the claw members release the hub portion of the target from the launching head, where the device is provided with a longitudinally displaceable shaft or rod that is functionally connected to the claw members such that a longitudinal displacement (B, D) of the shaft results in said pivotal movement of the claw members. Launching head rotating means is configured to rotate the launching head and to accelerate the launching head from substantially zero rotational speed to a maximum rotational speed, at which maximum rotational speed of the launching head, the hub portion of the target is released from the launching head.

A launching device for launching a sports shooting target made of a biodegradable material includes a launching head configured such that a hub portion of the target can be positioned on the launching head. The launching head includes a plurality of pivotally mounted retaining, claw members that are configured to be able to pivot between a first state, in which the claw members retain the hub portion of the target to the launching head and a second state, in which the claw members release the hub portion of the target from the launching head, where the device is provided with a longitudinally displaceable shaft or rod that is functionally connected to the claw members such that a longitudinal displacement (B, D) of the shaft results in said pivotal movement of the claw members. Launching head rotating means is configured to rotate the launching head and to accelerate the launching head from substantially zero rotational speed to a maximum rotational speed, at which maximum rotational speed of the launching head, the hub portion of the target is released from the launching head.

The invention relates to a sports shooting target made of a biodegradable material, the target having a rotational axis (z) and attachment means (2, 4, 4, 10, 11, 15) for releasable attachment to a launching device, where the target is provided with trajectory stabilizing means that are configured to stabilize the trajectory of the target by gyro effect caused by rotation about said rotational axis (z) which stabilizing means further function as propelling means that cause forward movement of the target along its trajectory due to the rotation about said rotational axis (z), when the target is rotating, where said stabilizing means comprises a fan comprising fan blades (3, 3) that rotates in unison with the target, when the target rotates, such that the stabilizing means both provides said stabilizing gyro effect and forward propulsion (movement) of the target along a chosen trajectory. The target comprises a hub portion (2, 15) configured for releasable attachment to a corresponding portion of a launching device and a plurality of concentric ring members (5, 6, 7; 12, 13, 14) arranged about the rotational axis (z) of the target at different distances (r.sub.5, r.sub.6, r.sub.7) from the rotational axis (z) and outside the hub portion (2) The stabilizing means comprises first fan blades (3) that extend radially from the hub portion (2, 15) to the ring member (7, 14) provided at the largest distance from the rotational axis (z) and second fan blades (3) that extend radially between two adjacent ring members. The invention further relates to a launching device for launching the target, launching apparatuses comprising the launching device of the invention as well as a method of launching targets for skeet shooting and similar sport shooting activities.

The invention relates to a sports shooting target made of a biodegradable material, the target having a rotational axis (z) and attachment means (2, 4, 4, 10, 11, 15) for releasable attachment to a launching device, where the target is provided with trajectory stabilizing means that are configured to stabilize the trajectory of the target by gyro effect caused by rotation about said rotational axis (z) which stabilizing means further function as propelling means that cause forward movement of the target along its trajectory due to the rotation about said rotational axis (z), when the target is rotating, where said stabilizing means comprises a fan comprising fan blades (3, 3) that rotates in unison with the target, when the target rotates, such that the stabilizing means both provides said stabilizing gyro effect and forward propulsion (movement) of the target along a chosen trajectory. The target comprises a hub portion (2, 15) configured for releasable attachment to a corresponding portion of a launching device and a plurality of concentric ring members (5, 6, 7; 12, 13, 14) arranged about the rotational axis (z) of the target at different distances (r.sub.5, r.sub.6, r.sub.7) from the rotational axis (z) and outside the hub portion (2) The stabilizing means comprises first fan blades (3) that extend radially from the hub portion (2, 15) to the ring member (7, 14) provided at the largest distance from the rotational axis (z) and second fan blades (3) that extend radially between two adjacent ring members. The invention further relates to a launching device for launching the target, launching apparatuses comprising the launching device of the invention as well as a method of launching targets for skeet shooting and similar sport shooting activities.