Anyone use a back yard trap thrower?

[str8shooter]

Can anyone offer suggestions or advice on a good trap thrower that's portable, yet sturdy, and won't break the bank? I've been looking around and the Do-All brand seems to be the most common at the big box stores. They have a bunch of options, but I can't find a source that explains the advantages of one type over another. For example, they have a post mount, which attaches to a half buried 4x4, a seat mounted model, so the thrower's weight provides stability during launch, one that can attach to an old tire (even the Do-All web site video didn't make that one look too good), and one that can be secured to the ground with pins. And then for all those choices, there's full cock and 3/4 cock models.

I've tried a simple hand thrower, but my kids couldn't get enough power behind the throw to get any height or distance, and I'm left handed which was a disaster when I tried to throw for them. I also tried a spring assisted hand thrower, but half the time the spring mechanism didn't release and I ended up chasing more clays rolling around the ground than I shot at.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Asmodeus]

I picked up a Do All Aerial Assault automatic thrower from Natchez Shooting Supplies (http://natchezss.com/product.cfm?con...7777&src=BA436)

It's light enough for one person to cary and setup (though you will need to make a 2nd trip for the deep cycle battery). You can shoot all day on a good battery. it can be staked down, but it's heavy enough that you won't need to if its sitting on anything other than hard packed ground.


$299 is a great sale price (I paid $369 delivered for mine); Cabela's sells them for $499.

[WVBob]

Spend about $100 and get a Tirus One-Step. I have been through the other throwers and the One-Step is the only one I've been happy with. The new one has 4 settings so you can throw them high, long, low long and right above the ground (thems fun). They throw a single clay 60 yards or better and doubles around 40 yards. I've had things wear out and break after better than 10,000 clays. Went on line and got a replacement part and fixed it. They are good throwers. When one of the grandkids was four he was loading it for me because there is no tension on the spring. It builds tension as you step on it. My first one went through 8 years of very heavy use before I replace it.

[Hawk]

Read the reviews at Cabela's for the Trius One step -looks like a winner!

Link: http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0012730221110a.shtml

[str8shooter]

Originally Posted by Hawk

Read the reviews at Cabela's for the Trius One step -looks like a winner!

Link: http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0012730221110a.shtml

Talk about timing, someone just posted a Cabelas promotion for free shipping. I think I'm gonna jump on the Trius one. I really like that I can launch my own with the foot pedal

[Torch]

The foot pedal looks great, always wondered if there was something like that out there but never actually looked for one.

My friend bought a do-all 3/4cock thrower (The one with the fold out chair, forget what model it is) and it worked very well. If I had to get my own I'd try for a 3/4 cock because it is supposed to be much easier to re-cock...just a quarter turn and part of the spring tension. But then again that's what I've been told...never used a full cock model.

[Hawk]

Originally Posted by str8shooter

Talk about timing, someone just posted a Cabelas promotion for free shipping. I think I'm gonna jump on the Trius one. I really like that I can launch my own with the foot pedal

Give us a report after you get it and try it out.

[str8shooter]

Originally Posted by Hawk

Give us a report after you get it and try it out.

Will do, I already placed my order. I also ordered a 9mm to .30-06 spinner target that I've been wanting, so I get free shipping for a > $150 order. I've had a .22 spinner for a while and the kids love it, much more fun than paper. I was actually surprised it worked so well, so now I want to have some fun with my Win.94 .30-30 and Browning BLR .30-06. What I really would like to see is something similar with gopher shaped targets that go down when they're hit, and either have a reset target like the spinners, or one random gopher pops back up when a different one is hit. Hmmmm, time to get the welding kit out.

The Trius thrower is on backorder and won't be in for 1-2 weeks, but that's OK because I won't be getting back to my camp for a few weeks and I'll have some time to find clays, which Cabelas doesn't have on-line. They also don't have zombie targets, which I was really hoping to find. To me it just doesn't matter if I can hit every clay, never miss a spinner or put dime size groups on paper, if I'm not ready for the zombies I may as well be shooting spit balls.

[Hawk]

Originally Posted by str8shooter

What I really would like to see is something similar with gopher shaped targets that go down when they're hit, and either have a reset target like the spinners, or one random gopher pops back up when a different one is hit. Hmmmm, time to get the welding kit out.

Check these (non-steel) targets out.
http://www.newboldtargets.com/

Or here for some idea's regarding auto-reseting steel targets:
https://www.saluteproducts.com/

[str8shooter]

Originally Posted by Hawk

Check these (non-steel) targets out.
http://www.newboldtargets.com/

Or here for some idea's regarding auto-reseting steel targets:
https://www.saluteproducts.com/

Thanks for the suggestions. I cancelled the spinner target from my Cabelas order after reading the reviews, so I'll checking these out. Almost every person that bought one of the large caliber targets said they blew it to pieces with the first shot. I'm surprised because the .22 spinner target works great. I'll take the reviewers word for it since there's quite a difference between the pop of a .22 Henry and kaboom of a M1 Garand.