When I was in high school my buddy and I used to trek up to our family property a couple times a month to go shooting. We would spend hours on end launching skeet into the air trying to hone our skills. Back then we used a plastic skeet thrower that required a decent amount of arm strength.
While you can still find these manual models, most of the skeet trap’s we’ll be covering in this article are automated. They offer consistency, convenience, and hours of shooting pleasure without wearing out your shoulder. Without further ado… here is our list of the best clay pigeon throwers on the market.
Quick Comparison Of Our Top Skeet Traps
| Products | Overall Build | Performance | Convenience | Angle | Additional Items |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champion WheelyBird Auto-Feed Trap | Sturdy | Very Good | Convenient | 30 degrees | DVD and safety feature |
| Trius One Step Trap | Sturdy | Good | Convenient | Not specified | Instructions |
| Champion High FlyString Release Manual Trap | Quite Sturdy | Good | Convenient | None | Instructions |
| Champion Handthrower Clay Target | Sturdy | Good | Very Convenient | None | None |
| Trius 2 Birdshooter Trap | Sturdy | Good | Very Convenient | Not specified | None |
| Do-All Outdoors Automatic Trap | Sturdy | Good | Very Convenient | 5-35 degrees | Warranty |
| MTM Clay Target Thrower | Sturdy | Very Good | Very Convenient | None | None |
| Do-All Outdoors White Wing Automatic Trap | Sturdy | Average | Convenient | Not specified | Warranty |
| Allen Claymaster Target Thrower | Sturdy | Average | Convenient | None | Warranty |
| WingOne Clay Target Thrower | Sturdy | Very Good | Very Convenient | None | None |
Automatic Clay Pigeon Thrower Reviews
Champion WheelyBird Auto-Feed Trap
This skeet launcher from Champion is the cream of the crop. It offers 30 degrees of adjustment for launch angle, a 25ft foot pedal, and you can get 3,000 throws from a single charge of it’s battery. It holds 50 clay pigeons and quickly cycles after each throw.
Assembly of the WheelyBird is VERY straightforward and took less than an hour. On our first use we went through about 300 birds WITHOUT A SINGLE BROKEN one.
Max distance seems to be about 55 yards depending on the angle you set for launch.
The 12volt deep cycle battery means you can take it anywhere and set it up in minutes.
The battery is not included but any deep cycle 12 volt will do. You can also modify the unit with a little know-how and attach it directly to an extension cord.
Trius One Step Trap
At a weight of 20.6 pounds, you can bet that this clay pigeon thrower is sturdy and strongly built, mostly due to the high quality materials used in construction. If you have noticed, this device does not come in the typical dull colours of grey and black, which are very common. Instead the whole device comes in a vivid maroon colour that is very pleasing to the eye.
Moving on to the performance, there are throw regulation singles plus piggy back doubles and it only requires one person for easy throw and shoot so that you don’t have to arrange for someone else to ‘attend’ while you enjoy shotgun practice. All you have to do is step on pedal to put tension on the arm and release targets in one swift motion. It is also able to throw either right or left and in order to do that, simply adjust the spring tension which can cause it to release the bird a little left or right.
You may also choose to mount it with a slight slant to make it throw left or right. As far as convenience goes, this device is so easy to use and store! Simply because it already comes partially assembled, which gives way to less stress and hassle.
It is also very effortless to use because the arm is set and targets ( clays ) are placed on arm without tension and speaking of the arm, it is made of aluminium and the oil impregnated bushings deliver years of trouble-free throwing and shooting. Plus, there are large knobs for adjusting tension thus it is fully adjustable without using any other tools.
There is an angle adjustment, it is not specified however. As for additional items, it does come with instructions of course. The only disadvantage would be that, the instructions that do come with it are only sufficient to put the base together but nothing about assembling the actual working mechanism. So for those whom are fairly new to this, may struggle a bit.
Champion High FlyString Release Manual Trap
Now, this clay pigeon thrower is different than the ones mentioned above because as it says clearly in the title, this device is a manual one. It is quite sturdy but not as sturdy enough as the automatic traps, therefore to increase stability, you will have to stake in the ground or mount on a tire. Then you will be good to go.
Performance wise, it has such a great balanced design that delivers all regulation clay targets to challenging distances. How it works is that, a simple pull of a string and features a target clip for a secure placement and a consistent flight path. Pretty cool huh? It also can be used by one person for loading and shooting, therefore there is no need for another person to ‘assemble’.
Almost all clays are of the same size, thus it will be able to throw them all. Regarding the adjustments of the spring, just play around with it at first until you get the desired shooting pattern, so you start loose and then increase the tension until where you like it. Plus, it is able to throw to a range of 60-75 yards.
In terms of ease of use and convenience, it is very easily operated. It is manual after all thus there are not tons of buttons and functions. It is also very easy to assemble. The instructions can be slightly dense, but visually you will be able to figure it out pretty quickly.
Another helpful tip drill holes in the table for them to fit into.If you mount it to a table, the front & back legs must be mounted upside down, or you will need a hole saw to drill holes into the table for them to fit into. The height of the table definitely helps with throwing the clay birds higher and further.
There are no angle adjustments. The only additional item included would be the instructions and a few nuts and bolts. Some of the disadvantages are, the arm will open up and the clay birds will be loose in it and fall out. Moreover, it does not throw doubles as well as it should either. Other than that, for such an affordable price, it is a great clay pigeon thrower.
Trius 2 Birdshooter Trap
Although this trap is very lightweight, it is firm and sturdy. For increased stability, all you have to do is hold in place by your foot or tire mount(bolt furnished) it and you are good to go. The product has very solid construction, with heavy gage steel construction that should last for years.
Although this model is slightly lighter than the original TRIUS trap, do not let that or the low price fool you simply because it has the capability to outperform other traps in the similar price range. Let us delve into the details. There is a high angle target retainer for added variety to the customer’s shooting.
It cannot shoot two clays at a time however and a person single handedly cannot launch and shoot with this trap, it requires two people. However, you can probably rig up a release pedal of some sort as a solution. It can throw to a maximum of 50 yards and can rival the expensive traps in the market but can be dialed back for beginners like most to get familiar with actually hitting the clay targets before adding distance and direction to the bird’s flight for improved performance.
For ease of use, it is very portable and convenient. It can be adjusted without tools and already comes pre assembled so there is less work on your part. Elevation adjustment is also very easy but take alert that some clay targets may slip off if you set it too high. It is all about trial and error. As far as the angle elevation goes, there is one however it is not specified.
Most unfortunately, this clay thrower does not come with any additional items. Moving on to the disadvantages, the spring and screw adjustments are quite poorly designed therefore it is very difficult to safely cock the arm. Moreover, the target platform is tiny so it will not hold up for long.
Do-All Outdoors Automatic Trap
This clay pigeon thrower has a great overall build and proves to be very sturdy seeing that it has a strong base and construction mostly consists of high quality metals. Ground spikes are included to provide a superior hold and reduction of vibration. Furthermore, it has a 25 clay target feeder that can throw clays to a distance of 55 yards plus and has a 2.5 second recycle time. That’s pretty impressive right?
Also there is more. The ability to add multiple extension cords gives you better shooting ability and shot visuals. It handles all standard, bio’s, 108mm, and 110mm clays, so no worries there. The brand’s silky smooth feeder tray provides a flawless transfer of pigeon onto the throwing arm, this is great as the clays will not be as likely to break.
The attachable Hi-Viz Orange safety ring provides a great visual indicator of the throwing arm path and the safety pin included makes sure that the arm does not fire in an accidental release. Moreover, there is a foot pedal release with 25 foot cord with an adjustable limit switch for timing adjustments in the field.It does not throw in different directions, it throws straight.
If you would like to remedy that, you will have to purchase the wobbler attachment. In terms of convenience, this item is delightfully portable and easy to operate due to it’s flawless technology. The arm is made of aircraft aluminum with a 5 -35 degree angle of adjustment allowing for different throwing planes.
There is a warranty involved, for further details, you are required to contact the manufacturer. Extra note: this device runs off a 12V deep cycle marine battery (not included) and is compatible with the Do-All Outdoors Wobbler and wireless remote. As for the disadvantages, there are no major ones to this great item although some may regard this item a little too pricey.
Do-All Outdoors White Wing Automatic Trap
Here is another great product from Do-All Outdoors, although this specific one here is slightly more pricier than the previous one. In terms of overall build, it meets one’s expectations and is very sturdy and dependable. Moreover, the white wing auto trap is one of the best automatic trap deals on the market that you will look forward to get your hand on.
Performance wise, it is powered by any deep cycle battery, 12V car battery ( not included ) and the motor only requires two seconds to cycle. With the wobbler kit, you can easily move it to throw in any direction and it is easily adjustable to throw either higher or lower. It comes with a foot pedal release, but you can add an extension cord to the pedal.
It has a throwing range of about 50-65 yards and clay breakage is very minimal at 1 to 2% of targets thrown which is perfectly acceptable. Also, regarding the battery, one deep cycle marine battery is sufficient torun this unit all day.Let us have a look at the convenience of this trap. It is super easy to assemble.
Upon opening the box you will find that the legs, the target holder posts, the safety ring (a piece of neon orange poly tubing,) the spring, a few other parts and the thrower itself with pretty much everything already put together. The instructions are very direct thus you will have it up and running in about half an hour.
Sometimes, the spring loaded target brake puts a lot of pressure against the birds which may damage them so a simple solution would be to take cutoff pliers and shorten the spring about 2-3 windings off. There is angle elevation and warranty is included.
Regarding the matter of disadvantages, this device is pretty hardcore when it comes to throwing the birds, thus if not handled or loaded properly, it may break them and they also start to shatter in the hopper.
Allen Claymaster Target Thrower
With a strong solid construction of steel frame, this clay pigeon thrower is extremely durable and sturdy with great quality. For added stability, you have the option of stake mount or tire mount options. In terms of performance, this device here is capable of throwing singles or doubles and has an adjustable tension throwing arm spring.
Moreover, it comes with a cushioned pad that prevents clays from breaking which is great. However, it takes another person to pull the release so that the shooter can concentrate on the target. Do take note that the arm does require some force to cock and two hands to stabilize as you are cocking.
A single or disabled shooter be be well served by bolting the unit to a table. It comes in small parts with a bunch of nuts and bolts, completely disassembled and only takes about 20-30 minutes to assemble, making it very easy to use and convenient. There seems to be no mention of angle elevation however.
A warranty is featured. Moving on to the negative aspects of this clay thrower, it does tend to move about a bit, but it can be fixed with sandbags. Also, the main spring jumps over the frame and has to be pushed back after each throw so that may prove to be of an inconvenience. If you are willing to overlook that, this is a great deal.
Manual Skeet Thrower Reviews
WingOne Clay Target Thrower
Now this is a hand help clay pigeon thrower, thus there will be no need for a ground set up. Nevertheless, the item should still feel sturdy enough in one’s hand. You will be pleased to know that the WingOne clay target thrower does just that! It has a firm and solid build , however it will not hurt your shoulder as most olden day clay throwers do.
It is also not affected by temperature in any way, thus even in extreme weathers, it should hold up just fine.In terms of performance, it works exactly as advertised. Interestingly, this clay launcher comes with an innovative auto cocking design. What this does is provides the user with the ability to throw four of five times faster than other throwers and it supports many varieties of clay thus eliminating the need to purchase clays of different sizes.
And for all you left handers, fret not, this item works well with a backhand throw, so you can use this if you are left handed. You can only throw one clay at a given time so it cannot throw doubles. It also has a good range of 55-65 yards. Consistency is key however, and a little tweak or two on your grip and you are throwing where you want the clay to go.
Both straight throws and arc throws are possible. Also, beginners can have success hitting clays thrown with this because you control the height and velocity of the clay. That’s motivation right there. Moving on to convenience, this product is so easy to use, drop a clay in, push it down a little, rare back and let it fly. None of the clay seems to break as well.
They seem to so with other plastic throwers, but not this one here.Plus it is absolutely maintenance free. It is lightweight and portable as well. Since this is operated manually, there are no preset angles.
And there are no additional items included either. There are no major disadvantages to this clay thrower.
MTM Clay Target Thrower Review
First off, can we all take a moment to appreciate how affordably priced this item is. That is probably an understatement, this has to be the cheapest one in the market. Despite being made out of plastic, this clay thrower is very firm and solid. Thus it is not likely to break after a couple of uses.
This clay thrower is also very unique compared to the other traditional ones as it actually has power pivot arm. Now who would have thought of that and it is so incredibly cheap despite the creativeness behind it. It has a total length of 20 inches and can throw left or right handed and has the ‘toss anywhere’ packability.
It can throw up to a distance of 40-60 yards consistently.As far as comfort goes, it is extremely easy and comfortable to use. The MTM hand held clay launcher hardly has the tendency to break clays either. This is due to the ergonomic palm swell and comfort grip finger grooves. No more the feeling of harsh plastic rubbing against your palms.
There are no tricky gimmicks or complicated mechanics to fumble around with either, making things a whole lot simpler. Plus, this is so portable as you will not have to mount it anywhere. As this is a hand held clay thrower, there are no angle elevations included .
Nor are there any additional items. There is no reason to complain however, as this product already comes so cheap. Moving on to disadvantages, you will be pleased to know there are none. Most people tend to think that cheaper items are more faulty but this clay thrower proves otherwise.
Champion Hand thrower Clay Target Review
Update: This hunting range gear skeet and trap shooting target throwers allows hand tossing targets with better accuracy. It is fully adjustable for various sizes of sporting clay targets.
Upon first glance, you may be thinking that this hand thrower looks very plastic and flimsy. That is not the case however, despite being made mostly out of plastic and other components, it has a firm feel and feels solid to the touch. Moving on to performance, it is ideal for both left and right hand throwing and is able to throw up to a distance of 60 yards! That is a pretty impressive range from a hand thrower compared to that of an automatic clay pigeon thrower.
Also, it can pretty much throw any standard size clay, thus there are no limitations. It is also important to note that there is minimal effort required in throwing. With just a little practice you can throw pretty much any type of shot you want. Once you get used to it, you will come to realize that you are able to fire off clays almost as good as the trap house throws them, at a lower cost of course.
Convenience wise, it is absolutely lightweight and portable plus there is no maintenance required. Seeing that this item already comes at a super affordable price, there will no need for you to fork out any more money for maintenance purposes. Now that is one reliable and convenient device.
Since this is a hand thrower, there is no angle feature included, unless the own adjustment of your arm and body of course. Considering that this clay thrower already comes at such a wonderful price, it is fine that it does not come equipped with any additional items.
There are no major disadvantages to this clay thrower. It is a great start for beginners as you get to hone your skills and develop a further interest in the sport.
Key Features
You may find that most clay pigeon throwers available on the market now are mostly automatic, which requires use of setting up the equipment on the ground. With that being said, you will want to ensure to look out for a clay pigeon thrower that is both sturdy and durable. Can you imagine having one that is flimsy and not sturdy at all? As sure as eggs are eggs, your shots are going to be off point.
Look for ones that have a sturdy frame preferably of steel and most have an aluminium coated arm swing as well. These metals are of high quality and is guaranteed to stick around for a long time thus dismissing the need for future clay pigeon throwers and these equipment do not come cheap. So be sure to choose wisely.
Also as I mentioned earlier, these activities are typically held outdoors thus you will want to purchase a clay pigeon thrower that is up to the weather. For those of you whom may not be aware, exposing certain types of equipment to long term sun exposure can lead to damage.
Performance
This is the key element that is either going to make or break any items out there in the market. Like any customer, naturally you will want to go after an item that is rated with the best performance and features. However be warned that the higher it performs, the higher the price. So, if you are just a beginner looking to start out in this sport, I suggest picking one that although might not have the best performance, but still performs exceedingly well.
That should help to keep your budget in check. In terms of performance, you will want to take note of such things as, how many yards is the clay pigeon thrower able to shoot up to ( the further the better of course ), how efficient is the motor, what is the recycle time and so on. Based on all those, you can judge how good and efficient the item is. Some come with great innovative technology to help boost the performance as we shall come across later.
Convenience
This is super important if you intend to spend a lot of time in the sport with your clay pigeon thrower. I think it goes without being said that you should look for one that is lightweight and portable. Otherwise, expect major back pain problems trying to lug that device around. However, do not mistake lightweight for compromise of quality.
It should be both lightweight and durable at the same time. Moreover, try to scour for a clay pigeon thrower that is the least complicated in terms of set up and assembly because we all know how frustrated and annoyed we tend to get after having spent a few hours without getting anywhere, unless you are a natural DIY sort of person whom has knack for it.
Lastly, operating the clay pigeon launcher itself should be relatively smooth and easy. Safety features are an added plus as there are chances of getting hurt if you are not careful.
Angle
Moving on to our next criteria, the angle. By being able to adjust the angle, it further increases your chances of bettering your game. There are tons of products with a myriad of angle adjustments, so choose one that is best suited towards you. In this instance about the angles, we are refering to the automatic clay pigeon throwers, this is not applicable to the hand held ones as those do not have a set angle but rather depends on the angle of the thrower himself.
If this is the case, then you may want to practice all the different angles until you come across one that is most beneficial and comfortable and keep honing your skills on trying to maintain that specific angle or within that range. We are only human after all. On the final note, be sure that the device lives up to the company claims regarding the angle as some try to oversell their product. A trusted source like Amazon is a good choice.
Additional Items
It’s always pleasing to know that the item you are purchasing comes with a few additional items. That’s a good bang for your buck! And these automatic clay pigeon launchers are costly things, so rest assured, most of them will be coming along with additional items. Some additional items which provide to be very useful are battery cables, nuts and bolts ( extra ones always come in handy ), clay guide rods and so on.
If there is a warranty involved, even more of a reason to celebrate as you will not have to fork out a single penny as long as the warranty period is valid. I’ve even heard of ones that comes with foldable chairs to provide maximum comfort to the consumer. And Oh! There may be also clay pigeon throwers that come with a DVD for set up purposes. So cool.
- Overall build is rated from sturdy to very sturdy.
- Performance is rated from very bad to very good.
- Convenience is rated from not convenient to very convenient.
- Angle is rated respectively.
- Additional items is rated respectively.
Conclusion
Hopefully you are able to find what you were looking for and that this article proved to be useful. Also remember to check out our comparison table above for better clarity. Good luck!