The Tradition of Shooting Your Hat: A Celebration of 25 Straight

For those who have spent time in the shotgun sports, there’s a sense of camaraderie, tradition, and celebration that defines the game. Among these traditions, few are as recognized as shooting your hat when a shooter hits their first 25 straight. This custom isn’t just about fun; it’s a tradition that marks a milestone in a shooter’s journey.

The Origin of the Tradition

The roots of this tradition are somewhat elusive, but most believe it began in the early days of competitive shooting as a spontaneous gesture of triumph. Some accounts suggest that early shooter celebrated their first flawless rounds by tossing their caps into the air and shooting them as a way to commemorate the achievement. Stories of this practice spread through local clubs and eventually became a hallmark of shotgun sports culture. Back then, achieving 25 consecutive hits was a significant accomplishment—and it still is today. Shooting your hat symbolized marking the moment in an unforgettable way, and over time, this act became a recognized ritual, passed down through generations.

What Does It Mean to Shoot 25 Straight?

In shotgun sports such as trap, skeet, and 5 Stand, hitting 25 targets in a row during a round is no small feat. It requires focus, precision, and consistency. For many shooters, it’s a milestone that signifies progress and growing expertise. Whether you're a seasoned competitor or a novice, your first 25 straight is a moment to be celebrated—and shooting your hat adds to the excitement.

How the Tradition Plays Out

Here’s how it typically unfolds: After a shooter completes their round and realizes they’ve gone 25 straight, fellow shooters gather to celebrate. The shooter’s hat is tossed into the air in a safe direction. Then, it’s blasted midair by every shooter wanting to participate, leaving a lasting (and often holey) memento of the achievement.

This tradition spans across shotgun sports. In trapshooting, the challenge lies in the consistency of breaking clays released from a single trap house. In skeet, the shooter must contend with targets crossing in various directions from a half circular field. 5 Stand adds complexity by offering a mix of target presentations from multiple shooting stations, each simulating different hunting scenarios. Despite the variations in the games, the achievement of hitting 25 straight remains universal.

A Keepsake with Character

The shot-up hat becomes a badge of honor. Many shooters keep their shot hats as trophies, sometimes even writing the date and event on the brim. It serves as a reminder of the day they reached an important milestone in that particular shotgun sports journey. Some even start collections of their milestone hats, each one telling its own story.

Embracing Tradition at GunsBay

At GunsBay, we celebrate the traditions and milestones that make shotgun sports so special. Whether you’re shopping for your first shotgun, trading for a vintage collectible, or sharing your own shooting stories in our community, we’re here to support your journey. And when you hit that first 25 straight, don’t forget to share your hat-shooting story with us. We’d love to feature it on our platform and if it's a GunsBay hat we'll replace it!