First Look: Champion Target Workhorse Electronic Trap

by
posted on March 2, 2017
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
champion_workhorse_f.jpg

We covered plenty of new products earlier this year while in Las Vegas for SHOT Show 2017—but there's often far more on the show floor than we could ever get to. Fortunately, we've got the rest of the year to play with new products. One that the American Hunter team recently had a chance to have a little fun with was the Workhorse Electronic Trap from Champion Target. Here are five things you need to know.

1. It works.
This one's important to note up front. The Workhorse does it job admirably, throwing targets up to 75 yards at your choice of three launch angles. We ran the Workhorse for an entire afternoon without a single technical hiccup, and left impressed. It'll serve as a regular part of tool kit going forward.

2. It's easy to assemble.
The Workhorse sports a compact, portable design—it's durable, but not exceptionally heavy, so you shouldn't have a hard time schlepping it along wherever your shotgunning might take you. Better yet, it all comes together rather quickly. With a few wrenches and a screwdriver, I had the Workhorse operational in about 20 minutes.

3. It runs on a 12-volt battery.
A 12-volt battery is required to run the workhorse, and is not included in the box. That said, 12-volts are easy to find, and aren't expensive. The perfect combination.

4. You can operate it solo.
Though it takes a little getting used to, the Workhorse can absolutely be operated without assistance. A foot pedal allows the shooter to launch targets and their leisure, from a safe distance. And, with a 50-clay magazine, you can get plenty of shooting in before stopping to reload the Workhorse itself.

5. It's affordable.
The Workhorse ships with an MSRP of $359.95, which isn't bad at all, as electronic trap throwers go. I'd label it a solid investment if busting clays is among your passions. Retailers such as Cabela's already have it priced lower than that, courtesy of a mail-in rebate.

You can get a closer look at the Workhorse by following along with our #SundayGunday series, where it should be a regular guest star whenever a shotgun is featured. Check it out.

Latest

Lead Photo 01
Lead Photo 01

Hunting Boot 101

Your firearm, your camo pattern, your shotshell or rifle cartridge, chosen optics, clothing material; all can seem insignificant if your boots aren’t doing their job. Read on for a thorough discussion of what you should look for in a hunting boot, depending on your hunting scenario, by veteran game stalker Phil Massaro.

New for 2026: Chiappa 92 Core Wildlands Series

The Chiappa 92 Core in the company's Wildlands series is built around one priority: a lever-action that stays simple, fast and ready without sacrificing reliability.

8 Ways to Fail at Turkey Hunting

If you’re clamoring for a Tom with a rope-like beard and limb-hanging spurs, you’ll want to avoid these success-stealing perils this season.

Savage Model 110 New Chamberings for 2026

Earlier this year, Savage Arms expanded its iconic Model 110 lineup to introduce six new cartridges.

Forest Service Headquarters Leaving DC

On March 31 the U.S. Forest Service—part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture—announced it will move its headquarters to Salt Lake City, Utah, and begin a sweeping restructuring of the agency to bring leadership closer to the forests and communities it serves.

Hardware Review: Leupold VX-5HD Gen 2

Looking for a new hunting scope before this season? Check out Managing Editor David Herman's hardware review of the second generation VX-5HD, from Leupold. With a 3-15x44mm magnification range, this is glass that can handle just about any hunting scenario you throw at it.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.