Beginning trap shooter?

[tops]

I think that is a good idea.
I think what is most important is to learn the rules and etiquette before you get on the firing line. Practice loading the gun and simulate shooting at home instead of fumbling and breaking the rhythm on the firing line.
I can't remember anyone making fun of someone because their gun was less expensive than someone else. I can remember many times when people get annoyed at a beginner because they didn't follow rules and etiquette and had guns that would not work properly. Larry

 

[RGPM1A]

If you go with a semi auto like an 1100 or 11-87 don't forget a shell catcher. Bouncing shells off the guy to the right of you will not be proper form.

PS: I would go with a semi auto. Less recoil and more flexible for other games.

 

[mauser9]

Another vote for the Remington 1100. I use one with 30 inch barrel for Trap myself. However you might consider the new Rem.870 Fieldmaster just out now this year. Walnut stock with 28 inch barrel with screw in chokes. Seen them going for $519 lately. Got my eye on them myself.

 

[Rlg#17]

Be careful, you don’t know just how far you can go down that rabbit hole…
There is no bottom to it. Way back when, I started the clay target games with a left-handed Remington 870 TB. It would break clays like they didn’t belong in the sky!

Over the years I located several 3” model 12’s and had Wrights gunsmithing turn them into trap guns for me. They worked well, smoked targets with his choke work etc. He didn’t kill you with prices either, but idk if he’s still alive.

Ended up with an American made trap combo, un single and o/u combo. Two or three wood stocks, pfs stock. 4-barrel sub gauge set and tubes for skeet and sporting clays. Pull AND release triggers, it was a $20,000. 00. Total.

Any Model 12, or early 870 field gun and you can get started “casually”!

Enjoy whatever you choose, but beware the rabbit hole.

Regards, Rick Gibbs

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

I started with a Remington 870 as well. I was never competitive to the "top guns" but slowly improved and had a lot of fun and met new friends. I eventually bought a Berretta Silver Pigeon over under and I really like it, but the pump was fun too. Whatever gun you choose, including your own bolt action, just go.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

My brother has shot Sporting Clays with me since 1996, about 8 years ago, he decided to become a Trap shooter. So he bought a $1500 single barrel SKB trap gun and "out grew" it in a few months. It became a constant arms race to acquire a better gun! Trade in and selling some guns allowed him to raise his scores. But after 8 years and several thousand round and several thousand dollars, he isn't any better that when he started shooting trap! I'm not sure what you call fun, but you get sucked in to paying pretty good money for "Fun"

Ivan

 

[Nevada Ed]

A lot of people spend tons of $$$ on their trap shotguns, which is fine
but I do love to use my old Stevens Mod 311 SxS 20 Ga, and match or beat their scores
and see the looks on their face, when the smoke settles.

I cut my teeth on that weapon when I was a teenage and only have around
58 years of learning how to shoot it, plus a little stock work and stuff.

If it goes "Bang" there is a good chance that the clay might break, with
all those pellets in the air, coming at it.

 

[Golddollar]

I've been on the prowl locally, but I'm not seeing any used trap guns on the racks, but I've been seeing a lot of reasonably priced classic 12 gauge field grade pumps (Winchester 1897/12, Ithaca 37), and I figured I'd rather have one of those than a $200 Walmart plastic Chinese gun. Could I just show up with any quality field grade pump with a full choke and be OK for a few sessions, and get something fancy if I find out I want to get serious?

You most certainly can show up with a good field grade pump 12 gauge and you can keep using it for a long time. I bought a used Remington 870 back in 1966 for the princely sum of $40. It was a field gun, but it became my trap gun for decades because my arms are an inch shorter than average and the field gun turned out to be perfect for trap for me.

To show the capabilities of this gun, I harken back to a club turkey shoot based on 5 shots on the trap range. One fellow and I were tied and so the club decided on having sudden death shootoffs at increasing distances for the tiebreaker. Each of us got to shoot at 1 bird at 22 yards (or something like that) and then 27 yards, the last step on the trap range. We were both still tied. So we were placed back at the control box, which was probably 30 yards or so behind the trap house. The other fellow called for his bird. He shot and missed. Then I called for my bird and fired. We all watched my bird keep going farther and farther out for what seemed like a long time, and then it turned to powder. As a kid with an old field gun, I felt pretty good.

I still have the gun.

 

[drumminor2nd]

Thanks, all. I sat this one out to soak up the knowledge. I've only ever shot at flying clay pigeons once (at a church event I stumbled upon for work years ago), and they handed me an 1897 trench gun as a gag. Hurt like hell, but I busted a few. So my experience is very limited.

Looks like a Remington 1100 or 870 (the new Fieldmaster is getting some good better-than-Express reviews. Just got home from the LGS and handled one -- it's no Wingmaster, but it sure ain't a Walmart special Express) would be good choices to start with. I kinda like the idea of something with a 3" chamber so I can help a bit with the Canada goose population in September -- they're evil, but crunchy and taste good with ketchup. The Winchester SX4 also looks promising.

 

[cballman]

I have been involved in the scouting ranks for years. Camps and troops. We normally will have a troop shoot once or twice a year. I have been using my sons Stoeger 20 gauge over and under. I am decent with it. Not great but decent. I have went thru the Shotgun instructor course with a friend of mine from scouts. They use Benelli Montefeltro's for the kids at camp. I have shot one and they are awesome. I recently purchased a used one and didnt break much of the bank. I have spent more on this gun than I had hoped BUT if you ever shoot one then you will understand. The difference is in the recoil. The lower cost guns are good BUT if you spend a little more it does make a difference. I am not talking the 20-30 thousand range but in the 1200-1500 range. Just a little knowledge from a tightwad when it comes to guns.

 

[H Richard]

I'm one that started with a 870, mod choke. after about a year it was traded for a SKB O/U which I shot for several years, but traded for a Remington O/U that I didn't really like, and it went in trade for a Browning Special Sporting Clays O/U (that I still have) and it worked for a couple more years, then I went for a Browning BT99+ 32" with all the bells and whistles. I still shoot it, and the Sporting Clays mod is my Skeet gun and I like it so much I bought a 20 Gauge the same.

 

[Fishjager]

Trap shooting is interesting, you see all kinds of guns and people. Some guns are pretty expensive, some are not. It is all about what you can afford. I have seen guys hit 25 straight with a 870, or model 12. I think the most popular trap gun out there is the Browining BT99, with a 34in barrel. I own quite a few trap guns. But I keep coming back to the BT99+, it just shoots good. You can get a good used BT99 for between 800 to 1200 dollars. Keep your eyes peeled. The most important thing is how the gun feels and fits YOU! Make sure you have a friend that knows something about trap guns to go with you to buy one. Good luck.

 

[targetchief]

The Browning Citori CX is a great bargin. Good for all the clay games.

 

[Cheetah85]

I shoot trap 3 times a week. I started out with a Remington 1100. You can get a real 30" trap barrel for it with choke tubes. The rib is what makes it a trap barrel. You can also upgrade the stock to trap grade. Get a shell catcher. I'm not a fan of getting hit by hulls flying out of the gun next to me. haha I now have several Beretta's & two Trap Grade Ithaca 37's. One from 1948 & the other new out of Sandusky Ohio. I shoot the Beretta's mostly.

 

[2152hq]

You don't need a 'Trap' gun to shoot trap any more than you need a 'Skeet' gun to shoot skeetor a 'Sporting Clays' gun to shoot that course.

To get yourself started, have fun and even shoot 24 or 25/25,,most any field gun will do the trick.
All you need to do is be able to shoot.

A vent rib, or a particularly fitted stock, a special front bead,,none will make you a good shooter.
Any of those make help a good shooter be a better one on any particular course. Gaining one more target over a hundred or 200 target course makes a big difference when you are in that level of the game.
When $$ is at stake,,it means everything.

But for the average weekend shooter , most any plain field gun will do.
Pick a gun that you like, feel comfortable with.
You won't break the targets if you're not on them,,no matter what the gun and how expensive it is nor the brand name.

You must still learn target lead to the left and right even with a Trap Rib which places the shot pattern high for the rising Trap targets.
Each station of the 5 presents it's own different target flight picture.

The gun isn't going to do it for you.
Some days it will seem as so and everything you point at breaks into powder.
Got this game down!

Then the next time you may leave the Trap Field thinking you'd have a hard time hitting them placed on the ground in front of you.

Start with something friendly to you, handy, you feel comfortable with.
Pump, semiauto, O/U, whatever. Don't be Brand conscious. You'll get looks from othr shooters no matter what you bring to the line.
Don't let gadgets clutter your shooting. Gloves, special glasses w/ varying colored lenses, interchangeable front sight beads and such other sighting gadgets,
Choke tubes are common (now), but don't fret over changing them if you start missing a few targets thinking it's the problem.
Before choke tubes were around,,....

If you get stuck with a group that isn't the most friendly to shoot with,,and it happens,,,find another group. You only need 4 plus yourself for a Trap squad.
Some shooters can't seem to shoot with a newer shooter to the sport and that can place a lot of pressure on that new guy.

Above all,,you are there to have some fun.
The ATA stuff comes much later.....

 

[drumminor2nd]

Well, the best laid plans of mice and men...

Went to buy the Remington yesterday, and it was out of stock. However, there was a used-but-not-abused Winchester SXP Trap for $350 (retail about $500 the next shop I visited). So that came home with me instead. Figure I can donate it to a school trap team if I end up not liking trap all that much.

 

[DWalt]

For beginner basic trap shooting, any (preferably 12 gauge) shotgun that fits you reasonably well will be adequate. The choke should be full, but modified will work for non-handicap shooting. No barrel rib is needed but it is nice if there is one. I wouldn’t worry at all about the high-dollar guns the other guys use, most of them are just showing off anyway. I once had a friend who was a top-flight trap shooter who seldom shot any worse than 24x25 from the 15 yard line, and he used an ordinary field-grade Mossberg 500.

 

[Nevada Ed]

As mentioned, all kinds and styles and Ga. of shotguns work in trap, skeet and sporting clays.

I like my O/U when shooting skeet, since I can use two different chokes
to help with close and medium shots.
However, there is less recoil and I do a little better with my Auto loader
however, it tosses the cases away.
This can be a problem at some clubs, where if the case hits the ground
they claim it and you loose a hull, that could have been reloaded.......

(They do make a shell catcher, if you are just shooting a single round, though)

but that is why they make Estates, Rio's and Rem. trap clubs, (black) so you don't feel bad, letting the club couse claim them......

instead of my good "Uni Hulls".

I am hoping that our stores start to have sales on "Flats" of ammo again,
to help out in these times.

Tight patterns.