Trap shooting shotgun?

[HKB]

Hello All,

I'm thinking about getting into trap shooting and was wondering if anyone could give some advice on a shotgun that would serve this need. I haven't done much research, but I have read a few reviews on Cabela's website. My concern is buying a pretty expensive firearm that leaves a bruise on my arm. Any help out there?

 

[Rocket3]

HKB what's your budget? Trap guns range from $500 - $25K+
I'm a die hard Browning guy. I have Gracoil recoil reducers on both of my regularly used trap guns, I really like them.

Highly recommend trapshooters.com

 

[Rpg]

I'd look for a used Remington 1100 if recoil is a big issue or if you're going to shoot doubles.

Alternatively, a Winchester Model 12 or an older Remington 870 (pump guns) are great trap guns. Folks usually want full choke on a trap gun and there are a ton of them available in these models.

You can spend a ton on a new gun, but your score won't be any better than your score with the guns I've listed here.

As you gain skill at the trap game, you may want more expensive guns, but by then you won't be looking for advice on the internet.

 

[Valmet]

If you can find a nice 870 Classic Trap you'll be all set...preferably an older model.

 

[buckshotshorty]

I'll second Remington 1100 but with the recent bankruptcy of Remington I cannot avow for quality

 

[tops]

Hello All,

I'm thinking about getting into trap shooting and was wondering if anyone could give some advice on a shotgun that would serve this need. I haven't done much research, but I have read a few reviews on Cabela's website. My concern is buying a pretty expensive firearm that leaves a bruise on my arm. Any help out there?

Go hang out out at the trap club and talk too the good trap shooters and see what they shoot and why. I am sure some of the shooters will let you shoot their guns and you can make a more informed decision. Larry

 

[PPS1980]

Just went through this with my daughter who joined the Skeet-Trap team at her High School (yes, she has a weapon on school grounds). The best advice I got (I'm not a shotgun guy) was to let her try a few at the range and see what she liked and what worked for her. We decided on an Over&Under 12ga but the other girls ALL opted for a automatic in 20ga. Anyway, the cost for these shotguns ranges from $400 to $1m (seriously) with many of the know-it-alls saying you can't get a good skeet gun for <$5000 (they're WRONG). Hope that helps.

BTW, She out shot each of those girls with the lighter and auto weapons.

 

[silverstateS&W]

after a lifetime of trap i can tell you you'll own several guns over your 'career' in trap.
I would suggest a semi suto of Beretta or Remington quality trap model.
that way you can shoot doubles as well..
very few shooters shoot an o/u for singles as there is a lot of barrel in the way of your under gun vision-althoiugh it sounds like a great deal.

OR buy a nice used BT99 and THEN if the bug bites for doubles, then a second gun..
if you buy a good used BT99 it will always be worth what you paid for it. unlike one of the thousand lesser quality guns now availalbe.
you will get as many opinions as shooters you ask but i've seen it lots ofr times.
good luck
Larry
also if sporting clays is a possibility, a trap gun is really not suitable ,, so buy a good sporting clay O/U and use it for both.
if you get more serious about one or the other, go from there.
again, used guns are the way to go.

 

[OLDSTER]

Another 1100 fan. I shot a Tournament Grade Trap for doubles for many years. I won more with it than either of my Perazzi single barrel guns.

 

[H Richard]

The most important thing most have eluded to indirectly is the stock fit. There is a difference between a Trap gun and a field/skeet gun. It's the fit of the stock keeping your head more erect. I would definitely recommend a break open gun, either a BT99 or Trap stocked over/under. Look at used guns. Lots of value if they are tight and the lever is right of center.

Get some instruction, a lot is available on You Tube. A BT99 is heavy enough that it mitigates the recoil. If you use a semi-auto you must be prepared to bend over and pickup your empties, most ranges require you to keep them cleaned up.

A minimum of 28/30 inch barrel, with 32" preferred.

Visit your local range and I'll bet you might know some of the shooters. Talk to them and try a few different guns. Over 25 years I went through pump guns, to O/U's to BT99+. With each upgrade I got a little better.

I load a 1 oz. load at 1200 fps and it has no real recoil used in the trap gun. Winchester makes a white box 1 oz. load about the same that isn't too expensive, maybe in the $60 - $70 per case (250 rounds). That would let you shoot 10 courses of 25 birds. About $6 for shells and from $5 to $10 to shoot a round. $10 to $15 total in my area.

If you find you don't like it, you can sell used guns for about what you paid for them. If you like shooting, you'll like Trap.

Do not get any gauge other than 12 gauge.

 

[Shootgood]

I also would suggest a Browning BT-99. They are a dedicated trap gun and will last for years while not breaking the bank.

 

[Houndog]

Been shooting a lot of trap over the last 2+ years and own a couple of trap guns.

Personally, I would recommend either an O/U or a single barrel shotgun. Nothing against semi-auto's, but you will not be popular on the line if your gun is ejecting shells at your neighbor. There are fixes for this, but I think the O/U and single barrels are generally less finicky and less likely to cause you problems on the line.

As other posters have pointed out, you can spend a lot on a trap gun. It is definitely worthwhile considering a used shotgun (if it is a high quality one). A well made gun is capable of shooting 100,000+ rounds with only minor servicing, so you shouldn't be scared of a used gun.

If you have the budget, I would look at Browning and Beretta. The Browning BT-99 is a very popular single barrel option and you will see a lot of them. Browning Citori (which I have) is also an excellent option. As is a Beretta Silver Pigeon.

If you can, it is worthwhile shouldering, and even shooting, a few different models. Fit is critical to getting decent scores and the best shotgun in the world will not get you good scores if it doesn't fit you. I would therefore suggest an adjustable comb, which will help you get a good fit. Also, if you plan to shoot nothing but trap get a dedicated trap gun.

As others have said, most trap guys are pretty friendly and, if you ask nicely, will let you try their gun ... although I wouldn't walk up to a guy with a $15,000 Perazzi and expect him to let you shoot it.

 

[LostintheOzone]

I'd look for a used Remington 1100 if recoil is a big issue or if you're going to shoot doubles.

Alternatively, a Winchester Model 12 or an older Remington 870 (pump guns) are great trap guns. Folks usually want full choke on a trap gun and there are a ton of them available in these models.

You can spend a ton on a new gun, but your score won't be any better than your score with the guns I've listed here.

As you gain skill at the trap game, you may want more expensive guns, but by then you won't be looking for advice on the internet.

Sound advice. Don't spend a lot of money on your first gun. I started with an 870 and ended up with Beretta 682.

Lots of really good trap shooters at my local small town range used model 12's and 870's. The nice thing about those is you can find them in trap configurations for less than 1K.

If you have never shot trap before it's a bit different than sporting or skeet. Clays are always going away and rising. Trap guns usually have higher combs and ribs to force a shot to meet the rising trajectory. For this reason shoulder the gun you buy to check the fit. You should see more of the rib than say a field gun or sporting gun.

If you can find an old BT-99 or 100 cheap those are also good.

 

[kenjen]

The main thing is fit. The Beretta line of auto guns allow you to adjust the stock for a proper fit for right and left hand shooters, you can adjust them for cast on and off plus the drop of the comb.they also are very soft shooting and will hold up to the demands of the game. I have shot some of my best scores with a Remington 870 but had bruise on my shoulders after shooting.

 

[67tempest]

My trap gun is a 12ga Browning Citori. I shot trap regularly for 9 years with a group of friends and I have probably put at least 50K+ rounds through that Citori. At the time I purchased it, it was the most expensive firearm I had ever bought, it was well worth the expense. The Citori still locks up tight as a drum and I don't see how you could ever wear one out. A couple of guys had cheap, (Turkish?) OU's that you had break open over your knee after a few rounds, total junk.

 

[Doug44]

Shot a lot of trap with the old 870 which I still have. Get someone with experience to help you select a gun that fits you. For my 870 all I had to do was add small spacer under the recoil pad to get the proper length. I also shot a Browning o/u that I had to have the comb shaved down. For comfort and good scores fit is very important

 

[mauser9]

Only used a Rem 1100 TB grade for my bird shooting. Light recoil and my scores have not been bad lately. Plenty of O/U that are much more expensive at my club but I am stickin with what I have.

 

[Papabear1324]

A lot of good advice above, but the most important thing is that the shotgun fits you. If it does not fit, you will be in pain and not be able to break birds consistently. It takes practice, practice and more practice. I was told by Perazzi trap team, when you are up to your a** in empty shells, you possibly could become a good trap shooter.

 

[625-7]

What HRichad posted in #11. Standard trap chambering is 12g 2 3/4 " shell. My range don't care what you shoot but do not get stupid! Proper range behavior is paramount! 1 oz - 1 1/8 at 1150 to 1200 fps with #8 shot will do the trick. Along with the BT 99 an 870 TA, TB or TC are good options along with an 1187 as long as the fit is good. An auto with a shell catcher works wonderfully on an older shoulder like mine, though hotter rounds may find their way past the catcher. Trap shooting is very addictive but you don't need an expensive gun to participate. Got a friend that can shoot 25s with a worn out Winchester 1897!

 

[diyj98]

I'll add that personally I don't want a used trap or skeet gun unless I know and trust the previous owner. They can often appear in super nice nice condition, but have loads of wear inside. They aren't carried in the woods and beat around like a hunting gun, but may fire several hundred rounds each weekend. I saw my dad wear a Beretta over and under skeet out that looked excellent condition on the outside. The cocking rod and some other internal parts had just worn down from several thousand of rounds of shooting.

 

[Golddollar]

The most important thing most have eluded to indirectly is the stock fit. There is a difference between a Trap gun and a field/skeet gun. It's the fit of the stock keeping your head more erect.

Don't be afraid to use a field model shotgun if it fits you. I bought a used Remington 870 back in 1966. I started shooting trap with it at my dad's club. The shorter stock of the field gun compared to a trap gun was a better fit for me because my arms are an inch shorter than the arms of the average guy my height. I shot a lot of trap with that gun through junior high and high school and was fairly respectable as a trap shooter. i still have that gun and it's going nowhere.

 

[chief38]

I use a vintage (late 1950's) 12 Ga. Browning Superposed but a modern Citori is also a fine Trap gun.

Some have suggested Pump's and I'd recommend staying away from them not because I dislike them for hunting and/or HD - but for Trap and Skeet why beat yourself up with more recoil than necessary? They do tend to have much harder hitting recoil IMO and you will be firing quite a bit at the Trap game.

The Remington 1100, 11-87 or similar are great guns, but since you will be loading only two rounds at a time, a semi auto has little real advantage other than light recoil.

Just my opinion of course - YMMV.

 

[2152hq]

The most common difference in a Trap gun vs a Field gun is that Trap gun is made so the shooter purposely shoots 'high'. That's done by the stock comb being high by design placing your line of sight above the guns rib.
You see the bead at the end of the bbl AND you see plenty of bbl rib.
You are pointing the gun high and it shoots and hits high.

Thats a built in function to more easily hit the Trap target which is always rising as it is going away.

Some shooters like more,,or less of that to be built into their particular gun. Along with Length of Pull (LOP), cast off (or cast on) on the stock, and a few other measurements that shooters can call on to make changes to up their score.

Trap shooters gun stocks are much like Bullseye shooters pistol grips.
Altered, spliced in, rasped down, taped up, lengthened, shortened, canted, all sorts of adj trying to find that just right fit.

You don't absolutely need any of these. Just a well fitting stock that doesn't beat you up when you shoot plus it doesn't require you to assume a yoga position to cheek the gun and sight the target.

Learning the different leads and basic shotgun wing shooting techniques go a long way to success.
1oz loads in a 12ga will do just fine. Even the 7/8 oz in #8.
Full chokes print a dense pattern out there and unless you are going to buy tickets and ride those targets till they nearly hit the ground before taking a shot, the lighter loads will do. They are much easier on the shoulder.

I wouldn't recommend a specialized 'Trap' gun to start out with. If you have or have access to most any well made repeater in Full or Mod choke, take it out and give it a try.
You'll soon know if the sport is what you think it is. Or maybe it's not and something else may be a better fit like Sporting Clays or Skeet.

 

[D Brown]

My choice would be either the Browning BT-99 or the XT Trap. I have both and think they're perfect for Trap Shooting.

Top: Browning BT-99 Grade III, Bottom: Browning XT Trap

 

[Bob L]

I started my trap shooting with an old Monkey Ward double barrel 12 gauge. Went from there to a Winchester 1200 pump before moving to a Remington 1100. Shooting the 1 oz. loads is real easy on the shoulder regardless of what you are shooting. If it was me, I would find a Remington 1100 of any vintage and start there. The biggest difference between trap guns and hunting guns is the trap guns allow you to sit the bird on top of the sight and the hunting versions you need to cover the bird. Start this way and and it will take care of you until start breaking 99% then start asking all of your new shooting friends to try theirs out and deciding what you really want. Just relax and have fun.

 

[Rocket3]

No problem if you go semiauto but be sure you can outfit a good shell catcher or deflector. There are folks that don't care if their ejected shell hits a the person next to you. Most of them are all about themselves. Respect the game and fellow shooters and you will have a lifetime of fun.

 

[HKB]

HKB what's your budget? Trap guns range from $500 - $25K+
I'm a die hard Browning guy. I have Gracoil recoil reducers on both of my regularly used trap guns, I really like them.

Highly recommend trapshooters.com

I want to keep it under $3,000.

 

[HKB]

I'd look for a used Remington 1100 if recoil is a big issue or if you're going to shoot doubles.

Alternatively, a Winchester Model 12 or an older Remington 870 (pump guns) are great trap guns. Folks usually want full choke on a trap gun and there are a ton of them available in these models.

You can spend a ton on a new gun, but your score won't be any better than your score with the guns I've listed here.

As you gain skill at the trap game, you may want more expensive guns, but by then you won't be looking for advice on the internet.

Thanks, I don't have high expectations; I just want to have fun.

 

[Iframe32s]

Not an ardent target shotgunner per se, but have been known to show up at the trap and skeet ranges now and again. Remington's 11 (ca. 1939), 870, 1100, & Win 97 have impressed some of "pros" on both ranges. Have gotten lucky in breaking 25 straight (O.K., only once).

The problem I've noted as of late is the availability of factory ammo. Plenty of 12 & 20 ga. loads were available in my local Walmarts until recently...shelves were bare last visit; only a few boxes of 28 ga.

Future is very uncertain at best.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

I have used both the Remington 870 Marine Magnum and the Beretta Silver Pigeon. Try them out and see what you like. Several friends use and say the inexpensive Yildiz models are just as good.