Need trap gun recommendation please....

[BigDogatPlay]

An 1100, or an 11-87 for that matter, will do a fine job and both can often be found in good condition for reasonable prices.

If you are set on a break barrel, it's very hard to beat a Browning.

Barrel lengths... 24 out to 30 or more will all work well. It becomes a matter of taste, fit and comfort. I prefer shorter barrels, regardless of the game, 24-26 inch range. Others prefer longer tubes.

For the budget noted, you can buy an awfully nice mid-range gun, have it fitted (a must) and probably still have some dough left over for shells and accessories. Price of gun does not necessarily equate to superior shooting.

I broke 21 and 20 on back to back squads with my Remington Spartan 310 O/U today... which I got on a closeout for less than $400. Had similar results with my Mossberg 500 and a 24 inch ported barrel.

[goldrush]

The two rifle ranges/clubs I belong to also have facilities for shooting trap. I want to get started in this activity but, don't know where to begin. The one shotgun I have now (a Rem. 870P) is fine for home defense and SHTF scenarios but, not very well suited for trap shooting. I like the Brownings (Citori and Cynergy) and the Berettas. What is a good model to get? I suppose it needs to be an O/U.

The 870 is a fine trap gun. Find a 30" vent rib barrel for it. Have the smith put a white dot on the end and a mid-rib bead on the rib, an you're ready to go trapshooting. This is not expensive.

When you get home from the trap range, swap the trap barrel for the home-defense barrel, and the gun is restored to its primary purpose.

You can even buy full trap furniture for the 870 and convert it to primary trap use. Here's a 870 in full trap configuration:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=166348840

[goldrush]

Your 870 is a good starter Trap gun....all you need is a field barrel and a Modify or Full choke. There were 5-6 seasoned shooters out ther today with 870's. When you get in the mix, fellow shooters will let you try their shotguns and buy the one you like....and more important , the one you shoot well.

Yeah, but it's really fun to outshoot a Perazzi guy with your 870.

[mjsweims]

Go to the clubs near you and speak to the people shooting. Tell them what you are looking for and your budget. Bet you'll even be able to get people to loan their gun for a round so you can get a feel for it.
You won't go wrong with a Browning 12 ga. For trap I would go with a 30" barrel preferably or a 28 as a second choice if you are going to also shoot skeet. Sometimes you can find a gun with a single and an O/U barrel set. Try this link for the new browning combos http://www.gunsunlimitedomaha.com/Br...ri-XT-Trap.php a little beyond your stated budget. I don't know what they sell for new. Whatever you get, make sure you get it fitted to you.
Try looking at the for sale classifieds at trapshooters.com - you'll get some idea of pricing.
If you get up to the bay area you're welcome to come out with me and try my SKB 20 ga O/U or my 16 ga SXS.

[Ishoot]

As most of the posters in this thread have mentioned, go out and borrow/ rent and shoot a few before making an educated choice for a ded. trap/clay gun. I personally use a Beretta 391 gold trap for sporting clays/trap but definitely see a Browning O/U in the future as budget allows. Have fun making your choice.

[ysr_racer]

Here's the deal on buying a shotgun you're going to use for clays. It's like a good suit. It has to fit you perfectly, and it has to be the one you want.

If you buy a $300 suit, it's really no big deal if it doesn't fit. But if you buy a $3000 suit, it better fit perfectly.

You can shoot trap with any shotgun ever made. But if you want a dedicated trap gun, it may not be suited to anything else. (go ahead and ask me why. I dare ya' )

[revo1911]

Browning BT 99

[SFFRONTMAN]

Winchester sx3, but I'm biased because I own one. I tried a bunch of different shotguns before I decided on the sx3, it fit me the best and I shot better rounds with it. As already suggested try before you buy.

[antonio]

+1 ^^ I have a SX3 also love it................... used 2 shoot a moss 500 for about 15 years

[Argonaut]

It does not need to be an Over Under, but it needs to be a Trap gun if that is how you intend to use it. I shot thousands of birds and lost my handicap while shooting a Remington 1100TB trap on the USAF team. They also make 870 trap guns that are fine........But a trap gun sights differently than a field or a skeet gun. It will need to be fitted to you but any gun can have that done. I shoot a Krieghoff these days and not as well as I shot my 1100 (mostly because of aging eyesight) I owned and shot many different trap guns through the years, The BT99 and other single barrel guns had terrible recoil compared to a heavier gun (You are going to shoot hundred of rounds a day if you are serious, small increases in recoil make a lot of difference), the Beretta's shot loose with heavy use, I don't like Japanese guns (Citori) but the Browning Belgian Superposed I owned was very fine. (cost nearly the same as a Citori these days) Winchester M12 pumps have made great classic trap guns. I bought my wife a 11-87 trap that after we have fitter she will love. Good quality trap guns stay clean and shoot well forever, Ithaca Single barrel trap guns are still being used after 80 years, They are really fine. I would not buy a new gun, there are a lot of great used guns around that can be bought at a discount. Trap shooters are generally traditionalists, People will appreciate a fine older gun more than a fancy new one. Good luck and welcome to the sport. Look for a good reloader.

[BMC]

Best bang for the buck if you want to shoot trap on a more than occasional recreational level is a BT-99. An 870 will work just fine for half the price, but there is quite a bit of difference between shooting a trap-dedicated gun like a BT-99 and an 870 (I own both). If you plan on shooting doubles then you'll obviously need something that can shoot two shells. Most doubles are shot with O/U set ups. You can use a pump gun but you won't have much fun unless you are good at speed schuckin'. Anything that chucks spent shells can be a problem at some clubs because they don't care for the spent first shell in doubles hitting the mics and throwing unnecessary targets. For your budget you have a lot of options available for a dedicated trap gun. My suggestion would be a Browning XT Trap. About as versatile as you will ever need for all of the trap disciplines.

[five.five-six]

plenty of guys can shoot 25's with a mossberg 500

it's not the bow and arrow, it's the indian

[Argonaut]

plenty of guys can shoot 25's with a mossberg 500

it's not the bow and arrow, it's the indian

I don't know any serious trap shooters that worry about shooting 25.....we want to shoot 100. And I have never seen anyone do that with a Mossberg

[five.five-six]

^LOL, if you can't shoot 25 out of 25 with a 500, then, you aren't all that good at breaking clay, now are you?


I am not a "serious" trap shooter and I use an O/U now, but I was hitting 23/25 with my 500a when I first started

[pullnshoot25]

Call me biased, but Winchester Model 12