Decent, reasonable semi auto trap 12 ga?

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  • steveh326

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 23, 2012
    1,598
    Mt. Airy
    I am terrible at trap but enjoy it. No more than I shoot, my O/U punishes me after 75 rounds. I would like to try to pick up a decent used softer shooting semi auto trap gun, thinking of the tried and true Remington 1100... any advice as to something else to look at besides this one? I prefer classic wood stock, but synthetic is not a deal breaker.
     

    Norton

    NRA Endowment Member, Rifleman
    Staff member
    Admin
    Moderator
    May 22, 2005
    122,856
    If I were looking for a great, soft shooting autoloader for trap, an 1100 would be my personal first choice.
     

    steveh326

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 23, 2012
    1,598
    Mt. Airy
    just poking around this morning found a few older ones for decent $ but they all seem to have fixed chokes and I was hoping for remchokes for a little more versatility. no urgent need on my part so will keep looking. regular used 1100's seem to be available for 400-500 but the trap guns seem to command a little more $.
     

    Redcobra

    Senior Shooter
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 10, 2010
    6,422
    Near the Chesapeake Bay
    I am terrible at trap but enjoy it. No more than I shoot, my O/U punishes me after 75 rounds. I would like to try to pick up a decent used softer shooting semi auto trap gun, thinking of the tried and true Remington 1100... any advice as to something else to look at besides this one? I prefer classic wood stock, but synthetic is not a deal breaker.

    What O/U are you shooting? It shouldn't be beating you up unless the fit is way off. What shells are you shooting?
    Lots of ways to mitigate recoil on an O/U.

    Softest shooting SA I ever shot was a Fabarm XLR.
     

    jr88

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 7, 2011
    3,159
    Free?? State
    1100 is a great choice, there was one in the classifieds but I don't see it now. Howard County show this week, they will have a few.
     

    byf43

    SCSC Life/NRA Patron Life
    Remington 1100 is THE shotgun I'd choose for Trap. Period. (Maybe, that's why I have two of 'em!) :D


    There WAS a Remington 11-87 in the classifieds. Good-lookin' scattergun, in my not-so-humble opinion.

    I TRIED to convince my son to buy it, but, he wants something else, right now.

    Too bad.

    1100 or 11-87. Shootin' 12 ga feels like a lite 20 or 28 gauge. :thumbsup::thumbsup:
     

    steveh326

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 23, 2012
    1,598
    Mt. Airy
    Remington 1100 is THE shotgun I'd choose for Trap. Period. (Maybe, that's why I have two of 'em!) :D


    There WAS a Remington 11-87 in the classifieds. Good-lookin' scattergun, in my not-so-humble opinion.

    I TRIED to convince my son to buy it, but, he wants something else, right now.

    Too bad.

    1100 or 11-87. Shootin' 12 ga feels like a lite 20 or 28 gauge. :thumbsup::thumbsup:

    I was watching that 11-87 also trying to decide between it and 1100 but it's dropped off now. not sure if ad expired or it got sold.
     

    alucard0822

    For great Justice
    Oct 29, 2007
    17,643
    PA
    Cheapest and possibly best solution is to get your current gun fitted to you, and add a limbsaver pad, perhaps an ammo change might help also. If you want a semi, 1100s aren't bad, but Beretta AL391s are better.;)
     

    Mack C-85

    R.I.P.
    Jan 22, 2014
    6,522
    Littlestown, PA
    Fit is everything when it comes to recoil reduction.....

    .....and the 1100 doesn't fit me worth a ....

    The 1100s are great guns and I wish I could shoot them better, but my semi's are Browning Golds....12 ga. and 20 ga. Fusion Models are my target guns (although my Browning Special Sporting O/U is my go to clays guns) and a 3 1/2" 12 ga. Hunter is my Goose/Duck Gun.

    Can't go wrong with Browning, Berretta, or Remington......go with whatever fits you best.
     
    Last edited:

    Oddway Otts

    Active Member
    Mar 17, 2008
    359
    Harford County
    If you wanted to go cheap... just to see if you like a semi-auto, when I was in the Fallston Walmart earlier in the week, I saw a wood stock semi-auto for only $226.00! :lol2: I didn't recognize the name (and I don't remember it), but the wood, fit, checkering and finish looked good.:D It is undoubtedly some import, and is probably a piece of junk, but a semi-auto for $226.00 might be worth playing with.:innocent0 The wife was with me and I'm still paying off that Zastava 90NP, so looking was all I could do.:cool:
     

    Selene

    Active Member
    Nov 18, 2012
    336
    Consider shooting 1 oz 1200 fps loads. Also make sure you are mountingredient your gun properly and holding it tightly.
     

    Jollyllama

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 9, 2012
    1,457
    Carroll county
    I have been really enjoying the new browning A5. It has been very reliable and although light has fairly light recoil to me. I don't know how you define "reasonable," and don't know what their pricing looks like currently.

    I second that having a shotgun fit you is the best advice yet. A solid O/U shouldn't hurt if it fits.

    Gas operated semis generally have less felt recoil and beretta excels at making them as does browning.

    I did have a weatherby SA-08 in 20ga for my wife that had very little recoil and was very reliable. I bought it because it was inexpensive and wanted something smaller for her (youth model). It took a couple hundred stouter rounds to break it in, but then fed lighter shells. She eventually decided the 12ga was more to her liking.

    I don't say that to be disparaging in anyway, but she is about 115-120# and not a big shooter, and she can go through 100 shells with the browning or an O/U if they are fit to her. The youth sized weatherby ended up having a small stock with too much drop in the stock. So it wasn't as comfortable as a larger gun with a properly fit stock.

    Maybe try lighter loads as has been suggested, no need for high brass when shooting clays. I use the Walmart 100 round bulk Winchester or federal packs. I have had a couple fail to fires due to bad primers with the federal, but not the Winchester. Either is generally fine though.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    Fiocchi has a number of low recoil loads. Both 1 ounce and 1 1/8 ounce.

    But any gas gun will be lower felt recoil. Rem 1100 or 11-87 will probably be the cheapest name brand. Browning and Beretta are both very good, but more expensive.

    Personally, I would not buy an off brand. Might be fine, but if not, you will have spent that money, and still have to buy a decent one.
     

    Augie

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 30, 2007
    4,504
    Central MD
    I've shot several different semi's and the Fabarm is the softest shooting I've come across, with 1oz loads it's like nothings there.

    Another advantage for Trap is it's fully adjustable, can shoot 100% high. Very easy semi to clean. It is a gun better suited for a large shooter.

    Not sure it fits your idea of reasonable as it lists for 2500.00, I'm selling mine for 1600.00 as I prefer my O/U's.
     

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    steveh326

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 23, 2012
    1,598
    Mt. Airy
    I've shot several different semi's and the Fabarm is the softest shooting I've come across, with 1oz loads it's like nothings there.

    Another advantage for Trap is it's fully adjustable, can shoot 100% high. Very easy semi to clean. It is a gun better suited for a large shooter.

    Not sure it fits your idea of reasonable as it lists for 2500.00, I'm selling mine for 1600.00 as I prefer my O/U's.

    beautiful, but above my budget, especially since my powerstroke is in the shop getting head gaskets as we speak... fun things will have to wait a whle I fear.
     

    Sirex

    Powered by natural gas
    Oct 30, 2010
    10,380
    Westminster, MD
    I did some trap shooting at a buddy's farm and fell in love. I didn't have a ton of $ to spend on a semi auto shotgun, so I bought a Tristar Viper G2. It's a gas gun, and after break in has shot any load I have tried. I mainly shoot the Federal bulk stuff from Walmart (because I am cheap), but I have also shot the cheap bulk Winchester, and it ran fine. Fairly easy to clean, but not as easy as an inertia gun, but a tad softer. I have the silver edition, and a member of my club has the bronze version, when I asked him, he said his has been running great as well. They come with a 5 year warranty, priced ok, and so far reliable.
     

    GTOGUNNER

    IANAL, PATRIOT PICKET!!
    Patriot Picket
    Dec 16, 2010
    5,492
    Carroll County!
    Public Trap Shooting at Mount Airy IWLA Thursdays @ 530p till... done. Arrive anytime!!!
    5 bucks a round, 4 if you buy a ticket of 10 Rounds, saving 10 bucks.
     

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