Trap Shotgun Recommendations

I’m looking to get into trap shooting and would like to pick up a shotgun just for shooting trap. I’m looking for recommendations from everyone. I’m a beginner to trap shooting so I’m not necessarily looking for the most expensive shotgun, but I’m not trying to shoot with a home defense shotgun either (that’s all I have right now as far as shotguns go), and I’m not afraid to spend the $$$ if it’s worth it. So I’m looking for shotgun recommendations and choke recommendations, and any other equipment recommendations relative to trap shooting.

Thanks Everyone!
Ripper

Are you planning on shooting ATA events? If so, that means three games, 16yd, Handicap and Doubles. In that case you would need a gun capable of shooting doubles. If you are only going to shoot informally, or if you don't want to shoot ATA Doubles, you can get away with a different gun.

The least expensive way to get into all of the events is with either a Remington 1100 Trap or a Beretta 391 Trap. However, autoloaders are bit of a pain to use because they require more cleaning, require a shell catcher, are not balanced like a break open gun and don't have the quality trigger of a break open gun.

Break open guns come in either a pure single, an over under or a combo. Singles on the low end (price wise) that are proven guns are Browning BT99s. Browning also markets a Citori Trap called an XT and an XT Combo. Beretta offers the same, but is more money. There are all sorts of guns in the used market.

In a new gun, considering shooting all of the games, I would recommend either the Browning or Beretta Combo with a 34" single bbl and 32" O/U bbls. Miller's Gun Center on Rt 13 in New Castle , Delaware is a big Browning dealer (+ no tax in Del). PG County Trap & Skeet Center is a Beretta dealer. Both have pretty good prices.

That said, many shooters also use two guns rather than a combo, as the very best singles are singles only and do not come in combos. Examples of these would be the Silver Seitz, Ljutic, Alferman, Mach I, Bowen, etc. Guys who shoot these simply have a second gun set up for doubles. In this case, you could buy a good single and add a O/U later for doubles. The best deal on good singles are used Ljutics.

You will get all sorts of lousy advice on chokes. Bottom line is that all of the good shooters shoot Full choke for singles and caps with the exception of the first shot in doubles being so much closer that a Modified works well there. Other stuff you will need are quality glasses, a supply of foam plugs, either a vest or a pouch and LESSONS. Shells will prove to be the pricy part of the game, but if you buy in bulk you will save money. Several clubs will have a bunch of guys get together and place bulk orders from distributors. Current prices purchased that way are about $50 per flat for Remington Gun Clubs.

The ATA season begins in March. It's likely that there's a trap club near wherever you live, so visit that club and find out what days they shoot practice and get your feet wet.

All the above guns are fine. I shot trap with an 870 (full choke) pump. I was going to buy a "better" trap gun, then I started seeing all the expensive guns break. I was shooting 3 days a week at that time. Over 7 years my 870 did break. Replaced firing pin & spring my self for under $10.00. Was shooting same gun 3 days later, not waiting weeks for repairs.

You can also drive a Volkswagon around the Indy track. It will require less maintenance than a formula one car, but what are you going to accomplish? To simply say that expensive guns break is painting them with a rather wide brush. All guns require maintenance and some trap shooters push guns beyond their limits at times. Yes, an 870is a pretty bulletproof gun, but it's not really a trap gun. It's a field gun with a bit of a different stock & bbl. It shoots too low, recoils too much, is not balanced real well and the trigger is inferior to most other guns. That said, it would be fine for recreational use. There is a reason why trap guns have evolved into what they are today and the winners and majority of shooters use them..

BTW, Ljutic monogun #1 is still going strong after a million rounds.

I shoot a mossberg 930 and it breaks em.

wyomingboy said:

You can also drive a Volkswagon around the Indy track. It will require less maintenance than a formula one car, but what are you going to accomplish? To simply say that expensive guns break is painting them with a rather wide brush. All guns require maintenance and some trap shooters push guns beyond their limits at times. Yes, an 870is a pretty bulletproof gun, but it's not really a trap gun. It's a field gun with a bit of a different stock & bbl. It shoots too low, recoils too much, is not balanced real well and the trigger is inferior to most other guns. That said, it would be fine for recreational use. There is a reason why trap guns have evolved into what they are today and the winners and majority of shooters use them..

BTW, Ljutic monogun #1 is still going strong after a million rounds.

Click to expand...

As I said in post all above guns are fine. Was just pointing out that you do not need to spend the cash on an expensive gun to shoot trap. Especially when you are just starting. My wife shot a Bt 99. I always shot my 870 and loved it. League average was 24.265 so I guess my volkswagon kept up with some of the formula 1's at a fraction of the cost. Let me spend more money on reloading supplies and practice.

Remington 870. Spend the $2800 you save on and new barrel and ammo to practice with.

I shoot a Benelli sport II and it busts them just fine, doesn't throw the shells into the guy next to me and requires very little maintenance.

a modified from the sixteen yard line works best for me but that is a matter of preference. The most important thing as far as the gun is concerned is point of impact and stock fit

Jeeeez, a rock will break them too, but the poster was asking about trap guns, not field guns.

Ripper, what do you use as an HD gun? Clay games are great practice for HD shotgunning skills. You might consider using a similar shotgun for trap use. I have an 870 classic trap that I use for the trap field and 870s for skeet, sporting clays and HD.

I shoot a NIKKO 5000, it is a copy of a Winchester 101. The same company in Japan makes them both. Just don't try to compare them, the Nikko is junk next to a 101. My wife used a TRAP grade 1100, it has the work TRAP stamped/engraved on the receiver. I saw a lot of BT99's and just as many people shot 870's. Winchester Model12's had an almost cult following on the trap range. I was in the ATA for a little while and at the Tuscarora(SP) Corn Shoot you would see the big guns come out, Parrazzi(SP) and that type of high grade gun. These are custom fitted to the shooter, as far as drop, length of pull. They came in a fitted case with an over under barrel set, and over with no under set and a under with high rib set. Ten to twenty grand for some of these types of guns.

I have not shot in trap in some 20 years now so I am not sure if this is still done. If you see a shotgun that has been painted red, it has a release trigger. Just as it sounds, you pull the trigger and hold it until you want to fire then let go and off she goes.

Yes, lots of releases are used today. It's the only way some of us can continue to shoot after years and years of cumulative recoil producing flinches. Besides a good way to fight a flinch, many think that releases are simply a better system. The late Coach Lynn from the George Mason University Trap & Skeet Team was a proponent of releases.

Yeah, when I started shooting about 90% of the guns were model 12s. Then Perazzi & Krieghoff came on the scene and thing started to change. Over the years the game have been dominated by the expensive singles and combos. The Silver Seitz now made in Baltimore is one of the top dogs. I shot on a few squads where I was the only one who wasn't shooting a Seitz.

ps... I've shot many a target at Tuscarora. Hey, get back into the game!

Basically it is what ever feels good and how you shoot it. Not unlike any other long gun or handgun. When I shot ATA and Southern Maryland winter leagues I used sucessfully an 870 Wingmaster or an Ithaca (SKB) 600 O/U. 870 had modified and one could change barrels for handicap. Ithaca had mod barrel and full choke so you use the same gun for 16 yd, handicap and doubles. I never was a fan of doubles tho.

Thanks for all the advice so far. I appreciate everyone’s $.02.
For home defense I use a Mossberg 500 with pistol grips, so I don’t think that would do what I need. I do want to get a specific trap shotgun. I think I am leaning more towards an O/U because I like the way you aim over only one barrel compared to a double barrel. Does any one have any suggestions for O/U that are under $1500?

I think there are a few Berettas in this category, the Silver Pigeon I think. MY buddy has one and it handles nicely.

If you're just going to do it for kicks and grins, go with the 1100 or the 870.

I've been razzed a lot about my so-called field gun by the spaghetti shotgun owners over at PG about how it's not a real trap gun and I'll never be any good with it.

Of course, they're real quiet while they're putting away their Perrazi after I've beaten them.

I've also been razzed about how it will never hold up to hard use like a "real" trap gun. Of course they were telling be this while replacing a broken firing pin in their gun.

The biggest difference is going to come in picking up those last couple of birds consistently and the level of fatigue you feel as you go through several rounds.

Again, if you're just going out for fun and not to necessarily win rounds, then you're better off as already advised in spending the extra money on shells and extra rounds of trap. Work on your software, then work on the hardware.

That being said, I've always fancied the Browning 99....points well, shoots well and won't break the bank.

Here's one for sale just across the bridge at a fair price.

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=122660951

Very true, A field gun is meant to carried all day and shot a few times, light weight. A trap gun is meant to sit in a rack when you are not shooting it and is heavy, less felt recoil. Trap guns shoot higher than point of aim, you are always shooting a rising target. I stack the 2 beads on the top of the rib into a figure 8 and it shoots over them, you never loose sight of the target. i broke just as many birds with a Mossberg pump as i do with any other gun I have ever shot. But now my Mossberg pump opens up all by itself when you fire it, it almost ejects the empty hull like an Auto Loader.