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Trap Shooting Shotgun Question
uni82
Member Posts: 416 ✭✭
Fiance gave me the clearance to purchase a 12 ga shotgun on my birthday in Jan. I will be using it for trap shooting(doing leagues this year), turkey and pheasant hunting (and other bird hunting). I ve been asking around and I have gotten MANY different answers. I don't need make and models, I am aware of what is out there. What concerns me is the action. A few people told me to get an O/U, some say a Semi and others tell me a reliable pump. I'm leaning toward semi because of the recoil being slightly less than the other two. Price range is 700-900. I will also be reloaidng my own shells if that makes any difference. Thanks!
-JD
-JD
Comments
Another point, a "real" trap gun is not something you would want to take hunting, esp for turkey (think about how hard it would be using a 30" barrel in the turkey woods).
Finally, a lot of ranges won't let you pick up hulls off the ground, and even if they do it's still a pain to be bending over all the time. Pumps, O/U and "one shooters" allow you to remove your spent hull directly from the gun.
IOW A mini van VS a pickup truck. One is great for hauling the family around, and the other is great at carrying large cargo, but neither is ideal for both tasks. Decide which activity is of greater importance to you, select the best gun/vehicle for that job, and tolerate it's shortcomings in it's backup role.
Now, if you were asking about a Skeet/field or Sporting Clays/field gun (instead of a Trap/field one) than my answer would be completely different (those activities are close enough that one gun works well for both)
I think the auto has a slight edge as a multipurpose shotgun for trap, skeet, hunting, whatever. It is less expensive than a trap grade O/U. A gas-operated auto eases the perception of recoil from heavy loads. The auto is lighter than a trap O/U so carrying in the field is easier over the course of a day. And the auto is much easier to handle in a blind situation than the break-open O/U. That said,it is rare to see anything but an over and under in competitive trap and skeet. The other side of that coin is that those folks don't limit themselves to one shotgun so pick the gun of the day as the day dictates.
-JD
When shooting singles in 16 yd and handicap competition, you can get an inexpensive little gadget that snags your empty in the ejection port. Just pluck it out, drop it in your pouch, and load one for the next target. That will cover you for about 3/4 of the targets in a typical trap tournament, you would lose only the relatively few hulls shot at doubles.
To paraphrase Elmer Keith, avoid cheap O/Us for high volume shooting. A pump is OK for singles but is tough to run for doubles and it has that solid breech recoil. Remington and Beretta are the leading autos.
However, a dedicated trap gun will have a high comb, and a rib designed to throw the pattern about 30 inches high at 40 yards. That's because trap targets are shot while rising and the high pattern means you don't have to cover the target with the barrel to provide upward lead.
That makes for a very poor field gun, where you want the pattern centered or just a wee bit high. Having a second barrel with a standard rib will help, but only if you don't have that high comb.
As mentioned, it is not really feasible to have a single shotgun that serves for trap (or skeet) as well as field hunting -- unless you make serious compromises that create disadvantages for either.
It is a Beretta 390. it has a 28" barrel with a BEAUTIFUL walnut stock. Gold trigger. paid less than 400 for it. 5+1. Comes with a imp mod choke but I will be getting cylinder, full and x full for it and steels chokes. Can't wait to get it out to the range and get a second bead on the rib. Thanks again for all yer help, I think I did well!
-JD
The IM will be great for Trap, the Cyl for Skeet.
You could get a strap-on or stick-on cheekpad to raise your eye for trapshooting, the birds are rising when shot and that will apply some upward lead. The field stock should do fine for Skeet, if you are anywhere close to Standard American Build.