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Thinking about an over/under shotgun for trap and dove hunting.....
William81
Member Posts: 25,499 ✭✭✭✭
I still hunt and shoot with my buddies using my old Ithaca 37 or my Grandfathers 870..what say you out there?
This was my last dove hunt with my Ithaca last fall....I love the old girl but she beats me up pretty good after a box or so of shells...Just looking for some other options...Thanks
Comments
If recoil is a concern I would be looking at a gas operated semi. Beretta makes some nice ones.
As soon as over under is mention I automatically think Browning. I've always wanted a superposed. One of these days maybe
William I have way too many shotguns. Most were bought looking for that one special one that didn't kick and had built in radar so that I wouldn't miss. I never found the magic shotgun.
O/U and pumps kick about the same. They have made some really good advances with semi autos as far as taming the kick. Beretta and Franchi both make good semis and their top end ones seem to tame the recoil fairly well. If you hadn't included trap in your topic, I would have said to just drop down a gauge. If you are just having fun a 20 gauge at trap works but serious competition means using a 12.
The other problem with including trap in your description of what you want is that trap guns are usually set to shoot high. Trap is a game of rising targets and having your gun shooting high helps to build in your vertical lead. That is not a normal characteristic that you want in a hunting gun. My wife shoots a flat shooting Browning O/U for trap as does quite well but she is the exception to the rule.
Out of all my O/Us my favorite is a 525 Citori that maybe I shoot best because I shoot it most often. It is a flat shooting sporting clay/skeet gun. I have shot it at trap when someone at the club wanted me to join them in a round but I really have to work at busting the targets because it shoots to a different point of impact than my trap guns.
I am fond of Ithaca 37s and yours looks like a nice one. If you had a good pad installed and perhaps added a little weight to the gun, I bet you would really notice a difference in the recoil. Bob
I have a couple of Browning O/U in 28 ga that I can shoot all day.
Margaret Thatcher
"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
Mark Twain
Maybe I need to think in a different direction.....Never considered a semi auto...
Bob/Judy....my Ithaca 37 was the first gun I ever bought back in 1975....just don't want to do anything to booger it up...
I almost forgot about the Fabarm shotguns. For some reason my tablet won't let me link to an auction tonight so check out auction #900967961. One of my shooting buddies has one and it is about the lightest kicking 12 gauge I ever shot. Bob
I like all your guns, but Citori is my favorite too.
They are Sweet. And of course the quick pointing with the cast on or cast off stocks.. My Max Lion 24" barrel Paradox is the best bird gun I've ever had. And I had a few.
Limb-Saver makes a slip-on recoil pad. You could put it on only when using the gun.
8 birds and a box of shells, no wonder your sore!! Joking. I remember coming home being black and blue from shoulder to upper chest area!! Fun shooting however and really good eating!
I bought a Turkish made Yildiz O/U a couple of years ago.Its a very nice gun for the money but its light and will beat you up shooting it all day.
Grilled the breasts wrapped in bacon....Now I am hungry !!!
Thanks for all the input....I am going to shoot a couple different buddies' semi-autos to see if something suits me. I failed to mention I am left handed so some shotguns do not quite work for me....
Yes, another vote for the gas gun. We have a small 9 year old girl that has been shooting trap with one since she was 8. I’m pretty sure the gun was taller than she was when she started.
Her grandfather had her try a single barrel trap gun this spring and her scores dropped, I suspect due to the recoil. Same for my grandson, he’s fine with his 20ga but when he tried my ported TM1, single barrel trap gun, he hit the first and missed the next 4, I took it back and said enough of that until you gain some weight. He also tried a ported, heavier over under with a stock lock (recoil reduction system in a modified stock) and did ok until it became too heavy for him.
So an over under will take off more than the single barrel due to the added weight, but a gas gun will take a lot off, and a lot cheaper than modifications.
Benelli offers most of their models in a left hand version
I also shoot left handed. I love my over/unders, old Ruger Red Label(12ga) and Weatherby Orion(12ga) but the do NOT reduce recoil. If you want less recoil, either a gas gun as mentioned, or a lower gauge(20,28), or BOTH. I have a Browning Gold(12ga) and Browning Silver(20ga). I have zero issues shooting either of these left handed. Of course the empties do fly in front of you, but they dont bother me(none actually hit me). The 20ga is a sweet shooting gun, but you do give a little on distance and spread. I am sure you will be happy with good quality 12ga semi auto. Let us know after you try a few, SEVERAL to pick from.