Why are some vented ribs so high?

LloydXmas250 · December 7, 2009, 12:10 AM

I just bought an 870 express and while at the range today they had a trap club shoot. There were many serious shooters there with some crazy setups and some very nice guns. I saw a few that had ridiculously tall ribs. What is the point of this? Also, just what is the point of the vented rib? I've heard it gives the barrel strength. I've also heard that it's to provide a better sight on the gun. Not sure if either or both of those is correct. Just thought I should try to get to know a bit more about shotguns since I just got one.

rc · December 7, 2009, 12:40 AM

because the target is often dropping by the time you shoot trap, the high rib compensates. I actually do best with lower ribs myself. Field guns tend to have rally straight ribs because the birds don't tend to drop until after you pull the trigger

Skeet guns are also more similar to field guns with straight ribs because you shoot crossing shots mostly that are fairly level.

olddrum1 · December 7, 2009, 12:43 AM

The rib helps with heat dissipation when shooting a hot gun, kind of like looking across the sand on a hot dessert day. It kind of breaks the mirage effect up. It also gives a platform to mount your beads on with a flat aiming plane. The high ribs make it more comfortable to run a 1000 shells in a day by giving you neck a more of an upright position. Lessens fatigue on the neck and shoulders. A lot of these ribs will be described as a fraction. 80/20, 60/40, or 50/50. This designates the quanity of shot that goes over the point of aim. 50/50 means half of the shot is over the bead and half under at about 40 yards. 80/20 is where 80 percent of your shot is over the bead at the same distance. What this rib does is allows you to float the clay above the bead and still get a good break. This also helps in trap with the target being on the rise.

Hope this helps a little.

LloydXmas250 · December 7, 2009, 12:50 AM

Yeah. Thanks for the quick reply. It was just so crazy looking and I couldn't figure out how it could help. Makes sense though. Thanks

zippy13 · December 7, 2009, 12:54 AM

A ditto on my friend, olddrum1's comments.
May I add, I've never heard anyone say a rib is to add strength to a barrel. Also, the ribs on some bottom barrel combos look look tall enough to be mistaken for a truss bridge.

oneounceload · December 7, 2009, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Also, the ribs on some bottom barrel combos look look tall enough to be mistaken for a truss bridge.

Those "un singles" as they are called llok like they would be good for an N scale RR set up...

But that adjustable rib is a nice feature for trap shooting

LloydXmas250 · December 7, 2009, 09:16 PM

Quote:

May I add, I've never heard anyone say a rib is to add strength to a barrel.

Well that's exactly why I asked. Wanted to know for sure the truth. And yes that gun did look like some kind of track for a model train. Pretty hilarious to me, but she sure did shoot very well so I guess it works for her. How much is a gun like that? Not that I plan on buying one.

oneounceload · December 7, 2009, 09:29 PM

Lloyd - depends on the gun

on the high end are SilverSeitz and Ljutic, where unsingle trap guns can cost easily over 10,000

On the lower end of quality, but still excellent are guns like the Browning BT-99 running a few thousand. In between are the Kreighoff, Kolars, Perazzis and similar.

Realize that American trap is different from International, (or Bunker) trap

olddrum1 · December 7, 2009, 10:31 PM

As the old car salesman ask, "How much you got?".

BigJimP · December 8, 2009, 11:23 AM

You've gotten solid advice. My 2 cents on all this - is the adjustable rib is a nice option but not mandatory.

For the money, I think one of the most versatile Trap guns on the market is the Browning Citor XT with an adjustable comb. Personally, I like it in a 32" barrel. Since its an O/U you can shoot singles, doubles and continental Trap with it. Re-sale on the gun is good / and there are a lot of good used XT's on the market ( some with GraCoil recoil reduction systems on them too ).

I like my Trap gun shooting a 70% high / 30% below Point of Impact - and usually, the adjustable comb, is enough to get the gun to hit that way.

You shoot Trap targets on the Rise ..... if you wait for them to level off, or drop, you're acquiring the target way too late and at a disadvantage. A target rising, and still under power, is way more predictable - than a target that starts to float, and drop, and as it drops it drops faster .... and its makes for a very difficult shot, to drive the barrel of the gun in front of a dropping target, and still follow thru, by driving the barrel toward the ground ....

December 7, 2009, 12:10 AM	#1
LloydXmas250 Senior Member Join Date: October 6, 2009 Location: So Cal Posts: 334	Why are some vented ribs so high? I just bought an 870 express and while at the range today they had a trap club shoot. There were many serious shooters there with some crazy setups and some very nice guns. I saw a few that had ridiculously tall ribs. What is the point of this? Also, just what is the point of the vented rib? I've heard it gives the barrel strength. I've also heard that it's to provide a better sight on the gun. Not sure if either or both of those is correct. Just thought I should try to get to know a bit more about shotguns since I just got one.

December 7, 2009, 12:40 AM	#2
rc Senior Member Join Date: April 28, 2001 Location: CA Posts: 1,767	because the target is often dropping by the time you shoot trap, the high rib compensates. I actually do best with lower ribs myself. Field guns tend to have rally straight ribs because the birds don't tend to drop until after you pull the trigger Skeet guns are also more similar to field guns with straight ribs because you shoot crossing shots mostly that are fairly level.

December 7, 2009, 12:43 AM	#3
olddrum1 Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Location: Mid Missouri Posts: 807	The rib helps with heat dissipation when shooting a hot gun, kind of like looking across the sand on a hot dessert day. It kind of breaks the mirage effect up. It also gives a platform to mount your beads on with a flat aiming plane. The high ribs make it more comfortable to run a 1000 shells in a day by giving you neck a more of an upright position. Lessens fatigue on the neck and shoulders. A lot of these ribs will be described as a fraction. 80/20, 60/40, or 50/50. This designates the quanity of shot that goes over the point of aim. 50/50 means half of the shot is over the bead and half under at about 40 yards. 80/20 is where 80 percent of your shot is over the bead at the same distance. What this rib does is allows you to float the clay above the bead and still get a good break. This also helps in trap with the target being on the rise. Hope this helps a little.

December 7, 2009, 12:50 AM	#4
LloydXmas250 Senior Member Join Date: October 6, 2009 Location: So Cal Posts: 334	Yeah. Thanks for the quick reply. It was just so crazy looking and I couldn't figure out how it could help. Makes sense though. Thanks

December 7, 2009, 12:54 AM	#5
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	A ditto on my friend, olddrum1's comments. May I add, I've never heard anyone say a rib is to add strength to a barrel. Also, the ribs on some bottom barrel combos look look tall enough to be mistaken for a truss bridge.

December 7, 2009, 09:29 PM	#8
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	Lloyd - depends on the gun on the high end are SilverSeitz and Ljutic, where unsingle trap guns can cost easily over 10,000 On the lower end of quality, but still excellent are guns like the Browning BT-99 running a few thousand. In between are the Kreighoff, Kolars, Perazzis and similar. Realize that American trap is different from International, (or Bunker) trap

December 7, 2009, 10:31 PM	#9
olddrum1 Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Location: Mid Missouri Posts: 807	As the old car salesman ask, "How much you got?".

December 8, 2009, 11:23 AM	#10
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	You've gotten solid advice. My 2 cents on all this - is the adjustable rib is a nice option but not mandatory. For the money, I think one of the most versatile Trap guns on the market is the Browning Citor XT with an adjustable comb. Personally, I like it in a 32" barrel. Since its an O/U you can shoot singles, doubles and continental Trap with it. Re-sale on the gun is good / and there are a lot of good used XT's on the market ( some with GraCoil recoil reduction systems on them too ). I like my Trap gun shooting a 70% high / 30% below Point of Impact - and usually, the adjustable comb, is enough to get the gun to hit that way. You shoot Trap targets on the Rise ..... if you wait for them to level off, or drop, you're acquiring the target way too late and at a disadvantage. A target rising, and still under power, is way more predictable - than a target that starts to float, and drop, and as it drops it drops faster .... and its makes for a very difficult shot, to drive the barrel of the gun in front of a dropping target, and still follow thru, by driving the barrel toward the ground ....