Skeet & Trap Shotgun Help

[zildjiandevil]

Hey guys,

I've been extremely interested in entering the sport of trap and skeet shooting lately. I've shot my uncles 20gauge and 12gauge shotguns when i was younger and i loved it, but i was so young i couldn't even think about owning my own. but recently i've been buying a lot of firearms, and now i'm ready to buy my first shotgun, but am very uncertain on which to choose from... i really need some help here.

The only purpose i want a shotgun, is for Skeet & Trap shooting. I have no idea on which Gauge to choose for either 20 or 12, i have no idea which style action i should choose from between the Pump, Break, and Semi auto. Also i'm unsure on which shotgun brands to stay away from or which to check out.

again, i only am looking for a skeet/trap shotgun so i'm not sure if this helps narrow any other style or companies out or not.

my price range is under $1500. i can't afford anything more than that one a firearm as of right now... actually anything under $1,000 would be great... but i'm welling to pay a little more if i like something that has a little bit more to offer to help me out.

Thank You guys so much, and can't wait to start my search in finding my new skeet/trap shotgun!

-Zildjian

[Jim Watson]

Skeet/trap is not one word, it is not one sport, and you can't do WELL at both with one gun.

I suggest you specialize a little. I further suggest you start at Skeet; it seems easier for a Skeet shooter to learn Trap than vice versa. Stay with Skeet until you are breaking some good scores.

All you need for Skeet is either a 12 or 20 gauge with little or no choke that can fire two shots in a row. That takes more effort with a pump than an auto or O/U. I'd rather have a good auto than a cheap O/U. Beretta and Remington are the most common.

[zildjiandevil]

Thanks Jim for your post.. that made me feel like a complete noob hah! but anyway, i will now be searching for a "Skeet" shotgun only now.

where do i start?...

My question for you guys is, which do you prefer for skeet 20 or 12 gauge? what's the pros and cons for each gauge for strickly skeet shooting?

thanks again guys!

[zippy13]

zildjiandevil,

Trap is competed exclusively with 12-ga guns.
Skeet is competed with 4-guns: 12, 20, 28-ga and .410-bore.
Whether you select trap or Skeet, I suggest you start with a 12-ga gun.

But, wait! Before you make the leap to an actual gun purchase, I strongly suggest you shoot enough Skeet and trap to get a feeling for each. Probably the first question to ask is: "What's available in my area?" There are trap and Skeet clubs and trap only clubs. Skeet fields take more physical area to set up and are more expensive to construct. Clubs vary from the rudimentary to shooting complexes with pro shops and hospitality services. You need to do some research to determine what's available in your area. Frequently shooters will make their game choice based on range availability.

May I suggest that you contact an area shotgun club and arrange an introductory lesson in trap and Skeet. After a few hours with a qualified instructor, you'll have a much better understanding of the games. The instructor should be able to provide loaner guns. The games are different and appeal to different personality types and shooting abilities. In Skeet you compete more as a team member, and in trap you're more of an individual.

You may wish to investigate the games on line before your introductory lesson. The major trap and Skeet organizations are the ATA (Amateur Trapshooting Association) and NSSA (National Skeet Shooting Association).

After you selected your sport and are tired of shooting a borrowed/rented gun. Check back with us for actual gun recommendations.

Which ever sport you select (I've competed in ATA and NSSA programs), I wish you many years of enjoyable shooting and comradeship.

[PJR]

I disagree with specializing and would suggest a compromise gun between trap, skeet and sporting clays so you can try all the games and find the one that suits you best. Then specialize on a specific gun later if you wish.

Look for guns in a "Sporting" configuration. Two good options would be: A semi-automatic, preferably a Beretta 391, with a 28 or 30 inch barrel and choke tubes. The second gun would be a used over/under, Beretta or Browning, with 30" barrels and choke tubes. Either of these guns will get you started in all the games.

[zildjiandevil]

Thank you guys for your posts, i will to to my local gun range and ask them what they offer.. i'm pretty sure it's both skeet, and trap.

Thanks again everyone.

[Tombstonejim]

Well I agree that sket and trap are quite different I shoot them both for fun and not competition. i actually prefer sporting clays for fun.

Any half decent gun will work for you to get started and find out if youeven like it or can afford it. two three hundred rounds a week can get expensive.

Thats about the wife and I shoot.

If you can find a decent O/U I thik that is the best way to start. A good auto would also be OK. For a beginner a pump is going to hadicap you in skeet. My choices If I am serious a 12 ga Browning Citori. For fun a 20ga remington 1100 My wife shoots a Benelli 20ga super sport. If you could find one at at a decent price and afford it I think a 12 ga benelli super sport would make you very happy.

[zippy13]

Hey guys, aren't you being a little premature recommending guns before you know what the OP is going to shoot? If all that's available to him is trap singles and handicap, then he doesn't need a repeater.

[hogcowboy]

Unless you absolutely have to have a new gun, you can get both 12 and 20 used for your $1500 price range. You will not lose money buying used and you will be able to see which one you like for both sports. If you have to have just one, then I would opt for the 12. But both have their place. I shot Trap and Skeet both using just a 20. I could have done better with trap using a 12. In either case it's just for fun.


There :

[zippy13]

Greetings larry5081 and welcome aboard,

Shooting trap with a 20-ga can make a guy feel a little lonely if the rest of the squad is smoking the targets with their 12s.

I haven't tried "sheet" shooting, yet. It sounds like a great was to mess up the laundry.
(It's Skeet with a capital "S" 'cause it's a proper noun.)

[BigJimP]

+1 on what's already been said ....

spend some time at your local club before you buy your first shotgun.

Skeet and Trap are very different - personally, I like a gun in 12ga that is around 10 lbs and a longer barrel 32" or 34" for Trap / but for Skeet where there is a lot more barrel movement left to right a gun around 8 1/2 lbs and 30" barrel swings smoother and many of us shoot 12ga, 20ga, 28ga and .410 for Skeet.

[l98ster]

I have been shooting skeet competitevly since 1994. My first shotgun was a stoeger condor O/U from walmart. I paid $400 for it. It is now 2010, and I am still using the same gun. I must have close to 200,000 rounds through mine and it works like the day I bought it. Never had a single problem!!

Now, at one time, I was very close to buying a beretta white onyx, but decided against it. Is it a better gun than my stoeger? YES! Did I feel it necessary to spend $1700 for another gun? NO!

If you know you are going to stick with the sport, spend the money. If you are still in the experimenting stage, wait it out. You dont want to buy a $1500 skeet gun, and find out you like trap better.

One last thing. I have beaten PLENTY of people using my cheap Stoeger. If you buy an expensive shotgun, it does not mean you will shoot better.

-George

[ammo.crafter]

Gun fit is the most important thing. Try either an o/u or semi-auto as the others have said.
12 would be the most sensable at this time in your decision making.

Lots of clubs will let you shoot a round or two and have rental guns available. Many shooters will be happy to let you try their gun....bring your own suitable ammo, that will demonstrate your eagerness and doing the right thing.
Have fun!

[zildjiandevil]

i'm probly going to be shooting skeet more than trap.. but i still want a gun that i could use all around for both games.. i'm looking for a shotgun in 12 gauge, that has a 28in barrel, and also threaded.

I'm still undecided if i want an O/U or Semi auto.

any thoughts for which guns to choose from with these specs?

Thanks guys!

-Zildjian

[zildjiandevil]

I've been looking around a bit, and i want an Over Under Shotgun... I've been looking at the Stoeger Condor Supreme 12 gauge, 28" barrel, 7.4lbs, screw in choke, and AA grade gloss walnut stock. $599 this sounds really nice..

and i'm also looking at the Franchi Renaissance Field or Classic Models.. both are 12 gauge, Over Under, 28" Barrel, 6.3lbs, and A grade walnut stock.

what i reall like about the Franchi is that it's really lightweight at 6.3lbs and the butt stock is awesome how it absorbs a lot of recoil, for a super soft recoil.
but the price is a bit higher than what i expected... cost for Field $1,659 and Classic $1,829.

what do you guys think?

[l98ster]

Like I said before, I can vouch for the Stoeger. In fact, the one you mentioned is a better model than mine. Great shooter!!

-George

[BigJimP]

Browning and Beretta have long set the standard for solid guns at a good price. Entry level guns from Browning - Citori Lightning / and one of the white onyx probably from Beretta are both in the $ 1,500 - $ 1,750 price range.

Quality problems with Stoeger, TrisStar, etc are often debated on here. On an O/U when you get below that price point / you have to wonder why they're cheaper.

I can vouch for Browning and Beretta - nothing else in that price range. I'm glad 198ster has had good luck with his Stoeger but I can't in good conscience say they're solid long term guns.

My preferred all around gun is Browning Citori XS Skeet with an adj comb - but its out of your price range.

If you really want to go with an O/U under $ 1,500 - then find one, like TriStar from Cabela's that has a 5 yr warranty at least.

In you're price range I would suggest a gas operated semi-auto / Beretta, Browning Silver, Winchester, Remington ....etc

[bcrash15]

Just as something to think about. Most sporting shotguns are intentionally left fairly heavy because the weight of the gun helps reduce the felt recoil. Even with target loads, I'll take every advantage in my favor to make sure I am in as good a shape as possible after firing hundreds of shells in a day at the range. The field and hunting models are lightweight because they are intended to be carried by a hunter for relatively long distances and then only be shot a few times a day.

It is not unheard of for people to hollow out areas of the stock and add lead to trap and skeet guns to increase their weight.

[zippy13]

Not to burst l98ster's bubble, although he seems to have had great luck w/ his Stoeger, I've never seen one on a competitive squad. Typical NSSA competitors prefer O/Us (Brownings, Berettas, Kolars, K-guns and P-guns) that are fitted with tube sets that allow one gun to shoot all four gauges. Or, less frequently, one gun with 4 sets of barrels. Some shooters prefer a gas auto, for reduced recoil, in the 12-ga events. The original gas auto of preference was the Remington Model 1100-Skeet, it has has been replaced by the newer generation of Beretta auto loaders as the favorite.

Since Skeet is a game that requires a quick second shot and Trap requires only one, but a well pointed, shot. Trap guns typically are longer (to provide a longer sighting radius) single barreled guns than the shorter double barreled Skeet models.

Using one gun for both games involves some compromises. Of course, there is more than one way to get a shotgun… enter the combo: One gun with two barrels sets. One set has two barrels for Trap doubles or Skeet and the other barrel is a long single barrel for conventional trap. Unfortunately, a new combo is well beyond your initial $1,500 limit.


Image credit: Ableammo.com

Edit: A much less costly version of the O/U combo is a gas auto with an extra barrel. You could easily assemble a Remington or Beretta gas auto with Skeet and Trap barrels within your budget.
(Remington 1100 Classic trap $1159, extra barrel $240)

Image credit: omahamarian.org

[oneounceload]

that has a 28in barrel, and also threaded.

28" on a semi is like a 31inch on an O/U - try them all to see what the moment of inertia is like for you on all these guns - some longer barrel guns swing better than others due to the way the barrels are made, the gun is balanced, etc............

If you reload, an O/U might be a better choice (from one of Jim's mentions of a Beretta or Browning)........sorry, I have to agree with Zippy regarding the previous poster's luck with a Stoeger and 200,000 rounds - that's 500 plus a week..........have YET to see a Stoeger in my neck of the woods go 1/100th that amount without major overhauls.

The Browning and Beretta, whether semi or O/U, give you solid reliable guns that hold their value and can be repaired by just about any smith without having to send it back to the factory- that is something else to consider.

Another factor - don't let initial cost of a gun throw you off....even 12,000 rounds a year will cost more for targets and ammo then your gun..............my Browning has 100K+ now........it needed some springs replaced finally, repair bill less than $100 - not bad for over 12 years worth of regular use - something the cheaper guns typically will cost you a lot more to handle

[zildjiandevil]

i've been looking at these three guns lately... what do you guys prefer out of these three? for a 12 gauge, 28in barrel, over under....

1.Franchi Renaissance Classic $1,889
2.Browning Citori White Lightning $1,939
3.Beretta 686 White Onyx $2,075

[Dave McC]

No dogs on that list, Z. My White Onyx has close to 20K rounds through it, few problems and LOTS of smashed targets.

Mine has 32" barrels and a Sims pad. The Geltecs from the factory are not as good.

Pick the one that feels best and....

[zildjiandevil]

Thanks Dave for your post!

What would you guys choose out of those three shotguns that I mentioned above, if you had to pick only one?

I'm still going to visit my local gun shops and feel all these gun out to see which one fits me the best.. But out of the three I mentioned is one better than the other? Also, why would to choose one gun over the other?

Thanks Guys!

[oneounceload]

Personally, I would go with either of the "B" guns. Pick the one that fits you the best. They are both excellent, but the their stock dimensions are not - if one fits you well, typically, the other does not.

Better would be to go your local gun club where you most likely can borrow or rent one of each and actually see how well you do with them, then buy the one that works the best

Good luck!

[zippy13]

Quite honestly, for me, it would have to be between the two B-guns. Since I'm happy with the Beretta 682X I already have, my first thought is the White Onyx. But, alas, neither the Browning nor the Beretta you mentioned have the standard grooved forend I prefer. The Beretta has a Schnabel and the Browning is full round.

At your stage, you'll probably not notice the differences between the two gun's stocks. You can shoot them, and one will probably feel better to you than the other, but you won't have a clue why. As I said, since I'm a some-time Beretta shooter, it would be my choice of the B-guns. My first impression with the Citori was unfavorable, the first ones I tried had terrible triggers and fence-board thin stocks, but that was more than 25-years ago. My Citori shooting friends assure me the Brownings are better these days.

A point to ponder: After you get your gun and start shooting, you're going to be learning all sorts of new things. The more often you shoot (and the more experienced your shooting companions) the steeper your learning curve will be. Eventually you may come to a point where you'll realize the gun that was once your pride and joy might suite you better if a few of it's features were a little different. Buying that first shotgun is somewhat like buying a car before you've learned to drive -- you don't really have the experience to know what to look for. Don't lose any sleep worrying about getting the perfect shotgun for you needs -- accept the fact that you're needs will probably change -- if you swap your first gun in a few years, it doesn't mean you made a poor choice -- it's just normal progression.

Between the Beretta and the Browning, select the one that fits you the best. You'll be foolish to make your decision without actually firing both guns. There's a big difference between shouldering a gun in a shop and taking it to the firing line. One of the advantages of buying a used gun, over a new one, is test firing. The car dealer will let you drive a new model around the block, not so with most gun shops. People anxious to sell their used shotguns will often let you shoot it quite a few times. Test fire a used version of the new gun you plan on buying.

Edit:
Humm... while I was rambling on, it seems 1-oz pre-posted me saying the same thing with fewer words.