Is 870 suitable for Trap or Skeet?

[carlf]

I am interested in trap shooting but the only shotgun I have is an 870 express 18" synthetic. I assume I could swap out the barrel for something longer that is threaded for chokes. Everything I read about the sport, though, suggests an automatic or over under. Can I reasonably get started and shooting clays with a pump shotgun and move up to a nicer gun when I decide I might persue it further or would I be at such a disadvantage with a pump that I may as well not try?

Thanks

[Wiskey_33]

Of course you can. If you start using the gun you've already got, you're not out anything. If you decide it's something that you REALLY want to pursue, then you can upgrade to an auto or over/under. No need to blow a ton of money on a shotgun and find out you don't like the sport.

I've shot skeet with a pump Mossberg before with great results.

[JWT]

Lots of shooter us pump guns for trap shooting. The short barrel could be a problem. Your idea of getting an additional (longer) barrel with choke tubes is a good one. You can always upgrade to a different gun if you decide you enjoy the sport.

[hogdogs]

Usable? Yes. Ideal? No.
Formal trap or skeet ranges may not allow the short barrel. Many have a length limit from what I hear...
Brent

[oneounceload]

Pick up a nice 28" barrel, try both games (the dynamics are totally different), and see how it goes. Then move over to where the REAL fun is - 5-stand, sporting clays and FITASC!..:D

[Dustin0]

I use an 870 express with 28" barrel Mod. choke tube. Works great then you can move up from there. The short barrel one you have will work. But you better shot fast or the bird will be out of range of your gun.

[carlf]

Can I use any 870 barrel or do I have to use ones made just for the Express?

[hogdogs]

870 in the same chamber length will fit. Express is just an 870 with minimal fine machining and reduced fit and finish to reduce cost.
Brent

[RoscoeC]

Formal trap or skeet ranges may not allow the short barrel. Many have a length limit from what I hear...

Yep, I shoot at one club that won't allow anything shorter than 22". I shoot at another one that doesn't care. Check with the place where you are going to shoot.


But you better shot fast or the bird will be out of range of your gun.

Hmmmmm. Really?

[BigJimP]

Yes, a pump gun is fine for shooting any of the clay target games.

But like others told you - you will have a lot better results if you get a 28" barrel for it with screw in chokes.

Over Unders do dominate the clay target games - for a lot of reasons .... a heavier gun means less recoil, you can put 2 different chokes in an O/U, O/U's are more reliable (no jamming ), O/U's have a lot more adjustability usually to set the comb height, etc .... but I shot a lot of Trap in the 70's with a Browning BPS pump gun with a 28" barrel before I got serious about investing in any dedicated Trap, Skeet or Sporting Clays guns ....

[roklok]

One of the best trap shooters of all time, Rudy Etchen, used an 870 exclusively.

[VA9mm]

I missed 2 this past weekend using an 870 on wobble trap.

[guntotin_fool]

Yes. You need a longer barrel and chokes willhelp a lot. Full for trap IC for most of the rest but ask where you shoot what they suggest as proper.

To many get into the snooty game that anything. Less than a carbon fibre super gun or fine double gun made by Austro-Italian gnomes working for Trappist monks with engraving so realistic as to give young children nightmare as being the only suitable tools for breaking the pine pitch and clay birds.

Not much in life is more fun than taking a BTH 870 out and outscoring a gun snob at there game.

[oneounceload]

Yes. You need a longer barrel and chokes willhelp a lot. Full for trap IC for most of the rest but ask where you shoot what they suggest as proper.

To many get into the snooty game that anything. Less than a carbon fibre super gun or fine double gun made by Austro-Italian gnomes working for Trappist monks with engraving so realistic as to give young children nightmare as being the only suitable tools for breaking the pine pitch and clay birds.

Not much in life is more fun than taking a BTH 870 out and outscoring a gun snob at there game.

sounds more like wealth envy on your part.....

some folks have the means (I do not), and like to shoot a nicely-made, well balanced, and yes, highly decorative gun....so what? as long as the gun goes bang and breaks targets, then it will be up to the task. Some just do it with a modicum of style and panache

[.300 Weatherby Mag]

Throw a 28 inch barrel with screw in chokes on it and you're good to go... 5 stand is a joke and I find it to be discouraging to new shooters...

[Dave McC]

Around 1999, I decided that since I was retired, it was time to really get into shooting clays.

After a brief flirtation with an O/U, I traded into an 870TB and things were delightful.

I had extensive use with the platform.

It was and is nigh impossible to glitch.

After swapping off the Full choke 30" barrel for a Light Contour Remchoked barrel, I used that trap gun for SC, Skeet, Wobble (Man, I LOVE Wobble) and so on. Even busted some doves.

I also used a couple other 870s that just happened to live at Casa McC here and there with good results.

IIRC, my best score at SC with an 870 was with that TB, 43/50.

As for the OP's query, heck yes. Not ideal, but usable, and the more you shoot your 870, the BETTER you shoot your 870.

A long barrel will definitely help. The Light Contour barrel with it's 2-3 oz of weight savings will make the gun more nimble, oft a good thing.

HTH....

[oneounceload]

why do you feel 5-stand is a joke? I find it a lot of fun, and so do the shooters who walk down from the trap and skeet fields - once the get over the fact they won't be shooting perfect scores.....

5-stand, like sporting is a game where you try your best to hit as many as you can....trap and skeet are games where you try your best not to miss any

[Dave McC]

1oz, some 5 stand courses are definitely set up for advanced clays shooters. I find some of the presentations unrealistic. They portray shot opps one NEVER sees in the hunting field.

Perhaps that's what's in 300's craw.

SC has some also. Gnarly 55 yard crossing pairs may delight Class A and up shooters, but not Joe Shotgunner who wants to have fun and get better with his hunting shotgun.

[VA9mm]

(Man, I LOVE Wobble) +1 to that. That's all I shoot, I noticed you live near Baltimore Dave Mcc I missed 2 at Lock Raven. My shooting buddy lives up there.

[BigJimP]

All of the clay target games are fun / and I'd recommend you take each of them on their own merit.

A smart course owner / course setter - will set a 5 Stand operation or a Sporting Clays operation up so a C class shooter will shoot in the upper 60's out of 100. They should put a few targets out there to separate the Master, AA, A and B classes as well - but its about entertainment / and if the average C class shooter isn't having a good time / they won't come back.

55 yard crossers can be fun ( and its a question of whethers its one yellow school bus lead, or two school buses .... ) but 20 out of 100 targets like that, unless its a state tournament is a little ridiculous ... in my opinion.

[eastbank]

i have several high price trap-clays shotguns and do quite well for a old goat, but i love to shoot my old(1930) winchester model 12 with a plain 28 inch mod. choke barrel, the only think i had done was to put a recoil pad on it to give me a 15-1/4 inch pull(stock was not cut). i shoot in the mid 20,s at trap on a good day with that 90.00 gun. do i shoot as good as the top guns,NO. but i feel pretty good about my scores againist 2000-3000 dollar guns. eastbank.

[zippy13]

Back the the OP: Is 870 suitable for Trap or Skeet?
Yes, but any pump is at a disadvantage when a quick second shot is required. Only traditional trap (singles and handicap) don't fit in this category.

[Dave McC]

VA9mm, I'm more often found at PGC Trap and Skeet Center near NASA on Good Luck Road. Come on up on Friday Morns, we can shoot some Chinese trap and Mongolian Wobble.

Or something more usual. I like it all.

[olddrum1]

Is your gun suitable, yes. Why not, if your going to get another barrel, trade the express off for a Wingmaster with screw in chokes in used condition. You will not be out that much more money and be a lot happier on the field with said gun.

[carlf]

That makes a lot of sense. I will look into that. Thanks for all the great replies.

[Murray56]

I recently purchased an 870 HD with a 8 shot tube and 20" barrel. Turned around and bought a 30" rem choke barrel and various choke tubes for trap shooting. :)

For ~$600 I now own a two option shotgun that I have been very happy with. I am a first time trap shooter, shooting low 20's consistantly with this set up. At my age of maturity I am happy with these begining scores!!:o

BTW it was never my goal to own a HD weapon, however once I saw this one, I had to have it....:confused:

Regards, MC Murray

[Nick-Mc]

I went out and shot three rounds of trap with my 870 20 ga with 28" barrel (had a mod choke in there so it helped a bit but it made up for the fact that I only had a 20). It was the first time in years I had shot trap and I easily made low 20's (out of 25 of course). Nothing wrong with the 870 for trap.

[Uncle Billy]

My Dad and I were trap shooters in a winter skeet and trap league they ran at our local club which also had skeet fields. Both Dad and I had Winchester Model 12 trap guns, and did pretty well- I won my division a couple of years. For some reason the membership was divided between the skeet guys and the trap guys so there was always a lot of (usually) good-natured needling between them. Once, on a dare, I shot a round of skeet, but not with my Winchester which was expected- I used my Rossi coach gun- SxS 20" barrels, IC chokes, 2 hammers, 2 triggers- my then-wife bought new for $125 for me as a joke. It looked ridiculous in the rack next to the Citoris and Krieghoffs and other $3000-and-up guns that were common among the skeet snobs... I mean, skeet guys. Well, I shot a 24/25 with it, hammers and triggers notwithstanding. Boy, did that give me a lot of currency in the ongoing debate with the skeet shooters- my usual retort was "How difficult is skeet when you know exactly where the bird is going to go every time? And a $125 riot gun shoots as well as one worth 6 months' mortgage payments?". It was a good laugh all around.

[rc]

I bought the 7 shot HD model with 18" barrel. Then I located a take off 26 inch express barrel for $125 with vent rib and modified choke. I also bought the standard magazine cap and mag parts. Now I have an interchangeable shotgun capable of home defense and bird/clay shooting. The 18 inch barrel is actually fine for skeet. You shouldn't miss much with that cylinder bore! But for trap and most bird hunting you need tighter patterns. Vent rib is also helpful but not required. Even if you just pick up a fixed choke 870 barrel for cheap you'll be set. 26 or 28 inch are fine. 30 and 32 inches become a bit akward. The advantage to autos is slightly faster follow up shots and lower recoil. rc

[only1najeep]

I've used my 870 "18 for clays, It was what I had so I used it.

[Cabnetman]

I shoot an 870 with a skeet barrel. Shoot both skeet and trap and it works great.

[zippy13]

In this thread, as well as many of its predecessors, folks have discussed the merits of shooting targets with 870s. However distinguishing between the Express and Wingmaster models (and the occasional other variant) becomes hazy.

It should be remembered, just because old Uncle Joe is an ace with his letter-grade Wingmaster Trap Special don't expect the same results from an 870 Express HD gun. Even with a longer barrel, the Express will handle differently than a Wingmaster target model.

[Russ5924]

I shot Trap for years using a 870 TB and was quite good at it. Used to shoot skeet with my field grade 870 with skeet barrel. I did OK but on some of those crossing doubles I was handicapped with a pump. But still shot 20 to 22 average never did 25 where in trap shot many 25:)

[halfmile]

Our leagues have lots of once a week shooters using pumps.

Registered tournaments do not have them in the numbers of former years, but let me tell you , you can get your butt kicked around here by some very accomplished Model 12 shooters.

Buy a barrel and go from there. But shoot. at every opportunity.

HM