Buying my first trap gun-Too many choices

[damo450]

Hello everyone. I've decided recently that I want to shot trap again. I shot all through high school but that has been 20+years ago. I shot then with my grandad's BPS field 28" full. He was a lefty. I want to buy a dedicated trap gun. I've beeen looking at a few guns but just can't seem to find the right one. I wanted some opinions on longevity of certain guns. Frequency of cleaning, etc. I have looked at a very nice late model superposed 32" that has been threaded by Briley. A couple of model 12's, 870 trap (I have several 870's), Winchester SX3 sporting, 1100 30" fixed full, and lastly a very nice Sig/Rizzini Aurora. I know that is a serious smattering of guns but I just don't know what direction to go. I always appreciate advice in an area I have little experience. I want to stay away from a BT-99 as I what's want the option of hunting with the gun. Thank You all!

[JWT]

I was gonna recommend a BT-99 until I read all of your post. If you want to hunt with it I'd recommend a Remington 1100 Classic Trap. Been around for years. Good, solid, reliable guns. Lots of good used ones around if you don't want to invest in a new one. Don't see as many people shooting trap with them, but still being used and still darn good guns.

[pete2]

If you want to hunt with it you may want to consider a Sporting gun. I have an 870 And an 11-87 trap guns, I wouldn't hunt with either of them, they are pretty much only good for trap for me. I'm trying a Browning 725 Sporting at the moment, it's great for Skeet, Sporting Clays, and It will prolly be a good hunting gun. I've shot a couple good trap scores with it but I'm not a great trap shooter with any of the guns. I do a little better with the 870 over the 11-87 for no apparent reason. I do know folks who shoot 5 stand with a trap gun but I can't do it.
My 2 cents.

[g.willikers]

Yeah, ain't capitalism horrible.
All those choices.

The only trap gun I've owned was a Remington 1100.
Never wanted anything else.
Like the others have said, trap guns aren't particularly suited for the other shotgun games or hunting.
They're designed for the trap game.
But anyone can get used to anything.
We are very adaptable monkeys.

[Jim Watson]

I have owned this and that but have always broken the most targets with a Remington 1100 TA.
The Beretta autos, whatever model number they are up to now, seem to be nicer made guns, but the Remington fits me better.

The price of shot vs the price of shells has a lot of people shooting factory. About any load will break 16 yard targets.

As far as a single barrel trap gun for hunting, a guy here said his BT99 34" Full would take a squirrel down out of a tall, tall, tree.

[FITASC]

A budget number would be nice, before the hardcore suggest Ljutic or Seitz.

If it is mostly for trap, get the trap version, it will have the proper stock already installed, etc.

[Kreyzhorse]

If you want to hunt with it you may want to consider a Sporting gun.

+1.

I started shooting trap a few years ago and quickly fell in love with sporting clays. Trap is fun, but sporting clays is my passion.

A sporting gun, like the Beretta Silver Pigeon, will let you shoot trap, clays, skeet and hunt.

[Blindstitch]

Now the Beretta SP is a nice gun. I couldn't find one in my budget but got a Browning Citori and it does a great job. I installed 1911 springs in it so it doesn't throw the empty hulls over my shoulder and into the grass.

[darkgael]

Two men that I know use SXSs regularly. They are pretty good at breaking the birds. Every now and then, I take one of mine to the range (either an old Parker or an old LeFever); they work if I remember to cover the bird. They shoot flat.
Normally, I use a BT-99. Prior to hunting season, I may take a field gun along...though a clay bird ain't a grouse. One of my rare 25s was shot with an old Winchester Model 59. Go figure.
I like the idea of one of the Browning O/Us for your intended uses.
Pete

[eastbank]

i have a browning limited edtion sporting 12ga o/u and a browning XS 20ga o/u browning that i use for the clays games and hunting. good cross over shotguns. eastbank.

[natman]

If you want to get serious about trap, you'll need a dedicated trap gun with a raised comb and a rib to match. This builds in a lead that allows you to track the clay and still see it. This will make the gun difficult to hunt with though.

[FITASC]

Now the Beretta SP is a nice gun. I couldn't find one in my budget but got a Browning Citori and it does a great job. I installed 1911 springs in it so it doesn't throw the empty hulls over my shoulder and into the grass.

It really isn't hard to open the gun and place your offhand over the barrels so the empties pop right into your hand for either trash disposal or keeping for reloading.

[eastbank]

if you have a adjustable comb its a simple matter to drop it down and the gun will shoot flatter and can be used for normal hunting. eastbank.

[Rob228]

There are a few versions of the Beretta A400 that fit what you are looking for. The Xcel (blue receiver) is their dedicated clays gun. I shoot trap with an A400 Xplor which is more of a hunting shotgun, but it has never held me back on the trap range. I use a Briley light-full choke and whatever trap loads are cheap at Midway. I spent about $10 on a snap on plastic shell catcher so I don't keep pelting the guy on the next stand. I'm typically running 23-25/25, best yet has been 96/100. I'm definitely the weak link, not the gun.

[FITASC]

There is also the Beretta Multitarget - what the Fabarm XLR is. Take the A400 Smurf gun, double the price and add some coolio extras.............

Then there is the discontinued Beretta UGB Xcel25 - which is a break-open semi built for International restrictions

[Ricklin]

IMHO
Much better to choose a gun that fits vs. what discipline the gun is designed for.

Comb raising kits are available and cost less than 20 bucks. Put it on for trap, take it off for hunting. Beartooth brand is what I have used.

Do choose something with a vent rib.

[natman]

I want to buy a dedicated trap gun.....

I... want the option of hunting with the gun.

I'd suggest that the OP has given us conflicting requirements. If he wants a dedicated trap gun, he should get one with a high / adjustable comb, matching rib and dedicate it to trap shooting.

If he wants a dual purpose shotgun, get a regular shotgun and adapt to shooting trap with it.

I think the notion of readjusting the comb back and forth sounds better in theory than it would be in practice. For one, the rib would either be set up for trap or not and would be wrong for one position. Practicing with one point of impact and then, using the same gun, changing it just before you go hunting sounds like a recipe for missing.

[FITASC]

Comb raising kits are available and cost less than 20 bucks. Put it on for trap, take it off for hunting.

This does not make sense to me - if adding the Beartooth makes the gun fit, why remove it for hunting and then not have the gun fit properly?

[BigJimP]

"Dedicated" Trap gun...and a hunting gun ...are 2 very different animals.

Dedicated Trap guns are usually longer and heavier..because there is less left to right movement in a Trap bird vs a Skeet or Sporting Clays bird...and the extra length and weight of the Trap gun helps carry the momentum for the follow thru. I prefer my "Trap" gun be an O/U with 32" barrels and up around 10 lbs.

BT-99 may not be your best bet for Trap anyway unless all you want to do is shoot singles....so a gun like the Browning Citori XT Trap O/U where you can load 2 shells for Doubles or Continental Trap ..and still shoot singles with it, is a more common gun. I like the XT for a dedicated Trap gun...

I prefer my all around guns...O/U with 30" barrels and around 8 to 8.5 lbs..with a lower comb than a trap gun....weight gives it enough momentum to swing smoothly but its more nimble for Sporting Clays, Skeet, Upland Birds...

But "Dedicated Trap shooting" and Casual Trap shooting are very different...if you want to shoot a little Trap ( tune up for Pheasant season maybe )...then shoot the same gun you intend to hunt with...for me it would be an O/U with 30" barrels at 8 1/2 lbs...

[Blindstitch]

It really isn't hard to open the gun and place your offhand over the barrels so the empties pop right into your hand for either trash disposal or keeping for reloading.

That sounds fine shooting clays. But you do it your way and I'll do i mine when real live birds are flushing from the fields and you don't want to litter on property you don't own. Besides it cost $10 and is fully reverse-able.

[FITASC]

Who was advocating littering? I can eject them right into my hand and reload fast enough for flushing birds, without leaving a mess.

[eastbank]

i don,t find it a strech to use my browning XS in 20 ga or my browning clays limited edition 12ga for trap-skeet or hunting small game, it takes only a minute to raise or lower the combs with a allen wrench. if theses were the only shotguns i owned i sure as hell would not buy an other one, unless i just wanted it. eastbank.

[eastbank]

double post.. eastbank.

[damo450]

Thank you all for the great replies. I should have worded the original question better. I don't need a dedicated trap gun. I would like to shoot all games with reasonable proficiency but usually have hard time buying a dedicated gun for some reason. I posted earlier about a beretta A302 I have that is brand new in the box. I could always buy a trap barrel as there are several 30" full barrels on eBay for around $225. Then use that as the barrel on it now is a 28" 3" Mod. I doubt it will cycle light loads. That may be my best option. Or at leas the most economical! What say you all?

Thank You!

[natman]

Hard to argue against a brand new gun you already own. When you say the barrel is a 28" Mod, is that a fixed choke or just the choke tube that's in it now?