Page 2 of 25 FirstFirst 123412 ... LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 245

Thread: Beginner Trap & Skeet Gun

  1. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Shotgun View Post
    Among competitive shooters, a trap gun is not the same as a skeet gun. A good compromise for the occasional shooter is to get a semiautomatic sporting clays gun, and then use that for when you shoot any of the shotgun sports, including trap and skeet. I would look for a used Beretta 391. Beretta 391s were, and maybe still are, the most popular semi-auto in sporting clays circles for a long time. They are very reliable, and they came with stock shims so that slight alterations could be made to make the gun fit you better.
    Solid gold advice here^.

    A properly set-up trap gun is worthless for anything else. This is due to the POI being adjusted to hit ten or so inches ABOVE the POA. Why? Because the best way to bust trap birds is to keep them in sight at all times, and to do this you must "float" the bird above the muzzle as it is climbing away from you. OTOH, you can do quite well at trap with a skeet or sporting clays gun. The dedicated trap guns with their pitched stocks just make it easier.

    If you don't mind the squeeze (it ain't a cheap shotgun), that A400 would be the ticket. Berettas and Benellis pretty much rule the professional sporting clays circuit, because they will run and run and run with little to no maintenance.

    BTW… if, while in a group of shooters, you see a shotgun with black "R" in an orange or red circle (a sticker, usually) on the pistol grip cap or elsewhere on the stock… be watchful of that guy. His gun has a release trigger. Those can get real exciting… real fast.

    .

  2. #12
    Member ubervic's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Mid-Atlantic
    For an auto, I'd recommend a used Beretta 391 or Browning Gold. They are both fine, affordable, reliable and easy to operate.
    For an Over/Under, I'd recommend a used Browning Citori with 28" or 30" barrels, which are most versatile for most shooters.

    Autos point and balance differently than O/Us. I learned with O/Us and found the sight picture and handling of autos very odd thereafter.

    Probably goes without saying, but the shotgunning discipline is almost completely opposite to shooting pistol, in that you direct a hard focus to the target and have only a peripheral sense of your shotgun's bead(s). And one points rather than aims in shotgunning, leading the target in most presentations.

    I shot skeet & clays (but not much trap) for about 20 years before turning to pistol, and I love the zen and dynamics of the shotgun sports. Have fun!

  3. #13
    Member Shotgun's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Republic of Texas (Dallas)
    Quote Originally Posted by LSP972 View Post
    Berettas . . . pretty much rule the professional sporting clays circuit, because they will run and run and run with little to no maintenance.

    BTW… if, while in a group of shooters, you see a shotgun with black "R" in an orange or red circle (a sticker, usually) on the pistol grip cap or elsewhere on the stock… be watchful of that guy. His gun has a release trigger. Those can get real exciting… real fast.
    True and true. I clean my Beretta 390 (the predecessor to the 391) only twice each shooting season (March-October). One of my regular squad members shoots a release trigger. He can sometimes have some very interesting flinches when he forgets he is shooting a release trigger.

  4. #14
    Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Texas
    I shoot trap, skeet, and sporting clays with an 870 and a Beretta 3901. I don't doubt that I would shoot better with better equipment, but I'm having fun and I'm a bigger handicap than the shotguns.

  5. #15
    Site Supporter JSGlock34's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    USA
    My first trap gun was a Remington 1100. Probably the best budget option out there. However, I spent too much time renting O/U shotguns (mostly Brownings and Berettas) and ended up purchasing a Beretta Silver Pigeon SP1 Sporting 30" last year. Though I got sucked in by the Beretta, Browning has some decent O/U options (like the BT99) that are more reasonably priced.

    Quote Originally Posted by theJanitor View Post
    Make sure you can change chokes. F/O front sights are great too. and if you go O/U, I like ones that don't engage the safety when you close the action. A good O/U makes you feel great, though.
    Agreed - it took me a little while to figure out the difference between the SP1 'Sporting' and the SP1 'Field' versions (the latter has the automatic safety when you close the action).
    "When the phone rang, Parker was in the garage, killing a man."

  6. #16
    Member ubervic's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Mid-Atlantic
    I disagree regarding the value/importance of changing chokes for a once-in-a-while user under most circumstances. If you have the option, I'd shoot nothing but SKEET 1 for skeet and either Improved Cylinder or Modified for Trap. The difference in pattern density for distances at which you will be shooting will be nil.

  7. #17
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Utah
    I strongly prefer O/U for clay games. I think the administrative handling is more convenient, and they are pretty much tailor made for clay shooting, so they tend to swing very well, etc. If your budget allows, get a used citori, superposed, or 686, depending on what's available, and what fits you. They all run about 800-1100. Most citoris and 686s will have screw in chokes. A used superposed won't, but depending on what you're playing and how competitive you are it might not matter. If it's mostly trap, mod/full is ideal. For skeet more open would be better, but I've shot some pretty good rounds of skeet, SC, and 5 stand with a fixed mod/mod. Usually my problem is that I suck, not that I have the wrong choke.

  8. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by Shotgun View Post
    Among competitive shooters, a trap gun is not the same as a skeet gun. A good compromise for the occasional shooter is to get a semiautomatic sporting clays gun, and then use that for when you shoot any of the shotgun sports, including trap and skeet. I would look for a used Beretta 391. Beretta 391s were, and maybe still are, the most popular semi-auto in sporting clays circles for a long time. They are very reliable, and they came with stock shims so that slight alterations could be made to make the gun fit you better. Beretta's current version is this: http://www.beretta.com/en-us/a400-xplor-unico/ Beretta also has a semi-auto called the A400 Xcel Multitarget. I have not seen or handled one of those as of yet, but that shotgun is able to be set up for trap, skeet and sporting clays.

    Although not very popular, I have always liked the feel of Remington 1100s. Whatever you get, you need to make sure that you can change chokes. Any sporting clays shotgun you get should have interchangeable chokes.

    You will want/need a shell pouch, shooting glasses and ear protection. A shooting bag is also desirable that will hold at least 6 boxes of shells and your eyes/ears (glasses, muffs). That way, when you are walking to the skeet or trap field, your shotgun will be in one hand and your bag in the other. You don't want to have to try to make multiple trips to your car for boxes of shells while shooting or try to juggle a number of loose boxes of shells when carrying your gear to the field.

    Have fun!
    All of the above/
    Your in for a lot a FUN. If your just getting started, look at the A300 Outlander, its the new 391, you ca get a basic synthetic stock for 600 bucks. If you go the auto route look for a shell catcher. If you stick with it you will want to upgrade, then you may have a dedicated gun for trap, skeet sporting clays.

    The big difference is trap guns are normally set up so that your pattern is above your bead. A default field gun will require a cover your target hold. With that said, with a little practice you should be able to break 20+ with a field gun. It;s like anything else you will just have to shoot a bit before you figure what works for you, what you want and what your willing to pay.

  9. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by JSGlock34 View Post
    Browning has some decent O/U options (like the BT99) that are more reasonably priced.


    The BT-99 was/is ( I think they discontinued it) designed strictly for 16 yard singles, and multi-yard handicap; its a single-barrel gun.

    .

  10. #20
    Site Supporter JSGlock34's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    USA
    Quote Originally Posted by LSP972 View Post
    The BT-99 was/is ( I think they discontinued it) designed strictly for 16 yard singles, and multi-yard handicap; its a single-barrel gun.

    .
    You are quite right - I stand corrected; I must have been thinking of the Citori or Cynergy, though both seem a bit more expensive than I remember.
    Last edited by JSGlock34; 02-22-2016 at 09:20 PM.
    "When the phone rang, Parker was in the garage, killing a man."

User Tag List

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •