Beginner Trap & Skeet Gun

[StraitR]

Lot's of good suggestions already. I will add, you won't make any friends shooting trap with a semi-auto. The guy next to you will not appreciate the kiss marks from your shells on his Perazzi in the same way we appreciate the look of a well used pistol.

I've successfully used ranger bands behind the bolt handle to short cycle a Browning D-80 and Benelli M2 Field when shooting trap to prevent shells from ejecting.

[Cookie Monster]

If you are only going to shoot occasionally, I would not buy a shotgun specific to trap/skeet. I have literally shot an 18.5" home defense 870 and gone 23/25 by just simply replacing the choke to a skeet choke. And, I don't shoot shotgun that often...like 2-3 times a year.

To put it into perspective: with a pistol, if you were only semi-serious about USPSA, but wanted to shoot a couple of matches a year, I would just tell you to bring what you have and have fun. Sure, something specifically made for the game might give you a hair of an edge to be competitive, but that's only for people who are shooting 5 days a week. Same with shotgun. Don't buy into the hype that you need something specific just to compete a few times. You can do well enough with what you probably already have lying around the house...provided you have the option to switch out chokes.

I'd disagree. As a mid-teens trap shooter with a nice O/U who shoots every week maybe I am just jealous.

While I don't think the OP needs a trap gun, a heavy shotgun with a long barrel would make the experience more pleasant and more enjoyable and just help blend with the group. Also it would be something that could be used for clay games, waterfowl or upland bird hunting. Also something that the OP can get fitted and dialed in for wing shooting. My HD shotgun is set-up for killing people, I want to run the clay gun different.

[StraitR]

For anyone looking to learn skeet, the below YT playlist coupled with decent hand-eye coordination and above average gun skills will have you busting 20+ your first time out.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...1DA01D2404EE9C

He also has a trap playlist...

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...870DF00AEF0454

Sorry for the derail. Hopefully a few will find it useful.

[LSP972]

Lot's of good suggestions already. I will add, you won't make any friends shooting trap with a semi-auto. The guy next to you will not appreciate the kiss marks from your shells on his Perazzi in the same way we appreciate the look of a well used pistol.

True… assuming that Perazzi hasn't broken something in the trigger group and is actually working for a while.

And there are several varieties of shell catcher, which snap into the ejection port, available. I began shooting trap with a Beretta 3901 and one of these; works fine, but makes the gun somewhat of a PITA to load.

.

[rob_s]

While I don't think the OP needs a trap gun, a heavy shotgun with a long barrel would make the experience more pleasant and more enjoyable and just help blend with the group. Also it would be something that could be used for clay games, waterfowl or upland bird hunting. Also something that the OP can get fitted and dialed in for wing shooting. My HD shotgun is set-up for killing people, I want to run the clay gun different.

This is something I'm very conscious of. There's a balance to be had relative to enjoyment, cost, special-purpose, quality, etc. For example, I've seen guys go buy a $500 1911 and a Uncle Mike's holster and go try to shoot IDPA or USPSA and be miserable. Often they blame the game not the gear, but in either case they aren't achieving the primary goal which is to have fun. They *can* go shoot with sub-optimal gear, but they could have also had a Glock and a kydex holster for the same money and had a lot greater enjoyment.

I think I'm going to wind up going back to Gander and picking up that 390, but I'm going to check out Dick's today or tomorrow as well first. While at Gander I saw some horribly over-priced handguns and it has me wondering if the shotguns are massively overpriced as well.

[Cookie Monster]

This is something I'm very conscious of. There's a balance to be had relative to enjoyment, cost, special-purpose, quality, etc. For example, I've seen guys go buy a $500 1911 and a Uncle Mike's holster and go try to shoot IDPA or USPSA and be miserable. Often they blame the game not the gear, but in either case they aren't achieving the primary goal which is to have fun. They *can* go shoot with sub-optimal gear, but they could have also had a Glock and a kydex holster for the same money and had a lot greater enjoyment.

I think I'm going to wind up going back to Gander and picking up that 390, but I'm going to check out Dick's today or tomorrow as well first. While at Gander I saw some horribly over-priced handguns and it has me wondering if the shotguns are massively overpriced as well.

I don't buy guns often and don't know values. I would wonder though if there are any shotgun horders at the local skeet/trap club that would have something that fits your needs.

[HCM]

While at Gander I saw some horribly over-priced handguns and it has me wondering if the shotguns are massively overpriced as well.

Everything I've seen at Gander mountain locations in TX and FL (guns, ammo etc) has been horribly over priced. I don't even bother going in there anymore.

LGS, order online/ slickguns / grab a gun all offer shotguns. If I have to go big box, Cabelas or Academy Sports.

[spinmove_]

Everything I've seen at Gander mountain locations in TX and FL (guns, ammo etc) has been horribly over priced. I don't even bother going in there anymore.

LGS, order online/ slickguns / grab a gun all offer shotguns. If I have to go big box, Cabelas or Academy Sports.

Agreed. Unless there is a killer deal somewhere, I tend to stay out of the big box stores completely. I'd rather go to a LGS where there are better prices, better service, and the derp is usually toned down to a lesser degree behind the counter.

[rob_s]

I live in SE Florida, you are simply not going to get good customer service whether you're in a big box or a LGS. All you get is pimply idiots in the big box replaced with tacti-turds at the LGS. I'm also unwilling to invest the legwork to buy guns online anymore, unless there's some smoking deal. My time is worth more than the money saved. Turns out the Gander shotgun prices were in line with Bud's and other online pricing I checked out, so I don't feel too bad about the price issue on the shotguns.

Stopped in at Dick's and got to see the Stoeger O/U, M3000 (non-$gun version), an 11-87, and a synthetic Beretta A300. All, again, priced inline with online pricing. Almost popped on the A300 but then decided I'd rather spend the money on my wood shop right now. At least I have a good sense of what's available, where to go to get it, and what I can get at the price I want to pay. So now if I get invited to go shoot on Wednesday I can just stop in and buy a gun before Saturday.

I appreciate all the help and guidance. I'll probably end up with one of the Berettas at some point.

[Cookie Monster]

The woodshop is not a bad call.