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Thread: Trap gun?

  1. #1
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    Trap gun?

    So when Covid started last spring, I began to make good on a long back burnered resolution to become a better wing shot and started going to a local trap range once a week and shooting two rounds. I really had no interest in shooting Trap per se, just wanted to get better at shooting a shotgun at something like hunting conditions and planned to avoid "gamesmanship", just wanted to be a more competent shotgunner, and have improved a whole lot in that time. I realize I'm likely handicapping myself with using a relatively short, open choked 16 gauge double, but that's Ok, it's the gun I wanted to hit the field with..

    Now, I'm kinda getting into the game and thinking it might be fun to take it a little more seriously. I see some pretty highly specialized guns out there. I don't want to drop thousands of bucks on it, but is there a decent entry level trap gun out there that won't break the bank? Seems Savage makes (or rather, imports) one, the SVT 555 or something like that, which can be had for about six bills it seems.

    Between the time I left for college and when he detached the retina in his shooting eye, my dad took up Trap to a degree and shot an old Ithaca single barrel trap gun which is a beautiful and apparently high grade gun from the day, would probably be good for it, but it has a straight grip, no adjustable comb, fixed choke, etc., and again, discontinued and I have no idea how available parts would be should something ever go wrong with it.

    A kid at the range had a Tri Star the other day and he was pretty good with it. Those seem to be a little north of a grand on gunbroker, not out of reach, but more than I'd really like to spend on something I may lose interest in at some point.

    Thoughts or recomendations?

  2. #2
    Boolit Master

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    If you lose interest are you going to put the gun in the back of the safe or sell it? Buy what you can afford, enjoy it, and if you lose interest you should be able to get all of your money back if you buy it right in the first place. Don't look at it as money lost on the purchase because you will get most or all of it back when you sell.

  3. #3
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    Another part of this is durability. The Savage I mentioned has an alumium receiver, is that to be trusted for possibly years and thousands of rounds?

    I'm sure there's a chart out there, but generally, which manufacturer's choke tubes work in other manfacturer's guns? Seems like Remington's were different from everybody else's when I looked into it a few years ago.

  4. #4
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    I've known several fellows that did quite well with Remington 870 Wingmasters, 12 Ga., full choke.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Der Gebirgsjager View Post
    I've known several fellows that did quite well with Remington 870 Wingmasters, 12 Ga., full choke.
    I want a break open of some sort and with extractor rather than an ejector.

    I shot with an older gentlemen the other evening who used a pretty customized Remington 1100 and did very well, got the impression he was a real force to be rekoned with in his day and now just did it for fun.

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    I was one of those guys who did well with Rem 870's.

    I was lucky, I had a first cousin who was getting out of the game at about the same time I was getting in. He had an 870 in a special trap version.

    30" barrels, extra high rib and stock, double bead sights. I snapped it up when he offered it to me for 2/3'rds of what it cost.

    My best day I broke 48 straight missed one, and killed the last for 49 out of 50.
    If I had kept it up I have no doubt the following year I would have nailed that 50, and started work on 100 straight.
    But I tired of the game and walked away. The 870 got covered in camo tape and was my main waterfowl gun for a decade at which job it excelled.

    My hunting partner had to have hated that gun. He would hammer at a duck twice, while I dropped two, then I'd swing and finish his.
    It took a lot of big Canadian Honkers as well. The last 24 years it sits behind the bedroom door loaded, one in the chamber, but the chamber open so it can not possibly fire. Ready to rain chaos and destruction down on anyone silly enough to break into my house.

    But in the world of Trap even a single shot is fine. You do want a fairly tight choke and longer barrel if your going to bust those birds out at the edge.
    But the further out you go the bigger the pattern, the easier they are to hit.
    I truly believe we need to get back to basics.

    Get right with the Lord.
    Get back to the land.
    Get back to thinking like our forefathers thought.


    May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you
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  7. #7
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    missionary5155's Avatar
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    On my 14th birthday I was given an Iver Johnson 12 gauge single shot made in 1948. Well that fine old shotgun is still with me and still accounts for near half the game I take with a scattergun.
    "Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
    Male Guanaco out in dry lakebed at 10,800 feet south of Arequipa.

  8. #8
    Boolit Bub JCM45's Avatar
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    There really is no such thing as an affordable dedicated break open Trap gun, unless you look at the used market. The problem with a used Trap gun is that they typically have thousands of rounds shot through them. I successfully shot Trap for decades with an 870 with a high comb trap stock, 30" IM barrel and a weighted forend. Loved every minute of it and did not miss the expensive break open option one bit.
    Last edited by JCM45; 09-07-2020 at 02:55 PM.

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master
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    My advice, having been very heavily involved in competitive trap shooting for a while is that you are not going to find a gun to meet your criteria. The closest will be a Browning BT99. Look for a used one in good shape. A nice used one should go for $1000

    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/878316566

    Here is a link to a new one:

    https://www.budsgunshop.com/mobile/p...22+12+ga+32%22
    Don Verna


  10. #10
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    I have shot trap for years and have enjoyed a variety of guns (I don't take the score very seriously so I shoot whatever I grab out of the safe). My most recent purchase was on Sept. 11 of last year, it was a Stoeger M3000 Sporting semi-auto in 12 gauge. It is supposed to to be for sporting clays but works great when I added an improved modified choke tube. It is also MUCH easier to keep clean that a gas operated shotgun. As far as wear, don't sweat it. For many years I used a Winchester 1400 which is supposed to be good for light usage only. I fired 200 shells per week, so that adds up to a lot of blasting. I kept it clean (gas operated guns are notoriously dirty) and it worked just fine. I guess what I'm trying to say is find something you like and can afford, put in an improved modified choke and have at it. And, if you want to experiment, try different choke tubes (they aren't very expensive, check out Carlson's chokes) you might find something you like better than IM.

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy
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    In my area, the only good deals on break-open trap guns are used ones.
    I shoot sporting clays with a pump, and that makes everything pretty cheap.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by gunauthor View Post
    I have shot trap for years and have enjoyed a variety of guns (I don't take the score very seriously so I shoot whatever I grab out of the safe). My most recent purchase was on Sept. 11 of last year, it was a Stoeger M3000 Sporting semi-auto in 12 gauge. It is supposed to to be for sporting clays but works great when I added an improved modified choke tube. It is also MUCH easier to keep clean that a gas operated shotgun. As far as wear, don't sweat it. For many years I used a Winchester 1400 which is supposed to be good for light usage only. I fired 200 shells per week, so that adds up to a lot of blasting. I kept it clean (gas operated guns are notoriously dirty) and it worked just fine. I guess what I'm trying to say is find something you like and can afford, put in an improved modified choke and have at it. And, if you want to experiment, try different choke tubes (they aren't very expensive, check out Carlson's chokes) you might find something you like better than IM.
    This is kind of where I'm at, just having fun, but getting more serious and could see this becoming a long time thing. I might just have to take Dad's old trap gun out there and give it a whirl and see.

  13. #13
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    I’ve got plenty to shoot any of the shotgun clay target games and generally now I shoot trap with a Parker VH 12 gauge 30” F&F or a Browning Superposed 12 Mag field gun that’s M&F . But I have a couple actual trap guns a nice old Ithaca single barrel Knickabocker and a Browning Superposed Broadway 12 gauge 32” IM/F . And as we speak I’m on the trail of a couple Parker SC grade single barrel traps , hopefully I can acquire one . FWIW when I shot trap competitively I used a Krieghoff K-32 with a 34” K-80 unsingle barrel for singles and handicap with a second 32” O/U barrel for trap doubles . Wish I had the K-32 setup back as I shot that gun better at skeet (also had a 28” skeet barrel with a set of Kolar sub gauge tubes) and trap than any other gun I’ve ever owned .
    Parker's , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines

  14. #14
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    Entry level Trap guns are Browning Citori XT's and Beretta 682's both are in the $2000 range. These guns will last for a long time mainly because Trap guns get fired alot and it is not unusual to see 50,000 rounds per year from a serious guy or girl. That 1000 per week! You will need to reload your hulls as well.

    Guns designed for Sporting Clays like Citori 725's will work fine for Trap, Skeet and Sporting Clays, but now you are in the $3000 range.

    Cheaper guns just won't make the cut.

    The BT99 that Don recommended is a good place to start but it is a single shot so it's a dedicated Trap Singles Gun.

    If I was you, I'd shoot Dads Ithaca as it is a classic and even though it is from a different era, it's not like they didn't know what worked back then. The game hasn't changed one bit from 50-75 years ago. There are different guns now but are they really better for the sport or just nicer made???

    Do a search and see what that Ithaca is worth. You might be surprised.

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
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    A good friend at the shop recently went on a Remington 3200 kick and he bought three 26” and 28” skeet guns as well as a very nice 30” trap . If you watch GB and GI you may be able to pick up a nice 3200 30” trap for $800-1200 . The Browning Broadway I mentioned in an earlier post I got in an online auction less than a year ago for about $900 with a Browning hard luggage case .
    Parker's , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    Prolly the best starter trap gun would be a Browning BT99, for more money a Beretta. Be careful with who you ask about these guns as many don't know what a trap gun is. I've had a couple of Kreighoffs and Alfermanns with the Alfermann being my choice but are all pretty pricey for a first trapgun.

  17. #17
    Boolit Grand Master In Remembrance
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    Starting question is ... how thick is your wallet and then we can price a trap gun that won’t bust your wallet. You must have a price range in mind otherwise you would not have made the post
    Regards
    John

  18. #18
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    Beretta 400, 325,300 are all aluminum receivers and hold up just as good as a steel frame. I would not invest 1000 dollars in a Turkish auto, I would not expect it to hold up like a Beretta nor have the trigger quality either. Browning Superposed has got to be the most undervalued gun on the used market, mine cost me 1000$ and was built as a bunker trap gun. Works great on ATA as well as sporting clays, I’ve even shot skeet with it. It can also do trap doubles and kill doves and ducks.
    Son and I spent 3 hours at the skeet range today, we shot 8 boxes each. It takes a quality built gun to take that usage on a regular basis. Buy a good used gun and if you get tired of it you can get your money back 100%. Winchester M12,Rem870,Ithaca 37,Rem1100,1187,Browning Superposed or Citori, Beretta 686 or 682, or their gas guns. Get something that fits you close, and that Ithaca single is still a great trap gun. Did I mention that new “bargain” target guns will hold about 50% of their value when you realize it is getting unreliable? I have seen this happen repeatably over the last 17 years coaching youth.
    “You don’t practice until you get it right. You practice until you can’t get it wrong.” Jason Elam, All-Pro kicker, Denver Broncos

  19. #19
    Boolit Master
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    not to show off my ignorance but what is it that makes a shotgun a trap gun? Ive relied on an old 1100 with vent rib remchoke barrel for nearly my entire adult life to do everything 12 gauge. ive had to replace 0rings a few times but it is very reliable. ive got an 870 and slugster 500 but they don't get much use.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
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    Probably should wait for a trap shooters perspective, but here goes. From a practical standpoint they will have a higher comb than a field gun. From there typically longer barrels and a vent rib. Beyond that there are lots of stuff trap shooters like, the manufactures provide them or aftermarket folk. The sky is the limit. Personally, aside from my bunker gun and a “trap” barrel as an for my WS1 M12, we just use our sporting guns for trap. I have watchen my son run multiple 100 straights with his Browning325, 28 inch barrels with IM choke screwed in. Then go to win the skeet on the next day , same gun with skeet choke screwed in. Important thing is the fit, balance and durability. I was shooting the same 325 today, it has well over 250,000 rounds thru it and still dosen’t need a rebuild.
    “You don’t practice until you get it right. You practice until you can’t get it wrong.” Jason Elam, All-Pro kicker, Denver Broncos

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