What Shotgun For Trap???

[trippledigitss]

Hey all - Can anyone give some advice on what kind of gun you think is best for a beginning trap shooter? I went to a trap class at Kenmore and I've been out a couple times shooting trap and 5-stand and I think I am getting hooked! So far I have been using my Escort autoloaders and I can hit them OK, but my trap shooting buddies tell me my guns are no good for that. They tell me to get an O/U with 30 to 32" barrels. Some of these guns are sooo dang expensive I dont know if I want to take their advice!

I do like the Browning XS Skeet and XT Trap guns but I dont know the difference between the two. One guy told me the trap gun is setup to shoot above the sight whereas the Skeet will shoot more even with the barrel. I am leaning toward the Browning XT but I would like to NOT spend 2k+ for a gun when just starting out. But then again I dont want to spend 5,6,$700 on a used or cheaper gun just to find out soon afterwards I dont like it then have to go out & spend more. Maybe it is best to pay more for something I know is going to be good even down the line if I get more serious?

Any good affordable brands/models you can suggest and/or types of gun, like Skeet vs Trap, barrel lengths, etc etc? Thanks!

[jackelope]

I wouldn't spend a bunch of dough till you know it's something you're going to stick with.  Lots of very serious shotgun sports shooters shooting autoloaders. Why not shoot your current gun and save your pennies. I shoot a Browning Gold sporting model, it's an auto. I don't shoot a lot compared to the guys that are serious about it. The gun needs to fit you 1st and foremost. Then it needs to stand up to lots of rounds fired. If  you get serious about it, you'll shoot a couple hundred rounds a day and you might do it a couple times a week. Odds are that will break your Escort gun at some point. That will break a lot of guns over time.
The other thing you should try is sporting clays. It's a lot more fun to me than trap or skeet...just don't tell the trap and skeet guys that.

[Ironhead]

Jack, gave you some good advice. Stick with your current shotgun until you are sure you are ready to drop some coin on a new one. Then handle and shoot every shotgun you think you might want. Fit is key as well as a gun that can take some serious use. I put around 500 rounds a week through my Browning 625 sporting.It has 32" barrels, they take some getting use to after shooting 28" barrels. They take a little longer to get going on the swing. Lots of good shotguns out there for trap,skeet and sporting clays. Another thing, like Jack said check out Sporting clays, it's a lot like 5 stand but many more stations and situations. Have fun.

[trippledigitss]

Thanks guys. I do like idea of using my current guns. And I am sure gun fit and shooting fundamentals (lack of experience) are my big hangups right now. But I also like the idea of getting a new shiny gun! But buying that before I know what I need/want is kinda senseless. I think I have shot maybe 2-300 rounds at most up to this point over a 2 hr class 3 different times at the range. And I read it takes about 5000rds just to get aquainted with your gun and another 5-10k to get proficient with it!  But I was kinda thinking in the back of my mind that I may develop bad habits or tecniques on my current shotguns that would be a negative if I went to a proper trap gun? Maybe I will just keep using one of my Escorts for awhile and get more experience, while only using the other for hunting so I dont wear it out as fast?

Do you know if I can fit one of those bead type sights like I've seen on some O/U that go in the middle of the barrel to one of my Escorts.

 And see I thought sporting clays & 5 stand were the same thing? Is sporting clays where you walk thru the woods to different stations?

[wapiti hunter2]

Can you get a 32 inch barrel for your current shotgun?  I won the Nevada state championship with my regular 870 and a trap barrel.  Lots of guys laughed at me.  It is how you shoot that counts, not the gun.  As you get into it more, some of the guys will get to know you and you may get to try a few different guns before you plunk down serious cash. 

[sakoshooter]

I agree with what Jackelope and Ironhead said.
There's nothing at all wrong with whatever you're shooting. Most field grade guns shoot to point of aim(flat). So do most skeet and sporting clays guns. Trap is always a rising target so most trap guns shoot slightly high. Say 60/40 or 70/30 or more. That's 70% of the pattern above the center line and 30% below at 30 yds as most trap targets are broken at 31yds. Most skeet @ 21yds. Sporting clays is my favorite. Similar to hunting situations and any field grade, skeet or sporting gun will work. I would continue with what you've got untill you really want to get serious about a certain aspect of the shotgun sports.
I had my 30" barreled Rem 3200 Trap Special choked for Seminole chokes. It shoots about 60/40. It's my skeet, trap and sporting clays gun. I know where it shoots and can do well with it. Love it.
When I take my SBEII or another gun out to the club I have to remember to cover up that target or I'll be shooting under them.
Longer barrels point better, swing better and their length/weight helps with follow through. Shorter barrels swing fast, do not point very well for longer shots and do not allow for very good follow through because of the lighter weight.
Years ago, skeet shooters, including myself, went to shorter barrels - 24,25 and 26" barreled guns. I've even got and 870 w/21" barrel. It didn't take too many years to figure out that pointability and follow through were suffering. Many of us switched to longer barreled guns. With the advent of Sporting Clays, may trap shooter's doubles guns and skeet gus quckly found new use. No days there's a lot of sporting guns to choose from.
I DO use my hunting guns for clay targets prior to hunting season. The moral here is practice, practice, practice. Know your gun and how it shoots.

[Hilltop123]

Bad habits are bad habits, regardless of the gun style or cost. Fundamentals are key to consistant bird breakage, proper stance, cheek to stock, follow through, and don't peek, (lifting of head to see bird break, doing this just killed the follow through). But everyone likes a new shiny gun! If you have a preference to action, go with it, but the others are right, proper fit is key. Pick up and handle as many different brands and styles as you can, you may even ask the owner of a gun you like at your club, if you can try it for a round of trap. It's been my experience that most owners, once they know you, would be glad to have you shoot their gun at the line. Now  , if you want a O/U go get one, but if you think you need one to compete with the other guys, well your barking up the wrong tree.    What ever way you go, go there because you want to, not because others talked you into it.

[wadu1]

Like Ironhead said gun fit is the most important thing. Like one the other posts a trap gun has a 60/40 split that is 60% of the shot is over the front bead skeet and hunting guns ar 50/50. In the past I shot 10-15K trap targets a year now I only shoot sporting clays about 400 rounds a month. For now keep using your gun and see if you really want to get into shooting a lot. As for guns I use a Beretta 686SX Trap the single barrel is a 32" and the O/U are 30" for sporting clays the two I use a Beretta 391 Sporting and a Wnichester SX2 sporting.
If you think you need a new gun look at the used market you can get some great deals; here are some suggestions. Browning BT99, Remington 1100 Trap, Browning Broadway, Charles Daley (Browing Clone), Remington 11-87 Sporting and if you can find one a Biakal O/U Clays gun. 

[jackelope]

Don't worry about putting more beads on your gun. You point a shotgun at clay targets, you don't aim. Half the battle hitting clays is psychological. You have to shoulder the gun and look at the target the same way every time. Learn to trust that the gun is in the right place when you see the target and shoot. Don't aim!
My stepdad does lessons at Seattle Skeet and Trap in Ravensdale. If you want info, pm me.

[trippledigitss]

Lots of good info here - thanks guys.

I dont know if I can get a 32" barrel for my Escort, I have a 24" & 28" barrels and always use the 28's

It seems to me with my gun I am usually shooting over the birds on the trap line. So if my gun is setup to shoot flat vs a trap gun I must be really messed up with my aim! I think not only do I not get down on the gun - cheek tight against it - I lift my head too. In my class the teacher had me shooting with both eyes open and I started killing them but when I tried it again next time on my own I couldnt hit squat! I also felt more rushed when I wasnt in class. During instruction, not only did I have him there reminding me what to do, I felt like I had more time and was thinking more about what I was doing vs just pulling and shooting

The reason I want to get a new gun is alot about the new shiny gun aspect, but also because I thought it would help me shoot better if I got a gun that was designed for that purpose. At this point I dont really care about other's scores or want to compete with them, I just want to do better for myself, my own satisfaction. If I can do that with my own guns or a beat up antique, even better. But I'd still like to get a new *censored* shotgun too! 

I did go into the gun shop yesterday and 'tried on' a few different guns and started to feel the difference. I dont know what half of the guns listed on here are even like so I have a lot more looking around to do. I think in the now though I am going to focus on shooting my current guns more, learning how to shoot better and just soak up as much as I can. From what these other guys were telling me I was under the impression that with my current guns I was already handicapped and would be limited in how well I could do no matter what.

When I 1st shot trap at Marysville I think I hit 5 of 25. Then shot 5 stand and got 16, no true pairs, all following. Then 2nd time thru with a different gun I think I hit 7. Now at Kenmore I am getting like 10-11 on trap and 6-7 on 5 stand. So I feel like I'm going backwards. But I think the 16 was a fluke and I am expecting too much, too soon. In one gun I use the mod choke and the other I use imp cyl - it seems I do better with the mod.

[trippledigitss]

Don't worry about putting more beads on your gun. You point a shotgun at clay targets, you don't aim. Half the battle hitting clays is psychological. You have to shoulder the gun and look at the target the same way every time. Learn to trust that the gun is in the right place when you see the target and shoot. Don't aim!
My stepdad does lessons at Seattle Skeet and Trap in Ravensdale. If you want info, pm me.

"dont aim" - that just sounds strange! But I am definitely going to keep that in mind. I just might hit you up for more info on your stepdad, thanks! I have another buddy that competes and seems do well, mostly at Evergreen in south end I think? He's got guns that cost him over 10k & up!  That just blows my mind! He's got this Berreta Combo? he said he'll sell me for $5500 but thats waaaaay out of my league in terms of $$$. I've never shot with him but he offered to give me some private lessons for free. I am going to take him up that here sometime soon.

[trippledigitss]

Oh - and I thought the 2nd bead may help me to get down on the gun better by having to line them up. No?

[jackelope]

Do you shoot a bow?
IF you do...you know how you anchor in the same place every time? Same with the shotgun...put your face to the gun the same way every time.
Did you shoot a pattern board with your gun during your lesson? If you did, I bet your pattern was high if you really were shooting over the birds. This is usually fixed by keeping your head down on the stock. If you are keeping your head down then there might be a comb height issue with your gun. You can fix this with the little foam inserts. It looks hokey but it will fix your problem.
Sporting guns get super expensive. Kreighoffs can go up towards the $20k mark. They're no good if they don't fit though, and a lot of that $$ is purely cosmetic. You can get a really nice browning Citori or Broadway if you want an O/U for $1500.00

[trippledigitss]

No I have never shot a bow. I did shoot a pattern board in the class. Everything seemed to hit fairly centered over all but he did say the majority was up & left - which is where I usually hit the birds, left side or front edge. I am almost certain I dont get face against it and keep my head down. I need to think about slowing down and keep that in mind evey time. I was thinking about putting a small pad or something on the stock as a reminder?

[wadu1]

No I have never shot a bow. I did shoot a pattern board in the class. Everything seemed to hit fairly centered over all but he did say the majority was up & left - which is where I usually hit the birds, left side or front edge. I am almost certain I dont get face against it and keep my head down. I need to think about slowing down and keep that in mind evey time. I was thinking about putting a small pad or something on the stock as a reminder?

Up and left? You are right handed, correct;  and you do better with targets moving right to left; correct? Right handers pull the gun into their face on right to left targets giving them the correct gun mount. Targets moving left to right you will tend to push the gun away from your face thus losing your sight pattern.