Budget shotgun for trap/clay
- Thread starter flguti
- Start date
Rebel Till Death
CGN Regular
- Location
- Burlington, Ontario
Good deals on quality trap guns do show on the EE, you just gotta watch like a hawk and make a good offer. The right deals don’t last long
Picked up a beautiful beretta trap gun for a great price (~$1000) recently that is in out of box condition, has fixed trap chokes but that’s what I bought it for so no loss to me
Picked up a beautiful beretta trap gun for a great price (~$1000) recently that is in out of box condition, has fixed trap chokes but that’s what I bought it for so no loss to me
We have a new guy that recently started shooting skeet with us, and he is doing well for having no shotgun experience, but we noticed that over 75% of his misses are on targets traveling right to left. A pattern test showed that he is shooting considerably to one side, because the barrels are not lined up left to right when he shoulders the gun. He needs to add cast to get his eye over the rib, and his low priced O/U does not have an adjustable comb. So if you don't understand shotgun fit, one of the guns that comes with adjustment shims, may be worth considering, as is a shotgun with an adjustable comb.
BullOnParade
CGN Regular
- Location
- Eastern Ontario
A few winters ago, my wife was a new PAL holder and was very interested in shooting trap, shooting trap well, and maybe even competing. We found a coach, did a few lessons, and realized very quickly we just don't have deep enough pockets to go that route.
A good trap gun is pushing $10k, we were told to budget $6k for a used starter, and we'd probably have to find it stateside.
The biggest difference between a field gun and a sport gun is the comb angle of the stock (the angle of the top of the stock compared to the barrels). A field stock will have an angle (~5°) while a sport stock will be parallel to the barrels. Not saying many people aren't busting clays with field stocks for fun, but if you want to be competitive, your comb angle will be zero, and either professionally fit to your face (mo' money, less problems), or adjustable.
These are a few of the things it takes to get into ISSF level matches. Again, you can have fun with a field gun. You can bust clays with a pump, bolt, semi or single shot. But if you want to compete seriously and reach provincial level competitions or better, this is the guidance I was given from a fairly high level coach.
A good trap gun is pushing $10k, we were told to budget $6k for a used starter, and we'd probably have to find it stateside.
The biggest difference between a field gun and a sport gun is the comb angle of the stock (the angle of the top of the stock compared to the barrels). A field stock will have an angle (~5°) while a sport stock will be parallel to the barrels. Not saying many people aren't busting clays with field stocks for fun, but if you want to be competitive, your comb angle will be zero, and either professionally fit to your face (mo' money, less problems), or adjustable.
These are a few of the things it takes to get into ISSF level matches. Again, you can have fun with a field gun. You can bust clays with a pump, bolt, semi or single shot. But if you want to compete seriously and reach provincial level competitions or better, this is the guidance I was given from a fairly high level coach.
Actually, while most trap guns have parallel combs, most sporting clays guns do not. It's not just a matter of whether the gun is a field gun, or a clays gun.
- Location
- Alberta, North America
You do not need fancy models or tons of money to start 5 Stand etc. If you are a hunter, use your hunting gun and keep your skills up. If this is just for the trap range (as you indicated), there are some useful considerations: fit- needs to fit you properly and comfort. accuracy - make sure it patterns properly and no manufacture bore defect. needs to be made well and runs well - as you will shoot hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands and thousands of shells thru it ... price - whatever you are comfortable with, warranty and or repair work - make sure it's a good enough Brand that it is not hard for repairs. over and unders - less moving parts for breakages, pumps abit more, semi autos alot more moving parts for wear ...
Stoeger and Canuck - not so great for warrant repair options available and they break alot especially with alot of shooting,
you should not go wrong with a Rem 870 - not expensive and should run with alot of shooting, but not all that quick for trap nor 5 Stand,
over and under is much better and quicker to learn and use:
CZ, Huglu (my personal fav for 1K), Savage Steven's under 1000.00, Browning Cynergy twice as much and run great, anything Browning Superimposed or Citori etc.
keys:
price (what you want to spend and trouble free)
fit, readily available repair Centre,
I regularily have shot up to 4-5 cases a year, and that is not alot! Have used a 1969 Browning Citori 26 inch full/mod barrels since about 1975 .... no issues.
You get what you pay for usually.....
Have fun, 5 Stand is my fav.
Stoeger and Canuck - not so great for warrant repair options available and they break alot especially with alot of shooting,
you should not go wrong with a Rem 870 - not expensive and should run with alot of shooting, but not all that quick for trap nor 5 Stand,
over and under is much better and quicker to learn and use:
CZ, Huglu (my personal fav for 1K), Savage Steven's under 1000.00, Browning Cynergy twice as much and run great, anything Browning Superimposed or Citori etc.
keys:
price (what you want to spend and trouble free)
fit, readily available repair Centre,
I regularily have shot up to 4-5 cases a year, and that is not alot! Have used a 1969 Browning Citori 26 inch full/mod barrels since about 1975 .... no issues.
You get what you pay for usually.....
Have fun, 5 Stand is my fav.
Trap shooting interest happens at many levels. For every guy/gal who wants to complete at high levels, there are dozens who just want to have fun at the club.
You don't need a super expensive Trap gun to have fun and develop shooting skill.
The advice to buy a reliable gun of good quality will save you money in the long run.
About "serious" Trap shooting - the ammo will quickly cost more than the gun, even an expensive Trap gun. Serious competitors shoot a lot of ammo.
You don't need a super expensive Trap gun to have fun and develop shooting skill.
The advice to buy a reliable gun of good quality will save you money in the long run.
About "serious" Trap shooting - the ammo will quickly cost more than the gun, even an expensive Trap gun. Serious competitors shoot a lot of ammo.
the spank
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Planet Earth Wearing My Tinfoil Hat
I can guarantee you are not shooting "skeet" with a bolt action shotgun. You may be shooting manually launched single clay targets in the back 40 but I would LOVE to see someone step onto an actual skeet field and shoot a round of skeet with a bolt action. Worst advice ever given on here. Learn the disciplines so you know the differences!!
The poster has likely never set foot on an actual skeet field.
There are many casual shooters and firearm owners that seem to know the word skeet and apply it to any form of shooting (at) flying clay targets. They really don't know the difference between skeet and trap - if they have even heard of trap they may assume that is maybe a formal style of skeet - and they have probably never heard of five stand or sporting clays at all. Generally these people are very inexperienced with shotguns and have never even seen a trap or skeet field. Too bad, they're missing a lot of fun.
Trap guns and skeet can be had at very reasonable prices and with the move to longer barrels in skeet 30" - 32" and screw in chokes one gun can virtually do it all.Have a couple 1148 Remington skeet in 28 and .410 they are great fun as well as being 53 years old.Shot trap with an 870 then moved to a 1100 in the 70 's now have a new ljutic that does the job. But I recall shooting in the late 70"s with an older gent who had a beautiful SXS told me try it out. Smashed 25 and was really quite surprised no kick came up beautifully shot high (60-40) I believe he said but was it a trap gun? He smiled and said it was to him and I should buy it as it obviously fit me well. Young newly married let it pass .Seen the twin online Westley Richards box lock ,quite a bit more now than it was offered to me ..
bdft
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
When some enterprising gentleman arrives at our local trap range and announces that he is there to shoot "skeet" or in one case, "skeets" he is very quickly educated. We even have posters up of the various disciplines and how the different fields are laid out. We try to be nice about it but I am sure some are taken aback by how serious we are about it. They always leave with an education and most of them even come back.
