A good after market recoil pad (supercell, limbsaver) and/or having the stock shortened or lengthened depending on your need, these could eliminate most if not all the pain if it is from recoil and you are shooting target loads.
Good first Trap gun
- Thread starter Greenfrog
- Start date
beretta boy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Orillia, Ontario
Trying to make an 870 Express into a Trap gun is ... well... it just ain't worth it !
An 870 Classic Trap on the other hand, while a fair bit more expensive, is a pretty decent Trap gun.... but it's NOT
a Sporting Clays gun, Skeet gun, Waterfowl or Upland gun ! Kinda like trying to use your 5 iron for a complete round
of golf ... you can, but most will never do well with it. It ain't a driver and it ain't a putter !!!
Trap guns are specifically made for the game ... they aren't a "one gun will do everything" deal ... they are made for
one purpose ... and one purpose only.
Your 870 Express is a pretty decent gun for waterfowling ... I have one I use for almost nothing else, and it works very well
for that purpose. I also have the aforementioned DT-10 ... albeit in a 32" Sporter configuration. It's O.K. for shooting Trap,
but it's not a Trap gun either ! Yes I know, you can shoot Trap with almost anything ... and some do well even with their
18" Riot guns, 23" Upland guns, 26" Skeet guns and so on, but a Trap gun - made for Trap - will give you a leg up.
I'll concur with what another gent has recommended. If the budget allows, I'd look for a used (but not abused) Beretta 391
TRAP gun. They are as reliable as semi's come, easy on the shoulder and feature a stock design with shims that you can
easily change the drop at heel/comb and cast off/on to get a pretty good fit. Even an older Remington 1100 Trap gun -if well maintained -can be found for a reasonable sum. They are easy to maintain and make a decent gun for the game. They are not that hard to modify to get a better stock fit, although they take some judicious wood work as opposed to Beretta's shims.
Remington's pro (Industry) Trap shooters D. Lee Braun and #### Baldwin both made their bones with 1100's !
You will no doubt get a ton of opinions and all kinds of brand preferences and prejudices, but after owning some 60 or 70 shotguns over the years, you may take my 2 cents worth at no charge ! ... and yes, stick to "Target" loads !
An 870 Classic Trap on the other hand, while a fair bit more expensive, is a pretty decent Trap gun.... but it's NOT
a Sporting Clays gun, Skeet gun, Waterfowl or Upland gun ! Kinda like trying to use your 5 iron for a complete round
of golf ... you can, but most will never do well with it. It ain't a driver and it ain't a putter !!!
Trap guns are specifically made for the game ... they aren't a "one gun will do everything" deal ... they are made for
one purpose ... and one purpose only.
Your 870 Express is a pretty decent gun for waterfowling ... I have one I use for almost nothing else, and it works very well
for that purpose. I also have the aforementioned DT-10 ... albeit in a 32" Sporter configuration. It's O.K. for shooting Trap,
but it's not a Trap gun either ! Yes I know, you can shoot Trap with almost anything ... and some do well even with their
18" Riot guns, 23" Upland guns, 26" Skeet guns and so on, but a Trap gun - made for Trap - will give you a leg up.
I'll concur with what another gent has recommended. If the budget allows, I'd look for a used (but not abused) Beretta 391
TRAP gun. They are as reliable as semi's come, easy on the shoulder and feature a stock design with shims that you can
easily change the drop at heel/comb and cast off/on to get a pretty good fit. Even an older Remington 1100 Trap gun -if well maintained -can be found for a reasonable sum. They are easy to maintain and make a decent gun for the game. They are not that hard to modify to get a better stock fit, although they take some judicious wood work as opposed to Beretta's shims.
Remington's pro (Industry) Trap shooters D. Lee Braun and #### Baldwin both made their bones with 1100's !
You will no doubt get a ton of opinions and all kinds of brand preferences and prejudices, but after owning some 60 or 70 shotguns over the years, you may take my 2 cents worth at no charge ! ... and yes, stick to "Target" loads !
To address the BOLDED part of the question (which I think was your primary question vs this "get a new gun" stuff) , purchase an after-market butt pad such as the LIMBSAVER
R&R Rancher
CGN Regular
- Location
- Manitoba's Interlake
Beretta Boy nailed it. It's not easy to turn a field gun into a trap gun.
If we want to upgrade the existing gun, because the OP is on a tight budget, we have to look at the 3 areas that a gun needs to modified in order to be set up for trap. It needs a long barrel with a tight choke, a high combed stock to raise the point of impact and weight to soak up recoil. IIRC the gun currently sports a 28" barrel. If it doesn't already, put a full choke in it. If you get a chance, pick up a 30" fixed full choke from an old Wingmaster. The fixed chokes in those barrels were some of the best made.
Next, and most importantly, the stock. Call Western Gun Parts and ask if they have a Monte Carlo stock for an 870. I don't know if it would give the needed comb height, but another option would be a Tupperware stock made for using the scopes on rifled slug barrels. Failing those options buy a walnut Wingmaster stock for a little more length of pull and a bit more weight. If you go this route build the comb up with moleskin or an aftermarket cheek pad. Make sure the comb is parallel with the vent rib on the barrel and doesn't move your face sideways out from behind the gun. Whatever route you go put a GOOD recoil pad behind it.
To reduce recoil add weight. Fill the bolt hole in the stock with washers wrapped in tape for a snug fit. Full the magazine tube with something. Maybe empty hulls filled with shot. Put them behind the magazine follower, after the plug has been removed, so they don't feed into the gun as you shoot it. Shoot light target loads.
Your gun may not look pretty, and this may get as expensive as buying a used 870 trap or 1100 trap. Only the OP knows how much money and effort he wants to put into his gun.
Personally if the goal is to shoot trap and the budget allows I would recommend a gently used semi-auto in a true trap configuration.
If we want to upgrade the existing gun, because the OP is on a tight budget, we have to look at the 3 areas that a gun needs to modified in order to be set up for trap. It needs a long barrel with a tight choke, a high combed stock to raise the point of impact and weight to soak up recoil. IIRC the gun currently sports a 28" barrel. If it doesn't already, put a full choke in it. If you get a chance, pick up a 30" fixed full choke from an old Wingmaster. The fixed chokes in those barrels were some of the best made.
Next, and most importantly, the stock. Call Western Gun Parts and ask if they have a Monte Carlo stock for an 870. I don't know if it would give the needed comb height, but another option would be a Tupperware stock made for using the scopes on rifled slug barrels. Failing those options buy a walnut Wingmaster stock for a little more length of pull and a bit more weight. If you go this route build the comb up with moleskin or an aftermarket cheek pad. Make sure the comb is parallel with the vent rib on the barrel and doesn't move your face sideways out from behind the gun. Whatever route you go put a GOOD recoil pad behind it.
To reduce recoil add weight. Fill the bolt hole in the stock with washers wrapped in tape for a snug fit. Full the magazine tube with something. Maybe empty hulls filled with shot. Put them behind the magazine follower, after the plug has been removed, so they don't feed into the gun as you shoot it. Shoot light target loads.
Your gun may not look pretty, and this may get as expensive as buying a used 870 trap or 1100 trap. Only the OP knows how much money and effort he wants to put into his gun.
Personally if the goal is to shoot trap and the budget allows I would recommend a gently used semi-auto in a true trap configuration.
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