Good starter for trap

albertaal said:
Yes, there is an M37 trap gun. And chances are you will never see it or the BPS trap model in the winner's circle.
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Can't argue with you there, obviously the OP cannot afford a Trap specific Perazzi ( nor can I ) but has not mentioned a desire to compete in Trap. He does state a desire to shoot more trap "for now" but looking for a gun to shoot 90+% Sporting ( Trap, Skeet, Sporting & 5-Stand ? ) 10% Field use.

I might reccommend perhaps a used or new Browning Maxus stalker as an all-around clays & game gun. They will cycle target or hunting rounds in lead or steel. One can get a few extended chokes for easy change on the Sporting clay course, shim adjustable stock for fitting and has the same lop, drop at heel and toe as the sporting version.
I think I am talking myself into getting this gun :rockOn:
 
planemaker said:
Can't argue with you there, obviously the OP cannot afford a Trap specific Perazzi ( nor can I ) but has not mentioned a desire to compete in Trap. He does state a desire to shoot more trap "for now" but looking for a gun to shoot 90+% Sporting ( Trap, Skeet, Sporting & 5-Stand ? ) 10% Field use.

I might reccommend perhaps a used or new Browning Maxus stalker as an all-around clays & game gun. They will cycle target or hunting rounds in lead or steel. One can get a few extended chokes for easy change on the Sporting clay course, shim adjustable stock for fitting and has the same lop, drop at heel and toe as the sporting version.
I think I am talking myself into getting this gun :rockOn:
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Lots of good suggestions. I'm starting to see how off base I was in my original selections for guns.

I don't know if I'll ever get to a "competition" level. I really enjoy getting out and shooting, but realistically life and work take so much of my time I don't know it I would be able to put in enough time to actually develop competition level skills. I am not one of those folks who are just intuitively great shooters.

For the near to not so near future I suspect I'll be able to go out and have some fun on the range maybe once or twice a week at best.

This is a purely fun thing for now.

I will definitely be spending some time shouldering whatever guns I can to see which fit me best and then I'll probably continue to ask dumb questions. :cheers:
 
I single feed my BPS from the bottom right into the chamber without having to flip it over. Just move the slide untill the follower move out of the way in slip a shell up and in. It's not nearly as easy as a 870 or a 500 but it works and I haven't held up anyone on the line yet.
 
I missed the part in the first post on use for a sporting / field gun as well. Recently I picked up a used Browning Carbon Fibre Sporting and so far impressed. Will let you play all the sporting games and a decent field gun as well.
 
planemaker said:
Can't argue with you there, obviously the OP cannot afford a Trap specific Perazzi ( nor can I ) but has not mentioned a desire to compete in Trap. He does state a desire to shoot more trap "for now" but looking for a gun to shoot 90+% Sporting ( Trap, Skeet, Sporting & 5-Stand ? ) 10% Field use.

I might reccommend perhaps a used or new Browning Maxus stalker as an all-around clays & game gun. They will cycle target or hunting rounds in lead or steel. One can get a few extended chokes for easy change on the Sporting clay course, shim adjustable stock for fitting and has the same lop, drop at heel and toe as the sporting version.
I think I am talking myself into getting this gun :rockOn:
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The Browning Maxus, now we can agree on that one. The Maxus is a fine shotgun, it and several other autos are what the OP should be looking to buy.
 
The maxus is a fine gun, but I think it a little arrogant to tell someone what they ought to buy. The OP is probably in the best position to decide what he ought to buy.

A semi-auto is a more finicky specimen than a pump or break action. Some do not cycle well with light target loads. They require more maintenance than simpler guns. The Ithaca guns are expensive. BPS is good value and bottom eject means it plays nicely with others (or lefties). Weatherby is great quality and fit/finish for little money (but at the tradeoff of not having the huge aftermarket parts support of 870/500's).

So explain to me how the Maxus or any auto is a slam dunk?

P
 
pubb said:
The maxus is a fine gun, but I think it a little arrogant to tell someone what they ought to buy. The OP is probably in the best position to decide what he ought to buy.

A semi-auto is a more finicky specimen than a pump or break action. Some do not cycle well with light target loads. They require more maintenance than simpler guns. The Ithaca guns are expensive. BPS is good value and bottom eject means it plays nicely with others (or lefties). Weatherby is great quality and fit/finish for little money (but at the tradeoff of not having the huge aftermarket parts support of 870/500's).

So explain to me how the Maxus or any auto is a slam dunk?

P
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Agreed the maxus is a fine shotgun. Arrogant to tell him what to buy - He asked people's opinion on what to buy. We gave him an opinion. You're a real piece of work, you are the arrogant one.

He mentioned 90% targets 10% game use.

Semi autos more finicky - now that is a good one. Last season, our 1187, SP10, and Beretta 302 had over a 1000 rounds put through them without a single jam. Maybe someone should show you how to clean a shotgun. Need more maintainance than simpler guns - you've never owned a Benelli or a Beretta obviously.

Don't cycle with light loads? Nobody told him to buy a 3.5 inch 11-87.

Look at the shooters that win. They don't shoot your favorites either. They shoot O/U shotguns (and most cost more than the OP wants to spend) and semi autos in one version or another.
 
The newer semis I have experience with are the Urika, the Maxus, and the super Black Eagle.
All are trouble free, and will cycle light 7/8oz loads and heavy 3" loads one after the other.
I hate semi autos however, because they toss my empties in the field, and I like to walk with my SXS or O/U open so I can switch ammo if I want to.

They are also longer and heavier than my SXS field guns, are more complicated, and are just plain ugly!!:D
Cat
 
catnthehatt said:
The newer semis I have experience with are the Urika, the Maxus, and the super Black Eagle.
All are trouble free, and will cycle light 7/8oz loads and heavy 3" loads one after the other.
I hate semi autos however, because they toss my empties in the field, and I like to walk with my SXS or O/U open so I can switch ammo if I want to.

They are also longer and heavier than my SXS field guns, are more complicated, and are just plain ugly!!:D
Cat
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The browning and winchester's come in at just over 7 lbs. Light as hell to carry and soak up amazing amounts of recoil.
 
The arrogance was suggesting that the Maxus is the hands down winner. Particularly since you didn't provide any support or justification for it. You simply came off as a Browning brand whore. Just about everybody else provided a rationale: the BPS ejects downwards, Weatherby's a good value. In particular, James01's post was excellent as it had lots of practical advice.

I really don't think it can be argued that a semiauto is far more complicated than a pump or break gun. I also don't think it can be argued that some semiauto valves have a hard time handling both light target loads and heavy hunting loads equally well.

Semi's need to be disassembled, cleaned and lubed far more meticulously than a pump gun. After putting a few boxes of shells through my PA08 all that needs to happen is to run a boresnake through the barrel and a solvent soaked rag across the bolt out at the range. I would never be able to treat my Beretta-made Browning B80 like that.

P
 
Ithaca

This is just a radom selection of what we just imported. ;)

Once you get a hands on and see the quality of these, it would be hard to consider something else.


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For $1000

Buy a Mossberg 930 and a Maverick HS12 Over Under.

Great starter semi auto and starter over under. Once you know what you want in a shotgun you can upgrade to some high end stuff.

Great STARTER Trap guns. I should know as I own them both and use both for this purpose.
 
Farmboy said:
Ithaca

This is just a radom selection of what we just imported. ;)

Once you get a hands on and see the quality of these, it would be hard to consider something else.


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Which one of these are Trap Guns?

The OP might be better off with a "Trap Gun".

Something like a Rem. 1100 Trap, a Beretta 391 or a Browning Citori. All proven "Trap Guns".
 
A model 37 defense, while a very high quality shotgun (and also a bottom eject, FWIW), is not even remotely close to a trap gun since it sports a fixed 18" cylinder bore barrel.

Off the top of my head, it APPEARS that you have:

an M37 defense (cyl bore)
an M37 tactical model (cyl bore)
a deerslayer 3 (rifled barrel)
a turkey slayer (extra full choke)
an M37 (cyl bore)

Ithaca makes an absolutely gorgeous M37 trap gun with a 30" barrel, gorgeous wood and gold plated trigger (same as my Weatherby PA08 except for barrel length: I went with 26" instead of 28")

P
 
Win/64 said:
Which one of these are Trap Guns?

The OP might be better off with a "Trap Gun"
Something like a Rem. 1100 Trap, a Beretta 391 or a Browning Citori. All proven "Trap Guns".
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That is what I am currently leaning towards. I'm trying to get out to the range pretty regularly so I can try a selection of guns dan see what I like/fits me.

I see very few options except going to the used market (for some reason my app to get into the EE has not been processed). It seems I have good taste as the gun I've one the best with to date is the Beretta 391. Sadly definitely not in my price range new.

However I have not taken anything off the list yet. I've got to see what's on the market and see where to go from there.

One other dumb question, how do I differentiate a trap gun from a sporting model? I see lots of guns that have been mentioned but very few of them make it clear that they are a trap gun or field gun.

Thanks for all the advice guys. I'm paying attention and trying to learn what I can.
 
Any gun referred to as a trap gun will have a long barrel to help your swing. It will almost certainly have a vented rip to dissipate the heat of lots of shells fired in quick succession and to help get a good sight line. One of the reasons why the high end trap guns are break actions is because they're so simple and can take the pounding of many shells without a failure.

It will probably also be 'fancier' or have a glossy finish you wouldn't dare traipse through the bush with.

One of the things I love about my shotgun is that it has all of the features of a decent trap gun: 26 or 28" barrel (I have the 26" myself), nice wood, vented rib, bead sight and the chrome lined internals which give it more durability to take the pounding of shooting clays.

P
 
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pubb said:
Any gun referred to as a trap gun will have a longish (26-30") barrel to help your swing. It will almost certainly have a vented rip to dissipate the heat of lots of shells fired in quick succession and to help get a good sight line. One of the reasons why the high end trap guns are break actions is because they're so simple and can take the pounding of many shells without a failure.

It will probably also be 'fancier' or have a glossy finish you wouldn't dare traipse through the bush with.

One of the things I love about my shotgun is that it has all of the features of a decent trap gun: 26 or 28" barrel (I have the 26" myself), nice wood, vented rib, bead sight and the chrome lined internals which give it more durability to take the pounding of shooting clays.

P
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Very rarely do you see a Trap Gun with 26" Barrel/s. And likely if it has 26" barrel/s it is not a Trap Gun. The norm is 30-34" 's
 
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