O/U vs SA for Trap/Clays?

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TuckerUrsa

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At the risk of stepping into a hornets nest… I’m a re-newbie getting back into the sport after 15+ years away and I need a new clays gun - shooting 70% Trap and 30% skeet. Ideally I want one gun for the time being and might get a dedicated gun for each in the future. I’m using an old 20g O/U that doesn’t fit me right and actually has more recoil than you’d expect from a 20g. I’m looking for a 12g and assumed I’d go O/U because 15+ years ago that’s all you’d see on the range. That said, I’m attracted to the lower felt recoil of the SA. I’ve seen some grumbling about SAs for Trap and occasional eye rolls and I don’t want to be “that guy with the SA” at the range. Am I overthinking this or is there resistance to SAs?
 
TuckerUrsa said:
At the risk of stepping into a hornets nest… I’m a re-newbie getting back into the sport after 15+ years away and I need a new clays gun - shooting 70% Trap and 30% skeet. Ideally I want one gun for the time being and might get a dedicated gun for each in the future. I’m using an old 20g O/U that doesn’t fit me right and actually has more recoil than you’d expect from a 20g. I’m looking for a 12g and assumed I’d go O/U because 15+ years ago that’s all you’d see on the range. That said, I’m attracted to the lower felt recoil of the SA. I’ve seen some grumbling about SAs for Trap and occasional eye rolls and I don’t want to be “that guy with the SA” at the range. Am I overthinking this or is there resistance to SAs?
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I shoot whatever I feel like that day. Sometimes I'll bring a few different shotguns out for smashing clays. If it's an o/u, pump or semi depends on my mood. I could care less what everyone else thinks, wants or uses. I've got an old S/A Remington 878 that is my absolute favourite gun to shoot trap with. I've yet to find another off the rack gun that fits me as well as it does.

I think the only taboo about using a semi in a formal setting stems from it ejecting empties at the guy beside you. For trap, that's an easy fix with an elastic, hair tie or purpose built shell catcher.

Buy whatever you like and fits you the best. Happy shopping!
 
If you go S/A, consider getting a shellcatcher. Usually not an issue, but one time I was shooting next to someone with S/A and his shells kept hitting me.

Personally, I love the feeling of a O/U / break action though!
 
Most decent semis come with shims to adjust cast and drop. Most U/O's do not, unless you get a model with an adjustable comb. So you can get into the game with a semi for about half the cost of a comparable O/U. I'd go with a used Beretta 391. Oh wait, I already have one...
 
A gas operated semi auto does produce less felt recoil, and you can buy one for less than a good O/U. The only drawbacks are that you need to control the ejected hulls, sometimes the action slamming shut will activate a voice operated target thrower, and you have to pick up hulls. A shell catcher will control the hulls, and changing how you position the gun when closing the action usually prevents activating the target throwers, so picking up hulls is the only issue to deal with..
 
I shoot o/u and semi and there's no stigma attached to an semi-automatic even at registered shoots. Get a shell catcher for shooting trap if your gun ejects hulls that hit the shooter beside you. Otherwise semis are good to go and many shooters prefer them.
 
I enjoy shooting both. Trap shooters are a fickle bunch. I've had a guy walk off the line because I wore white shoes of which my jeans cover most all of the white except the toes and soles
I use an elastic on my 1301 comp for trap. The stepped rib allows me to look over the elastic. For sporting I just tell the ppl woth me im using a spitter and if theyre using a nice gun they generally step back and to the left
 
brybenn said:
I enjoy shooting both. Trap shooters are a fickle bunch. I've had a guy walk off the line because I wore white shoes of which my jeans cover most all of the white except the toes and soles
I use an elastic on my 1301 comp for trap. The stepped rib allows me to look over the elastic. For sporting I just tell the ppl woth me im using a spitter and if theyre using a nice gun they generally step back and to the left
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Those guys are the most fun 😂. I've been in your... Shoes lol. They should be happy you're there to give them excuses for missing. Thankfully the club I belong to is all smokes and jokes kinda guys that are just happy to have guys out shooting.
 
KyleSchenk said:
Those guys are the most fun 😂. I've been in your... Shoes lol. They should be happy you're there to give them excuses for missing. Thankfully the club I belong to is all smokes and jokes kinda guys that are just happy to have guys out shooting.
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My local skeet range is that way. We all out to have fun and we try some ridiculous guns for skeet. Last week I used a sulun 211 ou with 9 8" barrels and full chokes. Only shot a 19 but it was worth more for the laughs
 
All of this depends on whether you shoot ATA (Amateur Trap Association. ATA originally meant American Trap Association, but the name was changed in 1923) or Olympic Trap (often referred to as Bunker Trap or International Trap).

Olympic Trap rules are strict and no exceptions are made. For example, white shoes (provided they’re not open-toe or sandals) are allowed, jeans are not. Semis are also not permitted. The rules go on and on. Stuff you wouldn’t even anticipate such as when leaving the 5th station, the shooter must remove all shells from the gun, fired or unfired, and rotate clockwise (to your right). Penalties are assessed for failing to do so and the shooter can be disqualified altogether for repeat offenses. The rule book is so long, I could go on ad nauseum, but you get the picture.

Amateur Trap rules are much more relaxed even in competition. Without a doubt, most folks at an ATA field are there for some fun, but even ATA competitions are more serious about the rules.

Regardless of whether you ask an ATA Trap competitor or an Olympic Trap competitor, they will both tell you the same thing - mindset, stance, mount, etc must be as close as possible to identical for every shot (including in practice) in order to achieve the best scores per your abilities. You can’t achieve consistently high scores when all the variables are different for every shot.

The guys who seem anal over horseplay and shells flinging in their face may simply be there for serious practice. On the other hand, if they’re not competitors, they’re just Karens without a cause.

If you never expect to shoot or even try Olympic Trap, a semi is probably fine. You would be limiting yourself to Amateur Trap, though, and even there you wouldn’t be making any friends.
 
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Trap guys tend to not like semi autos because it ejects the empty hull into the other shooter next to you. Some clubs have a rule that an auto loader needs a shell catcher in order to use it for trap. Lots of folks simply put an elastic band around the ejection port to stop the shell. Its pretty cheap and people will keep extras around their wrist because they do break from time to time. Skeet shooters don't really care. You just have to pick up all your empty hulls after.
 
I shoot trap & skeet with three different guns. 20ga for skeet & 12ga/16ga for trap. All three are O/Us. Some guys show up with single shot, pump, Semi-Auto. Don't recall being hit by flying empties. We have fun. Maybe if I get good at shooting skeet I might try my 20ga Semi.
 
For what it's worth, for trap/skeet simplicity wins IMO. While a Remington 1100 holds the club record, an O/A tends to be more reliable (and less irritating to pick casings off the ground lol). For trap I love my BT-99 but find the 1100 easier to swing quicker. I cannot shoot skeet (since the BT-99 is single shot) but I have a hard enough time with one clay. Of course, if you are NOT silly and want something that you can also use for things other than trap then of course it's illogical. Personally not ready to spend $3k on a good "B" gun for skeet/sporting clays so my wingmaster is going to have to make due for the rare times I do it. The wingmaster is buttery-smooth for a pump and a lot of guys have them (typically older shooters from what I have seen).

That said, use what you find is fun and lets you hit things - I feel like a pauper when I sometimes go to the club as I don't have a $15k+ gun that an 85 year old who has shot 60+ years who smokes every bird in front of them lol. Not sure i'd spend that much $$....

My partner is a small 5'1" woman and we had the 1100 cut down for her - shoots like butter (no recoil really - very soft) but throws cases everywhere. Most of the time it works - sometimes it doesn't. More moving parts = more potential problems. I have a shell catcher but have never got around to installing it (which was a huge pain to find) as I don't shoot it :).

Whatever you pick make sure you can swap out the chokes - also note that lots of hunting O/U that will not do what you want (and beat you in the shoulder to remind you lol). Insofar as 20 to 12 gauge, there's not that much of a difference - and ammo tends to be cheaper in 12 (and easier to buy in builk from wholesalers).

Happy shooting!
 
I picked up an 1100 Skeet a few months ago. It's in pretty hard shape, drilled for a scope base, stock cut short and an ill fitted Limbsaver installed, grip cap missing and there is a screw in the butt where the sling swivel stud was.

Price was only $400 and it runs like a top. The guys call it "Bubba". Best four bills I ever spent. :)


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stubblejumper said:
A gas operated semi auto does produce less felt recoil, and you can buy one for less than a good O/U. The only drawbacks are that you need to control the ejected hulls, sometimes the action slamming shut will activate a voice operated target thrower, and you have to pick up hulls. A shell catcher will control the hulls, and changing how you position the gun when closing the action usually prevents activating the target throwers, so picking up hulls is the only issue to deal with..
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When I shoot a semi around voice releases I close the action when the gun fires from the shooter to my left before me. Problem solved. Actions causing targets to fly from a voice release is totally preventable and if shooters don't control it some shoot management can get real pissy. At todays target prices wasted targets are not an option.
 
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