Interested in getting into trap shooting....

[Diggs27]

Hey all. I have been checking out some stuff on trap shooting, and am seriously interested in possibly giving it a try. Just about everything I have read says that you practically need either a semi or double barrel. Unfortunately, I do not have the funds right now to purchase a new gun, but was wondering if my Mossy 500 would be suitable for starting out with? Any information or advice on this would be greatly appreciated. Honestly; just looking at it as a hobby, possibly get into some of the smaller competitions that my local gun club hosts (as long as they are open to the public... the competitions, I mean)

[arlington22201]

I am a beginner Trap shooter with Remington 870.

I can see how having a semi or a double barrel will be a big advantage if I get serious about it, but in the interim, there's no reason not to start with a pump action. There is plenty to learn and it will be a long time before my main problem is my gun and not my skill aiming, leading, etc.

[trailrunner]

Trap shooting is all singles. The first time I went, I took my Remington 870 with an 18 inch barrel, and I did fine. I don't think that was allowed, but they let me shoot anyway. You didn't say how long your barrel was. If it's 18 inches, you'll want something longer, like 26 or 28 inches.

After my first time with my 870, I bought a proper o/u gun. Normally I don't buy cheap guns, but for this one I went cheap since I wasn't sure if I was going to do it very often, and I just don't understand how such a simply o/u gun can cost more that $1,000: there are hardly any moving parts, there is no rifling in the barrel, it doesn't have to feed ammo, and so on. Anyway, that was over 10 years ago, and my gun is still going strong.

A pump will work on the doubles, but it will be harder for you and you'll have to be fast. I usually shoot wobble trap (which has some doubles) or sporting clays and I've only shot skeet a couple of times, but from what I remember of skeet, the doubles were pretty fast, so that might be hard to do with a pump. I've seen people shoot wobble and sporting clays with pumps, and they did OK, so it's definitely possible.

[FiremanBob]

The type of action completely doesn't matter in singles trap, as you only load one at a time anyway. The key thing is you need a long enough barrel, and a tight enough choke (at least modified) because the bird is always flying away from you. Sure, the snobs will say you can't shoot without a (insert fancy brand here) O/U. Don't expect to hit many birds with an 18-inch home defense gun with a straight cylinder.

I have a friend who shoots tournament-quality skeet with his 1949 Winchester Model 12. He's so smooth you don't even see the pump on doubles.

[0007dad]

If your in SW VA check this out.
http://www.iwla-cburg.org/iwla-trap-shooting.html

[Diggs27]

Hey all..... thank you so much for the input. My Mossy 500 has a 28" vented port barrel with the interchangeable choke system (believe it is called "Accu-Choke on the Mossy's). Purchased the gun as a combo, so it came with 2 barrels (the other is a 24" rifled deer barrel) and 3 chokes..... Full, Mod, and IC. Which of these 3 chokes would be best to use for trap?? Also, did check out the Izaak Walton League shoots, but unfortunately, they are a little out of driving range for me.

[BertMacklin]

Love modified choke for trap, can still let it travel a good distance, then again its all I ever had so others may tell you different. Also I hate the idea that you need a double/semi for doubles, even in skeet. You may not be able to win a championship but always beware of the man with one gun. My brother ran a few skeet competitions with an 870. and did well for entry level, it can be done competitively especially if you use your gun a lot.

[FiremanBob]

Modified choke is good for trap.

[moss20]

I use a Mossberg Maverick 12ga. pump 28" with a modified choke for trap, my son uses it for trap doubles. He uses a o/u with imp. modified for singles and handicap.

Some of veteran trap shooters practice with a full and use a modified for competitions.

Good luck.

[Diggs27]

Ok; sounds good... Next question is this. If I enter into a "registered" tournament shoot, I really do not want the shells flying out of the ejection port and distracting the shooter to my right. I have looked all over online, and have not been able to find a shell catcher for the Mossy 500 (other than one with a wire type of thing that supposedly helps "grab" the spent hull, but that one uses double sided tape to mount onto the gun). I really do not want to have to "glue" anything to my gun, but have seen where some people use a rubber band over the ejection port to help hold the shell from flying. How do you go about doing this?? What would be the proper location of the rubber band to keep the shell from flying?

[jdonovan]

If I enter into a "registered" tournament shoot, I really do not want the shells flying out of the ejection port and distracting the shooter to my right.

How do you go about doing this?? What would be the proper location of the rubber band to keep the shell from flying?

After you pull the trigger, rotate the gun 45-90 degrees so the ejection port faces the ground, then cycle the action.
Or put one hand over the ejection port
or don't run the pump so fast, and the shell will just dribble out, and may even stay in the action.

[Swampman]

I tried trap shooting for the first time yesterday. Used my Winchester semi with a modified choke. Worked well. Not at all difficult. Want to try skeet now, and after I get decent at that, sporting clays.

[Diggs27]

Hey jdonovan.... love the insight on just twisting the gun 45 - 90 degrees. Never thought of that. at 90 degrees, the ejector would just throw the shells straight down to the ground. Awesome thought brother... will give this a try and if they still seem to be going astray, will look more into the rubber band trick.

[Diggs27]

One final question.... The club that I plan on shooting at hosts 1 shoot a mont from April - November (8 months). I am planning on getting out to as many of these shoots as possible.... Would it be more financially sensible to just buy my shells in bulk (Say a few boxes of 250 from an online retailer) or spend the money to get into reloading my own shells.... I sat down and figured I would possibly be looking at about 125 - 150 for all the reloading equipment (incl. powder, shot, and wads)

[jdonovan]

Would it be more financially sensible to just buy my shells in bulk (Say a few boxes of 250 from an online retailer) or spend the money to get into reloading my own shells....

Wait for dicks/walmart etc to put cases on sale for cheap, and load up.

I sat down and figured I would possibly be looking at about 125 - 150 for all the reloading equipment (incl. powder, shot, and wads)

You can save some money doing it, but it isn't like metallic cartridges and the savings you can get there. Depends on what your free time is worth.

I can get rem gun club for < $6/box in cases when I catch a deal. Loading I think the best I could do was close to $5/box. Saving $4-10/ hour of my time... not worth it to me.

If you want to get into it, I've got about 50lbs of shot, and a med 600jr I'll let go for cheep.

[Hocktl]

There is a trend lately that is sporting clays. I shoot in Arizona every year and it's a blast. I've seen folks with golf carts rigged out for it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sporting_clays Now back to your regularly scheduled program.

[trailrunner]

I can buy a box of 25 target loads for about $7, maybe $8. The most I'll shoot in a day is a round of sporting clays, which is 100 rounds. So a big day for me is still less than $40 for ammunition.

[bryanrheem]

Dicks usually has a box for $7 which is a pretty good deal.

[Diggs27]

I have seen that Dick's website has a "value Pack" of Winchester Super X (which my gun seemed to really like in #6 shot during rabbit season) of 100 rds for 27.99....... recently have quit smoking, so thinking I may spend the 45 - 50 bucks a month I was spending on cigs on ammo instead. I do have one box of 7 1/2 here that a friend gave me, should I stay with the 7 1/2's or move up to 8 or 8 1/2 shot for trap? I do know there are more pellets in 8's than the 7 1/2's, so guessing it really would not hurt me to do so just starting out trap shooting....

[moss20]

Ok; sounds good... Next question is this. If I enter into a "registered" tournament shoot, I really do not want the shells flying out of the ejection port and distracting the shooter to my right. I have looked all over online, and have not been able to find a shell catcher for the Mossy 500 (other than one with a wire type of thing that supposedly helps "grab" the spent hull, but that one uses double sided tape to mount onto the gun). I really do not want to have to "glue" anything to my gun, but have seen where some people use a rubber band over the ejection port to help hold the shell from flying. How do you go about doing this?? What would be the proper location of the rubber band to keep the shell from flying?

I point the barrel up and turn the gun to eject toward the trap house in front of me.

7 1/2 is the largest shot you can use in regulation trap.Was told by Dave Butz (former Redskin and avid sporting clays shooter) to use 7 1/2's for all shotgun disciplines. Winchester universals in the black box work great, $25 for 100 rounds at Walmart. My son has shot 600 rounds of them over a weekend shoot without having to clean his gun, unlike some of his teammates who clean after every 100 with reloads or AA's due to their guns being dirty.

http://www.shootata.com/