I shoot trap pretty informally and just started again about 3 months ago after a 15 year layoff. Shoot 1100 Field guns mostly and average 21-22 from the 16. Went to my local shop and low and behold he has an 1100 Trap-T in my price range with a MC stock. Well, this can't do anything but help right? I finally got to shoot it last night and ran my first 12. Dang, the holy grail LOL! I the went 7/13. Next round a rousing 11!!! WTF?? My 3rd round I shot one of my field guns and hit 22. SO I had to try the trap again. Last round was a 20 when I figured out I dang near had to cover the bird to hit them. I watched my son shoot a round with the trap and he was having the same problem missing low. Should this gun shoot this flat??? I put it on paper right after I got it and it was definitely flat then too, just didn't want to believe it. Is this fairly common of the Trap-T"s?

Scott

I have owned a couple and they shot flat. That is there reputation. But I am surprised they shoot flatter then you field gun.

Shawn

SCL:

IMO you need to shoot any new gun at least 1000 times before making a judgment on how the gun performs for you.

I started with an 870 field grade and moved to an 1100 field grade. I was shooting 23's and 24's with the 1100 field grade and then I bought an 870 TA trap.

I was disappointed at first but in a few months the 870 TA really began to feel great.

I have shot that 870 TA for over 25 years, especially at turkey (games) shoots and have won a fair amount with it. I have replaced the original 30" full barrel with a 30" over bored barrel from an 870 TC Trap. With the Trap Super Full choke it has 55 points if constriction and will really reach out and touch a target, even with 1 oz of 8's.

For ATA, I now shoot an 11/87 Premier trap with the over bored barrel. I started shooting it last year (it was in the safe since 1988) and am beginning to shoot it well.

Give your 1100 Trap a fair trial and you may come to like it.

I have tried high shooting guns and they are not my style. I like to see the target, swing through the target and smash it hard.

Forget looking at the bead (if you are) and simply smash the target like you were swinging a bat at a baseball. IMO, You can't aim a bat or a shotgun.

Ed Ward

They are flat shooters. Aim higher or stack your beads.

Thread is right on...the 1100 is one of my favorite guns, but they are old style flat shooters, even with an adjustable comb. You've got to love them or leave them. Decide what you're trying to accomplish and either accept the 1100 for what it is or trade it off for what you're looking for. From what you decribe it's doing exactly what it was designed to do. The P.O.I. is a personal preference.

I agree on shooting it more. I'm just glad tht I don't have an anomoly. I'll try and shoot the crap out of it whenever I can! With the MC stock the beads always stack or you can see a tad of rib between them, depending on how you mount it. I'm working on that. I don't pay much mind to the beads anyway, so maybe that's good. Thanks for the quick replies. I love this site!!

Scott

Don't guess where the gun shoots. Test it from a solid rest at 13 yards. Stacking the beads had nothing directly to do with where the gun shoots. Try making the front sight nothing but a blurred thing that is in your way and just look at the target.

Pat Ireland

Get a hold of Tron on this website and ask him how much he'd charge to put an adjustable comb on it. He does nice work.

My 1100TT is a flat-shooter, too. As you can see, the comb has to be raised considerably for me.

Ed

Eddie...that is a sweet heart...I'll have to send you pictures of my 1100. What trigger are you using? Is that a trigger shoe???

Looks like A Timney trigger.

Yep - Timney release.

If you like that 1100, you'll also take a shine to my 870TC. Remington's Custom Shop made the wood for it from All-American blanks. By the way, it's a flat-shooter, too.

Ed

AverageEd,

Who did the adjustable comb on your 1100 & 870?

A gentleman in Berks County, PA who asks that I not mention his name in my articles or online as it generates too much work for him. But I have another craftsman near Hanover, PA who does nice work and builds stocks as well. If you'd like his contact info, let me know.

Ed

Thanks Brian. If you are interested in an adjustable comb, I can do it for $180 minus the 10% off ($16) that I'm offereing to TS.com posters. So, $162 plus shipping. This is with my own brass hardware.

Joe

Tron: I hope your stocks are better than your math. Must be "new school".

My 1100 T shoot flat I hold a bit high and cover the target

Well since were showing pictures of 1100 stocks here is mine. It’s pictured without a recoil pad because I am currently in the long process of installing a pitch spacer and a new Kick Eez pad.

I say long process because it’s been something I’ve been playing around with for quite some time. The stock adjuster I installed is made by 100 Straight products. My barrel is made by Hastings and is not a flat shooter.

Average Ed highly recommended the barrel and a must say they are worth the money. I only ever shot mine a few times but hopefully I'll get to shoot it more if I ever get the stock finished. I own two other 1100 barrels. A 26 inch skeet and a 28 inch ribbed barrel with thin wall Briley tubes.

Dale,

While were on 1100 stocks, heres mine. Coupled with the Hastings High Rib, it is not a flat shooter either..

Nice 1100 stock Eric. Do you have the custom forearm to match?

Dale

Ed,

When are you going to post the photos of your high gloss 687 wood?

Dale

Shot 125 rounds through it on Sunday averaging 20-21 with it now. It will definitely do its part!!! I have figured out that the pattern is really tight, especially for 16 yard shooting, so you don't have a lot of margin for error. This is a serious exercise in concentration and focus. Feels like you have to shoot at a dime to get the straights. Thanks for all the responses

Scott

Dale, I forgot all about that! Hunting season and all, you know. Got two does so far with my crossbow and am taking this afternoon off to hunt with Jason.

I have those photos in my desktop PC and will have to send them to this laptop I take along to work, hopefully tonight.

Ed

I have 2 870 TC. Both shot flat, I would not give either one up. Cover the target and enjoy

Okay Wayne, here are some photos. The one of the new finish really doesn't do it justice but you can see a difference. All I can say is that in person, the difference is huge.

If I loaded them right, the first photo will be a comparison of our son Jason's 687 SPII's stock and mine shortly after I bought the gun. His gun was made in 2005 with a glossy oil finish and is under mine, which has Beretta's current matte oil finish. The second is of my stock after being refinished and having the pistol grip extended with a piece of buffalo horn.

I added a third shot to try to show the same side of the stock before and after. When I did the gun test on my 687, I used a friend's gun and Jason's to show the various barrel combinations available. My friend's is on top, then Jason's and mine is on the bottom.

Ed

Ed,

That gun on the bottom looks a lot like my 85TSS!

I'm liking that buffalo horn grip cap!

Thanks for posting the photos Ed. The glossy finish on yours looks great. Was it done locally?

The newer 687's that Joel offers all have great wood. Although mine only has the standard wood the grain figure is really nice.

I know some people have issues with the oil finish discoloring. When I heard this I become very concerned how long it would be before mine starts discolored. I've owned my 687 for a year and half and the finish still looks great. It does concern me though when I get caught in rain storms. I noticed the wood really sucks up the moisture without that glossy protection.

Well so far that only happened once. Usually now when it know it's going to rain most likely I'll probably stay home. When you get a certain age you just don't feel like standing in the rain pounding clay targets. Thanks again for posting the photos.

Dale

Wayne, my stock was refinished with a better oil finish by Paul Altland, owner and sole employee of the Timberland Stock Shop near Hanover, PA (717-637-4978). I've mentioned Paul in my column several times and a lot of Shotgun Sports Magazine readers have used him. Several have taken the time to let me know that they are very happy with his work.

In fact, I was at his shop Monday evening dropping off a rifle stock to have it pillar- and glass-bedded. Paul told me then that he had done or had on hand to do four other oil-finished Beretta 682 and 687 stocks belonging to SSM readers and received quite a few calls from gun owners who will be bringing their wood in over the winter. That night, he showed me a stock and forend belonging to a reader from Virginia. It needed just a final sanding and last coat of oil before being completed. Paul says that most of the 687 SPII wood he has received is very good Turkish Walnut and just needs a good finish to allow all the color and figure to show.

The friend whose gun I used in the test (the top one in the bottom photo) had his wood refinished elsewhere for about $400; Paul charges less than half that amount. He is a genuine old-world craftsman and you ought to see the collection of high-grade blanks of all types of wood he has hanging in his shop.

Ed