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Help me pick a semi-auto trap gun

8K views 25 replies 22 participants last post by  JTEA 
#1 ·
I use to go trap shooting on a semi-regular basis, but stopped over two years ago because of some back problems. Well, one full year of missed work, 2 back operations, 6 epidurals, a cane, a back brace, and a boat-load of meds later, I'm healed to the point that I can start thinking about getting back into shotgun sports. I never really had a true trap gun (Winchester 1200, Browning Gold, Franchi Raptor, Beneli Cordoba) until right before the injury started. About a month before, I got a BT-99. I actually never got a chance to shoot it because I had to sell it to help pay some bills while I was out of work.

I'd like to get something that is semi-auto just because the recoil would be less, and I'm still a bit worried about that. Does anybody have any suggestions? How is the Remington 1100? I like the idea that I can switch barrels for the ocassional round of sporting clays.
 
#2 ·
Any auto that fits well will work.......best to reduce amount of shot if you really want to reduce recoil. 1 oz @ 1150~1200 fps is all you need. 7/8 oz of shot is perfect for Skeet, 16yd Trap, and most 5-Stand shots.

I use a SuperX2 with a Tom Morton Recoil Reducer/Shell Catcher, and it functions with all loads perfectly! My auto of choice!

AndyH ;-)
 
#5 ·
For the money, it is probably hard to beat a Remington 1100. You should be able to pick one up for less than $500. The downside, in my experiance, is maintenance. Maybe I am jinxed, but in the last years time, I have replaced two extractors, one bolt buffer, and one connector. This is on a 1100 Trap that was gone through by the Remington gunsmiths at the '07 Grand. I have recently started shooting a Beretta 391 Trap that I purchased several months ago. I have had no problems yet, but it is more time consuming to clean than an 1100.

You may want to go to your local club and try out a few differant guns, to see which you prefer. Trapshooters are a great bunch of gentlemen who are more than willing to help out another shooter.

Good luck with your selection, Rodbuster.
 
#6 ·
Out of the box, the 1100 and 1187 have the softest recoil, with, in my opinion, the factory 1187 trap having slightly less felt recoil.<br>
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However, with a simple modification, the 1100 can have a bit less felt recoil. All you need to do is get an 1100 magnum action sleeve (the large cylinder that slides over the mag tube) and swap out the lighter mag tube on the non-magnum model. This provides a bit more dampening and dwell time for the recoil impulse.<br>
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As to which trap gun, well, there are a lot of model variations. My vote would be, in this order:<br>
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A used but excellent condition 1187 trap gun. These have a 30" step rib barrel that is factory backbored, and has special screw in choke tubes. These tubes are interchangeable with standard Rem chokes, but are marked to take into consideration that the backbored barrel steps down .018" in front of the choke tube, providing an already built in mod choke. The backbored barrel is .745", stepping down to .727" in front of the choke tube. My 1187 trap gun (which was built out of a field gun) has one of these barrels and it patterns nicely. Because it will never open up more than a mod, I'm using the original 28" light contour field barrel for sporting clays.<br>
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An older 1100 trap gun. Make sure it is in excellent condition. Many have had a lot of rounds put through them. There are numerous variations on these guns. The barrels were made in several configurations over the years. The most prized barrels are the fixed choke (mod or full) backbored barrels with a step rib, but thse are hard to find. There were also some 34" goose barrels converted into trap barrels by altering the gas ports for lighter loads. Typically, though, the barrel will have a flat rib, be 30", and have either a fixed or screw in choke tube. For the non-backbored 1100 trap barrels with screw in choke tubes, they can be used for sporting clays, but are a bit on the heavy side, so you'll probably want to get a second lighter barrel for sporting clays.<br>
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If you want new, that pretty much leaves the 1100 Classic Trap. I put this in third place simply because the internal machine work is not as well done as it is on the older guns. The older 1100s were glass smooth for operation. The new 1100 is not a bad gun, but for the money involved, you can get a damn nice 1100 or 1187 with accessories like an adjustable comb and buttplate, etc. One advantage to the 1100 Classic Trap is that it has a light contour trap barrel. This weighs about 6 ounces or so less than a standard trap barrel, and can thus be used for sporting clays as well, meaning you would not have to purchase a second barrel for sporting clays.<br>
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There is a limit to how light of a load an 1100 can cycle. However, it is possible to cycle even lighter loads if the gas ports are drilled oversize. I have an old 1100 trap barrel that is set up this way. It will cycle loads that no factory 1100 or 1187 will. The drawback is that heavy trap loads will have more felt recoil, and higher bolt velocity. Once altered in this manner, you pretty much have to shoot the load you've customized the barrel for, though you can always get another barrel if need be. (This can also be done on an 1187 trap barrel, but I would not recommend it on a regular 1187 barrel because of the gas compensating system.)<br>
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Another advantage of the 1100 family is that many repairs can be done by the owner. And it is the Chevy small block of the shotgun world. There are gobs of factory and aftermarket parts and accessories for them. Anyone who says an 1100 doesn't fit him or her must not have enough imagination to alter it to fit.<br>
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I won't candy coat the gas system. You will have to regularly clean it. About every 400 to 600 rounds depending on how clean your powder is and how much of a charge. Most owners shoot the gun "wet", meaning the entire gas system is covered in a thin layer of lube, like Break Free. This keeps fouling soft and easy to clean up. I can clean my gas system in 15 to 20 minutes this way, and at a long shoot, it could simply be wiped down and relubed if you had to.<br>
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Some say the design on the 1100 is outdated. Well, yes, but on the other hand, millions of these guns have been working well for millions of shooters over the past 46 years. A poor design does not last this long. And it should be noted that many of the more modern guns that are "superior" to the 1100 are no longer in production. The 1100 outlasted them.<br>
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Obviously I'm sold on the 1100 and 1187. I have several of them, and so do my kids. Mine range from nice polished blue models with semi-fancy walnut stocks to fully camo'd models, in 12 and 20 ga. I use them for shotgun sports, upland, turkey, big game, small game, coyotes, varmints, defense, and tactical shoots.
 
#7 ·
So, here go the fireworks. I have an issue with recoil from a recent car accident. I shoot a Browning 525 and 100 rounds of trap leaves me aching. Worse yet, I conciously have to concentrate on not flinching. A month back I shot a buddy of mine's Beretta 303 trap. OMG what an easy pointing shotgun. Recoil was less than half of the O/U. Ran 2 25's, 23 and 22. Usually I am a 21 to 23 shooter. It cycles wonderfully with one ounce loads and the shell catcher is not an inconvenience. Reliability is at minimum, as good as the 1100 or SX1. If they weren't, 303's would not have killed a bizillion doves in Argentina. The older Remingtons are great guns, in fact the Winchester SX1 is a superb choice as well. The real issue here is to ask around, shoot the Remington and the Beretta and pick the one that you feel most comfortable with. For me,it was the older Beretta 303. The best thing about it is if you buy one and don't love it, you can sell it with ease and try another! Happy shooting
 
#9 ·
There are a bunch of used 391's for sale on this forum at very good prices. There's even one with the Soft Touch recoil reducer that just about eliminates felt recoil altogether. I have shot 1100's and now shoot a 391, which I think is a better gun. As far as recoil, they're both gas operated system, and one can't be any softer shooting than the other, unless Newton's law has been reversed. gun fit and gun weight are the most important factors and you can modify a 391 much easier than an 1100.
 
#11 ·
If you go to a national sporting clay event like the National Championships or the Worlds 95% of the Semi-automatic guns are Beretta. There's a reason. Nothing beats the balance and reliability of Beretta. Yes, they are a little more time consuming to clean but you hardly ever have to clean them so it's really a non-issue.
The 1100 is a good gun, I would never say it's not. Try as many guns as you can before you buy and see what you like.
 
#13 ·
Remington 1100 with a Jack West stock. Maybe a recoil system to give you stock changing ability. I really like the Jack West stock. 10 minute installation if you buy the right tool from Brownells. Definitely worth the $24 if you own an 1100. Jack West stock from Speedbump Stock Works people...

http://speedbumpstockworks.blogspot.com/

Super service, super delivery.

Bruce
 
#14 ·
Of all the autoloaders I have shot over 37 years, I can tell you the Winchester SX2 and SX3 is the softest of all current guns available. Following the SX guns is the Benelli Super Black Eagle, then the Remington 1100 Trap. Now that is my opinion, based on both gun fit and the ability to change the cast on the Winchester SX2 and the Benelli. The SX2 I have will cycle 7/8 oz loads, but not the Benelli or the Remington.

I have also tried Beretta's and Browning, but they do not match up to the 3 guns I mentioned above. The absolute softest auto loader I have ever shot, but is no longer made was the SKB 900XL, when imported by Ithaca. I sold mine to a guy that hounded me for over a year for it, then he turned around and sold it after a short time because it was a flat shooter. I still wish I had that gun.

The next softest shooting gun no longer made was the Winchester 50, and I still have one, which I shoot from time to time. I put some resin on the stock to bring the comb up higher. This gun has a "false chamber" which sits inside the barrel and moves just a fraction of an inch to cycle the action and takes out a major portion of the recoil. It is based I believe on the old Marsh Williams design, which he took credit for in the M130 carbine.
The only problem with the Win 50 is the trap models are hard to come by and you have to clean the false chamber and the barrel after each shooting session, or it will rust from moisture collection.
 
#16 ·
The softest shooting gun that I have ever shot is the 1100. It might have just as much recoil as the other guns mentioned but it just feels softer to me.

There are a lot of 1100s out there, surely somebody at your club has one in the closet that they will let you shoot a round or two with it. Ditto for the Beretta autos also. Buy the one that feels best and the one you can get a deal on, then buy a shell catch and go shooting.
 
#17 ·
I was looking at the Winchester SX line, but they dont' have a dedicated tap model. Are after-market barrels available for the Beretta? The one thing tha the 1100 has over it is the ability to get an inexpensive barrel to switch for sporting clays or skeet.
 
#18 ·
Taking a genuine Trap 1100 from trap to sporties or skeet doesn't work for me.

My step rib barrel is higher than the fild/skeet versions, and there is a fit problem. I don't care to adjust ribs or change stocks either, so I just have a closet full of 1100's.

HM
 
#22 ·
skeet100 is deadon-- call joe miller in omaha- he has a post on here for a 391 w/ 32" great buy and you wont regret it!!! wally riebesell
 
#23 ·
Personally all it takes is one gun, a Beretta 391 trap model with a adjustable comb and you can shoot all the other sports just by changing chokes and comb height. You can shoot 25's in skeet and trap and 70's & 80's in sporting with the gun without a problem. Beretta has replaced Rem. as the competition gun of choice, just walk the line. Have owned many and hunt with a 303 20ga.

Don
 
#26 ·
Bought my first 11-87 in 1987; still have one with a Jack West stock (adjustable comb) and Timney trigger. Several barrels and it's a great slug gun. Now used primarily for deer hunting and back up for field hunting. Carry extra rings and gasket with you for target shooting. A mercury recoil reducer may be installed inside the magazine tube if you want to change the balance.

Had a few Beretta 303's which are just as good with many options available. I had one with a MoneyMaker adjustable rib and adjustable comb that I enjoyed. Very solid guns as well with good triggers (for an auto).

Beretta Extremas work very well and the #2 models have a built in recoil reduction system. I would question how long they would hold up for target shooting.
jt
 
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