Winchester Model 12 and Remington 870 Trap.
I think Remington is still producing the 870 Trap

 

Do not overlook a nice Remington Model 31TC.

 

Try to find yourself a old 870 Wingmaster with a 30 inch light contour full choke barrel. You can't go wrong with this shotgun. If it fits you well anyway.
Another great choice is if you can find a old Winchester model 12 shotgun with a full choke as well. Some folks say a even better choice over the 870. Personally I think there a better made shotgun as well. Just less of them to find is all. Good Luck in your quest. break em all Jeff

 

I believe the top three would be:

M-12, 870, Remington 31

Whatever one fits you and your budget best.

The nice older M-12's are getting harder to find.

The 31's are even harder to find.

The 870's are much easier to find.

I personally prefer the M-12 and I'm fortunate to have a nice older 2 pin milled rib M-12 with 30 full choke that hammers targets.

 

I would, and did, get an 870. Model 12's are great guns but the newest ones are 50 years old and while a lot of people will work on them, very few actually know how. Scooby Do could fix an 870.

 

I'll agree with the previous posts, 870, Model 12 or Remington 31. All work wonderfully and will do the job.

 

My first Trap gun was a 870TB, bought new in 1981 or so. Still have it. That said, I’d jump on the right model 12 trap if one came by. Can’t really go wrong either way, if it fits you.

 

Remington has a new 870 express trap listed on the website. Looks like an entry level gun, $600 list price.

Model 870 Express Trap | Remington

I have both a M12 and 870 set up for trap. Both will work well if they fit you. 870's are less expensive and easier to find than a M12, as others have said.

 

Winchester is making a new pump gun.

Winchester SXP Trap 12 Gauge Pump Shotgun

The Winchester SXP Trap Shotgun delivers the reliability you need to be competitive at the trap range. This 12-gauge trap gun comes with Invector-Plus choke tubes.

www.scheels.com

 

Winchester is making a new pump gun.

Winchester SXP Trap 12 Gauge Pump Shotgun

The Winchester SXP Trap Shotgun delivers the reliability you need to be competitive at the trap range. This 12-gauge trap gun comes with Invector-Plus choke tubes.

www.scheels.com

The Winchester SXP-Trap looks interesting. Its not the price can spend much more if needed. Will have to check reviews. ,thanks

 

The 870 Competition, but it isn't made anymore. My second choice would be an 870 with the Bill Davis adjustable stock with recoil reducer. Then a stock 870 TB, then the Model 12 Trap, then Remingtion 31 TC.

The SXP Trap would be second to last on my list, right before the Win. 1300. (Same action, but blander) I have a couple friends who have SXP Traps, and a few of the kids on the team have them. They are a good starter gun for someone who knows little about guns, or Trap. The triggers are hard and gritty, I suppose they would eventually wear in. One of my friends that has one has shot his enough that the trigger seems to have worn in decent, and he shoots it well enough. (only his 3rd year, has a 19 avg.)

 

Plus one to the 870; TC, TB, and the like, as well as the M12 and 31 (got all three).

I do want to get a BPS trap and an Ithaca 37 trap (new production) one day too.

 

Plus one to the 870; TC, TB, and the like, as well as the wM12 and 31 (got all three).

I do want to get a BPS trap and an Ithaca 37 trap (new production) one day too.

I have a new model 37 from Ohio. I ordered it with an adjustable comb and extended forearm. Shoots great. I also added Briley choke tubes.

 

Ithaca makes a nice M37 trap gun. I've used one for years. www.ithacaguns.com

 

Ithaca makes a nice M37 trap gun. I've used one for years. www.ithacaguns.com

Not a pump gun shooter -- But Ithaca or browning would have my vote -- Sick and tired of getting pelted with empty hulls!

 

Just bought a Winchester Model 12 trap, 30" full. Made in 1964, last of the final production run. (Not a Model Y). I started shooting with one, which I sold. Took it out today and it points and crushes birds just like the old days. There are some out there in the $1500 to $2,000 range, a price a lot less than major brands like Beretta, Perazzi, etc.

 

Just bought a Winchester Model 12 trap, 30" full. Made in 1964, last of the final production run. There are some out there in the $1500 to $2,000 range, a price a lot less than major brands like Beretta, Perazzi, etc.

I don't know about now - with pandemic/election panic buying in full swing - but last year you could find a nice Model 12 for a lot less than that. Your point - that a very good Model 12 can be had for a whole lot less than a Beretta or Perazzi - is exactly right. Mine is a 1961 and someone put this lovely birds-eye maple stock on it.

 

I shoot an 870 TC Trap, circa 1987, with the extended forearm. It is set up with the 30" fixed full, non step rib from an 870 TA, circa 1080. The original Remington 30", over bored, choke tube barrel is on the 870 TA. I have won enough money with it to pay its original $450 price many times over. . I have several 870's, 1100's and 11/87 trap guns. It has well over 100,000 rounds through it. I have replaced the action bars twice and the firing pin once. Parts are easy to get and the 870 is very easy to repair.

I am 5' 9" and the factory trap stock fits me well. I have a 6 oz. Mercury recoil reducer in the butt stock. My favorite load is a 2 3/4 - 1 1/8 - 7 1/2. I shot a lot of bird races (non ATA) and a lot of games with the 870.

IMO, the older 870's, circa 1960 - 1980 were much smoother to operate and had great wood. The fixed full choke barrels are wonderful and really smoke targets

The new 870 trap grade is IMO a great beginner trap gun. I would avoid 3 dram (1200 fps) loads as you really don't need them. If you shoot an 100 target event with 3 dram loads, IMO will regret it at about the 76th bitd.

A friend of mine shot an 870 TA at the grand in 1988 and broke a 99. His was the only 99 and there were 2 100's. He took home $27,000 plus. That same year I used a similar 870 TA and broke a 93. I missed my first two targets. I shot a 20.24,25,24 for a 93 and won $168. If I had played all of the options, especially the 50's, I would have won more. I was told to play all of the options but I did not listen.

I have been advised many times to get a better trigger for my 870's. I am used to the original factory trigger and it works well for me.

Good luck and learn to shoot without looking at the beads.

 

For a lot of years, Browning made a BPS trap model. It's a variation of the Ithaca Model 37.

I think Remington is offering a new manufacture Model 870 trap model these days.

 

I used to shoot an early Browning BPS 30" fixed full choke for games. I those days, about 1978, I was doing a lot of small game hunting and a good friend who shot model 12's for trap and skeet advised that a BPS was very close to a model 12. Long story short, I won a lot of turkey matches (trap games) with the BPS as it had a wonderfully tight choke. I sold it and bought an 870 TA but the BPS was a great gun.

The reason that I sold the BPS was that the common wisdom of the day (and Browning's advice) was not to disassemble the trigger group.

 

The Winchester SXP stock is made of "hardwood". Very informative.

 

The new Remington 870 Express Trap is still an 870. The Winchester SXP sure ISN'T a Model 12!!!


Scott Hanes

 

I've got an older 870 TB with a fixed full choke, and a newer 870 Classic Trap with choke tubes. I keep going back to the older TB although the Classic Trap is fun to shoot too.

 

It's really not even a 1300.

 

With Mod-12 always assure a ventilated rib. I am not sure if I had a mod-12 trap or field grade, but it had a solid rib -- does not work too good for trap shooting.

 

I wish to agree/endorse entropy's much earlier comment that his second favorite (in his four-gun list) was an 870 with a Jack West top-end stock. For approximately the past six years, I've had one of the last generation (I'm guessing) Jack West stocks. When I "dressed up" an 870 with the "new look" stock, it was a sensation. The recoil reduction products made shooting a dream. No heavy recoil sensation, like my Italian trap combo. Even more enjoyable to shoot than the German K-gun with recoil reducer I inherited from my late brother. Bottom line, if you can find a Jack West stock for a reasonable price that is to your liking, GET IT! If not, shop the gun sites for a good 870 (dedicated) trap model. You won't find a Model 12 Winchester for a bargain price, unless it has been well-used. Good luck in whatever endeavor you ultimately choose.

 

Not only is there the 870 Trap, but 870 Comp. Correct me if wrong, the the Comp was a single shot and the magazine area had recoil reducing system -- it was a soft shooting gun.

 

Hi All : Once upon a time !! Remington & Winchester made good pump trap guns.
Vic Reinders . Rudy & Fred Etchen many others made the pump gun famous !!
Good Luck Shooting !!

Joe Woods/Ontario

 

The SXP seems affordable and nice but I am surprised anyone here would recommend it given it is a turkish made gun, so if you get one be prepared for the hard time you get about that.

The Browning BPS trap used to be nice, but I am guessing no one bought them...,maybe you can find one new or slightly used?

 

There will always be a debate as to which is BEST . For the discontinued ones it comes down to the Win. model 12 and the Remington 31 . The model 12 points like the finger of doom. The model 31 shucks like "greased lightning" but the 31 is getting harder and harder to find. ! Of the newer ones it comes down the Browning BPS ( a design based on the Ithaca 37 ) and the tried and true 870 Wing Master . The 870 came out in 1950. Millions of 870s have been sold and they are still breaking targets. I have an old 870 TA with over 275,000 rounds thru it. nitro27man was there the day I first brought it out to the range. It was either late 1979 or early 1980 ( I forget) but ,it is still humming along. I also have a 870 TB which is my go to handicap gun. I go back and forth between the model 12 and 870. The 870 has far fewer parts and is much easier to maintain. Both are great guns !