[Zoom.Golly]

I back to shooting trap and have a hankering for a single-barrel trap gun. I liked the Ithacas and Parkers I shot in my previous life, but I don't want to spend what it would take to buy one.

I thought a BT-99 might make an affordable option. I've been looking at the racks at the club and I'm just not seeing any there. I've asked and I'm getting an almost unanimous answer the stay away from them. They are too light, too whippy, and kick too much. The only guy that said they are great had it for sale. But it had been so heavily modified I didn't even take it for a test spin.

So why so few BT-99s on the rack?

And what are used ones selling for?

 

[Dr. Honk]

I have a lightly used BT 99 Golden Clays. It has less than 1,000 rounds through it.

Price is $2500 and comes with a Browning hard case. PM me if interested.

Thanks,

Doc

 

[GW22]

The BT-99 is probably the best selling trap gun in the history of the sport and will likely outsell all others, once again, in 2014.

-Gary

 

[skeetfield]

Awful hard to beat for the money. Lots of good 99's around for $850.00 to
$1000.00. 32in & 34in barrels; different chokes, and all kinds of modifications.
Some shoot flat and some shoot high. Find one that you like have a lot of fun.

 

[jmunsell]

I see a lot of these in the rack around my neck of the woods. Got one for my son for $850 and I shoot it real good. This one hardly kicks at all.

 

[StonewallRacing]

I'd guess one-third of the guns at our club are BT-99's.

SW

 

[George MT.]

In my part of the world I would say that this past sunday during open shooting there were at least 6 BT 99s there of various age and configuration.Everyone operates on a different budget and the BT fits what alot of shooter want to pay and some could pay more and still use a BT. Shoot well George

 

[1oldtimer]

The older BT s are preferred by the serious BT shooter. Very reliable troublefree trap gun. Iv'e shot one for the last 8-10 years for registered and games.
Clyde

 

[wrd]

A BT 99 is the best gun for the money available. If you cannot hit with a BT 99, you are not going to hit with anything else.

 

[Zoom.Golly]

So oldtimer, how do a tell an older BT from the rest of the pack? What I see on-line shows BT with add-ons...geriatric recoil pads and stocks. I want out-of-the box original.

In this reincarnation to trap I am using an 1100. I shoot it much better than I expected after a trap hiatus and I like the low recoil. But it is a nuisance. The shell catcher is finicky, and couple times a round the empty flops back in the chamber and has to be fiddled out. That throws off the timing for me and the squad. And timing closing the bolt so as to not trip a targets adds an extra mental step. I shot an event with a varsity squad and they moved right along. It was hard fooling with the shell catcher and keeping up with the rhythm of the squad. If a I had a problem I missed the chance to close the action right after the shooter in front fired, so I would trigger a target release which further botched the squad rhythm.

But mostly I think back fondly of those Parkers and 4-e single-barrels I once was able to use and thought a BT might be an acceptable substitute.

 

[jmunsell]

I have a new and old BT and my new one shoots great my old well that's another story but it's not the gun.

 

[Pull & Mark]

Sam, Do you do not want to keep your empties???, Or do you just have a shell catcher on your gun so as not to interfere with the shooter next to you??? If it is the later!, you can send your 1100 to Tron on this website and he can install a small pin (welded on) to a spot on the ejection hole to push your empties on the ground only about l l/2 feet away from you. This will allow you to shoot doubles as well if you need to and never bother the shooter off to the side. Not the best idea if you want to keep your empties though. Or you can try a heavy rubber band over the port and move it up and down until you find the sweet spot if you will that allows you keep your empty and reload without the hang ups. Good Luck and break em all. Jeff

 

[luvtrapguns]

An older BT is about as reliable and long lasting as you will find-regardless of price. The older guns (with long trigger guard tang) are reported to have better steel and much better fit and finish than the short tang newer models. My only complaint with my first BT (1972) was that it was too light foreward causing it to be "whippy". For me that problem was corrected when the competition forearm was introduced. Picking an old one up today and shooting it feels great Good trigger and balance. Never shot a newer BT.

Because of the low selling price I think a lot of shooters feel the BT does not have the SNOB appeal of many of the high priced guns and as such look past the BT's in favor of what they perceive to be a better gun. If the BT would have been introduced as a premium priced gun without any other changes it certainly, IMO, would be as well thought of as a P or K gun. Thanks, Browning, for keeping the price real so that the gun is affordable to many. Like any other dependable gun, how well it shoots depends on the driver. The gun will do it's part. Marc

 

[downinthelab]

I'm a new shooter and I LOVE mine. Its an NY, so it's relatively recent, but the wood is much nicer than the current NEW NEW ones I have seen at gunshops. Everyone who shoots it seems to think it's the thing to have. I only paid 950 for it through a nice guy at my club, and recently another member tried to get it from me for 1300. Nope, I'm keeping it.

 

[GW22]

Sam:

Older BT-99s can be spotted easily because the receivers, etc. are engraved.

There are many variants among these older guns (forend, ribs, stocks, etc.).

Don't be afraid of a new one though (although I feel that selling a trap gun standard with a straight stock should be at least a 2nd degree felony).

-Gary

 

[Johnny]

"The older guns (with long trigger guard tang) are reported to have better steel"

I doubt that but they do have more steel.


"...I feel that selling a trap gun standard with a straight stock should be at least a 2nd degree felony)."

I would be willing to pay more for a variety of options but Browning feels otherwise. They have cut out every nickel they can. Instead of just raising the price, they whittle on the gun. Worst of all, they eliminated the 100.

 

[senior smoke]

I have owned numerous BT99's. Suggest find an old style BT with the smaller forearm made no later than 1975. Along with the model 12, 870, and the 1100, the BT99 is an important part of trapshooting history. For the most part it is a very reliable gun especially for the money.
Steve Balistreri
Wauwatosa Wisconsin

 

[Trappy12]

BT's are great, they are just like your old truck that just won't quit. Simple, but gets the job done humbly without any flash, just as well as it's Italian counterparts.

I'm not familiar with any concrete noticeable non-aesthetic differences between the old and new models, but I've yet to have a single problem with my roughly 12 year old new model. I prefer it actually, because of the beavertail foregrip, but I'm weird in that I put my left hand on the receiver.

Pick one up, old or new, only your preference in feel matters, and I guarantee you'll love it.

-Trappy

 

[goldwater64]

I have an older model BT 99 Pigeon Grade supposedly a high shooter with serial number RR.

I did have Dave Berlet add a delrin rib for additional POI,zero pitched the stock,added mercury recoil reducer and a Goebel release trigger.

I know I can spend more (and have) but don't know that I actually got more.

 

[Zoom.Golly]

How do you tell the date they are made?

I've learned to look for a long tang and engraving on the receiver.

I'm surprised I'm not seeing them on the racks. I mainly shoot league and non-registered. I'm surprised I'm seeing so manny high-dollar guns there. It seems all the guns are camo field guns or Ks, Ps, Kolars, and Seitz (sp?). But then, I'm not getting any good comments about them in the clubhouse. Must be something in the water.

And none on the racks with FOR SALE cards nor FOR SALE signs on the bulletin boards. I'm not interested in an inter-net buy, and I really want to give a test drive first.