20 Gauge Trap Gun

Bertfish · Feb 18, 2021

Ok guys here's the scoop

Wife is fairly petite and not that great in the upper body strength department.

She has tried trap shooting with me a couple times. I used to have a 20 gauge semi auto Charles Daly she liked. Was light and low recoil. Glad I sold it when I did (sorry to my buddy I sold it to though) cause it was evidently a POS and you couldn't get repair parts

My normal trap gun is a Beretta 390 Urika, nothing fancy. She says it's a "little heavy" for her. I don't remember the weight of the CD but I do remember it being pretty nimble, might've even been a youth sized gun. I've always been so happy shooting that 390, recoil is so low.

I only own 12 gauge guns. What should I be looking at for a light weight low recoil 20 gauge? I'm figuring semi auto is the only way I'll get the recoil down to something she likes although I would like to get an O/U at some point here. I'm fine with a field gun, 26" or 28" barrel. Neither of us are competition shooters and the 26" on my 390 has served me well.

byf43 · Feb 18, 2021

IF you can find an 11-87 Youth in 20 ga, it should serve your wife very well.

Several years ago, when our youngest son wanted to learn to shoot Trap, my wife said that she wanted to learn, too.

So, I bought an 870 Youth, and an 11-87 Youth.
Pump gun for the boy............. semi-auto for my wife.

She's held that 11-87, once. Never fired it.
I asked her if she's ever going to shoot it, or, should I sell it.

She has said, "You'd better not sell MY shotgun!"

I've shot it a few rounds, and 'the boy' has shot a couple of rounds of Trap with it.

I still think my 1100 (12 ga) w/ my handloads of Red Dot and 1-1/8 oz of #7-1/2 feels like a 28 ga on the shoulder.

Bertfish · Feb 18, 2021

That's a good idea. I personally love the 11-87, little beefy but it may work for her. She shoots with an AR stock fully collapsed so youth seems likely to work.

FTJoe · Feb 18, 2021

CZ Upland Ultralight O/U in 20ga. 5.2 lbs. a dream to shoot with reloads.

Or is you want a semi-auto, look for an old S&W 1000 in 20ga. extremely light for a semi-auto and shoots well.

6Den · Feb 18, 2021

Tristar Viper. Slender, light, reliable, and very soft-shooting.

rseymorejr · Feb 18, 2021

Check out the Mossberg SA20. I bought the 28ga version last year, only taken it out twice so far but I love it.

https://www.mossberg.com/category/series/sa-20/

atblis · Feb 18, 2021

BT99 Micro in 12 gauge. Get some 1 oz or 7/8 oz loads if recoil is an issue.

https://www.browning.com/products/firearms/shotguns/bt-99/current-production/bt-99-micro.html

ETA: The BT99s are great guns, but a one trick pony (American trap).

JDH146 · Feb 18, 2021

Old thread on subject .

https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?232629&p=5480901#post5480901

RJP3579 · Feb 18, 2021

I saw a Fanchi Affinity 20 gauge youth model at Anglers just last Sunday on one of their used racks.

Pinecone · Feb 19, 2021

I have an 11-87 Sporting Clays with a 26" barrel that I picked up for training.

I find it very light, and have had no complaints from women.

For newbies, used Fiocchi 12TL 1 ounce loads. In the 11-87, VERY low recoil.

But, after she gets used to it, can use 1 1/8 loads as needed.

Augie · Feb 19, 2021

Pinecone said:
I have an 11-87 Sporting Clays with a 26" barrel that I picked up for training.

I find it very light, and have had no complaints from women.

For newbies, used Fiocchi 12TL 1 ounce loads. In the 11-87, VERY low recoil.

But, after she gets used to it, can use 1 1/8 loads as needed.

This is good advice, remember 1 oz of shot is the same recoil in a 12 or 20 and a lot of times is worse in the 20 because the guns are lighter, she would be better off in a 12 gauge using light loads to learn on and then would have the option of using 1 1/8' target loads later on.
I bought my wife a Browning Micro BPS trap in 12 gauge years ago and had an adjustable comb added, she does quite well with it and it fits her well.She shoots my 1oz reloads for practice and 1 1/8" target loads when she wants to compete.

parttimer · Feb 19, 2021

Benelli M2.
I was shooting skeet and one of the people there brought their M2 20gauge and let us try a few rounds through it. It was very light weight and had almost no recoil. The kick was comparable to an AR-15. It took a second shot to wrap my head around how light it was with so little recoil.

John from MD · Feb 19, 2021

6Den said:
Tristar Viper. Slender, light, reliable, and very soft-shooting.

This. Many women are recoil sensitive so I always suggested gas operated guns. I have owned three Vipers and they are excellent guns for the money. They are well built and low maintenance.

Bertfish · Feb 19, 2021

Augie said:
This is good advice, remember 1 oz of shot is the same recoil in a 12 or 20 and a lot of times is worse in the 20 because the guns are lighter, she would be better off in a 12 gauge using light loads to learn on and then would have the option of using 1 1/8' target loads later on.
I bought my wife a Browning Micro BPS trap in 12 gauge years ago and had an adjustable comb added, she does quite well with it and it fits her well.She shoots my 1oz reloads for practice and 1 1/8" target loads when she wants to compete.

This is what I can't get her to understand, the 20 is often the same or worse recoil cause the gun gets smaller.

Augie · Feb 19, 2021

This is the gun I got for my wife, I don't necessarily recommend a pump gun for a first time shooter but they are not that hard to get familiar with, she shoots another pump gun for sporting clays and does quite well.
Browning discontinued the micro trap but you may be able to find one out there, it is a quality gun that does not cost an arm and a leg.

https://www.budsgunshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/43666

byf43 · Feb 19, 2021

Bertfish said:
This is what I can't get her to understand, the 20 is often the same or worse recoil cause the gun gets smaller.

That 870 Youth that I bought for my son to use, beat the SNOT out of him with factory loads.

I bought a 'beater stock' for a Remington 742 (same receiver size) at a gunshow, for $10.00 and cut it to fit my son (took a little over an inch off), and put a Limbsaver pad on it, and he enjoyed shooting that 870.

ForcedSig · Feb 19, 2021

My wife has a 20 gauge Benelli Montefeltro for sporting clays. Its light, soft recoil and well built. Id strongly recommend it.

Boss94 · Mar 1, 2021

2 come to mind that I shot and liked. Beretta 391 in 20 gauge, and Beretta A400 in 20 gauge. both were very light weight and recoil.

fabsroman · Mar 4, 2021

My son is using a Beretta A400 in 28 gauge because the Beretta 391 youth model is still a little too much recoil for him. Next hunting season he will probably graduate to the 20 gauge at 12 years of age and my then 9 year old daughter will start shooting the 28 gauge. I can shoot the 28 gauge accurately with only a single hand. With that said, the A400 isn't a cheap gun new. Last time we went sporting clays shooting over the summer, he broke 5 or 6 clays. No idea how many he shot at that day, but it wasn't a full 50. He killed two doves the one day we went dove hunting last season.

The problem with a 12 gauge gun is the weight. The problem with a 20 gauge gun is the recoil. The problem with the 28 gauge is a lack of shot density, but it still works and it still breaks clays just fine if the shooter does his/her part. Just less room for error. I will say that my sister's use the 391 youth model whenever we go shooting because it fits them better and they like the 21" barrel versus 28" or 30".

You can also get 7/8 oz loads for the 20 gauge, which reduces recoil considerably.

You are more than welcome to join me one weekend at CCGC for a round of trap so she can shoot my A400 28 gauge and my 391 20 gauge. Neither are for sale though, but it would give you an idea of her preference.

ShallNotInfringe would borrow my 391 youth gun every once in a while, and she is petite.

Zorros · Mar 7, 2021

ForcedSig said:
My wife has a 20 gauge Benelli Montefeltro for sporting clays. Its light, soft recoil and well built. Id strongly recommend it.

Same.

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