Casual Trap Shooting O/U Shotgun?

[PapiBarcelona]

there's nothing economical about loading 12 gauge anymore lol, honestly, hard pass on 12 gauge loading unless you get a lot of stuff for free. all the popular clay powders are forever out of stock and everything else is overpriced

 

[Augie]

As others stated really not saving much money anymore reloading 12 gauge shot shell, costs of components have doubled, I used to reload for about 3.50 a box and now it's 7.00 a box for 1 oz loads. Only reason I still load is for low pressure shells for my vintage shotguns.
Still quite a bit savings loading 28 gauge.

 

[trickg]

As others stated really not saving much money anymore reloading 12 gauge shot shell, costs of components have doubled, I used to reload for about 3.50 a box and now it's 7.00 a box for 1 oz loads. Only reason I still load is for low pressure shells for my vintage shotguns.
Still quite a bit savings loading 28 gauge.

There is some savings there when looking at it from a sheer financial perspective - I'm currently buying shells for about $100/flat, but if I buy boxes individually I'm having a hard time finding them for less than $11/box locally.

But with a savings of $3/box, it would take a lot of shooting to recoup costs.

I think for now I'll buy the occasional flat when prices are good and I'm low on ammo. At this point I don't even know what's what - I've been buying Winchester Super Target - seems like they're decent enough.

 

[possumman]

Try Sportsmans guide for shells --on sale often less than $90/flat and if you buy a couple the shipping can be free

 

[Biggfoot44]

Kind of Ike reloading 9mm .

The raw margin is slowest , in comparison to cheapest on sale

Loading your own , you can tweak the components foe better/ different patterns , different velocity/ pressure , various grades of shot , etc vs random components in sale shells ( or decide to pay extra for premium grade target shells ) .

 

[fabsroman]

trickg,

I am glad to read that you went with the Browing. My only worry now is that you bought the gun sight unseen and did not have a chance to shoulder it before saying "I do". Unless a gun comes with an adjustable stock, I always shoulder it before buying it and try to see how it swings, how the LOP feels, etc. End of the day though, I think you are really going to like it.

 

[trickg]

trickg,

I am glad to read that you went with the Browing. My only worry now is that you bought the gun sight unseen and did not have a chance to shoulder it before saying "I do". Unless a gun comes with an adjustable stock, I always shoulder it before buying it and try to see how it swings, how the LOP feels, etc. End of the day though, I think you are really going to like it.

I'll probably be ok - I've read almost no accounts of people not liking the Browning Cynergy, other than to say they think it's ugly, (I don't - I like the way it looks) and that in spite of being available since 2004, it doesn't have the decades long track record of the Citori.

One problem I may have would be length of pull. I'm 6'1", but I also have long arms. The length of pull on my 870 is 13.75" and doing the LOP check on my arm leaves a gap of about an 1.25"-1.5". The Browning has an advertised LOP as 14.25" - that should be fine.

There are other guys who complain about the trigger, but I see that as picking gnat turds out of pepper - I don't think I'm going to be bothered by it. I'll complain about an 11 lb long and gritty pull on milspec AR trigger, but I'm not inclined to complain about the 5.5 lb trigger of the Cynergy.

 

[PapiBarcelona]

Reloading is a cool hobby to share with your kids especially shotshell stuff since its only about mass production

the other part that was cool was the non wasteful shtick of dumpster diving for gun club hulls and loading them +10 times before the ends got hella charred and split

 

[trickg]

Reloading is a cool hobby to share with your kids especially shotshell stuff since its only about mass production

the other part that was cool was the non wasteful shtick of dumpster diving for gun club hulls and loading them +10 times before the ends got hella charred and split

I love reloading - I like the idea of being able to tailor my loading to what I want it to be, although the cost savings certainly isn't what it once was. I don't have any shotshell reloading gear, although I'd imagine that with the shotgunning community being what it is, stumbling into a good price on a used MEC Sizemaster probably wouldn't be difficult. Finding good sources for components might be challenging though.

There may come a point where I do decide to gear up to reload, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

 

[JasonD67]

Yeah 1 and an eighth oz loads in a light gun can get a bit old when shooting clays. Look for 1 oz (or less) for extended shooting outings. That’s why I reload: I can get the exact load I want, every time. Don’t save much money on 12 gauge, but I enjoy reloading.

Now, on 28 gauge I think I paid for my loader after 2-3 boxes .

 

[linkstate]

I agree you don’t need 1200 1 1/8.

If you don’t reload, I don’t, they are just fine and can usually be found wherever shells are sold. I always preferred either a lighter shot charge or lower velocity, or both. Especially when shooting a bunch of rounds through a pump or O/U.

Try 1 1/8 at 1145 or 1oz at 1180 and see what you like vs what you usually use.

Keep in mind Loch Raven at least, limits shooters to 1200 fps. They also sell boxes and flats. Or did. Been awhile since I’ve been out there. Been awhile since I’ve done any kind of shooting. Hoping to get back into it this spring.

 

[trickg]

I agree you don’t need 1200 1 1/8.

If you don’t reload, I don’t, they are just fine and can usually be found wherever shells are sold. I always preferred either a lighter shot charge or lower velocity, or both. Especially when shooting a bunch of rounds through a pump or O/U.

Try 1 1/8 at 1145 or 1oz at 1180 and see what you like vs what you usually use.

Keep in mind Loch Raven at least, limits shooters to 1200 fps. They also sell boxes and flats. Or did. Been awhile since I’ve been out there. Been awhile since I’ve done any kind of shooting. Hoping to get back into it this spring.

These Winchester Super Target are rated at 1 and 1/8 at 1145. I think the biggest issue is the 50+ year old rock hard stock recoil pad on my 870. I'm currently looking for a decent aftermarket replacement, but I can't seem to find what I'm looking for. Choices are either the Limb Saver, which seems to have issues with the rubber reacting with all manner of different things and breaking down into a gooey mess, or the Remington Supercell, which seems to be the same thing, but has fitment issues - funny considering that it's a Remington Product made FOR Remington guns.

 

[linkstate]

These Winchester Super Target are rated at 1 and 1/8 at 1145. I think the biggest issue is the 50+ year old rock hard stock recoil pad on my 870. I'm currently looking for a decent aftermarket replacement, but I can't seem to find what I'm looking for. Choices are either the Limb Saver, which seems to have issues with the rubber reacting with all manner of different things and breaking down into a gooey mess, or the Remington Supercell, which seems to be the same thing, but has fitment issues - funny considering that it's a Remington Product made FOR Remington guns.

Ah gotcha. I got a nice older Wingmaster awhile back that has the waffle style pad. Mine seems to be in OK shape but I'd like something more like what comes on most Browning shotguns or the Supercell like you said. They have a nice cushion but aren't 'gooey'. There is some firmness to them. Hard to explain. I have also read that the Remington pads don't fit well unless it's for a synthetic or laminated stock.

The Pachmyr sporting clays pad seems nice. I don't think there is a way around having a pad ground to fit perfectly. Or do it yourself if able. I don't trust myself to do it right.

ETA: Kick-eez might be an option also. I had one installed when I had a BT99 fitted with a pad adjuster. I remember liking it. It wasn’t the spongy, gooey type like some others.

 

[River02]

Congrats on the Browning-- I believe you will never regret it. I purchased my Citori after having returned from the 1st Persian Gulf War to find my Ithaca Mod 37 Featherlite had been stolen from my apartment during a break in. So I've owned the Citori and shot it several times per year at the trap range since 1991. It has served me well for over 30 years and outside of purchasing some new Briley chokes for it 3 years ago, I've made no modifications to it. I shoot well enough not to embarrass myself with it... . Whatever shortcomings there are in the line score is strictly on me and not the firearm.

Interesting side note (to me anyway) a gentlemen on this forum has an Ithaca Mod37 he's holding for me to take a look at. I'll see him in a week or two and perhaps I'll be able to recapture the magic of breaking some clays with a another lovely shottie.

Once again-- congrats and good luck!

 

[possumman]

These Winchester Super Target are rated at 1 and 1/8 at 1145. I think the biggest issue is the 50+ year old rock hard stock recoil pad on my 870. I'm currently looking for a decent aftermarket replacement, but I can't seem to find what I'm looking for. Choices are either the Limb Saver, which seems to have issues with the rubber reacting with all manner of different things and breaking down into a gooey mess, or the Remington Supercell, which seems to be the same thing, but has fitment issues - funny considering that it's a Remington Product made FOR Remington guns.

I put the Limbsaver on my 725 after the original Browning pad started turning to mush. They all deteriorate eventually. Either turning into a rock or mush. It's a consumable-- the Limbsaver fit great and was easy to install

 

[Arloe]

For trap I shoot a Maxus Walnut Sporting (not Maxus 2) with a Birchwood Casey shell catcher (a must for trap with a semi-auto unless you want to shoot alone). Catcher works like a charm after 1500 rounds. It came loose once, but I reattached it with 3M adhesive and it's like welded on with no damage to the scroll engraving. It's shimmed high for rising targets. I suck at trap, but it isn't the gun's fault.


There are several very serious shooters at my club and many shoot a semi-auto (some of which cost more than a Citori).

My suggestion is to buy a Tristar Viper G2 with 28" barrel (sighting plane is like a 31" break-open gun). They work. And you can shim it for cast and drop. (Drop should be a little higher for rising trap targets. You can always use it as a field gun by lowering the drop.) Shimming takes about 10 minutes. I have the wood versions of the G2 Viper in 20g and 28g and have never had a failure of any kind.

You won't look as good missing as others who miss targets with expensive guns, but you will not be sorry. The Tristar G2 Viper in 28" 12ga synthetic soft touch is maybe $700 out the door. And it has sling swivels for field use and its rough finish is meant for rough treatment off the trap field. 5 shots. And felt recoil from its gas operation is far less than a break-open, slide action, or inertia driven gun.

 

[trickg]

For trap I shoot a Maxus Walnut Sporting (not Maxus 2) with a Birchwood Casey shell catcher (a must for trap with a semi-auto unless you want to shoot alone). Catcher works like a charm after 1500 rounds. It came loose once, but I reattached it with 3M adhesive and it's like welded on with no damage to the scroll engraving. It's shimmed high for rising targets. I suck at trap, but it isn't the gun's fault.


There are several very serious shooters at my club and many shoot a semi-auto (some of which cost more than a Citori).

My suggestion is to buy a Tristar Viper G2 with 28" barrel (sighting plane is like a 31" break-open gun). They work. And you can shim it for cast and drop. (Drop should be a little higher for rising trap targets. You can always use it as a field gun by lowering the drop.) Shimming takes about 10 minutes. I have the wood versions of the G2 Viper in 20g and 28g and have never had a failure of any kind.

You won't look as good missing as others who miss targets with expensive guns, but you will not be sorry. The Tristar G2 Viper in 28" 12ga synthetic soft touch is maybe $700 out the door. And it has sling swivels for field use and its rough finish is meant for rough treatment off the trap field. 5 shots. And felt recoil from its gas operation is far less than a break-open, slide action, or inertia driven gun.

I picked up my Browning Cynergy CX with 30" barrels at my LGS just today. I'll get it to the range tomorrow morning - it'll be cold, so I'll only do a couple of rounds to see how it shoots.

 

[Boondock Saint]

Big ass-tag.

 

[Robert heatterich]

Savage 555 trap no more than $500
Mosberge international gold ou $1200 I have to many rounds through it to count no issues

 

[fishoholic]

I picked up my Browning Cynergy CX with 30" barrels at my LGS just today. I'll get it to the range tomorrow morning - it'll be cold, so I'll only do a couple of rounds to see how it shoots.

how'd it go for you ?