Entry Level Trap/Skeet Guns

[Glockdude]

As the title states, I am looking for some suggestions on entry level guns for trap and skeet. I am new to the game and do not even know where to start.

[Cgrutt]

I'm sure Mek will chime in with a Spanish made gun that's reasonably priced but gives top quality. Name escapes me but it looked like awesome gun.

[thughes]

I shoot with a Mossy 500 (28" ported barrel, field grade), bought it specifically to try my hand at trap. I have a blast with it and can shoot high teens/low 20's as a rookie which makes me happy. Under $300 for the base model with 28" barrel great way to get started and if you decide trap clay games aren't for you or you really dig the clays and want to upgrade, you swap an 18" barrel and some magpul furniture onto the Mossy for a baddass tactical SG. If you're looking to do doubles or fancy stuff you will probably want to look at an O/U or semi-auto.

[Glockdude]

Thanks! Mossy doesnt sound like a bad choice at all, especially for the price.

[Meketrefe]

Entry level is a tricky business because most folks would like a nice shotgun that one can still grow into.
A good shooter would do well with an entry level semi like a remy 1100, benelli M2 or a few others but in reality they are not designed for the rigors of repetitive shooting, they are too light
and cannot compare balance and triggers aside form the annoying shells hitting in other competitors faces.
The ideal here is a nice over and under with a well built trunion and locking systems and good barrels that will not budge through the intense hammering of thousands of rounds.
I have a Beretta with probably 300K loads though it and it shoots like day one. But there are other European makers that can produce same level of reliability w/o spending that much.
Perhaps a bit less fancy on the finishing but even a used Spanish Sarrasqueta or Lanber from the Eibar Region who is known for quality affordable shotguns for generations will do much better than some of the new Brazilian and Turskish whether they are rebranded for the US market or not. Speically avoid the Stoeger ST2000 cheap deal from dicks. they are crap. Not so much the
brazilian barrels but their trigger groups fail after a few thousand shots. broken pins, bad tempered sears, etc... it is better just to avoid them.
Even a used Browning Citory or a KSG is a lot better than any of the cheap big store entry ones.
Tristar, silver reserve, Yildiz.. all turkish made are an upgrade over the brazilian ones but they are not a wise investment. Even at entry cost they deprecieate as soon as they come out the door.
In the OEM entry level market there are few exceptions. A very good one was a shotgun that was imported by tranditions that was made by Fausti in Italy to be sold at Walmart. Very plain type of shotgun nothing engraved, nothing fancy, but they are tanks like the high end Fausti from Italy that have nice trunions and barrels. Might be able to find one in Gunbroker but they are
scarce because they make a great entry level gun that one can use for the rest of his life.
Going back to the lanber I think these are hard to beat too in terms of quality. This is the thing, these guns are actually cheaper in the US than in Spain or Europe because some importer
bought entire containers almost at cost in order to penetrate the American market. In mexico, NZ, Uk, Portugal, Spain, etc.. are seen in competition (specially junior folks) and they score
as the big boys. I have a couple of these, one with many thousands of loads and they shoot and look like new. These are also hard to find but they can be found.
So when you thin of budget plan for $1K a bit less or a bit more. Otherwise shoot with your pump until you can afford one. There is no need to start with A SKB, beretta or Browning when some others will do the same.
there is another one that is the russian O/U from izmash. They are totally spartan but they are tanks too. These might need a trigger work down the road but they are 10 times better steel than any of the brazilians and turkish. In fact these russian actions are the same they are used for SXS high power double shot rifles, that is how strong the trunions are steel are.
So again you can shoot with wathever specially for a one off deal but if you are serious and you want to grow and score high save some dollars and get something a bit better than the cheapo deals from the dicks, cabelas and gadners of the world.

[EvilD]

Get a Glock, shoot a sport that isn't soo fuking gay

[Glockdude]

Entry level is a tricky business because most folks would like a nice shotgun that one can still grow into.
A good shooter would do well with an entry level semi like a remy 1100, benelli M2 or a few others but in reality they are not designed for the rigors of repetitive shooting, they are too light
and cannot compare balance and triggers aside form the annoying shells hitting in other competitors faces.
The ideal here is a nice over and under with a well built trunion and locking systems and good barrels that will not budge through the intense hammering of thousands of rounds.
I have a Beretta with probably 300K loads though it and it shoots like day one. But there are other European makers that can produce same level of reliability w/o spending that much.
Perhaps a bit less fancy on the finishing but even a used Spanish Sarrasqueta or Lanber from the Eibar Region who is known for quality affordable shotguns for generations will do much better than some of the new Brazilian and Turskish whether they are rebranded for the US market or not. Speically avoid the Stoeger ST2000 cheap deal from dicks. they are crap. Not so much the
brazilian barrels but their trigger groups fail after a few thousand shots. broken pins, bad tempered sears, etc... it is better just to avoid them.
Even a used Browning Citory or a KSG is a lot better than any of the cheap big store entry ones.
Tristar, silver reserve, Yildiz.. all turkish made are an upgrade over the brazilian ones but they are not a wise investment. Even at entry cost they deprecieate as soon as they come out the door.
In the OEM entry level market there are few exceptions. A very good one was a shotgun that was imported by tranditions that was made by Fausti in Italy to be sold at Walmart. Very plain type of shotgun nothing engraved, nothing fancy, but they are tanks like the high end Fausti from Italy that have nice trunions and barrels. Might be able to find one in Gunbroker but they are
scarce because they make a great entry level gun that one can use for the rest of his life.
Going back to the lanber I think these are hard to beat too in terms of quality. This is the thing, these guns are actually cheaper in the US than in Spain or Europe because some importer
bought entire containers almost at cost in order to penetrate the American market. In mexico, NZ, Uk, Portugal, Spain, etc.. are seen in competition (specially junior folks) and they score
as the big boys. I have a couple of these, one with many thousands of loads and they shoot and look like new. These are also hard to find but they can be found.
So when you thin of budget plan for $1K a bit less or a bit more. Otherwise shoot with your pump until you can afford one. There is no need to start with A SKB, beretta or Browning when some others will do the same.
there is another one that is the russian O/U from izmash. They are totally spartan but they are tanks too. These might need a trigger work down the road but they are 10 times better steel than any of the brazilians and turkish. In fact these russian actions are the same they are used for SXS high power double shot rifles, that is how strong the trunions are steel are.
So again you can shoot with wathever specially for a one off deal but if you are serious and you want to grow and score high save some dollars and get something a bit better than the cheapo deals from the dicks, cabelas and gadners of the world.

Thanks. Always have great info.

[alistair]

I shoot with a Mossy 500 (28" ported barrel, field grade), bought it specifically to try my hand at trap. I have a blast with it and can shoot high teens/low 20's as a rookie which makes me happy. Under $300 for the base model with 28" barrel great way to get started and if you decide trap clay games aren't for you or you really dig the clays and want to upgrade, you swap an 18" barrel and some magpul furniture onto the Mossy for a baddass tactical SG. If you're looking to do doubles or fancy stuff you will probably want to look at an O/U or semi-auto.

Was think of the Mossy 500 as a double duty shotgun.... One shotgun w/ two easily swap out barrels.

[Meketrefe]

A mossy 500 is a great shotgun for what it is and will have some fun shooting clays one day if one is not going to do this too often.
But if one wants to get really good first I suggest something with more weight to be able follow trough and nice trigger, comb and everything else to
do the amounts of repetition is needed to get good at shooting clays. A pump at skeet is a crippling factor. The reason the O/U are so popular because they do very well at trap
but also they are the main type of system for skeet due to weight distribution, simplicity and reliability. We just had someone at the clays club
servicing a shotgun with anything between 1 to 2M shells through it. The maker is krieghoff.

[Chicken Shoot]

As the title states, I am looking for some suggestions on entry level guns for trap and skeet. I am new to the game and do not even know where to start.

I'm going in with a Mossy 500. A friend of mine has been using one for years and the guys that claim to be "pros" at it with their $6000 over/under guns can't touch him. No problems with doubles. I don't miss many when I do get the chance to practice with the Mossy so I'm hoping I'll do OK. 28" barreled Mossy 500A Field from Wally World 3 weeks ago .... $234. Done. Now ...... I will also say that I know for a fact that the more expensive guns are extremely nice and they are what one would truly need IF you're planning on doing shoots for some serious money or maybe you're looking to do shoots in some sort of circuit. If you're looking to get into it for little investment and then move up if you take to it, the Mossy 500 is a great choice. You'll have a great shotty for hunting or as a backup to the more expensive shotty should you decide to take the next step. (I'm planning on giving my friend a run for his money this year!!)

Wildman has a nice O/U made by Baikal that does very well and I think that was in the $400-$500 range new. He doesn't miss many either. I think his has 26" barrels. It's a nice gun and the Baikal guns are actually decent quality guns.

[Meketrefe]

Many champions do not use a $6k shotgun nor that is needed anyway. I don't know one single skeet or trap region, state or national champion who shoots with a mossberg 500.But there are plenty of good entry ones from $900 and below $2K that one can can compete pretty well and grow into them. Also including great used ones like a nice browning or Beretta. I think it is reasonable to make a decent budget in order to get good, even some classes. It would make more sense for folks to invest less on a modest yet decent shotgun but save for the "fuel" it needs and trips to the clubs and leagues and also some professional training. That is where the dollars make a bigger difference.

[gtnorry]

I like my Beretta 391 semi-auto with a 32" barrel and 5 extended chokes.
I can do trap (boring) skeet and sporting clays with it.
I got mine used for 700 in very good condition

[phritz]

I got myself a cheapo 500 with 28" vent rib barrel for about $250 to try my hand at trap, but haven't had a chance to do much more than shoot some paper with it yet.
I, too, look at it as a double duty gun, once I get an 18" home defense barrel for it.
If I enjoy shooting clays- I'm pretty sure I will, I'd like to upgrade to an O/U, but I think that's a ways off still.