New to Trap

[pt3d]

Well, my eldest child went out shooting with me the other day, and she enjoyed it.  Only had one full size 12 ga shotgun, and she had a huge grin.

Had been looking up trap shooting and seems like most people used over/under shotguns.  This weekend, we found what looked like a low mileage over/under 12 ga Stoeger Condor.  It was very windy sunday morning, but took it out to try shooting and we didn't shoot very well.  I've never used one of these before, and forgot to ask about it when at the fire as well.  Only loaded one round at a time, and I think the lower barrel shoots first.  Missed every target that flew.  We were kinda in a hurry since the kids had activities to go to.  I'm new to this Trap thing, and am a total noob on this shotgun.

I'm kinda wondering if I made a mistake.  She's 11 and skinny gal.  At the minimum, we'll need to have the stock cut/fitted for her.  With tax and everything, came out to a little under $400.

should we should try to sell back to the gun store and get her a tiny little shotgun??

Any advice would be great. Thanks!

[AAllen]

pt3d My 16 year old daughter is also just getting started in trap so I will share what I have learned over the last few months.

First for a shot gun, over unders are popular because they allow users to compete in doubles etc., for most beginners a single shot is fine and will allow them to compete in basic trap as well as handicapped.  If using a double barrel the lower barrel is the correct one to use.  A double does have a slight advantage in the weight department which as we all know helps reduce felt recoil, but that can be handled in other ways.  Also there is a difference between a trap gun and a field gun, a trap gun is designed to shoot slightly higher than a field gun so you can keep the trap setting just above the aiming point, that way you never need to take your eyes of the trap.  You will also find the comb is different between a trap and field gun as well as there are other slight differences which can be changed.

I found a slightly used Remington Spartan Sport (unfortunately these are no longer available new) series shotgun for my daughter for just over $200 it already had an adjustable comb installed (it is one of the points we adjust the gun to fit the shooter).  I dropped another $150 getting the stock slightly shortened, an adjustable but plate, and a mercury weight (remember the weight issue from the over under) installed.

Now to what you want for a shotgun, I recommend getting a Trap model (in 12 gauge, it is needed for most competitions and the various teams usually require it) if you can find one you can afford, if not a field gun will work but some day she will want to upgrade.  An over under is overkill for a new shooter, it will be a couple of years before she will be shooting doubles etc., for the same reason that the semi auto and pump trap guns are.  None of these are bad guns but for someone just starting out there is a learning curve before they get to where they will need these things.  By then they will be looking to upgrade anyway, and then they will have a better idea of what they need for what they want to shoot.

I don't have the card for the guy I used to set up my daughters shotgun up (he did the adjustable comb for the previous owner, and installed the adjustable butt and weight for me) but I will PM you with his info later, he is in Omaha.  He is a trap and skeet shooter who gives great deals for kids getting started in the sport and will help get the shotgun adjusted so it fits her properly if you decide to go that route.

If you are in the Omaha area we can get together some day with our daughters to let them shoot a round and visit about the guns and what little I know at this point.

[AAllen]

I didn't mention, having a gun set up for trap with the adjustables where you have around $5-600 invested.  Well you should have no problem getting your money back out of it when it become time to upgrade.  Buying the $1200+ trap gun, well you most likely will only get $800-1000 back once it becomes time to sell to buy an upgrade.

Note, I am talking about guns for youth trap not adult guns, some of which can be very expensive and hold there values very well.

[sjwsti]

My son shot trap through middle and high school. His first gun was a cheap single shot Baikal IZH 18 sporting. I added an adjustable butt plate, lengthened the forcing cone, added some good chokes and it shot very well for him. He eventually upgraded to a Benelli.

The fit of the gun is critical. There are plenty of resources (DVDs, books, even better would be AAllens gunsmith) that will help you properly fit the gun to her. You also need to pattern it and see exactly were it shoots and how the chokes pattern. Then adjust the fit to get the gun to shoot how and were you want it to. The stock chokes generally wont shoot as well as a good set of aftermarket ones and are a good investment IMO.

New trap shooters have to work very hard at not moving their head from the stock. When my son first started out I installed one of these and it helped tremendously.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/615019/champion-easy-hit-shotgun-fiber-optic-front-sight-25mm-green-5

- Shawn

[bullit]

This is confusing...I swore the NFOA was all about right wing nut jobs and black rifles.....

[wallace11bravo]

This is confusing...I swore the NFOA was all about right wing nut jobs and black rifles.....

Yes. What is this "Trap" you speak of. 

[Dan W]

New trap shooters have to work very hard at not moving their head from the stock.

Old trapshooters have the same problem

But, I agree that gun fit is the name of the game in trap. What was wrong with the 12ga she hit well with the first time out?

[SemperFiGuy]

p3td:

Like you, I--too--fell for the allure of the Stoeger Condor shotgun.    Wanted it for a 12-year old grandson who is eager to get into trapshooting.   Ever so slightly used, it just looked and felt so "right" and the gun store manager let me talk him down to $350 to clinch the sale.

Well, it took it out to my trap club [Papillion Gun Club] and shot it on the pattern board.    Shots patterned way down and to the right.   Plus a whole bunch of other problems that showed up.   Incredibly tight action that was no bother in the store, but was a Big Bother toward the end of the first box of shells.

Took it back.    After a long tussle with the same store manager, got $350 in store credit.

Problem with this shotgun is that its quality control is all over the map.   Stoeger is just the importer; the gun is actually made in Brazil, reminiscent of Taurus.    Don't buy one that was made during Carnival.   Problem is, you have no way of knowing.

Same old dreary story applies:   You get what you pay for.   And sometimes you don't even get that much.


sfgPS - If you ever want a stock made or a shotgun fitted, try:

Steve J. Reynolds
sjrmakingdust@aol.com
402 208-8080.

He's a Good 'Un.

[AAllen]

SFG thanks for posting Steve's info, that was who I was going to recommend.

[SemperFiGuy]

Andy:

A pleasure.

Steve's both (a) very competent and (b) a fun guy to know.

sfg

[AAllen]

That he is, and on top of it he gets very excited about bringing young people into the shooting sports.

[pt3d]

Thanks for the response guys!

That Stephen name sounds kinda familiar.  We ent to the gun show in Lincioln at the end of september.  talked to a really nice guy that was making custom stocks.  I think his name was steve.  That might be the same guy.  He said when you get a gun fitted, you shoot so well its "almost like cheating". 

He let me hold a nice over under that he did. liked the feel so I when i came across the stoeger, it seemed to be in the right price for me.  We're in Lincoln and dont get to go to Omaha very often.  weekends are usually full with kids' activities.  I was told of a guy in Lincoln that did stock adjustments.  wonder if he's as good or we should really make an effort to visit Stephen.

Reason she cant use my shotgun is because its synthetic stock.

[pt3d]

AAllen, spoke to my daughter and she just likes the style of the o/u.  Just different from everything else she's seen and thinks its cool.  Wife wasn't too happy about joining trap, so the finances aren't really available for a better gun.  Maybe in the future if my daughter shows lots of promise

SemperFiGuy, how much does it cost to do the Pattern Board thing?  I don't think we have that in Lincoln... that i know of.


Made an appointment with Stephen and the whole family made the drive all the way out to Omaha Sunday afternoon to find that he wasn't there...   Did some shopping @ costco and still wasn't able to contact him.  the trap coach advertised Guns Unlimited as a good sponsor to youth shooting so we stopped by Guns Unlimited to check them out.  As our luck had it, They're closed on Sundays.  How come most stores in the big O (not in malls) are closed Sundays?  There's been several stores in Omaha that I've tried to visit on my one day of relaxation, but they're closed.  I suppose they need their relaxation too 
Not having much luck this day.

Well, on the drive home received a call from him.  Looks like we had some miscommunication happen between us.  He apologized and said he would make it worthwhile and to make things right.  We're rescheduled for this Saturday.  Hopefully things will go good this time.

So AAllen... any place good in Omaha to go shooting?  Was thinking of either going to visit Guns Unlimited or find a range and shoot some trap or rifle while Stephen works on the shotgun.

[SemperFiGuy]

pt3d:

We have a public trap & skeet range in Omaha.   Open to all for shooting, as follows:

===================================
Harry A. Koch Public Trap & Skeet Range

Steve Nuss, Manager
Club House
6802 Harrison St.
402-331-1249

Part of Seymour Smith Park, the Harry A. Koch Trap & Skeet range is one of the finest public clay target facilities in the midwest. We offer:

    Trap
    Skeet
    Summer - Fall - Winter Leagues (50 target leagues)
    Leagues for all levels, novice - expert, youth and adult
    Private parties
    Registered Trap & Skeet Tournaments

Hours of Operation
Mondays:  closed
Tue-Fri:   12:00 - 7:00pm
Sat - Sun:  10:00am - 5:00pm

Prices
Trap or Skeet - $7.00 per round (25 targets)
=================================

And here's their website:   http://www.cityofomaha.org/parks/parks-a-facilities/specialty-parks/trap-a-skeet-range

I don't know if they have a pattern board or not.   The pattern board I use is at Papillion Gun Club; non-members frequently shoot there.

You can make your own very low cost pattern board simply by mounting a large sheet of butcher paper (say, 30"X30") on a piece of 4'X4'X1/4" lightweight OSB board, putting an orange dot in the center, and backing off 30-40 yards, whatever your preference for shooting distance.   Can be used just about anywhere shooting is permitted.   And you won't have to drive to Omaha.

Patterning the shotgun is an essential part of trapshooting, especially for younger folks like your daughter who need to grasp the way a shotgun works.


sfg

[Dan W]

Lincoln Trap and Skeet club used to have a patterning board down on the west end of the line. Call down there and ask for Sam Ogle, and he will know if it is still there