Trap gun for my wife

**miFrendJim** · October 10th, 2011, 09:27 AM

Hello fellas, so I've taken my wife trap shooting a few times now, and damn is she good, better than me. She's been using my Browning BT 100, which is a big heavy gun and she can break the better 4/5 every time. But she can only shoot around 10 shells before she starts complaining about the recoil and the weight of the gun.

We usually shoot the winchester universal boxes 7 1/2 you can find at wally world 100 rounds for 25 bux. Are there any light recoil loads, or guns, or even some recoil absorbers that you've found work with your wives/girl friends.

So far this is the one shooting sport that she's really taken a liking too, because she's good. So I want to nurture it as much as I can, even buy her her own gun if I can find something not crazy expensive, light and has light recoil.

I've done a few web searches and haven't really seen anything that jumps out as being the best choice. My older brother says to get her a 20ga to use, but the web says that's no good for trap.

**sleeper78** · October 10th, 2011, 10:34 AM

There is nothing wrong with a 20ga for trap. I just shot a round with one last Wednesday. I didn't shoot any worse with it than I do with my 12ga. Hell, I used to shoot trap with a 410. My scores were pretty low with that but I was just beginning to shoot trap at the time and my scores weren't that great with my 12.

Get her a gun that fits her, and that she can shoot comfortably, and she will shoot it well. That is what matters.

**Grizz2720** · October 10th, 2011, 03:47 PM

We have a lot of women shooting trap at our club league. All Shoot 12ga. Most shoot O/U. A lot are Browning Citori. Make sure the gun fits her. If not it will kick harder and not be balanced well for her.

**miFrendJim** · October 10th, 2011, 04:29 PM

Thanks for the responses, so I have to admit it, I'm pretty new to shotguns. When you say proper fit, what all goes into this? Does anyone have any good examples on how to properly fit a shotgun, for both myself and for my wife.

My Browning bt 100 was my grandfathers gun that was passed down to me, he was a lot taller, and the gun is still in the same configuration he left it.

So any info on how to do this would be great.

Thanks

**1iarrowking** · October 10th, 2011, 04:36 PM

Originally Posted by sleeper78

There is nothing wrong with a 20ga for trap. I just shot a round with one last Wednesday. I didn't shoot any worse with it than I do with my 12ga. Hell, I used to shoot trap with a 410. My scores were pretty low with that but I was just beginning to shoot trap at the time and my scores weren't that great with my 12.

Get her a gun that fits her, and that she can shoot comfortably, and she will shoot it well. That is what matters.

Your talking about hand thrown informal shooting right, not 16 yard or handicapped. I'm the President of Rural Sportsmen's Association. I run trap three days a week. I have scored thousands of squads and have only seen a 20 gauge used a few times by kids, never a 410.

Without any custom work a gas operated semi will have the least recoil. Go to 1 oz. #8 loads for 16 yard. Lots of people shoot them, especially for practice including myself. If you want to spend the money you can get a spring or hydraulic recoil system installed in most wood stocks. Just having a Kick Ezz pad installed will help a lot.

**mbinpa** · October 10th, 2011, 04:44 PM

Oh, come on - are we all just going to let that one go by......

SEND ME A PICTURE OF YOUR WIFE, I'LL SEND YOU A PICTURE OF MY TRAP GUN AND MAYBE WE CAN ARRANGE A TRADE.

**Python73** · October 10th, 2011, 04:53 PM

Bought my wife a 20g semi for shooting clays. Posted a review here: http://forum.pafoa.org/shotguns-43/1...20g-youth.html

If you are not busy Saturday the 22nd we're having a gun_folks get together in Cranberry... I'd be happy to bring the shotgun for your wife to shoulder a few times. That will give you the feel of a youth stock vs a full sized gun.

**1iarrowking** · October 10th, 2011, 11:20 PM

Originally Posted by miFrendJim

Thanks for the responses, so I have to admit it, I'm pretty new to shotguns. When you say proper fit, what all goes into this? Does anyone have any good examples on how to properly fit a shotgun, for both myself and for my wife.

My Browning bt 100 was my grandfathers gun that was passed down to me, he was a lot taller, and the gun is still in the same configuration he left it.

So any info on how to do this would be great.

Thanks

Today most people fit their competition guns by adding adjustable combs and adjustable butt plates. The advantages are that you can keep adjusting until you got it right and it makes the gun very marketable because the next guy can adjust it for him. Length of pull is very important. If it's too long the stock has to be cut as I did with this BT 99. If it needs to be made longer again in the future all you have to do is put some spacers between the two plates. I have a lot of experience as an amateur wood worker and a basement full of wood working equipment so I saved $300 to $400 worth of labor by installing the Graco adjustable comb, angle butt plate and Kick Ezz recoil pad myself. The BT 99 can be purchased with an adjustable comb from the factory for about $200 over the standard model but they seem to not want to stay set like the after market Graco. Also the adjusting screw is on the rear of the butt through the factory recoil pad so if you add a plate you have to remove it to adjust the comb. The Graco screws are on the side where they are always accessible. This gun is set up for a southpaw with short arms and neck. (me)

I also added some pics of the case I made to lug it around in from some rough cut walnut I had laying around.

**sleeper78** · October 11th, 2011, 12:35 AM

Originally Posted by 1iarrowking

Your talking about hand thrown informal shooting right, not 16 yard or handicapped. I'm the President of Rural Sportsmen's Association. I run trap three days a week. I have scored thousands of squads and have only seen a 20 gauge used a few times by kids, never a 410.

Without any custom work a gas operated semi will have the least recoil. Go to 1 oz. #8 loads for 16 yard. Lots of people shoot them, especially for practice including myself. If you want to spend the money you can get a spring or hydraulic recoil system installed in most wood stocks. Just having a Kick Ezz pad installed will help a lot.

I am talking about 16 yard trap at my club. I usually average a 18/19 with my Winchester 1300 field gun. Last week was a good week for me, I shot 2 20s and a 24. I have my 25 patch and it was shot with my 1300. 2 weeks ago i shot a 17 with an old Stevens SxS in 20ga that I had never shot before. Last year I'd shoot a round every now and again with my H&R 410. The best I've ever scored with it was a 15 and the lowest a 7.

**1iarrowking** · October 11th, 2011, 01:47 AM

Originally Posted by sleeper78

2 weeks ago i shot a 17 with an old Stevens SxS in 20ga that I had never shot before. Last year I'd shoot a round every now and again with my H&R 410. The best I've ever scored with it was a 15 and the lowest a 7.

Is this the basis for recommending a 20 or 410 for trap shooting? Next week you can try a BB gun and then recommend that. It never fails, someone comes on here and asks for some quality advice and there is always someone who'll tell them they can get it done with any ol' smokepole. Then why do the best trap shooters shoot $6,000 to $20,000 guns with infinite adjustments built in?

I am not a great trap shooter. I am a far better skeet shooter. There are about four times as many trap shooters at the club than skeet shooters. I started shooting trap when I became First Vice President, then President so I could associate with more members. Rural throws more birds than any club in the LV. We are on our third tractor trailer load so far this year. Me and one other man scored 3/4 of those birds. I see and talk to the best trap shooters in the LV, but what do I know?