Home Defense/Trap shooter

[Glocker]

Is there a shotgun that could double as a Home Defense Gun, and also as a decent Trap Shooter?????????????

I know it is better to buy a specific gun for a specific purpose, but is it possible to get away with one shotgun that could decently serve both purposes?

I am not asking for the Best of Both worlds, but yet a reasonably priced gun that would serve both needs.

[Skullz]

Sure, pick up a Mossberg 500 for $295.

I see a number of people at the Sporting Clays club using a 500. They can't touch some of the real close in birds (moving to fast and can't cycle the action in time for the second bird)) and have trouble with ones that are way out(shot pattern opens way too fast), but they have a good time just the same.

If I had to choose only one, I would definitely go with something that would work for home protection as a priority. A nice 18" barrel that you can navigate through CQ with. My Sporting guns have 30" and 32" barrels.. I could barely get out of a doorway without hitting the wall or ceiling if I had to use one of them for home defense.

Or... what are you looking to spend? You can get some of the semi autos for a decent price. That would fix the second bird follow up problem and you could get one with replaceable chokes so you could change out for different presentations. You'll need to make sure that whatever you get it can handle 2 3/4 shells as well as larger. Most trap / skeet / sporting clays have specific shells and shot size requirements. But, remember, the shorter the barrel = good for defense. The longer the barrel = better "pointability" for target. Even a field grade semi with a 26" barrel would be difficult and dangerous to maneuver inside a dwelling.

[BUCKMARK]

Remington 870 with a rem-choke barrel for trap/sporting. Buy a 18" barrel for HD.

For a semi, 1100 Remington with the same barrel set ups. One for HD one for trap.

If you plan to use a semi for trap, buy a cheap shell catcher for it so you dont bomb the guy to your right with empty cases. For skeet / sporting, let em fly!

[Hawk]

2nd the shell catcher. Dam thing is (if I remember correctly)they only make the good ones for the 1100 the rest are stick on. If you plan on shooting allot of trap go for the 870 with 2 barrels, if your only going to occasionally shot trap (for fun) the Mossy will work. Auto's for home defense have been frowned upon by most experts due to reliability of the mechanism.

Hawk,

[BearTitan]

You can bust clays with an 18" barrel all day long. Buy your home defense gun and then take it out to shoot trap. You may give up a little to the cylinder choke in most defense shotty's, but if you are shooting against yourself (for fun, to improve), you will have lots of fun with it.

If you are looking to compete with the Browning Citori crown, then that is another story.

[Glocker]

Thanks..............

It sounds like I will be checking out the Mossberg..........

Glocker

[Pacer]

You spec'd trap and HD, so a little "history" may be in order, and I'm sure I will screw it up. (my mentor is not available to check)

PS, my prime shotty is a Mossberg 835 with a slug barrel, short turkey barrel, and a long duck.goose barrel. Also have a rifle sighted "smooth" slug barrel for it in marinkote.

A TRAP gun is DESIGNED to shoot "up". That is, if you image a shot pattern (circle) with the bead at the equator, a TRAP barrel is made so that 70% of the shot is above the equator, and 30% below. That is because ALL trap birds are rising (into your pattern) and thus you "float" the target ABOVE the bead.

A CLAYS gun (which is designed for birds in all presentations) is about 60% above the equator, 40% below.

A FIELD gun (barrel) is designed with 50% above/50% below, or "DEAD POINT" so that you "cover" your quarry with the bead/barrel to hit the target.

Aficiondo's (sp) will spend $4-5-6K on one gun, and anothe 2K on switch barrells.

Get a stock/action that fits you (pumps are "dead nuts" reliable) and look for barrel changes for the quarry you are after at any given time.

BTW-Learn ONE barrel /gun at a time, until proficient. IF you can hit a mini (2.5 in diamter clay) at 26 yards, I think you can hit a bad guy at 15 feet!

PPS: Though Remington & winchester make some great, afordable shotguns, I am a right hand/left eye shooter. The damn safety at the trigger is the wrong way for me, and if I fix it, it is wrong for the family. The Mossberg (for me has also been dead nuts reliable for six years) has a tang safety that is most intuitive...unless you go for pistol grips.

The only "trouble" I have is when I woose out and shoot an autoloader or over under (for clays) and then come back to the pump, I have a tendancy to delay cycling the slide!

Hope this helps!

Pacer
NRA Shotgun Instructor

[Glocker]

Pacer,

That was GREAT information for me to have, I am going to print it for future reference...........

When writing the post I clumped "Trap" in with "Clay" shooting because I thought they were the same thing..........(Can you tell I never shot "Trap" or "Clay"... ).........

I take my two boys to Kimberton Fish and Game Range to shoot our handguns........while there we always watch the gentleman shooting clays......and it looks like a lot of fun.......

I am just looking for a shotgun that the Boys and I can use that will get the job done (which is mostly just to have fun ), but at the same time not embarrass myself with the totally wrong gun......at the same time I wanted the gun to be able to double as HD.......

I guess it's looking like the Mossberg is fitting my needs.....

Thank you for all the information you provided me with.......I can now speak half intelligently to the sales person.....

Thank you
Glocker

[Hawk]

Pacer is mostly right about shotguns designed for trap. We have several guys using field guns that shoot pretty flat, they just have to cover the bird to break them. One thing I hate to mention is that many "trap " shooters seem snobby to the new guy, just ignore them. As a beginner especially with your kids participating, see if you can get a private session on the range with one of the patriarchs of the club. Have him set it to throw only straight aways, you'll have allot more fun if you start breaking them from the get go. Later on if you really take to trap you can always buy another shotgun designed for trap.

Hawk,

[BearTitan]

Good info, Pacer. Well summarized.

I shoot trap with field guns because I am a hunter. All my shotguns are field guns, so I shoot trap like I would shoot a flushed grouse or dove.

Don't sell short an autoloader. Although the budget will increase significantly if you go with a semi-auto, many find them more reliable than a pump in home defense situations.

Please allow me to qualify that (before I need a fire extinguisher). If you are going to shoot alot and train with your pump in order to prepare for a self-defense situation, then the pump will be fine. Put the extra money into ammo instead of the gun.

However, if you are only going to trap (one round at a time) and are not going to train, you might short-stroke the pump in the heat of the action. I have seen this happen many times when shooters are being timed. Short stroking the pump results in a jam and then you are f---ed. I can only guess that a self defense situation will be more stressful than a timer, so keep that in mind.

For the folks who will not train religiously with their shotty to the point that they will cycle is automatically every time they pull the trigger, a semi-auto is a very reliable option. A good semi will cycle every bit as reliably as a pump. My Benelli has digested 10K+ shells of everything from Federal #8 in 2 3/4" to Hevi Shot #4 in 3 1/2" mag. I have not had one jam or malfunction despite many hunts where the action was full of mud, grass, and those annoying seeds that get into everything.

Remmy 1100's and Benelli M1's are lots of fun!