Is 870 suitable for Trap or Skeet?

i have several high price trap-clays shotguns and do quite well for a old goat, but i love to shoot my old(1930) winchester model 12 with a plain 28 inch mod. choke barrel, the only think i had done was to put a recoil pad on it to give me a 15-1/4 inch pull(stock was not cut). i shoot in the mid 20,s at trap on a good day with that 90.00 gun. do i shoot as good as the top guns,NO. but i feel pretty good about my scores againist 2000-3000 dollar guns. eastbank.
 
Back the the OP: Is 870 suitable for Trap or Skeet?
Yes, but any pump is at a disadvantage when a quick second shot is required. Only traditional trap (singles and handicap) don't fit in this category.
 
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VA9mm, I'm more often found at PGC Trap and Skeet Center near NASA on Good Luck Road. Come on up on Friday Morns, we can shoot some Chinese trap and Mongolian Wobble.

Or something more usual. I like it all.
 
Is your gun suitable, yes. Why not, if your going to get another barrel, trade the express off for a Wingmaster with screw in chokes in used condition. You will not be out that much more money and be a lot happier on the field with said gun.
 
I recently purchased an 870 HD with a 8 shot tube and 20" barrel. Turned around and bought a 30" rem choke barrel and various choke tubes for trap shooting. :)

For ~$600 I now own a two option shotgun that I have been very happy with. I am a first time trap shooter, shooting low 20's consistantly with this set up. At my age of maturity I am happy with these begining scores!!:o

BTW it was never my goal to own a HD weapon, however once I saw this one, I had to have it....:confused:

Regards, MC Murray
 
I went out and shot three rounds of trap with my 870 20 ga with 28" barrel (had a mod choke in there so it helped a bit but it made up for the fact that I only had a 20). It was the first time in years I had shot trap and I easily made low 20's (out of 25 of course). Nothing wrong with the 870 for trap.
 
My Dad and I were trap shooters in a winter skeet and trap league they ran at our local club which also had skeet fields. Both Dad and I had Winchester Model 12 trap guns, and did pretty well- I won my division a couple of years. For some reason the membership was divided between the skeet guys and the trap guys so there was always a lot of (usually) good-natured needling between them. Once, on a dare, I shot a round of skeet, but not with my Winchester which was expected- I used my Rossi coach gun- SxS 20" barrels, IC chokes, 2 hammers, 2 triggers- my then-wife bought new for $125 for me as a joke. It looked ridiculous in the rack next to the Citoris and Krieghoffs and other $3000-and-up guns that were common among the skeet snobs... I mean, skeet guys. Well, I shot a 24/25 with it, hammers and triggers notwithstanding. Boy, did that give me a lot of currency in the ongoing debate with the skeet shooters- my usual retort was "How difficult is skeet when you know exactly where the bird is going to go every time? And a $125 riot gun shoots as well as one worth 6 months' mortgage payments?". It was a good laugh all around.
 
Yes as others have said

I bought the 7 shot HD model with 18" barrel. Then I located a take off 26 inch express barrel for $125 with vent rib and modified choke. I also bought the standard magazine cap and mag parts. Now I have an interchangeable shotgun capable of home defense and bird/clay shooting. The 18 inch barrel is actually fine for skeet. You shouldn't miss much with that cylinder bore! But for trap and most bird hunting you need tighter patterns. Vent rib is also helpful but not required. Even if you just pick up a fixed choke 870 barrel for cheap you'll be set. 26 or 28 inch are fine. 30 and 32 inches become a bit akward. The advantage to autos is slightly faster follow up shots and lower recoil. rc
 
In this thread, as well as many of its predecessors, folks have discussed the merits of shooting targets with 870s. However distinguishing between the Express and Wingmaster models (and the occasional other variant) becomes hazy.

It should be remembered, just because old Uncle Joe is an ace with his letter-grade Wingmaster Trap Special don't expect the same results from an 870 Express HD gun. Even with a longer barrel, the Express will handle differently than a Wingmaster target model.
 
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I shot Trap for years using a 870 TB and was quite good at it. Used to shoot skeet with my field grade 870 with skeet barrel. I did OK but on some of those crossing doubles I was handicapped with a pump. But still shot 20 to 22 average never did 25 where in trap shot many 25:)
 
Our leagues have lots of once a week shooters using pumps.

Registered tournaments do not have them in the numbers of former years, but let me tell you , you can get your butt kicked around here by some very accomplished Model 12 shooters.

Buy a barrel and go from there. But shoot. at every opportunity.

HM
 
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