Trap Shotgun

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exphys2010

New member
I have recently started shooting trap at my local conservation club, and I have been using my Mossberg 500 and a Maverick 88, but I am looking for something other than a pump to take to the trap range. At a local gun shop today I found a Verona SX 405 s-12 and a Stoeger Condor O/U (both used) for about $330 and $285 respectively. Has anyone had any direct experience with either of these guns or know anything about them, and are these good prices? They both looked and felt like nicely made firearms, but sometimes you just cannot tell. Should I go for either of these, or should I just spend an extra hundred dollars and get a Weatherby SA-08 from the Walmart down the street? I am still a college student, so I am on a budget, and if I could save a hundred bucks I would like to, but its not worth getting a faulty gun to save a little money. Thanks for the help.
 
Is this gun to be strictly used for trap singles or are other uses also intended?

Point is, if all you will be doing with this is trap singles, there are dedicated single barrel trap guns you might want to consider (used in your budget) that might do better.

You will want a well-built gun that can withstand the volume of shells that trap shooters endure - most cheap guns, especially cheap O/U just aren't built to withstand that volume.

There will be folks coming along after me telling how they have hundreds, maybe even a few thousand rounds through their guns over a few years. Trap shooters can do that in less than a month.

Also, the fit, POI/POA, and triggers between something like the Stoeger and a Browning BT-99 are not even close to each other.

Next time you are at your local trap club, ask nicely if you can try some of the other guns - ask the regulars about their guns - they'll brag about theirs (take it with a grain of salt), but if you start seeing a trend as to brands, you might want to see if someone can let you shoot an entire round. Then look on the club bulletin board or let folks know you are looking for a trap gun - someone might be upgrading or retiring and you might luck into a good deal.

Good luck and enjoy the addiction.
 
There is another thread about 18 - down on this site ....newbie question - wants to know about the best guns for Trap .... and you can see my response there....and from others.

In my experience - the 3 guns you're looking at are pretty suspect in terms of reliability and durability. I'd really suggest you focus on getting your current guns to fit you properly - and not invest in a new gun / especially one of these 3 guns. One of these 3 guns might satisfy your immediate need to "fit in". An O/U gives you no advantage for Trap singles.

If you want to consider a relatively inexpensive O/U - then look at a gun like the TriStar sold by Cabelas - because at least it has a 5 yr warranty. In a nutshell/Browning and Beretta own the entry level and mid level markets on O/U's - and at around $ 1,500 you'll get a decent gun / you'll have for a long time ...but under $ 1,500 or so / there isn't an O/U on the market thats really a long term gun.

When I was younger - I shot a lot of Trap with a pump gun ...and ran a lot of 25's ...a pump gun won't hurt you for Trap singles. It just needs to fit - so it hits where you look. Most any pump gun / with a 28" barrel is a good all around gun - and there is no reason not to shoot your mossberg.

If I had to rank the 3 guns you're considering - the Weatherby and the Verona are on about the same par level / the Stoeger would be at the bottom.
 
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For a bottom dollar genuine Trap specific shotgun check out the H&R Topper Trap Gun, if you can find one. It's an ideal gun for the youth or new shooter.
photo_topper_trap_gun.jpg
 
You should go to a gun club and look at the guns being used for trap shooting. You will be lucky if you see one of the guns you mentioned. The guns you listed are not trap guns, they are most referred to as crap guns.
 
Thanks for the replies. I actually went to Dick's Sporting Goods just to look around, and they had a Beretta 3901 with a 24" rifled barrel on clearance for 399 dollars, so I had to jump on it. I have a 28" smoothbore on the way for trap. Hopefully this will work for a while.
 
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