Shotgun - Trap > geese

[Samhael]

I am looking to purchase a 12gauge shotgun, main use would be trap, with some goose hunting tossed in during the fall.

I have looked at and read a lot of this forum, I have shot pumps/semi's/SxS, no O/U. The semi was an ithaca, the SxS was a super sweet old british 20gauge that a friend from scotland brought over with him 35 years ago.

With the shotgun would be used primarily for trap, I am leaning towards an O/U vs. a Semi auto. I will be trying out my brother inlaw's xtrema and his sons Benelli SBE, just for the feel/fit.

My price range is max $5,000 and yes with the CDN $ on par with US $, shopping in the US is an option.

Any suggestions? Cat & Kutenay seem to reply often and appear to be quite knowledgable, but I live in a small northern Alberta town, and have no chance of "testing" locally.

PS we have a nice trapper/gun show this weekend, should be a few thousand people over the weekend.

[catnthehat]

Where are you located?
There may be a fella at that show by tyr namme of Will Bilozir - you wn't be able to miss his shotgun display!!
However, I would caution against buying a gun "this weekend", try a bunch out , like you mentioned.
Semis seem to be quite popular these days, and pumps never seeem to go out of style, but an O/U in a goose blind is not as common as some think!
If you are shooting geese mostly and trap from an ATA type trap at the 16 yard line, you will likely want a 12 , but if it is informal trap aand upland, a 20 will be fine.
The 12 gauge iis the best overall for most people, and this is about as unbiased an opinion as you are going to get, as i don't shoot one - I shoot sub guages only!
Cat

[hal53]

Rule #1...don't ever believe Cat he is an excellent wing shot
Rule #2 if you're playing the trap game, as an old gent told me ( no it wasn't Cat).. when I was shooting with my 20 ga. O'U " why would u handicap yourself with a 20???....shoot a 12 and back up a few spots???"
Hal

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by hal53

Rule #1...don't ever believe Cat he is an excellent wing shot
Rule #2 if you're playing the trap game, as an old gent told me ( no it wasn't Cat).. when I was shooting with my 20 ga. O'U " why would u handicap yourself with a 20???....shoot a 12 and back up a few spots???"
Hal

Rule #3 Never believe ANY old washed up trap shooter - oh waitaminit! That would include me!
Don't you have a drill bit to bust off in a hole somewhere, Hal??
Cat

[hal53]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

Rule #3 Never believe ANY old washed up trap shooter - oh waitaminit! That would include me!
Don't you have a drill bit to bust off in a hole somewhere, Hal??
Cat

took awhile!!!...maybe the afternoon nap??? hahaha, I guess we'll see this fall, where the birds fall...

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by hal53

took awhile!!!...maybe the afternoon nap??? hahaha, I guess we'll see this fall, where the birds fall...

We'll likely get outshot by both the kid and your FIL!!
Cat

[hal53]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

We'll likely get outshot by both the kid and your FIL!!
Cat

hopefully that's true, that's what it's all about....looking forward to it
Hal

[Got Juice?]

I love my Browning Cynergy. 12 Gauge. The recoil is the same as a standard 20 gauge.

Easy to swing, O/U so no jamming, easy to clean.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Got Juice?

I love my Browning Cynergy. 12 Gauge. The recoil is the same as a standard 20 gauge.

Easy to swing, O/U so no jamming, easy to clean.

The Cynergy that I shot recoiled more than my 20, and it's a heavier gun as well.
Not sayin' they are no good, my son thought it was Kinda neat and swung well for him...
Cat

[sullijr]

Battle River has the new Benelli Vinci semi.Some were taken on a South American dove shoot 60,000 rounds fire no malfunctions no cleaning,3 drops of oil on the action every 50 boxes of shells.The inertia recoil has the lowest felt recoil of any 12 guage on the market,

[bearhunter338-06]

I have a CZ Woodcock for sale. 12ga 3inch with 5 choke tubes should work good for you.

[Jamie]

Sulli..
You just hit the mother load for info.

These guys know what they speak of.

I would love to have the 2 of them as guest down here at the Calgary gun club.

I think you 2 should make a trip.

Now here is my favorite part.
Make sure what ever you buy FITS!!!
Less (Felt) recoil, more accuracy.

One other thing, that trap game is addicting. It only took me one year to figure out I needed a Trap gun and a Goose gun.

Good luck
Jamie

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Jamie

Sulli..
You just hit the mother load for info.

These guys know what they speak of.

I would love to have the 2 of them as guest down here at the Calgary gun club.

I think you 2 should make a trip.

Now here is my favorite part.
Make sure what ever you buy FITS!!!
Less (Felt) recoil, more accuracy.

Jamie

A gun has to fit for sure!
Some guys can shoot better than others with an ill fitting shotgun, but they also shoot WAY better with one that fits them properly!
My son's LOP BTW, is longer than mine, and he likes a different Drop at comb
I'm a shorty and he is 6'1" with "knuckle- dragger" arms!
He cannot shoot my 28 gauge SXS worth a darn, but I adjusted the comb and length for myself and it works for me.
He is devastating with a 1" longer stock however, on his O/U



Cat

[BeerSlayer1]

I needed a Trap gun and a Goose gun.

With a $5k budget you should be able to get a very nice gun for each purpose.

[Mike_W]

Originally Posted by BeerSlayer1

With a $5k budget you should be able to get a very nice gun for each purpose.

I agree if I had $5000 to drop I would be looking at a 20 O/U ...A nice solid Browning or Beretta.
Then a Bad Arse 12 gauge semi Beretta, Browning or Benelli a gun with 3.5" capabilities.

Cheers,
Mike

[sullijr]

For 5 grand you can buy them both.The Vinci is 1695 and the o/u about 2500.The Vinci is a 3 incher

[PJT]

Browning cynergy feather or gold
Beretta silver pigeon
Franchi

[7 REM MAG]

The inertia recoil has the lowest felt recoil of any 12 guage on the market,

sorry there but the benelli inertia recoil isnt the lowest recoiling semi out there, not even close, the berettas recoil much less, ive shot about 5 different benelli semis and 4 or 5 beretta semis and there is no comparison especially with berettas new kick off

[sullijr]

Originally Posted by 7 REM MAG

sorry there but the benelli inertia recoil isnt the lowest recoiling semi out there, not even close, the berettas recoil much less, ive shot about 5 different benelli semis and 4 or 5 beretta semis and there is no comparison especially with berettas new kick off

I was quoting the Vinci

[7 REM MAG]

it still doesnt compare, shoot an E2 with ko with 3" shells and you will see a huge difference

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by Samhael

I am looking to purchase a 12gauge shotgun, main use would be trap, with some goose hunting tossed in during the fall.

I have looked at and read a lot of this forum, I have shot pumps/semi's/SxS, no O/U. The semi was an ithaca, the SxS was a super sweet old british 20gauge that a friend from scotland brought over with him 35 years ago.

With the shotgun would be used primarily for trap, I am leaning towards an O/U vs. a Semi auto. I will be trying out my brother inlaw's xtrema and his sons Benelli SBE, just for the feel/fit.

My price range is max $5,000 and yes with the CDN $ on par with US $, shopping in the US is an option.

Any suggestions? Cat & Kutenay seem to reply often and appear to be quite knowledgable, but I live in a small northern Alberta town, and have no chance of "testing" locally.

PS we have a nice trapper/gun show this weekend, should be a few thousand people over the weekend.

I'm drawing some conclusions from your post but I don't want to jump to them without grounding.

1) When you say "Trap" are you just thinking about the clay sports generally or do you know you only want to shoot trap and not skeet or sporting clays? That would affect your gun choice.

2) You say you have shot various shotguns before, but you don't give much indication as to your experience or whether you have owned shotguns before.

IF we are right in assuming that you don't have much experience, then $5,000 seems awful high a price to dip your toe in the pond. You could find very good guns for far less. I'd just get a good quality semi-auto 12ga that can handle at least 3 inch shells (some great ones for less than $1700). If you get real serious/good with the Trap later, you can always move up. However if you said "I'm an experienced shooter who knows he only wants to shoot GEESE and TRAP and just wants some gun suggestions from other knowlegable shooters", then that's different.