Dual purpose 870 Deer & Trap gun

[Paul Donahue]

I'm thinking of buying an 870Express Deergun,smooth bore,rifle sights, and wood montecarlo stock,plus a 30in. vent rib field barel.According to Remingtons web site, the stock dimensions are near identical to the 870Classic Trap.Hoping the VR barrel with the montecarlo stock would shoot 60/40 high and make an economical trap gun.Tried a regular 870 Express field, the comb was to low to see the rib.Have any of you tried this combination of barrel and stock? Thanks for any help. Paul

 

[BBroadside]

This is a great question. I've been wondering about using unspecialized guns for trapshooting, since that is the most common clay pigeon game in my area.

My question is: what exactly makes a trap gun shoot high? Is it that the comb is really high, or the buttstock is at a different angle to the pistol grip? I'm just wondering if the dimensions that make a trap gun stock even appear on paper specs or if it is something subtle....

Myself, I am going to get and 870 Express Synthetic 20-gauge and just deal with the fact that it won't be that competitive ... practice is practice.

 

[Paul Donahue]

Answer to BBroadside

To answer your question, your eye is the rear sight on a shotgun.Raising your eye with a higher comb will make the gun shoot higher.An adjustable comb is the best way to go because it allows you to move the comb up,down,left,or right,to move your point of impact where you want it.This is an expensive option though.Jack West stocks sells adjustable comb synthetic stocks for 870's. Hope this heips. Paul

 

[Virginian]

You can shoot trap with a field/sporting gun, but it's a bitch trying to shoot skeet, sporting, or field with a trap gun, in my opinion. Unless you plan to get real serious about trap I would shoot what you've got, at least to begin with, and then see if you think you need to change something. I do not consider myself a serious trap shooter by any stretch, but I have shot it casually for many years with field guns (870s and/or 1100s), and I don't have much trouble getting 23s or 24s. I have shot plenty of high dollar trap guns too, and I usually get 23 or 24 with them as well.
I have shot an 870 Express with a laminated MC stock and a 28" barrel and I thought it worked fine, but I didn't pattern it and have no idea what the pattern distribution was. Based on the sight picture with me shooting it I would guess it was close to 50/50.

 

[BBroadside]

Thanks for the replies! I will check out the adjustable-comb option, though it sounds like trapshooting with a regular gun is a perfectly acceptable option. I can't imagine a disadvantage turning a fun game into a boring one ... not if it involves orange clay things getting blown to pieces.