Trap gun: Rem 1100 vs BT-99?

[honkeoki]

Background: I've shot maybe 20 flights of trap and totally love it. My current shotty is a 40s era Stevens 311A with a crack in the stock and about 20% of the original finish remaining. I shoot the lightest target loads I can find. My best score is 18.

I want to upgrade to a dedicated trap gun. My budget (if I save up, which I'm willing to do) is a max of $1000.

Now, I can find a used 1100 or 11/87 online for $400-$575 anytime. I've read that autos recoil softer and are better intro shotguns for newbies. That appeals to my miserly soul.

On the other hand, the guys at the range recommend a BT-99 as the best intro trap gun. I'd probably take their word for it except they own firearms that cost more than my car. That makes my miserly soul squeal, but does appeal to the part of me that wants to buy something I could resell with not much loss, if I had to.

My only other shotgun is an 870 with an 18" cylinder-bore barrel and a stock-pistol grip in kelley green.

So -- any advice you can offer on a first, real, trap gun is greatly appreciated.

 

[ArmedBear]

I hate to say it, but it's personal preference.

Lots of clays have been broken with BT-99s and with 1100s, both trap and field varieties.

I sold my old-model BT-99 because I never could hit much from behind the 20 with it. But I did get my money back out of it. Obviously, they work great for other people, though.

I still have my 1100. The fit and balance work for me, and I wouldn't get enough out of it to make it my first choice to sell if I had to.

 

[DaleCooper51]

Are you going to stick with singles trap or maybe move on to doubles, sporting, or skeet?

The Browning is a nice gun, but semi would be more versatile.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Go with the 1100, just due to versatility.

 

[ArmedBear]

...and get a trigger shoe...

 

[DaleCooper51]

And an empty shell catcher.

I had someone to my left shooting a semi and either had the empty hulls either hitting me or flying right in front of me. It was rather annoying.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Go with the 1100, just due to versatility.

Yep. Incidentally, saw a special on History or Nat Geo channel the other day about how very much harder the Olympic trap game is, compared to the American trap. Distances out to 60 or 70 yards. Targets flying much faster. Very very difficult.

 

[Milkmaster]

I vote for the 1100. Soft gas operated recoil, easy to disassemble, easy to clean, easy to repair and plenty of parts available should you ever need them after the shell count gets high.

 

[PJR]

On the other hand, the guys at the range recommend a BT-99 as the best intro trap gun.

Did any of them just happen to have a used BT99 for sale?

How serious are you about trap? If you are going to shoot it and nothing else then the BT is a good gun. If however you have any thought about other games then the 1100 is a better choice. Considering you already have an 870 you might consider an 870TB which is a very good trap gun and less expensive than a BT99 and more durable than an 1100.

 

[honkeoki]

@PJR -- I'm about as serious as -- let me think -- a 3 on a 10-point scale (where 10=putting my shoes on in the morning; 1=learning Aramaic).

The reason I use the light trap loads is that the Stevens gave me a hell of a beating using full game loads during my first 3-4 flights. Sounds like a semi-auto is the way to go for versatility + light recoil.

I don't think I'll ever compete with the big boys at my range, but that's okay with me. I just don't want to be limited by my gear.

Thanks to all!

 

[honkeoki]

@DaleCooper51: not until I can shoot 20+ reliably at regular trap. I've watched the guys who shoot skeet -- HOLY SMOKES!

 

[winchesterfan90]

go with the 1100

I have just recently got in to shooting trap myself in the past 6 months or so. I have shot a stock BT99 a higher end model with porting and adjustible stock, Red Label, Win model 12, 1300 and a few others including the 1100. I would Have to say I like the 1100 the best. But this is becauseit fits the best, I can shoot about just as good with any of them. I average around 15 and my highest was 19 with 11 strait. Im still a beginner but Out of the two I would say save your money and go with the 1100 and this coming from a winchester fan. Anyway take this for what its worth best advice would be to try shooting one of each and take which one you like better I think that it is easy to be skilled with both. (one man i shoot with swears by the old model 12 and can shoot 25s all day but has tryed several other high end guns and only does as good as me!)

 

[DanceTiger]

Getting a shotgun that fits, feels nice and balanced to you is paramount to shooting good scores in clays shooting. Try shooting an 1100, 11/87 and a BT-99. Each will probably feel different to you, but one may feel just right. It will go up to your shoulder like it was meant to be there. That's the one to get.

I have shot a BT-99 for 33 years and still love shooting it. Last year I bought a Benelli SuperSport semi-auto for my wife to shoot trap. She really likes the weight and the way it feels to her. I tried it and while it feels so much different than my BT-99, it still fits and shoots well for me. The only thing I don't like about it for trap is that it is too light and swings too fast for trap. For skeet and sporting clays, it is great.

The bad thing about the 1100 is the maintenance involved to keep it running consistently over several rounds of clay shooting. If you get one, be sure to keep spare O-rings with you. They will wear out at the most inopportune times.

 

[Jim Watson]

I have owned several fixed breech trapguns, single, O/U, and pump, and have shot many others. But I always go back to my old 1100 that does not kick me around. I keep my Broadway for doubles, but that is all I have ever used it for since it kicked me silly that first summer.

 

[nambu1]

I have shot both and own a BT-99. If you get the 1100, the recoil will be less. The 1100 will also need a shell catcher, a device that will not allow the hull to be totally ejected. It looks simular to a "stove pipe" on a semi-auto pistol. If you do not use it, you will be hitting the shooter next to you with your ejected hulls. I have had this experience and it is not pleasent. With the BT-99, you will not have worry about this.