Trap rule questions

[hornadylnl]

Is there a minimum barrel length required for trap shooting? I was shooting a Mossberg 500 with a 30" vent rib barrel and couldn't hit anything with it. I went to my LT 20 Remington 20 gauge with a 21" vent rib barrel and could hit almost everything I shot at. I'm wondering if it is considered cheating in the clays crowd to use such a short barrel. The shorter barrel is great if you are quick but does put you at a disadvantage once the clay gets a little ways out. I'm wanting to get a decent trap gun and will probably get as short of a barrel that is considered kosher. Thanks for any input.

 

[Dave McCracken]

I wager the usual flagon of mead that the Remington fits you better.

Barrel length doesn't matter except as to how it affects balance and the swing.

Trap shooter use long barrels for the greater inertia that helps keeing the barrel moving.

Where does the Mossberg put the pattern?

 

[hornadylnl]

I was hoping someone else could see where I was hitting but no one paid any attention. I've been to an actual trap shoot where the guys could stand behind you and tell exactly where you were shooting. All of us today were a bunch of rank ametuers. The LT 20 I have even has the straight stock. I believe it is called the special field model. I was thinking that if I went to a 12 gauge, I could get a lot more shot out there and hit even better. I was using 1 1/8 oz sts's for the 12 and 7/8 oz loads for the 20. What is the max shot load you can get for 20 for trap loads? Can you load a full 1oz.? If so, I may just stay with the LT 20 and start loading for it. Thanks again.

 

[Dave McCracken]

12 gauges are de rigeur for trap competition. However, for fun use anything you want.

Tom Held, a Member here and friend, has hit 23/25 from the 16 yard line with a 410.

Some of us Geezers use 7/8 oz loads in 12 gauge and do all right. If guys with centuries of accumulated shotgun use use 7/8 oz loads for the game, it may be worth checking out.

FYI, International Trap, one of the hardest clay sports, requires loads of no more than 24 grams, a scant 7/8 oz for that difficult game. Some of the second shot hits are out around 60 yards.

HTH....

 

[mswestfall]

hornadylnl

I do not recall anything in the ATA Rule Book about bbl length. If I am correct on that point you must, of course, comply with the law.

That being said, I personally believe you are barking up the wrong tree.

In the barrel the forcing cone, the bbl diameter, the bore choke (the constriction leading to the choke) and the choke all play a role in the pattern that comes out the end of the bbl. Bbl length is also part of this "harmonic". Shooting a "chopped" bbl destroys this harmonic because you cut out part(s) of this equations. Factory bbl's are designed to deal with all these factors.

Please also consider the load that you force down said bbl. They too play a roll; a very important roll.

If you are not tired of me by now, read on.

That being said, there are two more important issues; gun fit and balance.

Gun fit:
Trap is a game where you shoot a rising target in the back. You want a gun that is set up to shoot rising targets. This gun will have a high comb and usually will have a rib that tapers toward the bbl as it approaches the end of the bbl. Both these things allow the shooter to see the target above the bbl; a very important thing.... I've ignored all the other factors in gun fit other than....

Balance:
Unless you are a "spot shooter" (rare in Singles Trap shooting) you must be able to lift the gun smoothly to move evenly through the target. If you are a spot shooter you must still be able to move from left to right to accommodate the varying target presentation angles. Shot bbl's are generally jerked through the target.

Boy, I've done a bad job of explaining this but I'm too lazy to fix it. Others will comment/correct. I hope I helped a little.

 

[flysalot]

The shorter barrel is great if you are quick but does put you at a disadvantage once the clay gets a little ways out.

Well, Mr. Dave & mswestfall hit the nail on the head. My Beretta 391 Trap gun's barrel was out getting the forcing cone worked on. I put a 26" barrel from a field gun just to shoot in the Wednesday night fun shoot. The swing of that 30" barrel makes you soo smooth! (However the 26" barrel worked just fine)

Best regards,

Flys

 

[Big Az Al]

That shorter barrel

30 inch barrels or longer got there start back in days of yore when.......

That is when fiber wads and blackpowder were the norm, it really did take all that barrel and all that choke restriction to make power and a pattern.

Then in the late 50's an ammo company came out with a one peice wad with a Protective cup to keep the shot off the barrel.

All of the sudden 26" or 24" (and yes even 20") barrels were throwing patterns that old school shooters were only dreaming about.

So is there a barrel length rule? NO

Are you handicapping yourself to shoot a short barrel, that depends on the barrel performance, shooter and effect!

If you can stand back 60yards with that short barrel and everytime put up a pattern that rivils some of those 30"+ trap guns you can shot that gun anywhere anytime, and not be lose anything!!

Is there ever going to be such a gun? there are probably more then anyone will believe, I hunt next an old guy that for years was taking shots that I was closer to the bird and saying to far away, that rarely missed, and that 24" barrel throws a pattern 2 to 3 smaller then my 30" full choke, wich by the way is putting a true full choke pattern out at 45 yards.

 

[oletymer]

I have never seen one of the short barreled wonders wining an event or a shoot off in trap competition. That does not mean it could not happen.