[james]

Im 63 and want to get into competitive trap again. My gun choice at this tme after reading numerous posts would be the 391 Beretta trap and have a shell catcher on the gun. Recoil is the key issue. I reload and try to keep the recoil down but still bustem. For you serious shooters is having a auto with out a shell catcher really looked down upon and are the shell catchers on the 391 effective. My only other choice would be the O\U but I believe the recoil may be a bit rough for a long day of shooting. The info you folks have provided on reloads and gun reviews have been most helpful. Thanks Jim

 

[RemingtonII]

Jim: There are four ways to do this:1. Buy those cheap $2.50 a box shells from the discount houses. They don't eject from anybody's gun, and just hang up on the side and you pick them out after each shot.2. If we are going to be serious, at our club almost everybody uses the T&S shell clip, $10, which you get from Brownells at www.brownells.com This device is extremely reliable for single shot operation (like in trap) and hangs the shell up at the receiver so you can pick it out.3. You stated that you were going to purchase the Beretta shotgun, but I certainly wouldn't discount the trying of other guns. I tried a Remington this weekend set-up for trap and it was one smooth gun. My point here is that on a Remington TRAP barrel there is a little bump (only on trap barrel), which angles the shells downwards. You can have a gunsmith install such a bump on almost any gun. I have seen duck hunters install these bumps to keep the shells in the blind and out of the lake, and I have seen sporting clays shooters use these bumps to keep shells from flying in the woods (hard to pick up for reloaders). In your case, you sound like a reloader so I think the T&S solution is the best.4. Lastly, from Cole the gunsmith you can buy a gas valve spring, which will regulate how far the shell will throw. If you just shoot one shell this can be effective as you will not throw the shell into the person standing next to you.In my opinion, the T&S idea is the cheapest and most effective solution. Much of this information came from notes I made previously from the TECHNOID. Remington

 

[sxsboy]

James,At alot of clubs during practice shoots a flying empty won't be a problem but if you want to shoot a registered shoot and your empty goes more than 8 feet you won't be allowed to use that gun. I suppose you could aks to be squadded alone. See Sporting Clays Girl's post on the subject.Good luck and hope you bust-em all, Joe

 

[David Frank]

James, I too am 63 and shoot Trap and Skeet. I have flatlined 3 times, had 9 stents. open heart surgery, and a defibulater installed, but thank God i'm still shooting. I also reload and use 17 gr. of red Dot behind 1 1/8 oz of 8 for Trap and 16 gr. of Red Dot behind 1 oz of 9 for skeet. I shoot one of the new Winchester O/U . It weighs almost 8lbs.. I have no problems shooting 200 rds. a day. I think if you get you an O/U with some weight to it you will do just fine and you won't have to worry about all that other stuff. Good luck:rollin

 

[Sporting Clays Girl]

Carey Closer Makes an entire line of shell ejection products.www.gamaliel.com/accessor.../index.htmOn auto's all i've ever used was T and S. Shell catchers don't make recoil any worse.If you shoot registered trap i would get a hull catcher. Fantastic!! "Head on the stock, eye on the rock." Browning, The Best there is because second best is well...second best.

 

[instinctive shooter]

Since I am no longer an autoloader guy all I will say is if you don't plan on reloading, and leaving the hulls lying around doesn't bother you, then opt for the shell deflector. I have seen many added to the bbl by less than competent individuals but recommend that you let a gunsmith do it as they will know exactly where to locate the "bump".

 

[TalIL]

James,A few shooters get down right pissy about shooting next to an auto without a shell catcher. But, now that I think about it, those guys get that way about all sorts of things. Anyway, a shell catcher eliminates any such problems, and saves you the aggravation of picking up hulls - which is generally not even allowed at competitive shoots.And, keep in mind any load that is soft in a O/U or single is even softer in a gas auto. So, I'd say if you like the Beretta auto, go with it and put a shell catcher on it.

 

[Chuck Webb]

One of my shooting buddies uses a Beretta 391 with a shell catcher. It is very reliable. I don't think I've ever seen it malfunction and let a case get away. It's also a very nice choice if you can afford it. If money is an issue, consider the Remington 1100 Trap. It is maybe not as fancy, but it's a real workhorse that won't let you down.I was at the range last week and on one squad, the shooter next to me was shooting an auto with no catcher. Every ejection tossed the shell right across in front of me. One bounced off the barrel of my shotgun. Did it bother me? No, but I'm pretty laid back, especially in practice rounds. :smokin

 

[RemingtonII]

I think a good invention for Jay, the inventor of the Texas hull picker (something like that) is to invent a device, worn around the waist of trap shooters, that will throw an empty hull (maybe one you picked-up with the hull picker) back at the auto loader to your left.Report activated. When you pull the trigger it would just eject an empty from your waist across the head of the auto loader next door.

 

[instinctive shooter]

I had forgotten all about this-have any of you ever shot next to a beginner using an auto (usually a young person who is really trying to do things right) and had them run over in front of you to pick up each of their hulls just as you are getting ready to shoot? That has made me smile more than once, and all it took was to point out to them that they could get all 5 when they moved top the next post. I also forgot about the shell catcher made for the Rem 1100 line that could be set to catch the second shell on doubles. I used it for a while with mediocre success. I later found out that because my bbl had a deflector built into it the catcher could not work properly. It was really kind of a pain as it had to be removed for cleaning and then readjusted when you put it back on. I got around the problem by going to an O/U.

 

[Hollywood Dave]

The ATA rules say that you must have shell catcher. A rubber band around the ejection port will work in a pinch. I personally find it annoying to have empty shells bounced off me or my gun , Dave :x

 

[Guest]

I am relatively new to the sport, I shoot about 200 rds per week of sporting clays and 5 stand. I have a Gold Fusion, and would like to get into reloading for obvious reasons...

Any good ideas for a guy that has to shoot doubles to collect the shells?

 

[Rem1148]

become really fast, and catch the hull as it leaves your chamber... when you master that...let me know i wanna know how its done

i use a pump, at least then most of my shells are saved, but i shoot skeet so i can pick them up after i shoot

 

[driller]

The most effective shell catcher for almost any auto is a wire installed in the barrel extension. It is not a hard job to do and works very well for me in my 391. The wire can be pulled out in just a second for doubles. I had problems keeping a T&S shell catcher in place and just went ahead and put the wire in-----looks better too.

 

[TABSCO]

I have a 391 with a T & S shell catcher. It works great; I have shot several thousand rounds with it and no problems. It is easy to install and remove (about two seconds). This is a great feature; I can easily remove it to shoot sporting clays. I was a little worried at first, but so far it has not made any scratches on the gun.