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TriStar TT-15 Trap DTA
Rating: 5 of 5
Gauge: 12
Action: Break action
Barrel length: 32"
Price: $$
Savage Arms Stevens 555 Trap
Rating: 5 of 5
Gauge: 12
Action: Break action
Barrel length: 30"
Price: $
Fabarm Axis RS 12 Trap AT
Rating: 5 of 5
Gauge: 12
Action: Break action
Barrel length: 32"
Price: $$$
In this article, you will learn all about the best trap shooting shotguns out on the market today. From their different features to what makes them great for trap shooting, you will find all of the best trap shooting guns here on our list. Keep on reading to figure out what shotgun might be a good choice for you, and which ones excel the most when it comes to trap shooting!
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Meet The Expert
Firearms Daddy's editorial team reached out to the leading trap shooting expert, Jack Bart, and asked him to share with our readers his first-hand experience and advice about best trap shotguns on the market. He was gracious enough to offer his in-depth advice to help newbies as well as more experienced trap shooters to make more educated decision while choosing a shotgun for trap shooting.
What makes a trap gun different than a non-trap gun? Trap Guns are made to take care of the natural rise of a trap target. Because trap targets are ALWAYS going up, trap guns are made to shoot above where you’re looking, to take of the vertical movement. Non-trap guns will shoot where you’re looking causing the pattern to be below the rising target. To do well with a non-trap gun the shooter usually has to hide the target (shoot over it) in order to hit it consistently. Now we know why. Let’s start to eliminate some of our 10 shotguns. This has nothing do with quality or price. It’s about the correct equipment for trap shooting.
List of Top 10 Trap Shooting Shotguns for the Money
Fabarm Axis RS 12 Trap AT
This has it all. It’s made to shoot trap. Adjustable comb, adjustable high rib on an unsingle barrel (uses the lower barrel only on what would normally be an Over and Under. This reduces recoil considerably, compared to guns using top single barrels. This absolutely takes the barrel out of play. You can see all around with no obstructions. Most popular design in single barrel trap guns. Nice trigger (also adjustable). You can move it forward and back to fit your hand. Low recoil. Fabarm has discontinued this gun. They’ve replaced it in 2022 with the Elos N2 All Sport Type-T.
Jack Bart
Certified shotgun shooting instructor for the NSSA and NSCA, Master stock fitter
TriStar Arms TT-15 Trap DT Adjustable
This one has all the features you want in a true trap shotgun. Adjustable comb, adjustable high rib on the Un-Single barrel platform, and a recoil reduction system.
Jack Bart
Certified shotgun shooting instructor for the NSSA and NSCA, Master stock fitter
Savage Arms Stevens 555 Trap
This is a “top single”. This gun mimics The Browning BT99, which is probably one of the most popular trap guns ever made (it’s still available). Unfortunately, with the advent of the Un-Single barrel configuration, the top singles have fallen out of favor. It’ll take care of time on the trap field, just fine.
Jack Bart
Certified shotgun shooting instructor for the NSSA and NSCA, Master stock fitter
Winchester SXP Trap
This is a Slide Action (pump shotgun) trap gun. It’s certainly set up for trap shooting. At the end of then day. You’ll know you’ve been there. Pump guns are usually light weight. Recoil is a factor. Fun may not be as much fun as you hoped it would. It will do the job. On the target and probably on YOU…
Jack Bart
Certified shotgun shooting instructor for the NSSA and NSCA, Master stock fitter
Mossberg International Silver Reserve Eventide
CZ-USA CZ 1012
Browning Citori 725 Pro Sporting
This one is a nice crossover gun. It’s dubbed a Sporting Clays shotgun. But, because it has a factory adjustable comb, it can easily be adjusted to shoot like a trap gun. Guns with adjustable combs can easily be adjusted to shoot trap properly. They don’t swing like a trap shotgun but you can set the point of impact to shoot like a trap gun.
Jack Bart
Certified shotgun shooting instructor for the NSSA and NSCA, Master stock fitter
Winchester Model 101 Deluxe Field
Remington 870 Express Trap
Like the Winchester SXP Trap. It’s a pump gun. Shoots like a trap gun if you’re lucky enough that it shoots where it should for trap. Kicks…
Jack Bart
Certified shotgun shooting instructor for the NSSA and NSCA, Master stock fitter
Benelli Sport II
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Frequently Asked Questions About Trap Shotguns
THERE IS MORE THAN ONE ANSWER.
The question has to have some explanations and some guide lines. Any shotgun will break clay targets. So, the overall answer is - forget the human factor. They’ll all break trap targets. BUT….. If you really want to be in the race, you don’t take a car off of the street and expect to win “The Indianapolis 500. Yes, you can drive around the track, but you’re NOT going to do well.
If the price is not a factor, based on this group of guns - the Fabarm Axis RS 12 Trap AT: IS HANDS DOWN THE WINNER. As I mentioned earlier, however, this gun has been discontinued. The replacement is “The Elos N2 Allsport Type T. It has some nice additional features to this one.
WHY IS IT THE WINNER?
It has all the features you can think of in a trap gun. Least of which is the best customer service in the industry. Adjustable comb, easy and quick adjustable rib, adjustable trigger to change the length of pull, optional recoil reduction and balancer system, nice crisp trigger pull, low recoil out of the box, fitted factory luggage style case. Available with two barrels. An un-single, and an Over and Under for doubles trap.
If price is a factor, the TriStar TT 15 TRAP UNSINGLE is hard to beat. A lot of gun for the money. Not real refined but pretty good for what you pay. Adjustable comb, adjustable high rib, recoil reduction system, a little on the heavy side, trigger pull could be a lighter. You don’t see many on the competitive circuit. Most of those shooters have moved up to more serious (and more expensive guns).
By the way. Trap shotguns do not lend themselves very well in other sports (hunting, Skeet, and Sporting Clays. They shoot too high). A trap gun with all the bells and whistles (and by the way, they don’t all have adjustments) has very low recoil, an adjustable comb (the part of the stock where you put your face) a high adjustable ventilated rib (the high rib raises the shooters eyes well above the barrels, pretty much taking the barrels out of play, and allowing the shooter to see the target immediately as it exits the Trap House).
Both of these factors allow the shooter to adjust the point of impact so the gun shoot exactly where it must, to correspond with the rise of the target. This not the same for everyone. That’s why the ability to adjust the point of impact is a great feature. If I shoot my trap gun at a paper target at 32 yards (that’s the average distance most shooters break a trap target about 32 to 35 yards from where they’re standing, it shoots 15” above where I’m looking). That varies from person to person. Knowing that is not real important. As long as it puffs the target… WHO CARES???
Jack Bart
Certified shotgun shooting instructor for the NSSA and NSCA, Master stock fitter
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