SR9 wrote:I am interested to know what shotgun any of you use and what you think might be a good entry level shotgun for future purchase.
I've been shooting trap for a while (not well, just for a while) and I've managed to accumulate a Remington 11-87 Trap, a Beretta 390 Trap, a Browning XT , and a Browning BT100. The 390 and the BT100 have been converted to release triggers in a mostly successful effort to work around a flinch.
The traditional entry level trap gun is probably a trap version of a Remington 1100 or 870, and there's nothing wrong with either. The trap versions have slightly different stocks and ribs, and are supposed to shoot a little high so you have a little built in vertical lead for the rising trap target. As noted above, if you use an auto get a shell catcher, it's the courteous thing to do. The guy standing next to you with the $20k Perazzi might not appreciate it getting dinged by your flying hulls. With a pump, it's easy to just grab the hull as you retract the slide. I would advise against a light gun- light guns are fine for carrying afield all day, but the continuous recoil of trap shooting with a light gun will pound you.
All that said, if a field gun is what you have, then shoot the field gun, at least until you're sure you want to invest in a dedicated trap gun. You want a 28"-30" barrel on an auto or pump, and a 30"-34" barrel on an O/U or single barrel trap. For 16 yard trap, it should be choked mod (a little too open), Imp Mod (ideal), or Full (a little too tight)- those are only my opinions, others will disagree vehemently.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Trap, skeet and sporting clays are all a lot of fun with mostly good people, just like anything else.