Benelli for trap-Why not a lot of love?

[Smokeader]

New member with questions so please bear with me.  Excellent forum with many good questions and answers.

I am looking at the M4 for a HD choice, but my wife and I are also interested in learning to shoot trap at our local club.  I prefer to stay "loyal to the brand", having purchased Ruger firearms to date for target shooting.  After looking through this and other forums, reading and watching many reviews, and asking questions, I am leaning towards a Mossberg Silver Reserve II 12/20 Over/Under as an entry level trap choice.  With that firearm, we both could use the same shotgun just by changing the barrel as needed.

My question is why is there not a lot of love for the Benelli lines for trap?  Given the outstanding quality of the product, one would "assume" the reputation would carry over to all of the product lines that Benelli produces.  Unfortunately, the folks who seem to swear by the Benelli for trap are few and far between.

Thank you ahead of time for the answers.  Took the time to pull on my "big boy" britches this morning so all types of answers are most welcome.  Enjoy your weekend.

[truckcop]

Here's my take after years of clays shooting.  There's a hierarchy of clay-sports shooters.  At the "top", and most insufferable lot of the bunch, are the trap shooters.  Unless you have  seven-plus thousand dollar engraved, gold inlaid over/under, you're not worthy.  They look askance at us philistines who show up with semi-autos with shorter barrels that spit out empty cases all over the place.  It's a "distraction" for them to have other shooter's empty cases flying through the air and then, possibly stepping on one while going to the next station.  Semi-auto shooters usually have to use higher power factory ammo to ensure reliable function.  They're a lot louder than the super-duper, downloaded hand loads of the O/U crowd.  Their wads barely make it out the muzzle but they're so much quieter.  And you really want to get the stink-eye from them?  Start having malfunctions with your semi.   

(only partially tongue-in-cheek)

[DC DOG]

So, by NO means am I an “expert” sporting clays shooter (I dust 20 or more of 25 clays in trap, 25/25 in wobble, maybe 18/25 in 5 stand), but I do enjoy the heck out of it. GREAT way to learn your gun. I regularly use my M4 (tactical/straight stock and the standard/modified Benelli black choke tube) for sporting clays (which raises some eyebrows at the range). I shoot Winchester “AA” Super Sport 2 3/4” 3 1/4 Dram, 7 1/2 Shot 1300 FPS shells, which I’ve found to be my best “go to” round when shooting my Browning Citori White Satin Hunter (it’s a “fast” round which produces results). It works equally as well in the M4. Never a jam or failure, the gun always cycles it. 

Thing about sporting clays is “reaction time.” In my experience, if you don’t pull the trigger in 1 sec or less, you have less than a 50% chance at hitting the clay. I usually “point and shoot,” using the “relative position” of the barrel end alligned with the clay, my arm and shoulder. I’m right handed, so I have about a 10 to 20 degree inward (left) rotation when shooting, swiveling on my hips. I watch other shooters try to “aim” on clays, sometimes not engaging until 3 sec. Low probability of dusting, based on distance. For doubles, I do “aim” on the second shot and for trap and wobble, if the clay is in the ghost ring on the M4, it’s dust. 

Here’s a video of my nephew on the M4 (first time) shooting wobble (high stand). He learned on my Browning, which the other shooter, also my nephew, is using:

https://youtu.be/j9pCFC6k-V4

 

 

Edited January 9, 2019 by DC DOG

[DC DOG]

Trying to link video. SIGH.

Edited January 9, 2019 by DC DOG