Monte Carlo stock for sporting clays?

[El Guero]

Hi folks,

I just got my 11-87 Premier Trap back from my dad. I think it needs a new gas seal but after that I'm hoping its ready to go. However, I've got an itch to go do some shooting and had some questions...

I shot this gun for a year of trap in high school and didn't really get well acquainted after doing the first 4 years with a 870 Express Mag. Now I understand that the Monte Carlo stock is so you can lock in to the gun and have a consistent sight picture when shooting from high gun.

However, I want to go shoot some sporting clays. Is it going to be difficult to do this with the Monte Carlo stock? Or is it not too bad if you do SCs from a high gun position? I am not sure what the "proper" way to shoot sporting clays is these days.

 

[oneounceload]

American sporting can be shot with a premounted gun. many use what is called a "soft pre-mount", in that they premount, then slightly pull the gun off the shoulder so they have a better field of view for the targets.

FITASC, aka European sporting, MANDATES a low gun and the butt must be below a certain line on your vest.

If you can mount the gun and it fits, use it, remembering that many trap guns are set to shoot 70/30 or 80/20 on the patterns as trap targets are always taken on the rise. Most sporting shooters like a flatter pattern - typically 60/40 or even 50/50 - this helps a LOT when you get dropping targets

 

[El Guero]

How is that ratio set? It has the Target barrel on it. It doesn't have a ridiculous high comb on it so I don't think it's too extreme.

 

[Hammilton]

Unless you're thinking about serious competition- in which case you're probably going to want a different gun anyway- the gun should be more than adequate. They're great guns. I've done quite well with mine when it works. The stock should make virtually no difference in your shooting for a recreational shooter, assuming that the gun fits you well. I've been lucky in that my 11-87 Premier fit me perfectly right out of the box (so did my Mossberg pump) but I suspect I won't be as lucky with break actions.

 

[El Guero]

Thanks... Guess I'll stop worrying about it. I ought to get it out to the trap range first anyways. I wish I could find a nice Premier non-Monte Carlo stock but they don't come cheap.

 

[oneounceload]

It's not the high comb that sets that pattern high - it is the way the barrels are aligned in the block in conjunction with the rib/comb/etc.

Remember, a gun originally designed for trap is made for shooting targets on the rise, so 70/30 or 80/20 is ideal. However, when you add either dropping targets, curling chandelles, or targets coming from under your feet going down a gully from a raised stand - that high pattern gun will be a handicap as you will most likely shoot over/behind those type of targets

 

[El Guero]

Guess I should go pattern it. The rib doesn't seem that much more extreme than the one on my 870 Express Mag, but I guess I really don't know.

 

[Virginian]

Look on eBay if you find you need a stock. They were real reasonable, went sky high, and have come back down considerably of late. Go shoot some patterns first though. You may be okay, but i am betting it shoots high.

 

[El Guero]

With the 11-87, can I just get another barrel and fix the pattern issues, assuming they are there?

 

[El Guero]

After looking at how much all the parts would cost, I think I should probably leave the 11-87 to trap and just use the 870 for sporting clays

 

[Hammilton]

Okay, are you considering real competition? We're probably talking about a difference that won't be measurable until you're into the thousands of rounds. If you prefer the 11-87 overall, you feel more comfortable with it, use it instead. Don't switch because of some possible issues. See if you have issues first. Then again, if you prefer the 870, use that!

 

[El Guero]

Nope, not competition, just fun. Maybe I should just try both and see how it goes.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Just shoot it. I shot that 870TB trap gun at SC with a choke change and did OK.

Big Monte Carlo, high POI. Still worked.....