Technoid:

So I got a stoeger m3000 12gauge for Christmas as a hunting gun but I’m not really into hunting anymore and I really like trap and I was wondering what it would take to convert it to an all out trap gun (btw it has a 28″ barrel.

Branden

Branden,

I wouldn’t do a thing to that gun except shim adjust the stock to make sure it shoots a little bit high (about 60/40 at 32 yards). Maybe I’d add their recoil reducer too as it is an inertia action and those kick more than gas actions.

I wouldn’t worry about the barrel length too much at all. Yes, your barrel is 28″, but since the gun is a 3″ auto, your receiver is 3+” longer than that of an O/U. So, your effective barrel length is over 31″. That’s plenty long for trap.

I don’t know whether your particular Stoeger ejects down, forward or straight out to the side. If the latter, then you will also need to work out a shell catcher or deflector so that you don’t pelt the guy on your right with your empties. If you reload, a shell catcher would be doubly nice.

I wouldn’t make any major changes to the gun. Shoot it for a year or so. By the end of that time, you’ll have a really good idea of what you will want as your “real” trap gun. Right now you can experiment all you want to with your present gun while you learn all about trap.

Best regards,
Bruce Buck
Shotgun Report’s Technoid