Ported Nova trap barrels

[SportFaller]

Has anyone been able to find aftermarket ported trap barrels for the Nova?

[timb99]

Not trying to be a jerk here, but why on earth would you want a ported trap barrel (or a non-ported trap barrel for that matter) for a Benelli Nova?

The Nova is not a trap gun.

[SportFaller]

My theory is shoot the gun on the range that you shoot in the field, it truly is a pretty good all around gun. I added the recoil reducer, but am still looking to get the recoil down a little more.

[ 07-29-2006, 11:54 PM: Message edited by: SportFaller ]

[timb99]

I guess my opinion on this is different, but it depends on how "into" trap shooting you are, or want to be.

If you shoot trap for fun, like in a weekly league, and not for registered competition, then shoot what you like. Your Nova will work fine, though I doubt you'll be able to find an aftermarket trap barrel for it as there is no market for such a barrel. Nobody who shoots trap competitively uses a Benelli Nova, or anything made by Benelli for that matter. They're not made for trap. They're made for hunting.

If you are looking to get serious into competitive trap shooting, then I'd recommend you start looking for a dedicated trap gun.

The rest of this discussion assumes you're going to try competitive trap shooting:

Field guns are lightweight, and are going to batter you over the many hundreds of shots you'll be taking on the trap fields. Recoil is real, and cumulative, and no fun.

Plus, field guns have a sloped comb, and they shoot flat, neither of which is particularly advantageous for shooting trap.

The Nova, though a fine field gun, is just not made to take thousands of rounds a year, like you'll shoot if you compete.

I shoot a bit of ATA registered trap (I am currently Class A and carry a 95.4% singles average...trying to work up to Class AA), and I shoot a dedicated trap gun for it. It's a heavy gun, about 9 pounds, and the recoil as a result is manageable. At that weight, I wouldn't dream of carrying it in the field for upland game. Its just too heavy. Another thing a heavy gun does for you is it smooths out your swing. Light guns can be jerky and whippy.

Plus, not sure what you've heard or why you want it, but porting a shotgun barrel does absolutely nothing for recoil reduction (though this is not so for high powered rifles, where porting CAN help recoil.)

All porting does for you with a shotgun is to reduce the muzzle jump, which is of limited value for trap (unless you're shooting doubles trap.) Porting just makes your gun louder, harder to clean, and pisses off the shooters to either side f you when it throws that occasional tiny bit of hot plastic from the wad over at them.

Good entry-level trap guns include the Remington 870 Trap, the Remington 1100 Trap, the Beretta 391 Parallel Target, used Browning Citori Trap, used Winchester Model 12 Trap. These guns are made to shoot trap.

There are others.

Cheers,

Tim

[ 07-30-2006, 03:22 PM: Message edited by: timb99 ]