New shooter equipment upgrade question

Hi All,

I hope I'm posting in the right place. My son has been shooting singles trap for a couple of years now. He's pretty good, shooting about 23-24s consistently in competition. We bought him a Browning Citori but we (wife and I) have been thinking about getting him an Zoli unsingle which he really likes. Most of the reviews seem positive and I was wondering if Zolis are reliable long term? Also, do you think this is an upgrade and would one expect their scores to go up with said upgrade?

Thank you,
Roman

 

I think you'll do well to consider upgrading him to the Zoli. The younger shooters seem to do better with a high ribbed unsingle than many of us older shooters who often have difficulty. Not only that, the company President, Norbert Haussman, participated in the firearm's design and is considered to be one of the finest gunsmiths in the country. Go for it!

 

Thank you Oleolliedawg. He's in high school and he loves the sport and doing pretty good. What would you say difference between those two shotguns (Browning Citori and Zoli Z) would be other than the rib? I'm gonna try to find him a low mileage used one but it will probably be tough since he is left handed.

 

Hang on the the Citori too, may want to shoot doubles some day.

 

I also think you should hang on to his old gun just in case. Sometimes shooters trade a gun for one they think they can shoot and then regret getting rid of their old gun.

 

Thank you guys, we probably will. It will all depend how much his new gun costs.

 

"Also, do you think this is an upgrade and would one expect their scores to go up with said upgrade?"

We always expect our scores to go up. Sometimes they do for a short time. A new broom sweeps clean?

Did you ever hear someone say,

Damn, I sure wished I would have kept that good old____________. I broke my best scores with that gun.

I watched a guy win the PA state singles with his Model 12 then go right out and buy a new Ljutic. I don't know if he ever broke another 200.

Just sayin....

Good luck to your son. I hope he continues to shoot well with whatever gun you choose.

 

Romanski you should look into a used ljutic 34 inch Mono gun. They shoot fantastic and will last him and you a lifetime.

 

Telling a young shooter today that he should purchase a used Ljutic is like saying he'll be the most popular kid if only he'd be owning a Model 12, Remington 870 or maybe a Broadway Browning. Ljutics are great guns but not popular with many young shooters. If it doesn't have a high rib and look high tech it just isn't wanted. Really, whatever gun he purchases will be on the "for sale" rack in a few years when girls and cars take over.

 

Not if his dad shoots it. It will be in the family for years to come.

 

A squad of 15 year old shooters as they step to the line

Alright guys, lets get em'

Keep your heads down and concentrate.

We all shot great yesterday, Johnny ran them and the rest of us had ninety five or better.

Yeah boy, nothing like breaking a hundred in the sixteens.

This is a great sport, I would rather do this than anything else in the world.

Someday one of us just might win the Grand American even.

Oh man would that be something. I hope it's one of us

The same squad two years later waiting on the bench

Did you see that scorer on trap one?

Wow, is she hot

I'm going to borrow my dads car and see if she wants to go out.

Man is this a great place to meet girls or what?

How about those two girls at the concession stand yesterday?

And the one working at that place selling guns?

I can't wait to get my own car.

Me too, I know exactly which one I want.

Ok, we're up, lets get this over with.

By the way Johnny, what did you break yesterday?

Ninety but who cares, did you see that scorer on trap two?

 

Many trapshooters change guns more often than their underwear. I know-I sell 'em-guns that is.

 

Boy I sure didn't want to offend you guys by suggesting that he look into a fantastic shotgun !!! I know let's let him decide what he wants to look into. I just hope to heck that it's not a Stoeger.

 

The shoots I go to have way more kids carrying around Trap Specials, Guerinis, Seitz's and Berettas than Model 12's, 870's, Ithaca 4E's and Browning Broadways. Come to think of it I never saw even one with a Ljutic. Any one of the guns listed will certainly outlive their owner. The real issue is plenty of these kids are quite spoiled (mine included) and no matter which gun he selects in a few years it'll be seen on the "for sale" rack. My suggestion is for dad to bite the bullet and get the kid what he wants. They're only in this sport a short time so enjoy the experience. That said, how good is the market for a used left hand Ljutic especially if dad is right handed.

 

I won't entirely agree or disagree. I started shooting trap at 16 years old and have been shooting trap ever since. I see a lot of new faces trying it for the first time at a local club. And believe me they get hooked really quick. The parents many a time ask what gun were shooting and that's just the beginning of the questions. I could go on and on. Once there addicted you know the rest of the story. I'll just leave it right there.

 

A more expensive gun is not necessarily an upgrade. The scores will only go up if the new gun fits its particular owner better than the old gun, and then only after the owner becomes somewhat accustomed to that new gun.
Some say it takes 1000 targets to become accustomed to a new gun. Some say 5000. I say about 250.
Humans are pretty adaptable.
As others have said; try a new Zoli, but don't sell/trade the Citori.

 

Pretty hard to find an off the shelf Citori that fits a lefty. It's likely a designated left hand stock on a Zoli would fit him better.

 

I appreciate everyone's advice. Really liking this forum!

 

Even though I view Joe's comments as sucking up for some reason, I will say that there are many on here that are happy to give free advice because we all remember when we started trap shooting an the old timers that helped us. I always listened to everyone, but sometimes didn't pay much attention to what they said. Experience is a cruel teacher I what I told you was from personal experience, as I got a real strong hunch the others guys that said the same thing did too.

 

I knew he owned Thorn Bottom but didn't know Brad Dysinger was the well known gun dealer.






I couldn't help it, it was such a good set up from Joe.