Just Couldn't Resist

Went to Tri-City Sportsman's Club and shot some Trap last night. One of the guys had gotten disgusted with his shooting and put a for sale sign on his gun. He caught me in a moment of weakness and convinced me to buy it.

I've been thinking about buying a dedicated Trap gun for a while and his gun fit the bill. Not cheap, but not a real high end piece either. The release trigger makes more desirable and I shot it ok.

It's a Browning BT 99 Stainless. I think they only made them two years 1995-96.

I like that barrel. Pretty slick. By the looks of it it should be a good shooter. Was he just having an off day?

its a good looking shotgun

He said he can't see to shoot at night any more and a lot of the shoots start with daylight and go well into the dark. The trap ranges are lighted but the birds are tougher to see at night. Us older people need a lot more light to be able to see clearly. Happens after you turn 40 and keeps getting worse. This guy is about 70.

Next month when he sees a gun he thinks will make a difference, he'll be back. He might even have seller's remorse and want to buy the gun back. You never know. A lot of the guys at Tri-City have been very competetive through the years and have won the Grand National or at least their division. When they don't shoot well it really affects them. Me, I just do it for recreation. I don't very often hit all 25 birds out of a round. It's almost as good as shooting off big fireworks. You've got the bang, the smell of gun powder burning, and most of the time, you break the bird. For me, it's just one of those things, like the smell of a good burnout.

Got out Wednesday and shot a few rounds with the BT. The release trigger just isn't working for me. For anyone that isn't familiar with it, a release trigger takes 2 moves. First, you have to pull the trigger and hold it, 2nd, to fire the gun, you release the trigger. Really, it fires if you flinch. For me, I'm ok until I get a hard left bird or a hard right bird. As I swing the gun I usually twitch my trigger finger before I actually get to the bird.

So today I disassembled the gun to see what it would take to make it a pull trigger again. Had to order a new trigger. Stupid thing cost $60. More expensive than car parts! To make it a release they machined the original trigger, dovetailed the release arm into it and then brazed it. No taking that apart And I didn't want to cut the arm off because it costs about $300 to get it done. I'll keep the release trigger For when I sell the gun.

I don't think I have ever messed with one like that. By the sound of it I don't think I'd care to. Do you have a gunsmith local you like? I do alot of stuff myself but I'm getting ready to send my Ruger down to Frankfort for some trick stuck. Those guys are really good. Gemini Customs LLC.

There are a few guys at Tri-City that are probably as good as it gets, so I've never been to a gun shop. One of them did all of the gunsmithing for the Country Attic in Lebanon.

I figure it isn't nearly as complicated as some other things I've had apart and put back together w/o leftover pieces.

The BT needed to be completely disassembled anyhow for a good cleaning.

New trigger & ejector jod arrived yesterday. Trigger fits w/o modification. The ejector rod had to be custom fit. Gun is back together & working properly as a standard pull trigger. One of the springs in the firing assembly is a real bear to compress to get everything reassembled. If I did that on a regular basis I'd have to have a tool for it. I'd like to go shoot some today but the weather isn't looking cooperative.

Nice shotgun Ken.