I wouldn't recommend the 870, or any pump action for trap or skeet,
I actually wouldn't buy any pump action today for any reason. Most people justify it as an entry level gun or claim that it's a for defensive use.
Today there are many semi-auto's that are very reliable, lighter weight, and affordable.
And I don't care how reliable anyone claims a pump to be over a semi because the truth is that every pump will hiccup eventually. I've been to enough shotgun courses to see it happen even by guys who most of us would consider pro's.
My advice for the OP would be look at 20 ga semi-auto's such as the Weatherby SA08, Mossberg SA-20, and the Stoeger M3020. These are affordable and I see lots of them on the range. The wealthier older shooters use nicer guns like the Perezzi but even today I saw a new one fail mid shoot. The owner was disappointed and confused!!
For my kids I bought each of them a Stoeger M3020. At first I was hesitant to buy a cheaper gun but I liked how light weight they were so I figured I'll try one. Today I own three of them, and all have been 100% even with light target loads. These are sub $500 guns, inertia driven and weigh 5.5 lbs.
Good luck,
Last edited by tarzan; 07/21/18.
