Thanks for the great review video. My base model BT-99 was the first trap gun my dad gave me when I was 12 and I still have it at 46 - won my first trophy with it when I was 13 - the winning shot was a broken clay that flung wildly to the right super close to the ground, picked it off and beat my closest competitor 🏆 it’s still my favorite shotgun to this day, to me they are perfect, especially for beginning shooters. Build quality and longevity is second-to-none imo.
Thanks for this video! It helped me further understand my heirloom. I have a 1970, solid stock, modified release-trigger BT 99 my grandfather left to me when he passed away in 1999. It is five years older than me and in fantastic condition! He held his support hand at the hinge as i can tell from the wear on the metal and engraving. He rarely shot anything but a 25. I have shot it only once, but now I will more often. Thank you!
I reload so I never understood the point of an ejector. I’ve actually disabled them on a few shotguns. Also I’m with you I hate fiber optic sights on any gun, especially a shotgun.
When I'm shooting, I don't notice the beads, I find I naturally track the bright orange clay pigeon. I also prefer an extractor so I can focus on opening a stiff action without the shell flying out.
I like a fiber optic bead because they are easy to see at night. It’s part of my routine to Check my beads to make sure I’m mounted correctly and if I can’t see my bead in a low light situation it totally throws me off
I have 3 BT 99s. My daughter shoots one and I shoot the other 2 . One is a BT 99 plus just like the one you were shooting in the video. I love them all they just keep on shooting, never any problems with them !
I bought my BT99 in 1972, 34” w/ Monte Carlo stock. I shot my 1st 100x100 with this gun and had numerous to follow. It’s recently been passed down to my son who although is not as much of a trapshooting enthusiast, enjoys shooting it.
2 years ago my son joined his schools trap team. I started him out with a Mossberg International Gold Reserve which he shot well. Last year I bought him a BT-99 with adjustable buttplate and comb. He shoots it well also, but then he swiped my 686 Silver Pigeon Sporting and started using it, which he enjoys a bit more. Well, that left me with shooting the ol' BT-99 and I have to admit, I shoot it better than my 686. Its a purpose built trap gun and I think its one of the few that just about anybody can pick up and shoot well from the get go. Also it is the most popular gun model at our trap club, literally everyone and their dog owns one, highly recommended!
I have a BT-99 base model have shot thousands of rounds never had any problems! You are right no need for fiber optic mount and don’t look at the beads again ! Great review thanks!!👍🏻
Own two BT99s. One is the base model and the other is the Plus. The base model has about 3000 rounds and is as good as new still. Upgraded to the Plus, no ejector, to get the adjustable comb. The Plus now has about 5000 on the clock now. Thinking about getting the Max next. The only thing I would wish for in a BT99 is a more left hand friendly palm swell. The BT99 is an outstanding trap gun and I would recommend it for just about anyone.
My father won the state trap handicap with his BT-99. He would take it quail hunting with the extended family. He never needed a follow up shot. I broke 24 of 25 first time I shot it against the state handicap runner up who was shooting his custom Perazzi. Beat him by 2 targets. Put a big smile on dad’s face. Great gun!
Nice review. Great trap gun for modest price. Obviously with only single barrel it's not a doubles gun. I've had an older plain Jane BT-99 since the 1970's. Not sure how many rounds have been shot through it, all I've had to do was replace an ejector. Being that old it doesn't have choke tubes, adjustable comb or length of pull. Recoil has never been an issue with the weight in the back. It is light in the front, swings quickly. As a result you have to be careful not to go past targets. I love this gun, shoot my best scores with it. Great Trap gun, solid build, functional, low recoil, very durable, and good fit right out of the box.
Steve, Your gun demonstrations and tutorials are the best. Maybe consider evaluating the Yildiz HSP Sporting O/U 12ga, 30”, adj comb, ext chokes, grade 3 plus Turkish walnut. $729 MSRP, Academy only.
I have 2 BT-99’s, and a BT-100 with a mix of fiber optic and plain bead sights. Sights are only used to check gun mount, after that eyes are on the bird. My older BT-99 is a 71 model with Briley chokes, release trigger, and Soft Touch recoil stock. I’ve probably put 8-10,000 rounds through it in my 10 years of ownership and it’s still going strong.
I’ve had 3 BT99’s. I don’t like ported barrels or fiber optics and I prefer an extractor only. I kinda always wanted one in the smaller gauges. And they will get loose eventually. Both the used ones I had were closer to worn out than broken in. But overall the best value trap gun out there.
It would be nice to see a field version. I know that is a trap gun but to have a single barrel shotgun that operates pretty much like your Browning Citori in a field version would be interesting
I’ve been shooting a bt-99 for a month now. It’s a special about 8 years old. It was given to me by a very good friend. Other than adjusting the comb it fits perfectly. I think it will be my choice for a long time.
I have been shooting two BT99's on a weekly basis. One has a ported barrel and other does not. I can't tell the difference between the two when shooting. The one wit4h the ported barrel also has the interchangeable chokes. Both are 34 in barrels. Yesterday i finally got my deceased brothers BT99, made in 1973 with beavertail forearm. Can't wait to shoot it this week. 34 inch barrel, fixed full choke. Did I saw I like the BT99's.
Fiber optics.. eye dominance is a spectrum . For those of us who are neither deeply left or right eye dominant , in order to shoot both eyes open switching sides won’t work. So two options, tape on glasses or… fiber optic. I love the fiber optic. It solves dominance issues for me, and I can shoot both eyes open which we all know is the best. A friend who writes for field and stream, Phil Bourjaily writes in his Total Gun Manual, that for some the bead is a distraction from the target for others who can’t reference where there barrel is in relation to the target due to dominance issues, will inadvertently look at the barrel to reference where it is to the target, gun stops, bird missed… so to bead or not to bead? The answer is simple, whatever makes you look at your barrel least. It’s different for everyone . We are all individuals. All the matters is a smashed target. People should do whatever works best for them.
Agree 100%, struggled with eye dominance on certain clays but a long Easyhit bead solved it for me. People shooting with 1 eye open or having no dominance issue probably benefit less.
Shoot against many that have a BT-99. They are great guns. Was looking at them but a krieghoff kx-5, came up at a killer price. I have seen them used for $1500. There is the option of the 725 combo. Over under and trap barrel. If you look around, them come with a recoil reduction with a reallyy nice case for $5200.
I have a fiber optic on my Ithaca sbt. It was on the gun when I bought it. I thought about changing it till I shot it. The white mid bead shows up great against it.
I shot trap from the age of 13 to around 20. During that time the BT99 was considered an entry level gun. Lots of Kolars and Perazzi guns being used in excess of 10k. Most of the great trap shooters shoot really expensive guns. Maybe its just because they can afford it, or maybe there is something to it. My late father started on a BT99, which I now shoot with, but moved to a Perazzi MX14. The trigger in that gun was appraised at 1k. Cost is a relative term in anything in life. BT99 is a great gun for a great price if you are serious about trap shooting.
An expensive gun won't make you shoot better, it's just what they can afford. It's all in good coaching, a consistent mount, and practice. I just started trap shooting with my brother and we love it. We use his Rizzini BT110 Sporter X, no rib. With the help of great people there, and trying to copy gun hold from a field and stream article I shot my first 5 clays❤😃
fiber optic doesn't bother me at all, but i've only used orange fiber. green might be distracting. basically i see 2 orange dots, line them up and pull the trigger. ymmv
I go with a white front bead on trap guns but a Hi-Viz green on my field guns. Usually hunting grouse in dark backgrounds. In an ideal world you really shouldn't be focusing on any bead and I know a few trap shooters that don't even have beads on their guns.
Great review Steve👍 I’m currently shopping for a BT-99 and the information you provided helped me decide which model I’ll get. My only question now is 32” or 34” barrel? Thanks and looking forward to seeing more of your videos.
I was hitting 23/24 constantly with my 725 citori until a double bypass. After that it fell really low. Found out the blood flow being increased is changing the size of the eye. Shooting sorting clays and continental trap, my left non dominate eye was picking up the bead when a far right clay was launched. Tried the 3" long fiber optic and it acts like a block, the eye didn't pick up the bead. Other than that i don't use it, except to remind myself not to look at it!
Hi Steve great video one of the guys I shoot trap with has a bt-99 and he let me try it I enjoyed shooting it. I've shoot trap with a gun with a fiber optic front sight and I shot it well without any problems I guess it's personal preference
BT99 is a tank and made for trap shooters. Thousands and thousands of rounds through it and zero issues. I have mine in the 34 inch barrel and it smokes clays if you do your part.
Looking to buy a bt-99 for trap. Think it's worth the extra $ to go for the Plus? Or just stick with the regular BT-99 with adjustable comb/butt pad? Do you guys find an adjustable butt pad a necessary feature?
My grandfather had a saying that he attributed to Mark Arie, a member of the 1920 U.S. Olympic Trap team and a world class shooter during the 20’s and 30’s - “The longer you are straight, the closer you are to a miss”. The degree of difficulty of the presented clay doesn’t seem to matter - everyone misses eventually. Same is true of life in general, don’t you think? Great review. I’ve been kicking around the idea of a BT-99 for a while. I’m still not ready to pull the trigger but I feel I have all the information I need to make the educated decision - except finding a place to actually shoot one.
I passed on this gun because of the ported barrels , why would you port a single barrel Trap shotgun ? Porting on a shotgun has always been a gimmick whose time has passed . Maybe on a O/U for the second shot to reduce muzzle flip . Come on Browning make this great Trap gun without those useless ports !
HATE fiber Opic on all firearms. My experience is that they fall out of the sleeve they are mounted on. ALL shotguns should have brass beed front site.
My grandpa just picked up a stainless bt100 with recoil less stock........ for $500 in better than good condition, not quite perfect, that gun prices at $3700 on the low end. 😮
I love all these reviews but Jesus Christ can we stop bitching about fiber optics on every gun. There’s a reason they’re used, and there’s a reason world class level shooters and hunters use them consistently.
i hate a fiber bead on a trap gun. beads are on a shotgun to help you align the gun when mounting, after that you shouldnt be focussing on them anyways.
I have my grandpa's BT99 (pre beaver tail forearm). It has crushed more clays than you can count. I shot my first 25 with it. Incredible gun! I'm on your side, can't stand a fiber optic!
Trap is generally for grumpy old men! That's why at 72 years young I don't shoot trap. I hate dealing with those grumpy old men. 🤣🤣🤣 I'll stick with Sporting Clays and shooting with much younger more congenial guys.
I would buy a BT-99 with adjustable comb (if possible no palm swell at all, 'cause they don't make a left hand palm swell) and 34" barrel, just to shoot handicap. But all their BT-99 models have ported barrrel. Which I deeply dislike. That's the reason I don't have a Browning 725 sporting... Also ported barrels only, for North America... (The European B725 don't have ported barrels and there is a 32" model that I'd love to import... But it ends up being insanely expensive, after shipping and customs & etc...)
Well then why watch the video? You're watching a channel called Target Focused Life reviewing a shotgun that has one purpose--shooting singles trap. So you whine it's 100% useless?
