How much should a single barrel trap gun weigh?

[John Davis]

Letter from Parker Bros. to E. E. Bishop of Bradentown, Florida, March 2, 1931:

“We have your letter of the 26th enclosing check for $100, which is to be a deposit on a single barrel trap gun. In reading over the specifications, we note that you have specified a weight of 7 ½ pounds. We feel quite sure that this is going to be too light for you, and that there will be an unpleasant recoil, because the weight should be in our opinion about 8 pounds. It might run a very little under if you prefer. A trap gun, in which you are liable to shoot 200 and perhaps more loads in a day, and then repeat perhaps the next day in the same tournament, must necessarily be a gun which does not develop unpleasant recoil, and aside from stock dimensions, which in your case are correct, the only way of overcoming this recoil is by having as much weight in the barrel and gun as the shooter can easily handle.”