Today, we're looking at a dedicated single-barrel trap shotgun from SKB: The Century 3. The Century 3 offers great adjustability, right and left-handed models, and a really attractive price point for trap shooters. There are a lot of stand-out features and benefits that make this SKB fantastic for trap shooters of all skill levels - especially youth shooters. To help with this review, my 12-year-old son joined us as he has been using Century 3 as his trap shotgun.

If you have experience with SKB shotguns, please let us know your thoughts on the TFL COMMUNITY!   

The Century 3 was designed to for singles and handicap trap.

SKB CENTURY III

 

• Specs

  • 12 Gauge 
  • 2 3/4" Chamber
  • 30", 32", or 34"  single barrel
  • We shot the 30" barrel, with a weight of 8lbs 4oz
  • Comes with 3 competition series flush chokes (M, IM, F) Check out Carlson's Chokes Use Code "targetfocused20" for 20% off.
  • Our average trigger pull weight was around 5lbs.
  • Length-of-Pull ranges from 13" to 14 1/4" on this youth stock variation. (Youth stock only available in 30" and 32" barrels)
  • Standard version LOP is adjustable from from 14" to 15 1/2"
  • With all the barrel and stock combinations, the Century 3 has 10 different variations.
  • Comb adjustable for drop and cast
  • Butt adjustable for length, drop, and toe
  • MSRP is $1,699

• Ergonomics

  • Starting at the stock, as we mentioned the butt-pad and stock are very customizable. All of these mechanics seem to have a good tolerance.
  • Adjusting the LOP is as simple as loosening the set screws, spinning the but pad either clockwise or counterclockwise, and then re-tightening the set screws.
  • This Century has a palm swell (ours is left-handed as we have it set for my left-eye dominant 12-year-old son)
  • Standard top tang safety (no barrel selector because there is only one barrel)
  • Top lever is simple but nice.
  • There are little touches of laser engraving throughout with a small and simple floral design. 
  • SKB shotguns are always ergonomically simple. What they lack in flash is made up for in function.
  • This Century 3 sports standard grade 2 wood.
  • The trigger for Century 3 is gold, and it doesn't offer any adjustability.
  • The stepped-up vented rib has a brass mid-bead and an ivory front bead.
  • The beaver tail forend has adequate grip checkering, and the contours feel great when mounted.
  • Very basic overall: Wood furniture, silver receiver, blued black barrel.
  • This shotgun has an extractor.
  • The ability to adjust the stock with the growth of a youth shooter makes the Century 3 a wise choice for parents who don't want to buy a new shotgun every time their shooter grows. For the price, the Century 3 packs a lot of value in the adjustability department which we believe makes up for the basic looks of this shotgun.

• Recoil and Reliability

  • As expected, we experienced minimal recoil while shooting our Federal target loads.
  • This is my son's first 12ga shotgun. His previous shotgun was a 20ga, and he had no issues shooting Century 3 when it came to recoil.
  • Another reason for the lighter recoil, in our case, has to do with the Falcon Strike pad we installed on the Century 3. We'd highly recommend a Falcon Strike for youth shooters.
  • When it comes to reliability, a single barrel break action is excellent as there's pretty much no room for issues when it comes to cycling, as you may see with a semi-auto. It is also very nice not to have to use a shell catcher. Resting the barrel of a break action on a pad in between shots also helps the shooter relax and not fatigue as quickly.
  • The plain design and ease of use with the Century 3 make it a fantastic and easy-to-learn shotgun for first-time trap shooters.
  • If you can speak to the reliability of an SKB Century 3, please let us know how it's held up on the  TFL COMMUNITY!    

• Breakdown/Quality of Build

  • The question with any shotgun is, "How does the build quality hold up relative to price?" This is a lot harder to tell immediately with a break-action shotgun as we don't have thousands of rounds through it yet. Luckily, we're part owners of the Alexandria Shooting Park, which hosts the biggest trap competition in the world - The Minnesota State High School Trap Championship. Year after year, we see the Century 3 being used by youth shooters. Based on what we've heard, they all seem to enjoy the gun for its adjustability.
  • In experiences shared with us, Century 3 shooters have had all good things to say regarding the build quality and longevity of this shotgun.
  • The Century 3 has a jeweled monoblock and chrome-lined barrel.
  • In our experience, we're impressed with how smoothly this shotgun operates relative to the price point. We have not seen any tolerance issues and believe that this shotgun will hold up over time.
  • During this review, we grabbed a very old, highly used Century 3 that the shooting park had as a loaner. Loaner guns always get used and abused. However, this old Century 3 still had good tolerances. In fact, the action felt pretty much the same as the brand-new Century 3. If that doesn't speak to the longevity of an SKB, I'm not sure what else would. We are very impressed with this shotgun. 

• Trap Shooting The Century 3

  • Rylan used the Century 3 for the entirety of the fall high school trap season, and he made steady gains in his shooting. He started the season shooting mid-teens and ended the season shooting a 22 and a 23.
  • The gun fit is huge, and this shotgun didn't fit me, as it's the compact model set up for my son. However, the recoil was minimal, and the Century 3 moved to the targets nicely. Even though the shotgun fit was way off for me, I was able to shoot a 24!
  • Watching and coaching my son this fall as he shot the Century 3 was a great joy.  Ease of use and a proper fit go a long way when paired with good coaching and an athlete willing to listen and learn. 

The SKB Century 3 is a reliable, adjustable, and affordable option for dedicated trap shooting. While it may not win beauty contests, its functionality and performance make it a standout choice, particularly for youth shooters or those seeking a cost-effective entry into the sport. If you’re searching for a trap gun that offers versatility and durability without breaking the bank, the Century 3 is worth serious consideration. Whether you’re a parent outfitting a young shooter or a casual trap enthusiast, this shotgun provides excellent value for its price. We realize that not everyone can justify buying a dedicated trap shotgun, but if you are looking for a trap shotgun that is a tremendous value, the Century 3 is a great option.

Whether our targets in the field or our targets in life, we will only hit what we are focused on, so live the #targetfocusedlife