which gun?

[ralph 0]

hi all,

 

av just getting my SGC and am just after a few opinions on which shotgun to get for my first 1.

i want it for both clay and most wild animals with in the the sport e.g game. birds etc am looking round the 300 mark and 1st choice would be pump action and 2nd semi-automaitic.

 

i know theres lot of factors but any opinions would be great.

 

thanks Ralph

[smasher 1,055]

hi all,

 

av just getting my SGC and am just after a few opinions on which shotgun to get for my first 1.

i want it for both clay and most wild animals with in the the sport e.g game. birds etc am looking round the 300 mark and 1st choice would be pump action and 2nd semi-automaitic.

 

i know theres lot of factors but any opinions would be great.

 

thanks Ralph

i would go for a semi as my fist choice,as it reloads its self,a pump action is very clatery and arkward when shooting.if you miss your first clay,bird etc you have to pump it again which will disrupt your swing/motion.i myself have a browning b80 semi auto and love it to bits.if i was in your position i would spend the money on a good second hand semi, that way you will get more gun for your money.good luck with what ever you choose

[Deker 3,470]

hi all,

 

av just getting my SGC and am just after a few opinions on which shotgun to get for my first 1.

i want it for both clay and most wild animals with in the the sport e.g game. birds etc am looking round the 300 mark and 1st choice would be pump action and 2nd semi-automaitic.

 

i know theres lot of factors but any opinions would be great.

 

thanks Ralph

 

 

The pump will be more reliable but harder to use on the clays..but I have seen some excellent clay shooters with the pumps!!

 

The Semi will always be a quicker action, but needs a fair bit of cleaning and maintenance to keep them sweet, and are always cartridge fussy, but why is a O/U not on the list???

[lgray88 4]

ive got a baikal semi auto seems to work ok on clays but thats just abit of fun im sure if i rolled up along the pros with there proper clay guns they piss them selfs laughing at my baikal. if you want something good on clays get a gun designed for it but if its just for abit oh fun i personally wouldnt worry. i dont think ive cleaned my semi yet and there is been 1500 shots through it so far one jam with some light loads so it keeps amazing me and cost bugger all too. but as deker says why no O/U you will only gain one extra shot with both the pump and semi unless you want to put them on a FAC then you can get 5 shots in most pumps or semis some take more im lead to beleive.

[sully5328 0]

A mossberg 12g is great on clays i have seen some good shots on these, but, like people have said you gotta be quick and keep on target. Try getting a semi if you can a Berretaa a303 are good for clays and game. I have used both on a local clay range and favour the berreta . Reliable and reletavely easy to mantain as well as good barrels.Good luck.

[Mr Adventure 0]

Just remember to buy a SPORTING or GAME semi auto shotgun . It's not practical to shoot game with a TRAP or SKEET gun.

[longrange 0]

Just remember to buy a SPORTING or GAME semi auto shotgun . It's not practical to shoot game with a TRAP or SKEET gun.

 

good advice ! for the novice! or beginner, personally, i shoot 3 trapguns, all miroku, one 30" two 32" one of

which is choked extra full in both barrels, when i hit things they stay hit!

 

not for everyone?

!

ps ued to call me lawrence ? as in arabia ! basically, NO PRISONERS !

Edited November 10, 2008 by longrange

[ralph 0]

A o/u is definitly not ruled out. i was just after some opinions on which gun i should go for really.

 

Thank for all the replys

[cyclonebri1 8]

A o/u is definitly not ruled out. i was just after some opinions on which gun i should go for really.

 

Thank for all the replys

 

 

Couple of opinions although I no longer use the shotgun.

 

As mentioned above there is an inherrant snobery at some clay shootsfrom the gu8ys with the £6k Berretta or Miruku, but that is soon wiped from there faces by anyone shooting anything effectively

 

And also I've seen these guys turn up with all the expensive kit, miss the first half doz shots then sit for the next hour fiddling about with the gun in the back of the 4x4 only to skulk of when they thought no one would notice

 

I started with a baikal o/e, used it for rough shooting and once a month for clays. I only swapped when I realised just how important gun fit is, Much more so than type of gun imho.

 

I tried every new and 2nd hand gun at every dealer within about 50 miles untill I found one that fell into sight perfectly, I have long arms and tried dozens and dozens to get the fit right. I eventually ended up with a 2nd hand Laurona o/u that didn't break the bank, full set of chokes and served me for a further 8 years or so untill I gave the sg up for medical reasons. Incidentally it had a very unusual but very effective trigger arrangement, double trigger, but instead of having to drop from one trigger to the other for the 2nd shot you fired the front trigger for top barrel, bottom barrel and this was reversed by choosing the rear trigger. I got on with this really well and liked the fact that it left the safety catch to be just this, not doubling up as a selector for shot choice.

 

Also and this is probably a personnal thing although others have mentioned it to me, at some open clay shoots there are a few shots that don't seem to have safety as a priority. This type of person is in my view a liability when waving about a fixed barrel gun, plus the fact that when he has fired his 2 shots, if it's a semi auto he probably has a spare up the barrel. A break barrel gun is so much more oviously safe when broken, important I think at bustling clay shoots.

 

Just my opinion chap

[Guest Mass_G3nocide]

hi all,

 

av just getting my SGC and am just after a few opinions on which shotgun to get for my first 1.

i want it for both clay and most wild animals with in the the sport e.g game. birds etc am looking round the 300 mark and 1st choice would be pump action and 2nd semi-automaitic.

 

i know theres lot of factors but any opinions would be great.

 

thanks Ralph

 

 

Old English sbs (side by side)....Be proud to get your gun out.

[wakey87 2]

you can get a mossberg 500 pump for 350 new. im not sure of the prices of second hand guns but I find a double barrel shotgun the best for hunting, you can keep a barrel with a tight choke with larger shot for distant rabbits/hares or larger game birds while keeping a open choke with 6's for bolting rabbits and smaller birds

 

dig deep and get a O/U you wont be disapointed with a semi-auto tho. a pump might piss you off by manualy cycling every round but if you can put up with it, it'll save you alot of money

 

[edit] oh and remember a semi-suto/pump's reciever will add about 4 inchs to the length of the gun

Edited November 13, 2008 by wakey87

[greasemonkey 0]

hi ralph,i am a bit of a magpie and own a motley collection of shotguns ranging from a 10shot pump action to lightweight english game guns and use what i deem suitable for the occasion.iuse a old browning auto 5 for clays ,a 3 1/2inch 10 bore magnum for geese and game guns for pheasants etc.however using all this old iron in the last 30 odd years i have never become more than a moderate shot . my advice to a beginner is to buy the best o/u with screw in chokes you can afford and stick to it at least untill you can shoot well with it, i personally dont like the look of them but they are univesally acceptable and up to any job,hope this helps, good luck and enjoy your gun whatever you buy..cheers greasemonkey.....................................ps, i dont like gun snobs either,when i shoot my old service rifles at bisley some of the truly target types get a bit sniffy,when they do this i fit the bayonets, this really pisses them off!

Edited November 13, 2008 by greasemonkey

[cyclonebri1 8]

Is it only me that things that gun fit is more important than gun??

 

This is not a critisism of anyone but just the single fact that I learnt as a shotgunner??

 

[flying ferreter 0]

Yeah, gun fit IS more important but a different subject mate.

 

A personal recommendation would be an over and under action for a first gun, primarily for getting familiar with having a live weapon out in the field. Very easy to prove to yourself it is safe and not hiding a shell. Very important for a beginner and just as productive in the field.

A semi or pump will have up to 3 shells hiding in the action or chamber and we all know how much there is to learn when starting out / and forget although many go this rout first. Nice if a fellow shooter can take you out with them.

Anyway whatever route you take be safe & enjoy. FF

[danebrewer10 6]

hi all,

 

av just getting my SGC and am just after a few opinions on which shotgun to get for my first 1.

i want it for both clay and most wild animals with in the the sport e.g game. birds etc am looking round the 300 mark and 1st choice would be pump action and 2nd semi-automaitic.

 

i know theres lot of factors but any opinions would be great.

 

thanks Ralph

 

hmmm i reckon you'd be hard pressed to get a decent semi for that money, possibly a hatsan, but more likely a second hand mossberg, i recall a new one is around £450 but IMHO you should spend a bit more and get a decent second hand Beretta, or lanber, basically something that won't blow up in your face.... I use a cogswell and harrison s/s ejector, a lovely gun and it has so much.... not sure how to describe it, but it was made around 1920 and is just really nich to hold and use....

 

i'd go to your local gunshop and see what they've got. i'd really look at spending at least £600 to get something nice... Good luck!