Which Gun?

[deerdogs 418]

I'm planning on getting into shooting, have sent off for my sgc.

 

Have land to shoot on, open fields, rough grass meadows, patches of woodland, streams, ponds .

This land holds a variety of game including pheasent, partridge, woodcock, duck, geese, hares.

 

I'm planning on doing abit of rough shooting on this land and was just wondering which gun, you in the know, would reccomend for me?

 

Cheers all,

DD

[toby63 1,236]

all depends on your budget mate.

[deerdogs 418]

budget of £1200 mate

[toby63 1,236]

id go for a good auto that wil take small shells right through to big shells.

[chez 23]

what you after a semi or over and under mate? with that money there are alot of good guns you could buy.

[deerdogs 418]

honestly have no clue when it comes to guns so not sure as to what would be best? cheaper i can get a gun for, the better however it needs to be a decent enough gun that it can do what i want. im going to go along to a local clay ground t start me off and learn how to shoot properly, just trying to get some advice as to what i should be looking for, cheers

[Ratsmasher 36]

get down your local RFD preferably with a knowledgeable friend just so you don't get had and they will sort you out

[Froudy 40]

I would personally go for a 12 bore over and under, get down to a local clay ground and see if you can fire a few, browning or beretta are good guns

 

Atb

 

Froudy

[chez 23]

as a first gun i would say get your self a nice over and under mate. in my opinion they make you understand gun safty better. then go for a semi after a year or so.

[trenchfoot 4,243]

I'd say get yourself down a clay club and try out a few from people of a similar build/size as yourself. Then when you whittle it down to 1 model/maker, spend a grand on it and the rest on getting it fitted properly. This way you should stop the trade in merry-go round that happens when people buy the prettiest gun they can for the money, then wonder why they still can't shoot for sh##. Trust me I have made the same mistake myself!

 

a 28" barrelled 12 bore from browning, miroku or beretta would be a good start for your budget and game shooting. Maybe go for 30" if you think clays are likely to become your thing.

[dedger 16]

The thing is with over unders, they are Heavy, great for clay shooting or staying in your hide waiting for pidgeon but you walk round the fields with one all day and you will begin to hate it, personally I use a side by side because they are a lot lighter and a great field gun, if you want to go down the O/U route you might consider a 20 bore and I would definately leave the semi alone until you have experience, they require a bit more thought to make safe and when out in the field climbing fences and jumping ditches accidents can happen.

Get down to your local RFD and try a few, I wouldn't spend £1200 on one for the field though, they get knocked and scratched and you end up scared to put them down.

[PLEDGEY 496]

Winchester SX3 composite (posh word for plastic). Check the SX3 out on Youtube, it's spot on. Fires anything, even steel, comes with chokes, even yer granny could fire it

[Nik_B 3,790]

The thing is with over unders, they are Heavy, great for clay shooting or staying in your hide waiting for pidgeon but you walk round the fields with one all day and you will begin to hate it, personally I use a side by side because they are a lot lighter and a great field gun, if you want to go down the O/U route you might consider a 20 bore and I would definately leave the semi alone until you have experience, they require a bit more thought to make safe and when out in the field climbing fences and jumping ditches accidents can happen.

Get down to your local RFD and try a few, I wouldn't spend £1200 on one for the field though, they get knocked and scratched and you end up scared to put them down.

 

Sound advice this

 

you need to be sure of what you're going to use it for. Heavy guns soak up more recoil and you can shoot 150 cartridges through one with out any problems. But like Dedger said just try walking round all day with one, I did and my shoulder was killing me for a couple of days.

 

Ignore advice off the internet on what brand to buy because some guns fit better than others depending on your shape and I'd steer clear of expensive guns they don't shoot any better than a cheap one.

 

I've got an Miroku MK70 which is basically a Browning 525. For clay shooting you find that most people go either browning/Miroku or Berretta but I still think that's as much fashion as anything.

 

Rough shooting you'll want something you don't get upset over if you whack it against a fence post etc. I just bought a SBS for 245 quid which should do me for that.

 

In the end the fit is more important that the brand.

 

Also I agree with the comments on Semi's I don't like seeing them at the clay ground because you don't know if the guy holding it is a muppet or not and it's harder to tell if it is empty.