Need Help Picking A Shotgun Please

[Ruster 9]

Hi i am relatively new to shotgun hunting and need advise on what guns to look at, my only experience with shot gun is using a friends browning xs

 

Here are some more details to help narrow down my search:

 

1) budget of around £1000 can push up to £1200 if it will really buy a much better gun

 

2) i will mainly be hunting with it, pigeons/rabbits the odd fox possibly, but will do clays with it every now and again

 

3) not a fan of synthetic/fake wood stocks

 

4) over under seems like the best maintenance wise but semi auto is appealing just worried because i have see reviews about them jamming and don't know if this is just isolated cases all compiled in the search engine to make it look really common or not

 

5) if i go semi will it take a lot of maintenance to keep it running tip top or is it a kind of every 1000-2000 shots or so thing?

 

I think thats all bases covered i look forward to seeing what you think i should go shoulder and look at

[Chid 6,495]

O/u ... Beretta

Semi ... Beretta

[Lid 194]

Seconded and ignore side-by side.

 

An OU will keep it's value or even go up if you get secondhand. A semi auto will go down in value. However I have to use to use a semi with an additional ISIS recoil pad because I have a knackered neck but I have very few jams with my Beretta.

 

One thing though - if you buy secondhand ideally go to a dealer and still take someone who knows what to look for.

 

This is now an 8 year old clip and probably been posted on here before, but I like it (and of course that weapon is not available on an SC) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_GtGafLpgo

Edited June 22, 2014 by Lid

[walshie 2,804]

I'd be wary of spending too much on your first gun for what you want to use it for because:

 

1: You might want to exchange it for something else within a few months.

 

2: If it's too nice, you'd be scared of putting it down or leaning it anywhere when you're out and about in case you scratch it.

 

My shotguns are old and cheap, kill just as well and I don't mind if they get knocked about a bit.

[Lid 194]

I guess the obvious question, without meaning to being rude is how well can you shoot a shotgun now and how much shooting have you done? This will help suggest what price range to go for. Personally I always manged to look after mid quality guns, ie around the £800 to £1600 mark.

 

Whatever you get needs to fit you and feel right. Are you right handed and right eyed? Hopefully you will already know this, but if not I am sure there will be more advice to follow. Again if this stuff is already on the site somewhere, I am sorry for posting it again but most of mortals can't use any shotgun we come across, at least not to its best.

[SportingShooter 0]

I'd second the above, take someone with you who knows what to look for with a second-hand gun and don't be afraid to haggle.

 

My choices if you want to spend that money would be;

 

Over/Under - Beretta

 

Semi Auto - Benelli/Beretta

[celticrusader 78]

I have a couple if shotguns and as my rimfires have taken over the past couple of years my time with them has fallen by the wayside, as some of the others have said you need to consider what your doing and how often your doing it.

Personally if you go pidgeon and crow shooting and want to do this quite a lot then have you thought about an FAC semi auto shotgun, if that's not an option then I dont think there's a point owning a 3 shot semi when a decent pump is quicker on the reload And will help stop you wasting ammo just because a semi auto has the capacity to do so, many will tell you what I mean.

If your dead set on a semi I used to own a remington m1100 and that was a cracking gun I managed to get it for £60 and I'm sure you can pick em up for £100 roughly.

Edited June 22, 2014 by celticrusader

[bird 9,872]

I'd second the above, take someone with you who knows what to look for with a second-hand gun and don't be afraid to haggle.

 

My choices if you want to spend that money would be;

 

Over/Under - Beretta

 

Semi Auto - Benelli/Beretta

true great guns got 686 Beretta , good for anything , but suppose could say little heavy if rough shooting all day, as out and out game guns are only about 6 1/2lb , 686 just over 7lb .

 

[bird 9,872]

 

I'd second the above, take someone with you who knows what to look for with a second-hand gun and don't be afraid to haggle.

 

My choices if you want to spend that money would be;

 

Over/Under - Beretta

 

Semi Auto - Benelli/Beretta

true great guns got 686 Beretta , good for anything , but suppose could say little heavy if rough shooting all day, as out and out game guns are only about 6 1/2lb , 686 just over 7lb . they about (new) £ 1200 , but shop about prob get 1 for £ 800

 

 

[Ruster 9]

I'm not dead set on a semi i just like the idea of them, thought the extra shot could make the difference on a difficult target and the weight is nice on them.

 

I am applying shotgun and rifle licences i already know I'm getting a 17 hmr but the shot gun is whats causing an issue there just seems like so many different things to bring into account.

 

It might sound a bit snobbish but i have always thought if you are buying something better to buy the best you can afford than buy cheap and buy twice, thats why i put my budget down but seeing someone had a good shotgun for £60 has got me thinking is my budget to high for what i want to do? I will probs only shoot clays once a month but i will go hunting around 2-3 times a week so should i lower my budget and stop being a gun snob?

[trenchfoot 4,243]

beretta or browning. best to go to a clay ground and ask to try a few different types before you buy though. spend £900 and the rest on getting it fitted properly and a lesson or two. Gunshops love boomerang guns, and you will spend/loose a fortune finding the right one. get the fit right is the biggest part of the right gun "problem"

[Alsone 789]

Has to be Browning or Beretta.

 

I would say try both as they have a very different balance.

 

Personally, I wouldn't give a Beretta the time of day, not because they aren't a good gun, just because in my opinion, Browning balance a lot better.

 

So Browning 525 or 725 all the way from me.

 

That said, you need to try both makes as balance is a personal thing.

[Chris Cullen 0]

O/u Berreta

Semi-browning maxus

[bart308 11]

There are that many good quality guns on the market for a grand or less and I gree with Walshie in terms of a cheaper gun is not a worse gun.

I would get to a good sized gun shop and see what feels right to you as I think fit and balance are more important that make and gizmos and fancy wood/ finishes.

I would stick with OU (single trigger multi choke) for first gun- the extra shot in a semi is not that much of a bounus and if you ever got an invite or joined a syndicate a semi is no good.

[celticrusader 78]

Very true,but ive found as a double barrel shooting pidgeon and crow with large numbers flying overhead is tbh my idea of a self inflicted achilles heel!, a semi or pump is great if it holds more than 3 and only when rough , decoying or shooting alone as people class them as cowboy guns and are not safe guns at ranges.

Not to say they arnt great because personnally i love them and do find more of an advantage using a decent one, also dont fall into the same trap of what alot of gun snobs do with scopes aswell as many other things, you dont need a brand new gun and the one i picked up for £60 was second hand and in great condition.

 

It sounds to me as you should get two guns at first...one an o/u and then maybe your other alternative, just do your homework on what brands and models have high ratings that catch your eye.i think £1000 pound on a gun for 1st time will give you no advantage apart from looking pretty and as almost all shotgun owners have mutiple guns for different jobs im sure a £1000 will get you 2 guns 2nd hand at a cracking price and leave you with money left as it is not as problematic than buying a rifle 2nd hand.