rich_morris

clayman - thanks again. 12 months ago I had session with an instructor, and they didn't identify any particular issue. I am not saying that hasn't changed, or that the instructor didn't miss something. Clearly something is not right. I will get the mount, technique checked first. Then see what that prompts as a next step. Maybe as you suggest some improvements to my own technique will solve the problem! Certainly that's the cheapest way forward! Hopefully bakerboy, as suggested by welshwarrior can show me the error of my ways! Or suggest the most effective/efficient solution! I certainly do not blame the gun for me missing targets - that's definitely my competence. Sometimes I shoot well, sometimes less so, but its the same gun when I shoot well as when I shoot badly.

Thanks, I have dropped him a message...

I Your not consistent then and quite likely have an issue with gunfit as you are making yourself fit around the gun. £175 is about right for a shooting ground, where are you in the country? I am in mid Bedfordshire. The price for fitting was a ground near markyate. I shoot there or A1 when I can. Rich

Westward, - thanks for your input again. I think the I was looking at it like this. My gun fit may not be correct/ideal, and what I need to do about that is raise the comb, relative to the butt pad, and my own shoulder, to allow my head to be more relaxed/upright. I assumed (maybe incorrectly - i bow to those with more knowledge here) that that would necessitate a raise if the rib to not affect the POI. Therefore, relative to my shoulder, both the comb and the rib move up. Not affecting the sight picture, but allowing my head to be higher. All theoretical I know. I was thinking that a monte-carlo style stock , or adjustable comb, might acheive the first part of that, ie raise the comb relative to my shoulder. The raised rib I assumed was a natural consequence. You cannot change one reference sighting plane, without moving another with it. I would certainly be happy if a comb rasier, or adjustable comb on my 725 would solve the problem. Need a prefessional to look at it I think! Thanks.

retromlc - thanks for your comments, that is interesting reading. I will have a look at an STL, or similar, but may take some other advice first. welshwarrior - you may be right. A local ground is offering gun fitting (all inclusive whatever that means) at £175, which seems quite steep. I did have a lesson there 12 months ago to check out my mount and technique. They didn't spot too much that would have an impact, and I think suggested that a gun fitting session may not be worth it until I am familiar with the gun, and mounting/shooting in a consistent way with it. I assume on the basis that an inconsistent shooting style would make it difficult to fit a gun. As I only shoot once or twice a month at the moment, due to work and other commitments, I wasn't sure if that counts as consistent enough, although I have been shooting for a few years. The neck pain is a recent (getting older I guess) thing, and means maybe I cannot adapt to the gun as easily as I used to. I can mount the gun ok I think, but it requires (I am guessing) moving my head down and forward to the comb. Which is way I wonder if a high comb, relative to the butt pad/shoulder would help, and keep my head more upright. I assume, a higher comb, relative to the shoulder aslo needs a higher rib? I will enquire a bit more about a gun fit assessment. Thanks both.

clayman - thanks, I am already using 21g loads, and get similare headaches with air rifle shooting, where there is much less recoil. I will try some sort of comb raiser, to see if that helps. And maybe try a more upmarket cartridge too. Rich.

You may well be right, but I was under the impression that the stock shape meant that relative to your shoulder, your head was in a more upright position, rather than pushed forward into the stock. The comb steps up from the butt, rather than a slope. As a consequence the rib has to be higher otherwise POI would change? I thought trap shooters use them for the better shooting position, and undisrupted filed of view too - but again I may be wrong on that. Hence my question.

Loriusgarrulus - thanks, I will check ebay out... Is the gun yours or your wife's. How do you get on with it, and find the high comb/ rib? Why are you selling it? Rich

Thanks. I really want to try something before committing to another gun purchase. A local gunshop has a s/h CG with high rib and comb. I might see if they will let me try it.

loriusgarrulus - Thanks, Might try a temporary comb raiser, it cannot hurt to try. Do you have fitted an adjustable comb - I did wonder about that, and notice you can get 725 with one now. Do you not end up shooting higher, seeing more rib? a303 - My Eye site is fine (at least with contact lenses), the cause is related to muscle and nerve tension in the back of my neck. I get it with a few other activities too. I get a real headache like somebody has hit me in the back of the head - can be real bad the following day. I am really interested if the high comb, high rib guns, really do make for a much more 'head up' shooting posture. It helped with my air rifle but that was a quiet severe mod, and wouldn't suit the free movement required for shotguns. When I bought my B725 the gunshop suggested a monte carlo style stock, but had nothing other than an old Trap Miroku to show me.

Thanks both, My wife is a Phsyiotherapist - basically she has said I have poor posture, an its made worse by the shooting position. I have exercises to help, but these generally involve adopting the opposite position to shooting shotgun. I already shoot 24g and 21g cartridges. I had the same problem with air rifle, with no. real recoil. Its a tension in the back of neck thing. Rich

HI, I wonder if anybody has any experience of the guns on the market with high combs and ribs for sporting shooting. Like the Caesar Geurini Summit Impact, or the Fabarm STL, or even the Blaser Supersport I had been shooting a 687 for a number of years, and had started getting headaches after shooting (got the same with air rifle), and after a bit of advise, and trying guns out, swapped to a B725 which seemed to fit a bit better. The headaches are caused by stress/tension in my neck. I solved the problem when shooting air rifles by fitting an adjustable butt plate, and comb. I am ok with the B725 for a round of 50 clays, but things start to hurt when I get to 100. The headaches the next day can be quite severe. I was wondering if anybody else has had similar problems, and overcome them with a more head up shooting position offered by thee type of guns. I have had a couple lessons, and was told there is not too much wrong with my mount. (I do occasionally find my right eye shifting over to the RHS of the rib though) Was also considering a gun fitting session, but not sure if the alterations of the existing stock could be so dramatic. I do have a longish neck... Any thoughts or opinions/help are appreciated... Rich

Look at the LHS and RHS difference in wear on this.... http://www.guntrader.co.uk/Guns-For-Sale/Winchester_Shotgun_101-XTR-Lightweight_For-Sale_140904135339929 Not a B725, but a browning style Winchester.

If you are going to enjoy it, go anyway.

+1

I can understand your annoyance. A new gun should be perfect, especially if you opt for a higher grade gun from a reputable manufacturer. I have just got my 725S1 out. It has no sign of wear or marking on the LHS. It has slight wear to the bluing on the RHS, and I just noticed a couple of radial score marks on the RHS. Maybe a bit of dirt got in there at some point. But it doesn't seem to be touching or rubbing the action - I will keep an eye on that, now I notice it. It looks like neither side of the barrels touch the action sufficiently to leave marks, except the top section where it is blued. If I could work out how to post pictures, I would do that for you!

A303 - not sure if your 'rant' was aimed at me. As I said, I haven't seen your gun, or the damage that has been done. I will happily post photos of my gun, but they look exactly like the ones above. (Although mine say 32"), and show no signs of damage or interference, except for the bluing wearing slightly as shown above. Incidentally the bluing is also worn off where the fore end wood touches the barrels - I expect that. If everyone you have shown it to says its wrong, having actually seen it, then stick to your guns and get your money back. I haven't seen it, and you haven't described it well enough for me to make any other judgement than the one I did. I'm not a gunsmith either. Sorry if I caused offence or annoyance... Rich

Does the gun open and lose smoothly in all other respects? If there was anything seriously wrong (remember I haven't seen your problem) you would notice it then. The barrels can not be mis-aligned, or the lumps on the bottom of the barrel would not pass through the bottom of the action cleanly, unless those holes were also out of position, in which case you would have a whole host of other issues with all the other moving parts. Does everything else align as it should? My gun exhibits exactly the same finish and markings as those shown above by Markbrowning. most the marks there are from manufacture, as wear marks would be radial around the hinge pin. It is about 18 months old and has 2500 carts through it. It is still very tight. I can understand that you have paid a premium for a higher grade gun than the standard, and it would annoy me if that extra finish just wore off. But those surfaces rub against each other, so wear will occur. Providing there are no significant gouges or scratches radial to the hinge pin I wouldn't worry unduly. There is a 10 year guarantee on the action. Use the gun, and if it goes wrong, use that guarantee. Rich PS - keep the gun closed and you'll not see it!

Not my gun, but mine looks like the picture in this link. As I said, its always looked like that, and has not changed, since new. The bluing is just slightly worn where it meets the action. http://www.shootinguk.co.uk/reviews/shotgun/gun-reviews-browning-b725-hunter-g1-shotgun I'll get my gun out tomorrow and take a piccy

I can do, but mine is not jewelled finish (its not a posh one!), and is not showing any particular wear. Its never been mirror smooth though. Will try an get piccys tomorrow for you... As an aside, the same jewelled finish never rubbed off on my Beretta 687, which I had for 20+ years....

I bought a new B725 (not the Black, just and S1) 18 months ago. Whilst I have not seen the problem you have got, I had an issue with mine. There was very slight play between the fore end wood and the barrels. I spoke to the RFD, and they said that was not abnormal due to the tolerances of wood. After a few more rounds I eventually decided to take the gun back to the RFD to show them. Initially, with the gun assembled, they maintained their point of view - tolerance of wood - but offered to send it back to BWM/Browning to have it checked out. I decided to try that, as I wasn't happy. When the gun was disassembled to put in the case, the RFD noticed that the whole fore end was loose on the barrels. There was obviously clearance between the metal parts. The RFD said that was a definite fault, sent the gun away expecting a repair to be done. Browning then kept the gun for some time, and allegedly sent it to Belgium to be checked out. Eventually, I got a new replacement gun, which now seems fine (may be a bit sticky on the top lever occasionally now, I notice), but it does dent your confidence, in what is supposed to be a high quality, robust product. The gun has a 10 year warranty on the action - if it keeps getting worse, you have plenty of time to get it sorted. But, keep persevering with the shop and browning. The two big manufacturers are letting themselves down with quality of guns, and their importers are not helping the situation either. Good Luck! Hope it works out for you as it did for me.

I have had both the TX200 and TX200SR. A good .177 TX200SR will fetch up to £400 if its in good condition, and walnut stock etc. Slightly less for a .22 cal. and less for beech stock. The SR mechanism is actually a simple sledge, and relies on friction to damp the recoil as well as the mass of the action moving. I found the SR superbly accurate and easy to shoot. But its heavier than the standard gun. I did find the trigger not as nice on the SR, due to the way the trigger blade acts on the mechanism. (The trigger blade does not move, but the action does. Spares for the SR sliding mech are now hard to come by. But shouldn't be needed, except for same shims, and nyloc nuts if they are worn/loose. Its a fantastic piece of british engineering (both versions in fact), and a classic air rifle which is usually well sought after. Rich

The TX is not going to be bad in either calibre. If you were looking at a lighter break barrel, then yes a .22 would be nicer to shoot. Providing you learn you aim points, and keep to realistic ranges both calibres are fine. I would go for .177. The flatter trajectory makes holdover slightly less complicated/critical.

I went for a 32" B725 in the end over a number of other guns that I tried, including B525, MK38, 686Evo, SV10, and a few others, in varying lengths of barrels. I swapped from a 687. It was the one I was least interested in at the time, mainly due to the style of the S1 sporter action, and the orange badges. BUT it was the one that felt most at home in my hands. I spent quite a lot of time trying the guns before I came to my conclusion. As said above, the B525 and B725 are both similar build quality. There are a few 'enhancements' of the 725 over the B525. How much real difference they make I do not know. The most noticeable difference when I first picked up the 725 was the palm swell - which is more notable on the 725, and I liked. PS - I went for new, mostly because there were very few SH 725s when I bought mine.

The same could be said of many shotguns eg the Beretta 686/7 or Prevail vs the 692.....