rich_morris

Understand. (PM me details if you do not mind...) Will have a look when I can. Regarding what to stock... Must haves (in my opinion)...Cleaning kit, and sundries like patches, mops and brushes. Oils and greases etc. Gunslips. Ear defenders and shooting glasses. A range of scopes and mounts (although I think people would not mind waiting for more expensive ones), binoculars. Knives. I am sure more people have their own ideas too. Rich

Awesome, I work in LB! More details??

Firstly - Good Luck with your venture! It is good to hear about shops opening rather than closing. Where abouts are you opening up? Regards what you should stock...that depends on who you are hoping to attract. It would be very costly to cover all your potential customers needs in stock. Do you plan to stock guns, which types (Airgun, Shotgun, Rifle, Game/Target)? Check out the local competition and see what they offer. The best thing you can offer - good service! Rich

Is Sporting Targets at Risely close enough to you? http://www.sportingtargets.co.uk/ They do air rifles, archery etc plus more.

Barrel length envy! Just Kidding! I can only speak as I find, and certainly I do not find my 32" 725 to be hard work. Having moved from a 28". BUT you will find a better pool of 30" 725s to buy from! There are more about.

http://www.guntrader.co.uk/Guns-For-Sale/Browning_Shotgun_B725-Sporter_For-Sale_140613121712400

Out of interest, why did people suggest not to get 32" given your own findings that it did not feel long and balanced perfectly? Good luck with your search.

Whilst I tend to like 'new' things mostly because then I have no doubt on the history, that is a reasonable price for a used 725. (There were very few S/H 725s when I bought mine) If you bought it, and did not like it you would not lose mega-bucks if you had to sell it or swap it. If you bought it, and fell in love, then again you could always trade up to a newer, or higher grade (black, or grade 5) when the funds allow, without losing too much. It is difficult to judge the condition, but for one man a 'loose action' may be 'just broken in nicely' for another - I know my new 725 is quite stiff on the opening, compared to the 20yr old beretta I swapped it for, which fell open nicely, but I would not have described as loose.

I have not put that may shots through mine, not by a long way, but I have not had any problems in the 14 months I have had my current 725. BUT I did have to have my first one replaced under warranty with a manufacturing fault. That was done without quibble. They vary in some ways from the BX25s that went before, but share many of the same features which have made those predecessors (and Mirokus) reliable over many years. Cheers Rich

But you do have to pay to get a card, which is what I meant, rather than book in. Anyway, I will certainly keep turning up, as long as its open. Like I said above, it is a good shooting ground, and decent facilities... I always enjoy shooting there. I recommend anybody who has not been there to give it a try...

I guess the sealing ring on them requires a little compression, and therefore a little more effort to install them. They certainly seem to work though, compared to my old Beretta. Hadn't removed them on my 725 for a while, and they came out without fuss, and spotlessly clean behind.

I do occasionally think that I should put mine is a slip, when I am presented with a rough old, rusty metal gun rack to store my gun in while waiting to shoot.....makes me cringe leaning my gun in some...

Will be shame if that happens. It is a good ground to shoot at, at a decent price. I have just shot there this morning - I think perhaps they are not getting the customers they need to make it viable? It sounded like they did not have too many booking in today, and certainly not as busy as I usually see it...

From CPSA safety guide "Over & Under and side-by-side shotguns shall be carried open and empty. Semi-automatics shall be seen to be either flagged or open at the breech and the muzzle pointed straight up in the air or at the ground" https://www.cpsa.co.uk/userfiles/file/Booklet_41.pdf

I always thought that out of slip was generally preferred. Is it not required at CPSA shoots? A gun which is visible, and open can be seen by all to be safe. A gun stored closed in a slip cannot. Especially if carrying the slip like a suitcase with the gun barrels pointing horizontally. If its raining, your gun will get wet when you shoot with it. Then you will put it in the slip until the next stand, and the inside of your slip gets wet. Then you drive home for an hour with a gun in a wet slip..... I think carrying over the shoulder can sometimes be frowned upon too. Especially at busy shoots, where a but slung over the shoulder. Personally I carry mine broken over my arm. I find it extra hassle to keep taking it in and out.

The orange lettering and engraving is what put me off the gun initially. But when my head was behind the barrels, I changed my mind. I actually went into the shop with a Beretta Evo high on my list of guns to look at...(having owned/shot the same Beretta for 20+ years, I just wanted something a bit newer, longer barrels, etc and to stop me getting headaches when shooting) Turns out that since I bought the gun at age 16, we didn't fit each other quite like we used to.

That's the list of their website - maybe they have more in plastic wad. Thanks all for your inputs, will try a couple of boxes of the lighter loads, and maybe try shopping further afield.

I am about to come to the end of my Hull Intercomp HV fibre cartridges. My local ground has the following for sale:- I want fibre, as I shoot at grounds where it is required, and want to sue the same cart's all the time. English Sporter (Express) £158 High Velocity (Express) 21g £166 Eley First (Eley) 28g £168 High Velocity (Express) 24g £204 Eley Blues (Eley) 28g £205 Pro Comp (Express) £223 Pro Fibre (Hull) £223 I have used the Eleys there previously, and did not notice too much difference to the intercomp. They seem to be decent value Ideally I would like something not too heavy on the shoulder, as I will share with my dad, who has a neck problem, and could do with a little less recoil. Can anybody recommend any of the above over the Eleys Cheers Rich

I voted B525, because that's the one that fitted ME best out of that list. That's no use to you though! I eventually went for a B725 (32"), after trying all the above, plus more. That was the one that fitted me. All of those guns will last a lifetime, and will depreciate in value similarly. If the B525 fitted you, then look a Miroku MK38 too. As said above,and I have heard before, that usually, if a Browning fits you well, a Beretta will not, and vice versa. Enjoy which ever you choose!

I think there are a few other sporters that fall into that category too.... The B725 is not alone.

I have seen that a couple of times written. Why do you say that, what do you compare them against? It compares price wise with similar offerings (686 evo) from Beretta? What is its direct competition? Is it the 686/7 series, or SV10, or 692? I assumed Browning were pitching the B525 against the SP1, and aiming slightly higher with the B725?

I do not think the 725 is trying to mimic a beretta. I think it is more of an evolution of the 525, but different enough to warrant keeping both on the market. The 725 has a lower profile action, but is very similar in it overall design. I think the way second barrel is a mechanical device on the 725, and inertia based on the 525. The barrels are bored differently, and the chokes are DS on the 725. There may be other differences too. I recently moved from a Beretta 687 to a B725, and tried B525, B725 and MK38. Not much in it, but I felt the B725 felt nicer to me. Others may have their own, equally vaild opinion. To be honest, I am not a fan of the action 'engraving' on the 725, but have seen worse, but really do like the look of the B725 gade 5 sporter... Rich

Thanks to all the good advice above. (Clayman and remmyman especially) I have arranged a session with a coach for the weekend. I have told them about my potential issue, and they think that check my mount etc is best before doing anything with the gun. I do also have a minor eye dominance issue creeping in (possibly due to my old age!) which may not be helping. This was pointed out to me previously, and I have now noticed it on some targets where vision from right eye is compromised. I will let you know what happens. Thanks again.

Only had this gun 6 months. Previous gun I bought when I was 15 - about 25 years ago Thanks for all your other points.

Right handed, shooting a right handed (although not much cast) gun. My Eye sometimes is too far over the stock. (I look down the right hand side of the rib.) If I shoot in a relaxed way. perhaps all I need is a bit more concentration and consistency on my mounting.