turk101 Posted August 29, 2002 Report Share Posted August 29, 2002 EASY GUYS. I'm thinking off investing in a semi-auto,but need some help. I want to spend between £300-£500,what's the best make? what's the best length off barrel?does it make any difference? also what does the choke do?again will it make any difference? I also want to buy a pigeon magnet,do you think it's worth buying a second hand one? sorry about all the questions guys,got to learn some how! look foward to some good advise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malc Posted August 29, 2002 Report Share Posted August 29, 2002 Hi Turk101, I can answer your "choke" question. First of all, yes the choke does matter. The choke on a shotgun is a slight constriction or narrowing at the muzzle end of the barrel. It is internal. In laymans terms, the choke acts much in the same way as a funnel. As the shot leaves the muzzle of the gun it is "squashed together" by the choke. The tighter the constriction then the tighter the shot pattern at a given range. So, for close range work you would use very little choke and for long range work you would use a tight choke. If you buy a multi-choke gun, then you can choose a particular choke for the job in hand. If you buy a fixed choke gun then choose carefully as although choke can be removed by a gunsmith it is very difficult to add choke. As far as barrel length is concerned, I like short barrels, for ease of use in the hide. That's just personal choice though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted August 29, 2002 Report Share Posted August 29, 2002 I would buy a Beretta 12 bore multi-choke, model does not matter too much. If you buy from a gunshop, you have more "customer rights" than if you buy privately, thats worth remembering, as there is always a risk with "used". EDIT>>I forgot to recommend 28" barrels, I think size does matter. There are loads of cheap secondhand rotary devices for sale in the shooting press. A gadget worth having, in my opinion. Once again you have the risks associated with "used". Go for it........you know you want to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everygoodnamewastaken Posted August 29, 2002 Report Share Posted August 29, 2002 Have a look in the GMK price list booklet in the sporting gun. The beretta semi-autos range from £770-£1100 all of whicha are multi choke :love: Not long to christmas :love: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turk101 Posted August 29, 2002 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2002 Have a look in the GMK price list booklet in the sporting gun. The beretta semi-autos range from £770-£1100 all of whicha are multi choke :love: Not long to christmas :love: {everygoodnamewastaken}<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> are you offering to buy me one for christmas! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everygoodnamewastaken Posted August 29, 2002 Report Share Posted August 29, 2002 Why have one when you can have two? It's ok im planning on winning load's and load's of money And if that doesnt work i think i'd better start working in school or it's the big issue for me! Oh yeah i halfed in for a magnet with my dad it was only £100 it isnt the origional one but as far as i can see the pigeons dont seem to care it works great :evil: You maybe would get a better deal at a gamefair though 8) 8) 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turk101 Posted August 29, 2002 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2002 thanks for the advice guys! sorry guys one more thing i get the drift on the chokes except is a 1/4 choke better for closer range or further?I have a baikal o/u so what choke do you think it has?any suggestions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil Posted August 29, 2002 Report Share Posted August 29, 2002 Hi i'm a bit new to this tecno stuff 1/4 choke is better for closer range (the pattern spreads wider).A gunsmith friend tells me taht most baikels left the factory with 1/2 and full and were then some were opened up a bit when imported to this country look on the barrel flats and you will probably see 0.5 &1 (i think) stamped there,I,ve got a baikel 430e which is stamped like this but is actually 1/4&1/2 when measured thats the only way to really tell get a gunsmith to measure it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted August 29, 2002 Report Share Posted August 29, 2002 There have been quite a few posts in the past on chokes. Basically, full is tightest, three quarters is next to tightest, half is in the middle , quarter is more open and improved cylinder is the most open. I suspect your Baikal is three quarter in the bottom barrel and half in the top barrel (mine was). If you look, the hole at the end of the bottom barrel, will be slightly smaller, than the hole in the end of the top barrel. The advantage of buying a multichoke weopan , is that you will be supplied with the four main chokes, which are screwed in to the end of the barrel,giving you greater flexibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everygoodnamewastaken Posted August 29, 2002 Report Share Posted August 29, 2002 HOw long does it take to change the chokes? On a multy choke and are you at the disadvantage with a semi because you havent got a tighter choke for your second shot?? (not that i need it). Has anyone ever fired baikel cartriges? My grampa told me about them and how they kicked like a mule but i didnt beleve him untill i found a box and tried them on a pigeon AHHHHHH it almost knocked me over and as for the pigeon well there wasnt much left for the pot and i didnt shoot for the rest of the day lol. Anyone remember? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil Posted August 29, 2002 Report Share Posted August 29, 2002 Never tried baikel cartriges but i've also heard the stories my uncle used to shot foxes with them they apparently used to send a jet of flames out of the barrel with a blast comparable to concord going through the sound barrier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everygoodnamewastaken Posted August 29, 2002 Report Share Posted August 29, 2002 Yeah i forgot about the noise and the flames lol never again!!1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted August 29, 2002 Report Share Posted August 29, 2002 It doesn,t take long to change a choke, just a few minutes. What I use to do was use half choke for almost all of my pigeon shooting. Use three quarter choke for rabbits and foxes. Use Improved cylinder or quarter choke for all my clay shooting. The Baikal cartridges were one of the first Eastern European cheap cartridges. They were all the things that have already been said, but they were reliable. Sellior Bellot were as bad, but also mis-fired and sometimes would not fit in the chambers. Another Czech cartridge ?? Imp (can,t remember the full name), was awful. A very loud report, lots of smoke and the shot often dribbled out the end of the barrel. Using ?? Imp , was the only time I have ever had a wad stuck up the barrel. I only knew it was there because I couldn,t get the cartridge out and had to poke a bamboo cane down the barrel to push it out, all the wadding came with it........very scary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil Posted August 29, 2002 Report Share Posted August 29, 2002 Your not thinking of olimpic cartridges are you?I remember firing a paper cased one at clays and half of the bloody cartrige came out whith the shot think the varnish was a bit thick and the crimp didnt open qute fast enough i was only about 8 at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everygoodnamewastaken Posted August 29, 2002 Report Share Posted August 29, 2002 See the picture in sporting gun ? with the wad stuck in the barrle and the walls of it blown out? im gonna cheack that its out from now on!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil Posted August 29, 2002 Report Share Posted August 29, 2002 I think that the moral of the story is that it pays to have a quick look down the barrels from time to time especially if somthing didnt seem quite right last shot or if you have bumped the muzzle on the ground,i've seen the barrels of a side by side flared by nothing more than a bit of mud in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PC Futrett Posted August 30, 2002 Report Share Posted August 30, 2002 Sort of makes using semi auto's a bit scary as you don't break the barrels for reloading, therefore no looking through for blockages Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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