Beginner Advice Needed

[Moodog]

Good Afternoon,

 

I have been reading the posts on here for a while now as I have been bitten by the shooting bug!

 

I have decided to purchase my own shotgun after a number of trips shooting clays with friends and using theirs (Beretta Silver Pigeon 2 & a Miroku of some description).

 

What advice can you offer to a pretty much complete novice like myself in regards to a decent entry level shotgun? As it will be my first, im reluctant to spend too much so am looking around the £500.00 range and would be open to a second hand model at the right price.

 

any suggestions as to what to and not to buy?

 

my thanks in advance

[al4x]

Look for a 28" over and under multi choke Berretta / Browning second hand will be a good starting gun that you won't have to upgrade too soon

[stu_young]

A sgc in the first place unless you allready got it

[stumacher]

i agree with alex. may need a bit more than £500 tho.

[Quist]

You don't say what you want to shoot with it.

A good clay gun isn't necessarily a good pigeon or game gun.

Frankly, there's not a lot of point in buying more gun than you can shoot when starting out and 500 quid is ample.

Spend your money on cartridges, not chokes because they won't be any darn use until you can learn how to lead and how much to give for each speed/distance.

I guess what I'm saying is that its practice, not the gun that makes you a good shot and writers like Diggory Haddoke outshoot most people and made their names with old side by sides with fixed chokes of the sort that you can pick up at auction for far less than 500 quid.

[Edward]

Lincoln, Lanber, Rizzini

[Moodog]

Thanks for the assistance guys - as for the license, thats in the process of being sorted. To begin with im just going to be shooting clays until i feel fully comfortable with the gun and my aim gets a little better!

[the_commoner]

a multi choke browning / beretta would be a good start and will allow you to shoot clays, game, pigeons or anything else you want to for that matter, stick 1/4 and 1/2 hoke in and leave it at that to start with would be my advice, you might need a bit more than £500 though which if that is your budget as previously stated a lanber / lincoln / winchester would be a decent starter

[Moodog]

At the risk of sounding like a complete numpty, could someone explain what difference the barrel length makes eg 28" or 30".

 

Also, whats the deal with chokes?

 

My apologies for the mundane questions but i need to start somewhere.

 

thanks in advance

[BaikalsRule90]

2 inches na i find that a 28 inch gun is alot more pointable and quick, a key feature on most game guns whereas 30inchers are slower but you have more control over the target, get to a gunroom and see what you feel comfortable with, a gun thats worth 20p and fits you will out shoot a £5000 quid gun that doesnt. For around £500 i would look out for a Lincoln,Lanber,Rizzini,Bettinsoli or if you lucky a used beretta or browning but you may need a little more than your budget.

 

chokes determin what kind of shot pattern the gun will produce... a very tight choke will produce a small tight pattern and an open choke the opposite. i use quarter and half choke for all my shooting be it clays or pigeon, this is so i can take the close bird over the deeks with the open choke and then have more chance of getting the one thats flying away with the tighter half choke. its also handy when shooting clays because you can take the clay that is in orbit with the tight choke and then obliterate the closeish one and visa versa

[Robby22]

Bettinsoli!! Theyre cracking little guns-might have to save another hundred or two tho-BUT definately worth it in my opinion.

[Jega]

Young skywalker you have still much to learn so .........LESSONS LESSONS AND MORE LESSONS.

Seriously though bud they really are the very best investment you can make .

Also you'll get the chance to try several different guns and this will in turn help you to sort out whats a good fit and whats not so good .As has already been said on here an all round gun will generally be an over and under 28" or 30" multi choke ,as for makes i suppose one of the big 3, Berretta Browning or Miroku second hand makes financial sense as you wont lose a great deal of money when you come to upgrade.On the other hand some of the less popular guns offer tremendous value for money,above all though mate make sure you get the best fitting and most comfortable gun within your budget,and book some lessons while your waiting for your S.G.C. to arrive .Good Luck

[peter-peter]

Good Afternoon,

 

I have been reading the posts on here for a while now as I have been bitten by the shooting bug!

 

I have decided to purchase my own shotgun after a number of trips shooting clays with friends and using theirs (Beretta Silver Pigeon 2 & a Miroku of some description).

 

What advice can you offer to a pretty much complete novice like myself in regards to a decent entry level shotgun? As it will be my first, im reluctant to spend too much so am looking around the £500.00 range and would be open to a second hand model at the right price.

 

any suggestions as to what to and not to buy?

 

my thanks in advance

good idea to fill in your details where abouts are you etc

you will get help from your local area then

[clayman]

Lincoln, Lanber, Rizzini

 

All the advice is Good.

 

Peter -Peter will help get you a good instructor.

 

Lessons-Lessons-Lessons

 

Lincoln / Lanber / Rizzini - all good starters - add winchester / Remmi - try semis before you go O/U. M/C not essential, 1/4 1/2 does 90% of anything you will ever see. Half the folk with M/C never change them anyway, and there is £100+ premium on a M/C over a set ch gun.

 

Buy cheap as first gun should be considered your learning curve. Whatever you get first time you are likely to replace, so learn what you need on a sub £500, then keep it in the cab as a spare / for friends, or trade it in and get your Beretta / Browning / etc I've had too many pupils arrive with a £1500 first buy gun that suits them like glove on your foot - they have bought it because they have heard brand so and so is good, and in the shop they liked the engraving, and the shop ASSURED them it WAS JUST WHAT YOU NEED, thank you very much for the £1500 { hey guess what Tone, just got rid of the whatever been on the racks for last two yrs to some donkey who hadn't a clue etc etc]

 

Once you know what your need, and can choose a gun to fit ( rather than being sold one that doesn't), you can realistically buy a £200 baikal that will out preform a £10,000 K8 - ultimately performance is in the cartridge - its AIM thats in the gun, and for aim you need only three things - gun fit, stance and mount - not nice wood, gold triggers

Edited January 8, 2010 by clayman

[Moodog]

Thanks for all the excellent advice people, its truely appreciated.

 

As for location, im in Blackpool so have been to Blackpool Gun Gun a few times. Its had some bad press on here but they always seem fine to me, though i dont have much to compare it against.

 

Do think some lessons will come in handy at some point as wouldnt want to pick up any bad habbits and then find it hard to change my stance etc

[mike.ginty]

I would definately get shooting lessons with a good instructor, there worth there weight in gold they will give you a good base to your shooting knowledge and shooting safety, after that enjoy your new sport. Regarding your shotgun it depends on which gun your more comfortable with try borrowing a few different one's at your local shooting ground if your tall or well built i would go for 30" barrels for £500 you should be able to get a second hand browning or beretta or for a little bit more money a new lanber,bettinsoli or a semi auto escort or similiar it depends on the gun fit everyone's different i have a browning cynergy sporter with 30" barrels and it fits me perfect but but some people love beretta's its your choice try before you buy its alot of money to pay for a gun you can't get on with.