Oly Posted January 9, 2010 Report Share Posted January 9, 2010 Here's my problem, I shoot miles better with my Beretta Urika than I do with my Miroku MK38 - and I think this is due to my left eye dominance meaning that a single barrel is less confusing to shoot with. The reason is most likely the wider profile of the o/u barrels from side on. Your left eye can see two barrels as its slightly to one side whereas your right eye can only see the top barrel and therefore your left eye has more to line up with the target. With the semi auto your left eye sees only a single barrel and so it is less likely to 'steal' control from your right eye. I have tried different 'aids' but I still shoot better with the semi-auto, but at the same time I would like a break barrel to shoot game etc - plus I've never been a fan of side ejection meaning cartridges are left scattered. I'm therefore thinking about a single barrel 12 bore shotgun - I'm not too fussed by only having one shot, as my second shot kill ratio has never been great (as most shooters I know!). At the moment the only decent ones I can find are Browning/Miroku's BT-99 or the Beretta UGB Xcel, but these aren't ideal either considering my other requirements below: My ideal would be a light single barrel trap gun, wide beavertail foreend, ~32" barrel, 3" chamber (although 2 3/4 would be OK), proofed for steel shot, and ideally light enough for use in the field (although I realise I may have to discard the weight issue with a trap gun...but it's OK, I'm a strong lad!). I have tried the UGB Xcel, but it's very pricey, and very heavy, plus it just seemed a little odd...but my kill ratio was somewhere between the Urika and the MK38... Is there such a gun that fits my requirements? Would the BT-99 be too weird/heavy in the field? Can the BT-99 shoot steel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edward Posted January 9, 2010 Report Share Posted January 9, 2010 Baikal Here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oly Posted January 9, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2010 That's very light at ~6lb!!! Never been too keen on Baikal, great workhorses, but I would prefer a nicer finish/build quality etc to this one, as I would be looking to make this my only shotgun in the long run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted January 9, 2010 Report Share Posted January 9, 2010 The Baikal is the obvious one to come to mind, for what they are they are good guns and can be picked up for an absolute steal these days, I got one at the Game Fair last year for £25!!!! I understand your issues and it's probably worth a try if you can get the right gun at the right price. My advice would certainly be to pick up something like my Baikal to try, before you invest a huge amout of money! I have no need for one and no use for one, I got it because I didn't have one, and thought it worth a try for what I could easily spend in the pub in a evening!!! I have found nothing it does better than my O/U or Semi yet, the balance feels odd to me and and it kicks like a mule!!!! It's actually going to a pal when he gets his paperwork sorted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oly Posted January 9, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2010 As a 6lb 12 bore Baikal, no wonder it kicks like a mule! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edward Posted January 9, 2010 Report Share Posted January 9, 2010 What about a Greener GP a classic tool up to 34" barrels, they are pretty much industructable, they weigh a fair amount still kick like a mule though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thumpersniper Posted January 9, 2010 Report Share Posted January 9, 2010 another vote for the Greener GP! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petersclan Posted January 9, 2010 Report Share Posted January 9, 2010 i agree with baikal...... dunno why but my single barrel baikal hits more than anything else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave 101 Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 I bought a Geener GP a couple of months ago , I had heard this myth about kicking like a mule , I took it to a clay shoot last month to try it out . Cant say that I noticed any excess recoil though . Gets my vote . Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oly Posted January 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 Nobody have any experience of the Browning/Miroku BT-99?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted January 11, 2010 Report Share Posted January 11, 2010 I bought a Geener GP a couple of months ago , I had heard this myth about kicking like a mule , I took it to a clay shoot last month to try it out . Cant say that I noticed any excess recoil though . Gets my vote . Dave There is NO myth, nevertheless, any level of kick will be subjective and interpreted by the user!! The Greener is heavier than my Baikal and my Baikal KICKS!! This article also makes mention of the Greeners kick! http://www.anenglishmanscastle.com/archives/003005.html I have Beretta O/U and Semi, and the Baikal kick is noticeably worse than either!! ATB!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bicykillgaz Posted January 11, 2010 Report Share Posted January 11, 2010 i had a baikal 12b and it kicked like a mule too so i shoved a recoil pad on it then it was a joy to shoot and i shot really well with it (and it had a sling which i also found handy). i can't understand the snobbery toward them though myself you get a virtually indestructable gun for a very reasonable price but each to there own i suppose! might sound daft but have you tried shooting with your left eye closed? my left eye is my dominant eye but i also shoot right handed i had a tru-glo bead on my hatsan before i sold it which worked a treat, but before i got it i just shot with my left eye closed and it worked for me, my last o/u had two beads one was half way down the barrel and i never had a problem with the eye dominance i'm guessing subconciously i was concerntrating on lining the two beads up with my right so taking my atention away from my left Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapp Posted January 11, 2010 Report Share Posted January 11, 2010 Dont forget that if there is too much headspace bewteen the base of the cartridge and the face of the action percieved recoil can be significantly increased. ZB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oly Posted January 11, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2010 might sound daft but have you tried shooting with your left eye closed? my left eye is my dominant eye but i also shoot right handed i had a tru-glo bead on my hatsan before i sold it which worked a treat, but before i got it i just shot with my left eye closed and it worked for me, my last o/u had two beads one was half way down the barrel and i never had a problem with the eye dominance i'm guessing subconciously i was concerntrating on lining the two beads up with my right so taking my atention away from my left Yep, have the bead, and currently shoot with my left eye closed...still no where near as good as with my semi auto though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bicykillgaz Posted January 11, 2010 Report Share Posted January 11, 2010 Yep, have the bead, and currently shoot with my left eye closed...still no where near as good as with my semi auto though! why not just stick with the semi or practise left handed? when i owned a little clay trap i tried and was hitting more left handed than right i was just slower at mounting the gun but if i'd stuck at it would have got quicker in time other than that just get an eye patch!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oly Posted January 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 Don't want to use the semi on game shoots, and there is the feeling within many of the shooting comunity that they are a worry - as you can't easily see that they are safe. Shooting left handed - old dog, new tricks!?!?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bicykillgaz Posted January 12, 2010 Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 didn't think about game shooting and the semi, what about sxs? its not that hard to shoot l/h it's just the mounting which takes a bit of practice i suppose it helps that i am ambidextrous though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anni Posted January 12, 2010 Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 I,m trying the shotspot patch tomorrow on my shooting specs, not that being left eye dominant bugs me but I,m just curious to see if it works. It seems to just blur out the left eye's picture abit ,but it still lets light into the eye thus fooling the brain (supposedly). Easyhit beads and other bead type gizmos are a load of rubbish in my opinion (I have tried them all). The best thing to do is watch the target and as your mounting the gun just close the lefteye, this gives you the 3d type of image you need to gauge distance properly ,it has become second nature to me now and I dont even realise I'm doing it, the clays I miss are just down to pure missing them and not the left eye dominance problem. I understand what you mean about seeing the side of your MK38's barrels when you have the gun mounted, but it will happen when you use a single barrel gun aswell. I have a couple of semi auto's that I shoot very well with but I know I would have the same problems if I kept both eyes open. Left eye dominance can be (cured ) I reckon with practice, you have to train your brain to start using your right eye as your dominant eye. A trick that (TIMPS) showed me was to point at anything with your right hand as though you were aiming at it and then try and get your right eye to focus on the end of your finger and put it onto whatever you are pointing at You need to do this for a few weeks I think. I will let you know how i get on with this shotspot patch, maybe another load of rubbish but worth a try Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted January 13, 2010 Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 Hi, If the money's OK, buy two. Don't know which for clays, but for field use it has to be a Greener. With practice there's a way of getting off a second shot effectively not all that much slower than a double. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted January 13, 2010 Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 If there is a problem with the left eye taking over the recommended test is to try an eye patch rather than closing the left eye. I don't know why but works a little better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groach1234 Posted January 13, 2010 Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 Don't want to use the semi on game shoots, and there is the feeling within many of the shooting comunity that they are a worry - as you can't easily see that they are safe. Shooting left handed - old dog, new tricks!?!?! Don't rule it out i know muscle memory can be a bit of a swine but i bet if you practiced mounting the gun to the shoulder for 5 mins everyday you could over come the muscle memory in a matter of weeks/months I am right handed but left i dominant so shoot from the left shoulder fine and dandy. George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrightchopper Posted January 13, 2010 Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 Probably dosen't help much now but i went to a gun auction in Bedford some months ago, and they couldn't give the 12g singles away, the 1st lot went down to £5, but nobody wanted it so the auctioneer put in the next lot as well, which was a single 12g, and still nobody wanted them, 2 12g singles for a fiver!!! looking back on it wish i'd bought them, guess they're not in fashion anymore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonySmith Posted January 13, 2010 Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 I cannot knock the SB Biakal, brought the lad one for £30, does have a stonking recoil pad..He loves it, uses 21-24g for clays, and prefers to use 32g-6/34g-5..!!! for rough shooting. ATB Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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