rodp Posted May 26, 2010 Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 Right gents, I've applied for my SGC and shall now be looking for a 12 bore. I really want a pump action as I assume they can be more reliable than a semi (?) but a semi would do. It needs to be robust, not at all fancy, reliable. I do tend to catch things on barbed wire fences etc so cheap and strong is the way to go. My thoughts are s/h Mossberg (?) 500 or Hatsan pump. Any input appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam scott Posted May 26, 2010 Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 hatsan escourt mate. cheap and reliable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodp Posted May 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 hatsan escourt mate. cheap and reliable. That's my sort of gun Is the pump version good? (reliable) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J@mes Posted May 26, 2010 Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 A semi will be perfectly reliable. Just look after it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted May 26, 2010 Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 what's your budget? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted May 26, 2010 Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 (edited) as a first gun you'll find a decent O/U is far better to learn with Edited May 26, 2010 by al4x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbickerd Posted May 26, 2010 Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 as a first gun you'll find a decent O/U is far better to learn with ..and about 4x the price. If you practice enough with your pump gun you will be quick enough with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted May 26, 2010 Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 yup but you won't be able to make it safe as easy, won't be welcome on game shoots and enev clay grounds don't like them which all makes learning harder. You can pick a cheap O'U up from £150 upwards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbickerd Posted May 26, 2010 Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 yup but you won't be able to make it safe as easy, won't be welcome on game shoots and enev clay grounds don't like them which all makes learning harder. You can pick a cheap O'U up from £150 upwards Ah yes, I didnt take into account all of the grumpy old people who have a problem with things that arent made of wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodp Posted May 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 yup but you won't be able to make it safe as easy, won't be welcome on game shoots and enev clay grounds don't like them which all makes learning harder. You can pick a cheap O'U up from £150 upwards To be honest, game shooting doesn't really interest me at the moment and I hadn't even considered clays. It will be just for rough shooting and perhaps in particular a few close up foxes that are causing a nuisance. No saying what the future holds though. I do prefer the thought of a pump as it's purely mechanical, no little bits and bobs to get dirty and clog up (I think?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted May 26, 2010 Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 with an O/U rough shooting you get one shot straight after the other no need to pump it so you're straight on the fox. They don't clog up with very basic cleaning. The important bit when you're learning is break the gun and its safe so for crossing fences etc its far better to learn good habits with which are essential to shoot safely. If you have problems they are also perfectly acceptable at clay shoots and really you want clay lessons before you go onto living quarry. You'll find one a lot easier to learn to shoot with and lets face it shooting is no fun if you're missing all the time. Pumps are gimmicky guns which people buy to have a laugh with rather than as an all round gun to learn with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodp Posted May 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 with an O/U rough shooting you get one shot straight after the other no need to pump it so you're straight on the fox. They don't clog up with very basic cleaning. The important bit when you're learning is break the gun and its safe so for crossing fences etc its far better to learn good habits with which are essential to shoot safely. If you have problems they are also perfectly acceptable at clay shoots and really you want clay lessons before you go onto living quarry. You'll find one a lot easier to learn to shoot with and lets face it shooting is no fun if you're missing all the time. Pumps are gimmicky guns which people buy to have a laugh with rather than as an all round gun to learn with. Point taken, especially the safety aspect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodp Posted May 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 This may be a dumb question but can you eject unfired cartridges from a semi? As in, can you unload completely to carry it somewhere a bit "iffy" without firing it? The reason I ask is because I think something like a synthetic or cammo Hatsan is probably the sort of gun that would suit my style of shooting, something that will show "character" instead of damage. Oh, and by the way, I shall go out with an experienced shooter before venturing out on my own with a 12 bore. I may be dumb but I'm not stupid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted May 26, 2010 Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 This may be a dumb question but can you eject unfired cartridges from a semi? As in, can you unload completely to carry it somewhere a bit "iffy" without firing it? I am sure you can normally by pulling the cocking mechanism, also be aware rough shooting a semi will eject carts where and as far as it feels, O/U can be made non ejector or with a bit of practice you can catch the empties (same as with a SxS or single) and put them in your pocket most land owners won't thankyou for littering their especially if they have livestock grazing etc. a semi only gives you 1 extra shot and regarding composite stocks etc wood will make for far more character than composite or camo (you can camo wrap a wood stock you can't really wood wrap a composite one!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaz-loc Posted May 26, 2010 Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 i'm no expert but i do know a thing or two about hatsan escourts and they are worth every one of the few pennies you spend on them!!!! tough, reliable if kept clean and also depending on loads and cheap as chips Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogh shooter Posted May 26, 2010 Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 i would go HATSON ESCORT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaz-loc Posted May 26, 2010 Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 and to answer question on unloading..course you can point the gun in a safe direction and engage safety engage the magazine cutt off button and retract the bolt and eject the live round depress the carrier latch button to lock the bolt at the front disengage the magazine cut off button depress the carrier latch button and press the loading gate inward. at this position retract the bolt and the cartridge will come out the magazine via the loading gate instead of being cycled into the chamber and they will simply fall into your hand (repeat action for next cartridge) this sounds complicated but trust me takes seconds once used to and is by far the safest method of unloading a semi auto..plus your not fishing around for cartridges in the mud that way!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breastman Posted May 26, 2010 Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 and to answer question on unloading..course you can point the gun in a safe direction and engage safety engage the magazine cutt off button and retract the bolt and eject the live round depress the carrier latch button to lock the bolt at the front disengage the magazine cut off button depress the carrier latch button and press the loading gate inward. at this position retract the bolt and the cartridge will come out the magazine via the loading gate instead of being cycled into the chamber and they will simply fall into your hand (repeat action for next cartridge) this sounds complicated but trust me takes seconds once used to and is by far the safest method of unloading a semi auto..plus your not fishing around for cartridges in the mud that way!!! Although the above is no doubt the operation required for a certain type of gun, almost all manufacturers use a different method/buttons etc, but all (as far as i know) will allow you to easily remove a cartridge from the chamber, rendering the gun 'safe'. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaz-loc Posted May 26, 2010 Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 yeah your right its the unloading technique for hatsan escort but for most makes its much the same! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaz-loc Posted May 26, 2010 Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 and btw about the pump or semi auto..well from personal experience i can tell you that a pump action is a pain in the ***..a pigeon will fly past, you drop him, then his pal follows and you forget to pump the next cartidge into chamber or the process is too long..its your choice obviously but i realy would not go down the pump route the semi automatic is as reliable as you are at cleaning it and looking after it..look after it andit will look after you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodp Posted May 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 Thanks gents for the info so far. So it really is a simple matter to make an auto safe, the only difference is that a sxs or o+u is visibly safe whereas only the shooter knows if an auto is safe, reasonable enough grounds to be a little wary at a game or clay shoot though. Don't think, at the moment, an organised shoot will concern me so may go down the Hatsan semi route and leave pumps out of the equation altogether. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaz-loc Posted May 26, 2010 Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 btw tip for showing a semi auto is safe pull back cocking bolt and sit a cartridge in at right angles to the chamber then put the bolt back against the cartridge..cartridge is visible and impossible to fire hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin lad Posted May 26, 2010 Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 btw tip for showing a semi auto is safe pull back cocking bolt and sit a cartridge in at right angles to the chamber then put the bolt back against the cartridge..cartridge is visible and impossible to fire hope this helps i got my hatsan from a clay ground they sold me one of those orange flags you put in when not shooting they seem to be fine with those colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin lad Posted May 26, 2010 Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 and to your post i got an o/u to start with used it twice then got my son a 20gauge hatsan escort i use that all the time for my rough shooting now, the o/u is now redundent colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodp Posted May 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2010 Thanks gents, this site's rammed with useful info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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