FIRST GUN

[stuart210987]

Hi, I am about to buy my first shotgun and was wondering if anyone could give any ideas? Budget isnt huge so not looking for £1000 guns but anything from £100 - £750 would be good

[Son Of Potter]

Best thing to do is go to some gunshops and pick a few up and see how they feel, Depends what your going to be using it for aswell, Speak to the staff in the gunshop, they'll be happy to help!!

 

if it was me I would go for a second hand Miroku 3800/MK38

[artschool]

dont know where you are based but my local clay shooting school sells secondhand shotguns and will let you try them out before you buy.

[ellebarto]

Its all about the fit for your first gun. Dont worry about anything else at all. The mechanics of an over an under are simple. If it comes up well then you have half a chance. If you can spend at the top of your budget, maybe even a bit more then Browning and Beretta usually keep there value better if you get into it and want to move on to a better gun! Not because they are better but because the names are more familar to people (I think)

[HDAV]

At that budget you have a choice of new or used, I would say your better to spend to spend £500 on a gun and £250 on lessons than £750 on the gun how many lesson outings have you had? what will you be shooting? Clays, Vermin, Game? Also how old are you is your physique likely to change a lot still? Either try and buy from a shop with a ground or at least one that will let you try a couple of guns, I took a 686 and 525 to try, shot with both with a coach watching took the 686 back to the shop and the 525 home... I had you sort of budget ended up spending more, a 28/30" M/C O/U will do pretty much everything and if you get a good one that fits you vanity is the only reason to change it...

[deputy dog]

You can buy a good second hand Berreta or Browning for that money. Can't really go wrong with any of those makes. There are a few other brands about so have a little look about and pick a few up and have a feel of them. See which ones you feel comfortable in your hands. What ever you by, i hope you enjoy it.

[stuart210987]

I am going to my local shooting ground to try som of the guns. I used to shoot at Bywell but the guns they have are around £10000 plus!!! Way out of my budget!!!!!! I am about 6" 2" and well built so i think the idea of spending some money on lessons and trying a few guns out at the ground is great advice. Thanks for your help. i will let you know how i get on if anyone is interested

[njc110381]

I'll follow up what the others say and suggest that a used good make is better than a new cheaper one. It really does depend how much you want to shoot though becuase you can have just as much fun with a really cheap old thing. Multichokes are a real bonus as are ejectors but apart from that it really doesn't matter.

 

I did the opposite to most. Started out with a £1400 Beretta and then decided that it was wasted on me and I'd probably just ruin it out in the field anyway. Now I've got a £75 side by side, fixed choke non ejector with two triggers. It's no better or worse than the Beretta was for Pigeon shooting!

 

For clays you want multichokes. Shooting Skeet you want really open yet some sporting shots are better with say 1/2 and 3/4. It's good to be able to change them.

 

Let us know what you go with in the end.

[wymberley]

Hi,

Like it or not, believe it or not, whatever you buy you WILL trade it in for something different sooner or later. Consequently, whilst getting something suitable, stay within the mainstream choice so that you don't lose out too much when that time comes.

Cheers

[ellebarto]

Hi,

Like it or not, believe it or not, whatever you buy you WILL trade it in for something different sooner or later. Consequently, whilst getting something suitable, stay within the mainstream choice so that you don't lose out too much when that time comes.

Cheers

 

I'm with Wymberley on this! Stay with a make and you'll lose less on the trade in and if you enjoy your shooting you'll change it within 18 months!!

[throbbingfinger]

Hi there

 

I've just got my first gun.

i looked at everything i could afford on the web for months. Went to every gunshop i passed on my travels and finally found a gun that fits and i like.

I've bought a Browning Medalist. Its in brilliant nick and i love it. If i had had a bit more money id have bought a Beretta Silver Pigeon. I go rough shooting, pigeon shooting as well as driven days. When ive saved up my pennies im going to buy a brand new Beretta but im more than happy with my Medalist and am not going to sell it. At first i thought it was to short and used a slipp on pad for a bit but shot like a plank. i went to my local gun shop with it to have it fitted and they said it fitted me perfectly without the pad, news to me. Anyhow, i would advise trying as many guns as you can, dont rush out and buy the first thing you see as there are many out there to buy. only then part with your cash when your completely happy. I would also say when you buy something, if its a lesser known make dont expect to get a decent price for it in a while if you want to sell it.

 

Mark