richjo22 Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 I currently shoot with a rimfire CZ 452 and air rifles AAS400 and HW100KT. I am considering purchasing a shotgun for pigeons rabbits etc. I know very little about shotguns and don't want to spend a fortune (about £200 region). What would you consider a decent shotgun for the price and intended purpose and why.. What should I be looking for in the shotgun. ie auto ejector, choke sizes etc Any help would be appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swiss.tony Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 if i was you id get a second hand escort magnum 3 shot auto aroud £200_£250 for the money they are a very gooy pigeon gun stick 1/4 choke in and you will be away get sum number 6 shells job done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanibel686 Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 (edited) Normally a pistol is used as a starter, a shotgun tends to frighten the runners! (sorry couldn't resist) If you go for a semi auto you won't be able to take it to a driven day if you get an invite. also getting three shots off when your "learning" is sometimes just a waste so I would stick with a sxs or ou as a "one gun for everything" choice. also most people I shoot with catch ejected shells in their hand so even an auto ejector isn't strictly neccesarry. Personally I would recomment getting the best non ejector sbs for your £200 and you will be proud to keep it for years to come. Write to wabbitbosher on here and ask him to keep an eye out for you, you wont have to wait long and you will be assured of brilliant value for money. good luck Edited December 12, 2010 by sanibel686 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmar fudd Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 you could get a decent secondhand hatson escort for that sort of money, but as a first shotgun id personally go for a double barrel, such as an old midland or even a lanber. hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerettaSV10 Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 I also would not recomend getting a semi-auto as a first shotgun mainly for the safety aspect and the extra cleaning required especially if its a gas cycling gun. As sanibel686 says if you went to a driven day semi-auto's are frowned on. You don't mention that you want to shoot clays, but if you wanted to include that as a additional option a sporter version could be better as they are what some would say are a all rounder gun. Although slightly heaver than a field gun so they can soak up more recoil (less kick in the shoulder). I would go for a over and under but, not sure whats around in the price range you have indicated, Lanber sporting delux get good write ups as a starter gun, but don't know what the second hand price is for a Lanber. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 (edited) I would say go to a clay ground and have a lesson or 2 first very different to rifle shooting if you can find a club locally they often do have a go days, I wouldnt buy a gun until you have A had a go a few times on the clays to get a feel for it (as a rifle shooter it may be hard to get your head round) B have a better idea of the fit etc your looking for. If your going to be walking consider the weight, but remember less weight = more recoil! Ejector means picking up cart cases (semi Auto will spit them all over) Fixed choke as long as its not Full isn't a bad thing it stops you thinking the choke is to blame. £200 is not a lot of money for a gun but there is a choice make sure you know what to look for. Edited December 12, 2010 by HDAV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonevo Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 If I were you go for a baikal cheap as chips excellent gun and not to be underestimated because they are cheaper than berretta or miroku etc.. big name guns have big name price markups check them out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ91 Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 i would go for baikal o/u or s/s semi auto if you are in ahide alot, nothing wrong with escorts and more cartridge choice if you get the escort if you ever venture out after a goose or duck i started off with a benelli semi auto and found it to be a great gun, turned to s/s when i fancied a change, did well with it but decided to go with o/u, have now gone back to semi auto!! they all do the job if you point it int right direction Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theprofessor Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 Gun choice is a incredibly personal thing. You can definitely get a very serviceable gun for the money. Gun's are a little like golf clubs, you can spend loads on the gear but you still have to have some skill to make them work. Plenty of people with all the gear and no idea, or worse no real passion for the sport. Whatever you do go and try out some guns, at least pick up a few and get an idea of what feels right for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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