NickP Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 Hi all Just sent off for my SGC and started the process after going clay shooting with my brother and father (both new starters) I used my dads Browning 525 sporter, seems a nice gun but out of my price range. Anyway I'm going to be calling in looking at some shotguns, most Likely 2nd hand, but I'm not sure on how it should fit and feel, the 525 felt ok, but I have a nice bruised shoulder after shooting 100 clays between the 3 of us, but did hit a fair few clays in the process. I read loads on here and various other places and people bring up the fact a gun needs to fit, but never go in to more detail, which is leaving me a little confused I'm 6'3" tall, long arms, broad shoulder A bit of advice or point in the right direction to a guide would be helpful as I don't want to just go off what the gunsmith wants to sell in that day, I want the right gun for me Thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickP Posted March 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 Sorry I should have said I hope this post is in the right section, if not could a mod please move it:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerettaSV10 Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 I am not a expert on this there are some on here that can offer excellent advice on gun fit. My own opinion is like you I am 6' 2" and big built only I have extra cusioning. I found the Browning's and Miruko's have a fairly streight cast which means when you mount the gun you can either end up looking down the side of the barrels and not down the rib. Its worth trying to practice dry mounting a browning or miruko to see where you are looking down the barrels. Another thing thing I found I found with the browning I was twisting the gun slightly so the barrels were off the vertical vertical plane. With my 525 as it was such a good gun, I ended up having the cast changed, so I was looking down the rib which vastly improved the gun fit. I now prefer Berettas as the have some cast already in the stock, which means they are more comfortable to mount and sight down the rib. As you are bruising your shoulder it could suggest that you are not holding the gun correctly due to a bad fit or mounting poorly. Another option is you could be using a cartridge with a hard recoil that packs a thump hitting your shoulder. A superb cartridge for clay shooting is the hull comp x 21G these have very little recoil, so you should feel no or hardly any recoil. Theres no need to use more than 28G cartridges for clays (some semis prefer 28G's so the can cycle better) although with some 28 G cartridges you can still feel a thump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickP Posted March 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 Thanks for the response, it was my first time firing a shotgun and the recoil did kick a little and the pad did move a little as if I didn't have it seated fully on the second barrels shot, but this improved a bit I will be getting lessons, before I pick up too many bad habits, but really want a gun that fits, and in years to come buy the better gun I read there's a few shotgun recommended for a starter, maybe a 2nd hand Lanber Sporting Deluxe but I dont want to buy a cheaper gun if it doesn't fit, and have it altered in various ways to make it fit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeker Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 Why not start with a coach and ask to try various guns ... habits: fit: choices: options sorted ... just leaves the fun and decisions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickP Posted March 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 Something to look into whilst I wait Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougall Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 100 cartridges 1st time shooting a s/gun would bruise everyone,I would doubt the gun was/is to blame but simply the gun mount,which is probably the most important part of shooting s/guns is wrong.I'm a big lump and usually big lumps like Miroku/Brownings.. The most important thing next is go get a lesson or 3,how and where to shoulder the gun etc being a fundamental part of that 1st lesson.Also wear a thick sweatshirt/proper jacket makes big difference. For a first lesson or 2 I would doubt most coaches would have you firing more than 40-50 cartridges..don't worry once you have been shown mount/shoulder placement etc you will soon comfortably shoot 100+ shots without damage! ATB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougall Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 PS Don't buy a gun yet!!I suspect most people on here,like me,bought the first gun they liked the look of! Go to a clay ground or even 2.Most will have Miroku/berettas(the Fords of the gun world) try a few different ones.Berettas are slimmer in the hand Browning/Miroku(pretty much same guns) are chunkier in the hand.You will have a preference pretty quickly I'd imagine.By going to a couple of Clay grounds you will also try different instructors,find one you like and stick with him/her. If you state where you live there are plenty of folk on here or will recommend grounds/coach etc. When you've had a couple of lessons and handled different guns at that point you will have a better idea of the type of gun feel you prefer,and it is that,combined with the type of shooting you intend to do which should help in your selection of a gun. Trust this helps,try not to rush to buy despite the boy and toy excitement..!Buy well buy once. ATB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickP Posted March 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 (edited) Thanks Dougall I think your posts have been very helpful, I want to buy once and buy right and been a beginner I don't want to be misled by someone wanting to sell me a gun that's not suitable for me, I know i might not be able to get one off the shelf, and they all might need a little tweak to make it a better fit So I thought I would join and ask experienced members of the forum, I will be mainly just clay shooting, but would be looking at other areas in time. I live in Leeds LS25 and have been in a looked at a few guns at Swillington and it was Parklodge in Google were I went to shoot, and chatted with Paul? there on lessons, all be it briefly. I will be looking towards getting a shooting vest too, with a pad on the shoulder, but as you say a coach/lessons will help with gun placement. I only sent my SGC applications off on Monday this week so I still have a long wait till I can start looking for a suitable gun, but I have the FIT FIT FIT mentality not the looks/price of the gun, though I do like the look of the Browning Black Ice Composite for is adjustments etc. but also the Winchester Select Energy, both above what I really want to spend on my first gun though, unless of course they are the ones that fit Edited March 2, 2011 by NickP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 Gun fit is a mix of science and art, as a new shooter your gun mount will be inconsistent and probably wrong, thats where the coach come sin, while in theory a gun can be fitted to you by your dimensions it also has to fit your style! I too have a 525 and get the odd bruise (this is down to poor mount and not the gun) when i mount it correctly it all goes well! I have spoken to a top gunsmith at length about fit and he wont change the gun until my mount is much better and consistent, Also stock 525 have a quite a sharp toe tot he stock if your broad and well built you may want to have the toe undercut (so its straighter) and a flat pad fitted.... With this in mind I would say buy a gun that already has these and fits I would suggest you dont buy NEW and buy a quality gun Browning Beretta Miroku etc as these hold value much better than cheaper new alternatives (Bettinsoli, Yildiz, Hatsan) depending on budget Lanber/Franchi/Winchester and others are cheaper to buy new and also secondhand but of decent quality. While waiting for SGC to arriver i recommend at least 2-3 lessons (even at £50+ a pop much cheaper than buying the wrong gun!) with a recommended coach who can then advise on purchase when the time is right, rather than whats on the shelf also many dealers will let you shoot before you buy especially with second-hand stock so ask your coach to meet you at a shop and take a selection that fit out for a few clays before deciding on which one to buy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickP Posted March 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 Thanks HDAV, for your advice, I have compared a Lander Sporting Deluxe and a Bettinsoli Nexus whilst in the shop, all be it just handling them, the Lanber did feel alot better made and heavier, not looked at winchesters yet apart from online, and will also look at the Franchi brand also to see how they rate Is there a section on here to find recommended coaches and lessons in or around Leeds? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 No specific section but try a post in clay shooting for recommendations and look at the APSI website lots of coaches and also cheack out the BASC website for your region. http://www.apsishooting.co.uk/documents/apsimembershiplist.pdf http://www.basc.org.uk/en/departments/shooting-standards/basc-coaches/shotgun-coaches/shotgun-coaches--northern.cfm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COACH Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 6ft 3in and long arms....I would hazard a guess at a slightly long, narrow face as well Try the Miroku MK70 Or the Beretta 686 with the lower 38mm drop at combe, not the 35mm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickP Posted March 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 I will indeed bear them in mind I wouldn't say a long thin face, but its not exactly round either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisAsh Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 (edited) Go to your local club and ask the person in charge if there are any guns you can try whilst you wait to buy one, most small clubs have members who will lend you their gun for a round, also ask who they recomend for gun fitting, I bet only one local name wil pop up A quick way is to check its empty, mount it and point it at someone about10-15 feet away holding a finger out in front of them and ask them to see if the eye, finger and barrel is all in line, if you feel comfortable and are looking directly down the barrel you are not far out Edited March 2, 2011 by ChrisAsh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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