eastlincs Posted July 28, 2012 Report Share Posted July 28, 2012 hi ive finally got my certicate through the other day so i can now buy my first gun, i have been and looked at two but im undecided, the shop owner was very helpful and wasnt bias towards the most expensive at all he just said both are great guns its down to your budget/preference. Both are brand new and come with the case and chokes and warranty as you would expect, Lanber sporting deluxe £780 Silver pidgeon sport £1200 Obviosuly theres a fair price difference and alot of people will say that beretta is the better gun, but as its my first gun my thinking was get the cheaper option. But then other people i have spoken to say get the beretta its a much better gun, will hold its value and i wont need to upgrade. But i dont want to buy a beretta just because its a beretta and if the lanber was a good gun why would i need to upgrade? This is my thinking, just wondered what others thought? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted July 28, 2012 Report Share Posted July 28, 2012 I know this sounds kinda obvious but if you haven't shot with either (and there will be plenty of used ones to try) then I STRONGLY advise that before buying. I had a similar choice and went for the Silver Pigeon Sporter. Brilliant gun. Buy the one you shoot best with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted July 28, 2012 Report Share Posted July 28, 2012 Welcome to one of the three money pits (golf and fishing). You may just, just might, keep the first gun that you buy for that very simple reason. Quality lasts longer. However, the odds are that you will dispose of it because no matter what anyone tells you, you WILL upgrade (even if it's a completely wallet funded purchase). Quality sells. You're going to spend no matter what you think at the moment so you may as well start as you will inevitably continue to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerry31 Posted July 28, 2012 Report Share Posted July 28, 2012 There is no right answer to this question the beretta is the better gun by far and with care will last a life time every part you may ever need will be available however if you can't hit anything with it then it just a paperweight you need to shoot as many guns as possible until you find one that suits you. Only once you have been shooting for a good while will you be able to judge truly whats what. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastlincs Posted July 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2012 Welcome to one of the three money pits (golf and fishing). You may just, just might, keep the first gun that you buy for that very simple reason. Quality lasts longer. However, the odds are that you will dispose of it because no matter what anyone tells you, you WILL upgrade (even if it's a completely wallet funded purchase). Quality sells. You're going to spend no matter what you think at the moment so you may as well start as you will inevitably continue to do. It is indeed a moneypit, i started of looking at £300 s/h guns when i first applied and as the motnhs have gone buy and reading and lookign im upto £1000ish budget, its endless lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAL S Posted July 28, 2012 Report Share Posted July 28, 2012 get the one that feels right and fits dont just go for the name Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted July 28, 2012 Report Share Posted July 28, 2012 It is indeed a moneypit, i started of looking at £300 s/h guns when i first applied and as the motnhs have gone buy and reading and lookign im upto £1000ish budget, its endless lol. You will get a used (year old) SP1 for about a grand. The warranty is transferable and you'll save the VAT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastlincs Posted July 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2012 You will get a used (year old) SP1 for about a grand. The warranty is transferable and you'll save the VAT. The shop ive been looking in has s/h ones that are like new condition, like you say about a year or or two old with the warranty for 995 or 850 if you go a bit older and not so good condiiton. Probably sounds daft but as its my first gun id prefer to buy it from a dealer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerSim Posted July 28, 2012 Report Share Posted July 28, 2012 Whilst the beretta will undoubtedly be a good gun, and the Lanber too, I would suggest that you really do need to try as many guns as you physically can before you buy anything. It is regrettably true that you will shoot better with a hundred quid nail that fits, than with a purdey that doesn't. If you are average size, with average LOP etc etc, you may find an off the shelf gun that fits. The odds are reduced if you are tall, or small, or..... In my opinion, the fit of any gun can be improved by someone with the skills to measure you properly. My advice would be to get some coaching at a clay ground with a few guns of their own you can try. Possibly the best £100 you will ever spend. You might also like to try other guages as well - but this may overcomplicate the issue for now (!). ATB Sim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted July 28, 2012 Report Share Posted July 28, 2012 Shoot as many different guns as you can and buy the one that felt and shot best for you and not anyone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timps Posted July 28, 2012 Report Share Posted July 28, 2012 (edited) The problem with a first gun is you don’t really know what you want fit wise, that comes when you put more carts through a gun and you develop your shooting style and it becomes more consistent with experience. Bearing this in mind you will either keep your first gun forever or sell once you get a bit more experienced. In my opinion the Beretta is better for both scenarios as it will last you a life time or be a lot easier to sell on with less depreciation ( The last 2 Brownings I have sold I got more for them than I paid new). You always hear people saying a £100 gun in the right hands will beat all comers, but in the years I have been shooting registered shoots and competing in the majors I have never seen anyone with the cheaper guns win anything. If someone does shoot well as an up and comer its always with the big name guns such as Beretta, Browning or Miroku. The reality is there must be a reason why all the comps are full of Beretta, Browning or Miroku, it’s not just snobbery, they last and do the job well. My guess based on what I have seen from friends of mine starting out would be if you take to shooting and started to shoot a lot you will sell the Lanber for something else, if you just shoot a little then you would keep it. With the Beretta I doubt you would ‘upgrade’ unless you wanted to spend a lot more money. Edited July 28, 2012 by timps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deiseboy Posted July 28, 2012 Report Share Posted July 28, 2012 All the lads are right in what they are saying. There's no point splashing out for a expensive gun that doesn't fit you and you cant hit a barn door with. You should try and fire as many guns as possible and put it up to your shoulder and see how it fits you and afterwards look at the price and the make.. I bought a mosberg maverick t88 without holding the gun before I bought it with my hmr in a private sale. the gun was worth about €250 and luckily it fit me very well and I can hit plenty with it... In comparing that to one of my friends €1500+ brownings that doesnt feel comfortable or fit me properly that I cant hit anything with.. Id have the cheap mossy over it any day for that reason alone although the browning is a beautiful gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poontang Posted July 28, 2012 Report Share Posted July 28, 2012 The problem with a first gun is you don’t really know what you want fit wise, that comes when you put more carts through a gun and you develop your shooting style and it becomes more consistent with experience. That's fair comment Mr President. I think it was Ed Solomons who said on here a while ago about gun fit 'close enough is good enough' for new shooters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apache Posted July 28, 2012 Report Share Posted July 28, 2012 When in your position a few years ago I bought a Silver Pig III sporter, was second hand but like new. Best wood I have seen on one. Had ADDED various guns, and sold some but still have the Silver Pig and it is my 'go to' gun for clays. Buy the Beretta*! *assuming it fits Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikky Posted July 28, 2012 Report Share Posted July 28, 2012 tried many shottys before i bought one mirakous,berettas,winchesters..all 1000 quid plus...tried a lanber o/u 12g .. loved it,felt right,couldnt miss the clays...best 300 quid i ever spent.. mikky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikky Posted July 28, 2012 Report Share Posted July 28, 2012 hi ive finally got my certicate through the other day so i can now buy my first gun, i have been and looked at two but im undecided, the shop owner was very helpful and wasnt bias towards the most expensive at all he just said both are great guns its down to your budget/preference. Both are brand new and come with the case and chokes and warranty as you would expect, Lanber sporting deluxe £780 Silver pidgeon sport £1200 Obviosuly theres a fair price difference and alot of people will say that beretta is the better gun, but as its my first gun my thinking was get the cheaper option. But then other people i have spoken to say get the beretta its a much better gun, will hold its value and i wont need to upgrade. But i dont want to buy a beretta just because its a beretta and if the lanber was a good gun why would i need to upgrade? This is my thinking, just wondered what others thought? dont buy the badge...buy a gun that feels right mikky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillmouse Posted July 28, 2012 Report Share Posted July 28, 2012 Does anyone buy a £50 pair of shoes without trying them on and having a little walk about? Nope,didn't think so. Why are customers expected to spend a grand on a gun they have not shot and in most cases not even had an eye dominance/gun eye dominance test done by the seller. Most of my work with clients who have their own gun is getting it to fit before we can move on to technique. Both of the guns you have looked at are mechanically sound and reliable and likely to retain a good value if you sell and upgrade later, but if they don't fit then neither are worth the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevorevans Posted July 28, 2012 Report Share Posted July 28, 2012 Just got into shooting again myself after being reintroduced by a mate, I inherited my old mans o/u Laurona and shoot ok but very inconsistently and i can't hit anything with my friends newish webly and Scott sporter however I just bought myself a £200 Baikal side by side that seemed too short for me but I went for it anyway, it kicks like a horse but nobody can bilieve most of all me how my hit rate has improved, ok it doesn't have fancy furniture and I've had a few odd looks at the clay ground but it does what I want it to do and does it well. Pointless owning a premier gun if there's more chance you'd hit the target if you actually threw the gun at it, like the previous posts say try as many as you can and if you shoot best with a cheaper gun then dont worry there's plenty to spend the left over money on! lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkfanz Posted July 29, 2012 Report Share Posted July 29, 2012 forget the name buy what feels right,i bought a ugartarchea way back in 1972 for £63 new used it on fowling,clays an rough shooting for 35 years b4 it finaly gave up,also had baikel 606 bought 1977 only traded in this year towards beretta a300,got twice what i paid for it.they all shoot the same ammo,an they shoot were YOU point em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrispti Posted July 29, 2012 Report Share Posted July 29, 2012 The problem with a first gun is you don’t really know what you want fit wise, that comes when you put more carts through a gun and you develop your shooting style and it becomes more consistent with experience. Bearing this in mind you will either keep your first gun forever or sell once you get a bit more experienced. In my opinion the Beretta is better for both scenarios as it will last you a life time or be a lot easier to sell on with less depreciation ( The last 2 Brownings I have sold I got more for them than I paid new). You always hear people saying a £100 gun in the right hands will beat all comers, but in the years I have been shooting registered shoots and competing in the majors I have never seen anyone with the cheaper guns win anything. If someone does shoot well as an up and comer its always with the big name guns such as Beretta, Browning or Miroku. The reality is there must be a reason why all the comps are full of Beretta, Browning or Miroku, it’s not just snobbery, they last and do the job well. My guess based on what I have seen from friends of mine starting out would be if you take to shooting and started to shoot a lot you will sell the Lanber for something else, if you just shoot a little then you would keep it. With the Beretta I doubt you would ‘upgrade’ unless you wanted to spend a lot more money. Best answer by a mile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastlincs Posted August 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 (edited) Been into the shop today and after along time with the dealer going through guns and explaing what im looking for with fit and stuff i came back with a silver pigeon sporter, he said what you all said, i wont know what im really looking for until ive been shooting a bit but he said it looked like a better fit than the browning i was looking at and it seemed to feel alot better than all the others i held (cant shoot them as the shop isnt connected to a ground or anything). Time will tell i guess! But happy with what ive bought. Now i just need to buy everything else, as i spent more on a gun than i intended on doing ic Edited August 6, 2012 by joss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted August 6, 2012 Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 Get out there and shoot it and don't make up your mind until you've put a good few 100 through it. I would stick some open chokes in and practice with them, getting used to the feel of the gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastlincs Posted August 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 They gave me the number for somebody local to me who will give me lessons so im gonna give him a ring tommorow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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