ShropshireSam Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 Hi all Just joined up and eagerly waiting my shotgun licence to start shooting again. I was "educated" by a gamekeeping Grandfather (a well mis-spent childhood) but have not shot for 25 years so plan to get down to a local gun shop/shooting ground to try some guns for "fit" and possibly buy there (or look around for cheaper alternatives) as well as have some tuition before I get out in the field. I am keen to get some advice on gun choice before then. I have only shot sbs in my youth but see most pigeon shooters prefer ou or semi's. I plan to mainly pigeon shoot but already have invites for lamping rabbits, a rough shoot and some wildfowling so want something as an all rounder...not interested in clays. So would a cheap semi be a good start.....are they still frowned upon by some if on a farm pheasant shoot? I see mixed reviews of escorts on this forum. Which semi's have the best, most reliable mechanisms? 28" barrel best for an all-rounder? Anyone any experience of gunshops/shooting grounds offering tuition in Shrops/Staffordshire? Sorry...lots of questions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 Welcome to PW. I would invest in a good over & under shotgun. These have less recoil that a sbs and there are quite a good selection of 2nd hand ones on the market. A good quality make is the Lanber. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trowel 7 Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 welcome second that for lanber :good: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walshie Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 Hello and welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerettaSV10 Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 to PW. Both grounds I like are clay grounds and great for practicing. Found the west midland shooting ground at Hodnet to be good for every thing, had lessons there myself, The are open for turn up and shooting on Tues afternoon between 12 and 4 pm shooting skeet and guided sporting. other time bookable for lessons, they have several instructors and all are very good, The shop itself is open mon to sat 9-00 to 5-00 with Tom giving good advice and help. In staffs are there is Doverage shooting ground again with instructors. Simon the gun smith there gets good reports, Think they are open Weds to Sun not sure of opening times as its been a while since I have been there. Barrel length is a personal preferance as some find the shorter barrels to their liking while others like myself prefer 30". One thing to remember about s/a is that a 28" s/a is equivelent to a 30" o/u or sxs. As for reliability the names that come to mind in s/a are benellis M2 for one, berettas (waing for my new one to come in), Winchester sx3's, and the browning maxus always get good reports. In o/u the SP1's game or sporters get good reviews. Plan to be at Hodnet an Tues shooting a escort, which surpried me in how well its shoots and handles (well the latest vers any way). Did have a problem on the first outing with it, but that was down to operator error in me not cleaning it and using very soft recoil cartridges. Since cleaning it to remove the packing grease and using a suitable cartridge, not had any problems with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigolbear Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 (edited) Hi Sam three months ago I was in exactly the same position than your self , your not that far from me either . If my little bit can help so much the better.After lots of advice from the guys on here I got a Miroku 70 Mk 30 inch sporter had second lesson thursday last at the west midlands shooting ground (http://www.wmsg.co.uk) with John , shot 100 clays from 7 stands great place loads of guns to look at . hope all goes well Edited October 20, 2012 by bigolbear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerettaSV10 Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 Hi Sam had second lesson thursday last at the west midlands shooting ground (http://www.wmsg.co.uk) with John , shot 100 clays from 7 stands great place loads of guns to look at . hope all goes well Thats who I have my lessons with, a really nice guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 my mate got a new lanber 2 years ago, we looked at the stock and thro the "varnish" it looked as it had a bit of something, he stripped it and spent a week rubbing in boiled linseed oil, oh wow a different gun now, lovely grained wood... if you get a lanber spend a bit of time looking closely at the wood, and you could end up with something a bit special..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunybasher1000 Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 hi and welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigolbear Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 Thats who I have my lessons with, a really nice guy. he is a dam good teacher as well I have another in two weeks , Lovely set up at WMSG . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerettaSV10 Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 Hi all So would a cheap semi be a good start.....are they still frowned upon by some if on a farm pheasant shoot? I see mixed reviews of escorts on this forum. Which semi's have the best, most reliable mechanisms? 28" barrel best for an all-rounder? Sorry...lots of questions! Unfortunately s/a are not wanted or liked in certain types of shooting like game shoots, some of the smaller shoots may allow s/a's with prior approval and with what they say is a good reason for not shooting a o/u or sxs. Some of the not allowed goes back to the days when there were only sxs gun and it took ages to get o/u accepted. Another problem with a s/a you can't easily see when a semi is safe, so if you are in a line of shooters one can see when the gun is broken making the gun visable safe. With a s/a some places insist or like you to use a safty device in a s/a so its easier to see if safe, I myself prefer the safety plugs as easier to be seen and less fidly than the safety flag. As already mentioned about good makes of gun that you can pick up second hand, have a look on the WMSG web site for their list of guns also look on guntrader for example of what you can get second hand. This is my own opinion I would not buy a escort second hand unless its history is known. wabbitbosher on here sells good value guns including the escorts and he has a very good reputation.The newer escorts have the faster and better cartridge loading method with the lates having extended chokes. I think I need a lesson with John again to over come a eye problem thats has changed yet again, now selling my guns to concentrate on the escort and hopefully soon one of the beretta a400 series gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShropshireSam Posted October 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 Thanks for all the advice. I will head to the West Mids Shooting Ground as soon as the licence comes through. Still undecided on the semi v ou. They have a good selection at WMSG so I will see what feels right/fits. Thanks again for the friendly welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerettaSV10 Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 My own opinion would normally go for as a first gun is get a o/u sporter, but as you mainly want to do pigeon shooting I am not sure what would be the best choice for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeonblasterian Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samfurlong Posted October 24, 2012 Report Share Posted October 24, 2012 Get a good O/U. A lightly used browning 525 / beretta / miroku / lanber in really nice nick should be WELL under a grand and will be all you need to tackle clays / pigeon / rough / driven and more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salop Matt Posted October 24, 2012 Report Share Posted October 24, 2012 Great to see another Salopian on board ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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