First Gun...oh the complication of it all

[Mr Rizzini]

what should he be looking for regarding gun fit? When I bought my first 3 guns no one told me once about gun fit or what to be looking for!

I knew when I went to get my current gun that I wanted a gun that felt balanced when lifting it to my shoulder and when I closed my eyes and mounted it then opened my eyes, My right eye was in the center of the rib and I could only see about 3/4 inch of the rib. If I mount my gun and look in the mirror my pupil looks like its sitting on top of the rib.

how much rib do you guys see?

[rtaylor]

I started with an AYA sxs (which I've still got). Last year bought a rough Lanber for £120, re did the stock, which came up pretty nice. The bottom barrel is a bit pitted and it slipped over and dinted the bottom barrel. I might get someone to have a go with the repair.

 

The gun shoots well, never had a problem reliability wise. I'd recommend a Lanber to anyone. Maybe pay a bit more to get a tidier one, there are 30 on gun trader within your budget at the moment.

 

Happy hunting (pun intended)

[JohnfromUK]

Think what you are going to use your gun for. You don't need 3" chambers for most things, I rarely shoot a cartridge longer than 2 1/2", so the common 2 3/4" chamber is fine and 2 1/2 covers the majority of cartridges you are likely to need.

To shoot sporting clays, a 28" or 30" o/u from many makers is fine, either multi choked, or 1/4 and 1/2 covers most things. For DTL, or Skeet, the more specialist guns are advantageous.

For a bit of rough shooting, an o/u as above, or a s/s line an AyA No 2 or No 4 would suit well. A heavy gun is VERY heavy at the end of a long day walked up rough shooting! Wildfowling would be one I don't know well, but I suspect there a 3" chamber might be worthwhile.

 

Best advice - talk to those who have a few years experience at what you intend to do, and see what they use (I bet there will be a big variety!) and make sure you get good advice to get a gun that fits.

Edited November 26, 2012 by JohnfromUK

[ace_of_hearts]

why did u sell it then ?

 

Because I needed the money :(

[Scully]

Please let me know your honest opinions/recommendations

Lanber Sporting deluxe.

[Mr Rizzini]

Because I needed the money :(

wont get a much better answer than that lol

[HDAV]

what should he be looking for regarding gun fit? When I bought my first 3 guns no one told me once about gun fit or what to be looking for!

I knew when I went to get my current gun that I wanted a gun that felt balanced when lifting it to my shoulder and when I closed my eyes and mounted it then opened my eyes, My right eye was in the center of the rib and I could only see about 3/4 inch of the rib. If I mount my gun and look in the mirror my pupil looks like its sitting on top of the rib.

how much rib do you guys see?

 

You are probably about there, this is where lessons with an experienced instructor are seriously valueable your stance , feet , head all play a big part you need to be able to mount the gun consistently have the but in your shoulder, cheek on the stock and eyes level.

 

Also which is your master eye? Do you want a high shooting gun or flat? Which suits your style I learnt more in a gunsmiths workshop than on several lessons I got home work and wasn't charged for the privledge, his answer was he couldn't fit it to me until I could mount it properly so sent me away to practise before doing any work!

[Mr Rizzini]

I had a couple of hours coaching from a well known coach but he never told me anything about high shooting gun or flat etc. My right eye is my master eye and I know I have a consistent mount, perhaps I should get an old roll of wallpaper out and make a tennis ball size target and see how central my pattern is going and that way I'll know how high etc my shot is going?

[HDAV]

Aka a pattern plate very useful tool

[Mr Rizzini]

Aka a pattern plate very useful tool

none of my local shoots have one :(

[HDAV]

 

none of my local shoots have one :(

erm it's a 4'x4' board or thick steel sheet painted white and propped up that you shoot at not the most complex of tools I'll grant you! Paper is good but gets tiresome and expensive and isn't great in the rain........

[Mr Rizzini]

erm it's a 4'x4' board or thick steel sheet painted white and propped up that you shoot at not the most complex of tools I'll grant you! Paper is good but gets tiresome and expensive and isn't great in the rain........

A 4x4 thick steel sheet may be sore on the back after carrying it through my permissions If I pick a decent dry day and a roll of old wallpaper surely I shall get the same effect? Any hints or tips are very welcom regarding distance etc

[Albert 888]

Use cardboard.

[Mr Rizzini]

what distance, choke, cartridge etc

[Albert 888]

What distance do you shoot at if around 35yrds try that. 1/4 & 1/2 chokes are favorites.

[HDAV]

Part of the benefit of using a pattern plate is you can see how your gun patterns different loads with different chokes and cartridges at different distances, hence why rolls of paper become tiresome........ wall paper should be ok might be worth knocking up a small frame in 2x2 with some legs to raise it off the ground.

[Mr Rizzini]

Part of the benefit of using a pattern plate is you can see how your gun patterns different loads with different chokes and cartridges at different distances, hence why rolls of paper become tiresome........ wall paper should be ok might be worth knocking up a small frame in 2x2 with some legs to raise it off the ground.

cheers mate

[HairySmurf]

Hi

 

First of all I would like to thank you all for your feedback and comments. I took your advice and called into my local dealer. Nice guy and has plenty of stock form Berettas to bettinsoli's etc. I did as some have suggested and advised I had £500 to spend and would like to try all the guns he had within this price range..and a tad over (to give me some haggling space!). Now I know he is a salesman at the end of the day but this is how he handled the sale....

Salesman "well you are about 6' tall and of medium build so you really want to avoid guns with a larger action like Miroku and Browning. but please offer both up to the shoulder and see".......so I did

Salesman "now try this berreta 686s for size"...so i did..."there you go, it fits you like a glove" and did some measuring of the stock with his fingers between my nose and thumb?

Me "yeah it feels really nice, easy to mount, good to hold and swing.....how much?"

Salesman "well this just came in as a trade and as it will be your first gun I can do £950............."

Me "Well as i explained I have £500 to spend so thats very far out of my price range.. do yo have anything within this budget that would suit me like the beretta?"

Salesman "Errrr well we have a Huglu, several Lincolns and Lanbers all used that would be within that price..ish.. but wouldnt it be worth you saving for another month and getting a beretta?"

Now please bear in mind it took me near on a year to get £500 I was getting a tad frustrated so I asked "What about that Huglu? Very nice looking, only a couple of small stock dinks..can i have a look?"

Salesman "Yes of course you can"..gave it to me and said " see it just doesnt feel quite the same as the beretta does it!"

Me "No not quite but it doesnt feel to bad and fits nice, a little heavy but ive been shooting a skeet gun with 26" barrels and this monster has 30!" (He had already ascertained that a 30" would be better for me than a 28")

Salesman "Well I understand that you have an itchy trigger finger and it always nice to have your own gun so do you want the Huglu?"

 

I left without buying anything although had sorted £50 of the price if I return. But why try and sell me something i Clearly couldnt afford? Trouble is I am now feeling like only a Beretta will suit me and to buy the Huglu would be a waste of money and to wait another 6 months until i can "hopefully" afford one.

 

I am going to see a man about a Bettinsoli Diamond tonight, a Bettinsoli Universal next week and am hoping to take a look at a Browning 325 or should I buy the Huglu? Your comments on these guns would be appreciated.

 

Many Thanks

[Catweazle]

Not a very good salesman was he. Don't get fooled that you need an expensive gun, it's no good if you can't aford to use it. There are perfectly good guns out there for your money. Find a big gunshop and ask them what they've got for £500 and I'll bet they've got quality guns that are a bit untidy, sat out the back instead of taking up display space.

 

I'd rather have a Baikal with 5,000 cartridges than a Beretta with none.

[ferguson_tom]

There is a grade 1 browning 325 for sale on the gun sales section on here for £550. I have the grade 3 and its a lovely gun everyone i have spoke to rates the 325 highly. Hope you find something soon.

[Fib new]

A 325 is a good gun -they are a bit on the heavy side- but they are built to last. I sometimes use à b25 which weighs almost the same, and I'm not a big guy to say the least. Still shoot ok with it though.

 

As I mentionned before: try before you buy. A gun does not have to look great to shoot well. When you are looking for a first gun for mainly pigeon or waterfowl I would not mind a gun that looks a bit worse to wear as long as it is in good working shape.

[BellySlater]

I wouldn't buy a medallist as it isnt a browning, might as well buy a lanber, bettinsoli or FIAS (the gun that was branded by browning as the medalist). more important than what make it is is that it fits.

 

I would suggest a that you may get a Miroku or Beretta for £500 but unless you know what to look for you could be buying problems. Plenty of good guns for £500 as long as you aren't left handed.......

 

Oh and don't worry about "chokes that stick out" as there are flush and extended for pretty much every gun it's just a matter of choice which you use. if you shoot well with a Miroku 800 why not buy one?

 

http://www.guntrader...120106165840001 (some hard negotiating and shopping around should get you one in budget) but take soemone who knows what to look for and walk away if it not 100% right, plenty of guns forsale!

 

As for "label" snobs how well you shoot with it has nothing to do with the price tag, its value, quality and pedigree does (price tag) spending £5000 on a gun will get you a better gun than spending £50 or even £500 but it doesnt mean you will shoot any better!

 

I have a Medalist and heres's the funny thing....... it's as straight as my Maxus and my mate's Beretta and his mate's Benelli. It goes bang just as loud and throws shot just as far.

The thing i like about it ( and i have other more expensive guns) is the fact that it fits me - this is the crucial bit, it fits and i feel confident that its going to bring down what i'm pointing it at.

 

Price is always going to be a factor as is the brand, choose your first gun carefully for fit over anything else and like me you will be pulling it out of the cabinet in years to come despite having £000's of guns sitting next to her.

[corvid wings]

what ever you buy good luck,,,but it wont be your last !

[willos]

Im in your position. No experience at shooting a shotgun and wanting my first gun. My Dad used to be a gamekeeper so he looked over a gun i was interested in. It was a Miroku Ore in very good overall condition with a few marks on the stock. Tight action and good clean bores and no pitting. £200 sealed the deal. That gives me the scope to play around with length of pull and any work that may need doing on it. It was a private purchase so he let me have it what a dealer would pay for it then charge 400-500 in a shop.

If you want a cheap but good gun then go private. The money you save would cover any later defects found. Im a lefty and the stock is central with no cast.

You could be cheaky and find the perfect gun for you and try and find the gun private . Its a buyers market at the moment so dont be embarrassed to haggle hard.