New shooter looking for advice

[matthewpaver]

Hi there, I'll put a little AA swing on this.

 

Hi, I'm Matthew, I'm a shootaholic, and I need help. I'll apologise for the length of this post in advance. Just to give a little background, guns in general have interested me for years, I've shot numerous times in Estonia where I used to work (carbines, long range rifles, handguns, shotguns), and recently have shot clay pigeon over here. I must say it's quite addictive, and I'm seriously considering it as a weekend hobby. I live in Milton Keynes, and am lucky enough to have the resources to reach to buying a new or used trap gun like an MK38 1.

 

Where I fall flat is that because I'm new to trap shooting, I don't know much and don't want to rush in thinking I know it all after reading a few sites. So, here's the questions:

 

- I recently shot at York Gate in Otley (Rob was great), and I think the gun was an MK38. It felt quite good, but its my fist trap gun so have no basis for comparison. Would the MK38 be a good starter gun to keep for quite a while if it fits me well?

- I've read into chokes, and understand them now, but am unclear if going for a gun like an MK70 would be more beneficial giving me more choke options in the future. I'm presuming the full and 3/4 are selected for trap for an accuracy reason and therefore the MK38 for ONLY trap would be best.

- How does the firearms application process work? I've seen the form online, but do I need to get trained up and have references first?

- After I have the license and gun, whats a reasonably priced legal gun case for home storage? and does it have to be screwed into a brick wall or concrete floor? I have a plaster board house, any ideas on best solution?

- I'm unclear how you actually go shooting at the clubs. Do you have to bring your own shells, or do you just bring yourself+gun and pay for shells and clays there?

- What's the best club around milton keynes that offers a reasonable site and prices? I've heard of Sherington.

- Roughly how much does it cost to go shooting at a reasonably priced site? For say 50 or 100 clays (not sure how much you'd go through on average, the 25 i shot York Gate seemed to go very quickly).

 

Thanks in advance guys, really excited about this being a potential new hobby, so any help is appreciated.

[RobC1990]

Hello Matthew,

 

Personally I wouldn't buy a trap gun I would buy a sporter gun with multi chokes! - the form you just fill out and get a references I used the PO man that had known me a few years - gun cabinets are from around 70-300 quid I got a 6 gun of eBay for 65 quid you bolt it to the wall - gun clubs that are local to you, you would either join or pay as a guest, where I live 50 bird is around 12.50 and 100 bird 28 quid, some club would sell you cartridges but I just buy mine

 

Hope this helps!

[TaxiDriver]

If its only a shotgun you want then its relatively simple,

Unlike FAC you don't have to show a need for a SGC, Simply put that you want to get into Clay shooting.

Most forces I think expect your cabinet to be securely fitted to the fabric of the building ie bolted to a structural wall.

By plasterboard house, do you mean dry lined ? my own FEO/Police service made me cut out a section of drywall to enable me to fix the cabinet directly to the concrete blockwork of the wall (fortunately my landlady was ok) with this.

 

I think, usual course of action is you turn up with your gun and shells or the sites I've been to you could buy shells on site so long as you have your SGC

if you're paying for lessons then I think that will usually include use of gun, shells and carts

[fenboy]

The MK38 is a very good gun , the chokes are always tight in a trap gun hence the 3/4 and full , this is because the targets are always going away from the shooter where as in other disciplines such as sporting and skeet there are lots of crossing targets at set ranges.

 

If you intend to concentrate on trap shooting the buy a trap gun , if you think you will do a bit of all sorts then buy a sporter ( you can still buy a sporter MK38) with multi chokes.

[DAVE_B]

Have to agree with the comments so far, gun fit will be the most important aspect in buying a gun. M/C gives you options as does going for a Sporter rather than a dedicated trap gun.

I shoot often at Sporting Targets, Risley (near Bedford), they are not far from you. They offer a great range of targets and offer play and pay options which means you can go there on your own or with a friend and shoot your heart out. Make sure you mix in lessons with your practice sessions and you're then set perfectly for an obsessive hobby!

Grounds like Risley offer membership which gives you reduced rates for lessons and clays so is always worth considering. hey also have a decent shop with a reasonable selection of new and used guns.

 

[OvEr_KiLL]

if you want to shoot trap ie. down the line, automatic ball trap..then buy a trap gun, if you are doing sporting then buy a sporter with multi chokes! as for guns buy the one which fits you the best, the gun shop will go through gun fit with you (if they are any good).

and as for the mk38 trap, i used to have one which i used to use for trap and sporting, was teagued (made multi choke by nigel teague) so i could change the chokes around for sporting,i used it for sporting aswel as trap because it seemed to shoot quite flat unlike most trap guns which shoot high because when you shoot trap the clays are going upwards

Edited February 23, 2013 by OvEr_KiLL

[Rupert]

Crikey Milton Keynes to Yorkgate was quite a trek.

[matthewpaver]

Thanks guys, the Teagued version sound more ideal. @Rupert, was up there visiting family and had a £100 big shoot voucher.

 

I think im pretty sorted for info nearly, just not clear on ammo. At York gate I remember the box was green and express. Managed to hit every clay with those so they must they've reasonable. Any tips on some reasonably priced good performance ammo. Pardon my ignorance on the ammo, I know I don't want much spread but guess the chokes handle most of that.

[Rupert]

Those shells Bob uses are express 24g QL (quite load),nice soft starter shell.I shot at yorkgate for 3 years,Bob taught me to shoot.

[Sx3 clay breaker]

I've got a mk38 trap with teaques own chokes and use it for everything

[OvEr_KiLL]

you can order cartridges from www.justcartridges.com £15 delivery next day

for clays 12g 7.5 28g will be fine or 21g for lighter recoil

Edited February 23, 2013 by OvEr_KiLL

[matthewpaver]

Those shells Bob uses are express 24g QL (quite load),nice soft starter shell.I shot at yorkgate for 3 years,Bob taught me to shoot.

Its a shame I can't be taught by bob too. Was hoping I'd be able to get my frst few lessons off him and hen apply for the certificate. I'll just have to find a place down south now. Thanks for the info on the shells. Will prob start off with those plus the mk38. I'm hoping to get in a few more sets of clays before I take the leap, will probably use some lessons to kill 2 birds with one stone. Is Ridley or Springfield able to provide the lessons and references? Saw Springfield offers some tuition.

[Nicholas Bottoms]

Hi there, I'll put a little AA swing on this.

 

Hi, I'm Matthew, I'm a shootaholic, and I need help. I'll apologise for the length of this post in advance. Just to give a little background, guns in general have interested me for years, I've shot numerous times in Estonia where I used to work (carbines, long range rifles, handguns, shotguns), and recently have shot clay pigeon over here. I must say it's quite addictive, and I'm seriously considering it as a weekend hobby. I live in Milton Keynes, and am lucky enough to have the resources to reach to buying a new or used trap gun like an MK38 1.

 

Where I fall flat is that because I'm new to trap shooting, I don't know much and don't want to rush in thinking I know it all after reading a few sites. So, here's the questions:

 

- I recently shot at York Gate in Otley (Rob was great), and I think the gun was an MK38. It felt quite good, but its my fist trap gun so have no basis for comparison. Would the MK38 be a good starter gun to keep for quite a while if it fits me well?

- I've read into chokes, and understand them now, but am unclear if going for a gun like an MK70 would be more beneficial giving me more choke options in the future. I'm presuming the full and 3/4 are selected for trap for an accuracy reason and therefore the MK38 for ONLY trap would be best.

- How does the firearms application process work? I've seen the form online, but do I need to get trained up and have references first?

- After I have the license and gun, whats a reasonably priced legal gun case for home storage? and does it have to be screwed into a brick wall or concrete floor? I have a plaster board house, any ideas on best solution?

- I'm unclear how you actually go shooting at the clubs. Do you have to bring your own shells, or do you just bring yourself+gun and pay for shells and clays there?

- What's the best club around milton keynes that offers a reasonable site and prices? I've heard of Sherington.

- Roughly how much does it cost to go shooting at a reasonably priced site? For say 50 or 100 clays (not sure how much you'd go through on average, the 25 i shot York Gate seemed to go very quickly).

 

Thanks in advance guys, really excited about this being a potential new hobby, so any help is appreciated.

 

Alot of people including my boss, who is a BASC Coach, say you only need 1/4 and 1/2 for anything! I have grown up always shooting full at everything, clay and live. Id say get a Multi-choke and see what you shoot better with!

 

And when it comes to ammo, 30grm 6's Kent velocities! All the way, a great all rounder!

Edited February 24, 2013 by Hatsanman

[matthewpaver]

I heard with the backboring on the MK38 that fibre wad shells can loose performance (on any backbored gun). Does anyone have a view on this?

[super sharp shooter]

Hi mate. Why don't you pop into stock craft at stony Stratford and speak to Andy he will give you some sound advice and his prices on guns and cartridges are good.

 

Regards SSS

[matthewpaver]

Thanks sss. May just do that.

[Rupert]

I heard with the backboring on the MK38 that fibre wad shells can loose performance (on any backbored gun). Does anyone have a view on this?

 

You wil have a long road to travel before details like this are at the forefront of your mind

The QL shells are a fortune for what they are,use something like a 21g compx and save 40/50 pounds a thousand.

[Diceman]

Hi mate. Why don't you pop into stock craft at stony Stratford and speak to Andy he will give you some sound advice and his prices on guns and cartridges are good.

 

Regards SSS

 

This is good advice, particularly if you are into trap shooting, they are nice people, know their stuff and the owners are top class DTL shooters.

 

Don't fret about cartridges right now, they are all much better than you are until you get to a pretty high standard, and even then the wrong cartridge in the right hands will thrash you any day.

Ditto chokes, 1/4 and 1/2 and leave them in until you have ruled out every other possible reason that you might be missing.

 

Don't buy a dedicated trap gun until you are sure you want to stick to a specific discipline. A good sporter will do you for pretty much everything as you start out. However, If you think you are going to own one gun for the rest of your life and never get the urge to build up a collection you are kidding yourself

 

 

Try some sporting clays at a club level, there are Sunday shoots in Stewkley and Drayton Parslow as well as Sherington. Northampton Shooting Ground in Sywell and Riseley are not too far from you and you can try some skeet, ABT, DTL there as well as sporting. Get up to Doveridge midweek daytimes, an hour and a half away but you will almost have the place to yourself and they are very nice there. You will get some good lessons at Doveridge too. There are a few decent coaches lurking around on these forums as well, put out a call and you will get some good recommendations from members who have used them.

 

One last thing. Clay shooting can be more addictive and more expensive than a crack habit. Don't say you weren't warned.

[matthewpaver]

This is good advice, particularly if you are into trap shooting, they are nice people, know their stuff and the owners are top class DTL shooters.

 

Don't fret about cartridges right now, they are all much better than you are until you get to a pretty high standard, and even then the wrong cartridge in the right hands will thrash you any day.

Ditto chokes, 1/4 and 1/2 and leave them in until you have ruled out every other possible reason that you might be missing.

 

Don't buy a dedicated trap gun until you are sure you want to stick to a specific discipline. A good sporter will do you for pretty much everything as you start out. However, If you think you are going to own one gun for the rest of your life and never get the urge to build up a collection you are kidding yourself

 

 

Try some sporting clays at a club level, there are Sunday shoots in Stewkley and Drayton Parslow as well as Sherington. Northampton Shooting Ground in Sywell and Riseley are not too far from you and you can try some skeet, ABT, DTL there as well as sporting. Get up to Doveridge midweek daytimes, an hour and a half away but you will almost have the place to yourself and they are very nice there. You will get some good lessons at Doveridge too. There are a few decent coaches lurking around on these forums as well, put out a call and you will get some good recommendations from members who have used them.

 

One last thing. Clay shooting can be more addictive and more expensive than a crack habit. Don't say you weren't warned.

I can imagine. I've only shot a few times now and it far surpasses the enjoyment I got from my previous expensive photography hobby. My work requires me to commute and fly around a lot so it will only be 3-4 times a month if that, so I think cash wise it wont be a money pit for me. Just want to make sure that when I do get the time to do it I have a reasonable club to shoot at and reasonable equipment to do it with.

Edited February 25, 2013 by matthewpaver