Requesting advice: SGC just came through - time to think about my firs

[Flynn]

Background: Shooting with air-rifles for 3 years, 2 years beating on a local (small, informal) pheasant shoot, 3 hours tutoring on clays to gain a modicum of trigger time on shotguns (my only experience so far).

 

Potential shooting: Rough shooting the hedges, driven pheasants, pigeon decoying and roost shooting. Perhaps some flushed rabbits

 

 

Now that my license has come through, I'm reading up on how I should be choosing my first shotgun. The usual advice has been read: shoulder and shoot it before you buy it, make sure it fits, don't buy a gun just because "it's a bargain" - it's of little use if it doesn't fit you and so forth. Eminently sensible advice for buying most things that you interface with - guns, guitars, cars and bikes all spring to mind.

 

With this information in mind, and from perusing other threads on this forum, I've come up with a list of potential guns which I should be able to pick up within my budget of about 750 - 1000 pounds.

 

• Winchester 101
• Beretta Silver Pigeon
• Browning 425
• Beretta 686/687
• Mirouku MK70

 

Being a neophyte in the shotgun world, I'm only lifting these models out and onto a list because I've seen them offered in advice elsewhere. That's the extent of my knowledge.

 

Have I missed something obvious or do I have something on that list which is totally unsuitable? I'm going to be looking at second-hand to try to get as much quality as I can for the money. 12g O/U preferred,as that's what I've shot with in my lessons but I'm not dead set on that format - I have nothing in the way of preconceptions so if someone wants to suggest a different bore and configuration for a 12 stone, 5 feet 8 inch bald Geordie, I'm quite open to suggestions.

 

I've got Ian Coley guns, Bredon Hill shooting and whatever else is in the Worcestershire / Gloucestershire area all within driving range, so I do intend to have a good look around, shoulder and hopefully shoot any many as possible, but I would appreciate any advice, information, insight and experience anyone on here can offer me.

 

 

[lewis2012]

You can get a Franchi Alcione one for £675 new mate ye its not a beretta but a beautiful gun, comes cased, 3 chokes, warranty. Nice engraving with gold coloured trigger have a look mate.

If your considering a semi auto try the beretta outlander £750 new only comes with 1 1/2 choke but one of the best fitting guns I've shouldered but that's for me probs different for you.

Also you got the Franchi Raptor and the winchester SX3 both within your price range aswell, they're all worth a look IMHO but check your club is happy for you to shoot semi auto if you was to consider going down that route.

If you only want O/U also look at bettinsoli, lanber and try sportsman gun centre they usually have offers on with Fausti.

All the best

Edited May 28, 2013 by lewis2012

[welshwarrior]

Good selection of guns there. As you said yourself fit is key but we can only establish proper gun fit when you have a consistent gun mount from gun down.

 

A few more lessons would be my advice first then try guns with an experience and knowledgeable friend or a coach Colleys has a great selection and will offer advice but he is expensive IMHO

[bruno22rf]

If it were MY money I would stick to the list you have-they are all quality guns that will not look out of place at a driven shoot. I would suggest a multi choked 28" gun but you would be mad to buy any of these guns without trying them first-for example, you find that people who get on well with a Browning could not hit the proverbial cows backside with a Beretta.If I had to narrow down your list it would be between the 101 (getting hard to find a good one now) or the 425-buts that's just my experience with these particular guns talking.

[wymberley]

A wig!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, and as for a gun anything run of the mill that takes your fancy.

[oscarsdad]

My 101 is for sale for £525 so that's what I would suggest lol!

 

But most importantly, get something that fits and get the gun you want - don't compromise otherwise you will always be thinking "I wish I had bought a XXX" and you will shoot badly convincing yourself you need a different gun and therefore more cost.

[Bobba]

You're only about 20 mins or so from Ian Coley shooting ground where, I believe, they do have a number of guns to try. Just have a go. They will give you ideas and budgets. But do not buy in haste. Go home and think about it. Then search on line for your preferred gun eg using, say, UKguntrader. then ask Coley's if they do a price match. A sale is a sale.

[Flynn]

My thanks Gentlemen.

 

I'm relieved that no-one said anything like "Hmm - the Gruntfuttock 9000 weighs 14 pounds and comes with it's own trailer - are you sure you want to lug one around a muddy field for 4 hours". At least I'm on the right lines!

 

I mentioned the wig to the financial controller and she said it's either a shotgun or a wig but not both.

 

I can see myself picking up a semi-auto for hide sessions (eventually), but even though my pheasant shoot is very informal I can see them not being overly keen on me turning up with a semi, which is why I've pretty much crossed them off my list for the time being.

 

Mr. Coleys places is indeed a mere 8 miles away, and is a lovely shop to walk around - it also has the benefit of having a clay range outside the front door. I too feel that it's a tad more expensive there but to be honest, if I can get the right gun with a good fit, try it there and then and have it on my doorstep, I'd be tempted to just go with it. I also have Bredon Hill Shooting even closer, albeit with a smaller range of guns due to being a much smaller establishment and I don't believe they have any facilities for actually shooting anything.

 

Anyway, I thank you all for your time and effort in replying, and allaying my doubts. It really is greatly appreciated.

 

(And I really do like the look of the Winchester 101 - at least from the pictures I can see on gunwatch... Knowing my luck however, I'll end up with a pink Gruntfuttock 9000, single barrel semi-auto in .410 purely because it's a perfect fit)

Edited May 28, 2013 by Flynn