Dr W Posted December 11, 2006 Report Share Posted December 11, 2006 Hi all Was just after some info from anyone in the area. I had a lesson at a clay shoot near Reigate which I loved and am now hooked. I've applied for my SGC but am waiting to find a cabinet. My question is that I was wondering if there are any cheap places near South London (Reigate about 20 miels away) where I can learn? I went round with my missus and it was £116 for an hour and a half lesson which was fine but I can't afford to do that more than once a month and I'd like to get my own gun and practice without having to have lessons every time. Has anyone any advice on how i can get some cheaper practice in before I fork out for a gun (every lesson will make getting a gun a step further away) I also want to try out different guns before deciding what I want. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pin Posted December 11, 2006 Report Share Posted December 11, 2006 Welcome! Have a look here http://www.basc.org.uk/content/shootingopport There is a list of clubs there. Best advice would be to find a local club or shoot and go down there. At a popper ground you would always have to go round with an SGC holder and if that's someone employed there its going to work out expensive. Cheapest 50 bird accompanied shooting I know about is £25 inclusive, but that's in north London. Have a look at www.cpsa.co.uk they have a list of fixtures / clubs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pin Posted December 11, 2006 Report Share Posted December 11, 2006 Oh yeah, fill in your profile with a location, I know you are in Clapham but once you are out of this thread people won't know where you are :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted December 11, 2006 Report Share Posted December 11, 2006 Try the Star Gun Club at Chessington, nice friendly little club, just off the M25 at Junction 9, not too far from Clapham, I'm sure they would be able to provide loan guns and advice to newbies. Their tel No is 0208 898 1009 Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr W Posted December 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2006 Thanks for the info guys. Will have a look at the Chessington place. Hopefully my licence will be though by January and that should make things easier. Annoying thing is that where my mates shoot up in Derbyshire it's a fraction of the price it is down here, but hey isn't that always the way. Once I have a gun and licence (been dreaming of a Silver Pigeon) can I just go to the local clubs and pay for the clays and carts and shoot a round to practice while not actually taking part in a competition? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted December 12, 2006 Report Share Posted December 12, 2006 It might be a stretch for you but Greenfields near Canterbury do lessons at £45 per hour plus carts. LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pin Posted December 12, 2006 Report Share Posted December 12, 2006 Once I have a gun and licence (been dreaming of a Silver Pigeon) can I just go to the local clubs and pay for the clays and carts and shoot a round to practice while not actually taking part in a competition? Yep. Buy your own carts in bulk and make a saving, even better :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr W Posted December 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2006 Good idea, I'm bound to get through quite a few. What do carts cost in bulk. The place I went in Riegate were selling them for £3.50 for 25. Also PIN if you don't me asking what's the difference between the White Onyx and the Silver Pigeon? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pin Posted December 12, 2006 Report Share Posted December 12, 2006 Carts very a lot by area and type, there is a thread in guns & carts on here which a lot of people replied to. As a guide anything from about £80/1000 to as much as you want to pay per 1000 :unsure: I pay around £100 per 1000 for clay carts. Some people do deals on larger amounts but they are so heavy and bulky shifting them about costs serious money so there isn't much margin on them (clay loads that is). The White Onxy is Beretta's "entry level" shotgun, based on exactly the same 68x series action as lots of other Beretta guns, including the silver pigeon. In summary the Silver Pigeon is a premium gun, better wood, engraving and level of finish to the White Onyx - though substantially they are functionally the same gun with the same barrels etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr W Posted December 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2006 The White Onxy is Beretta's "entry level" shotgun, based on exactly the same 68x series action as lots of other Beretta guns, including the silver pigeon. In summary the Silver Pigeon is a premium gun, better wood, engraving and level of finish to the White Onyx - though substantially they are functionally the same gun with the same barrels etc. Perhaps I should get myself one of those then and save some pennies (which are quite tight at the moment anyway) I can just imagine the girlfriends face when I rock home with 1000 carts and a shotgun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pin Posted December 12, 2006 Report Share Posted December 12, 2006 There are lads on here with a lifetimes more experience to advise you regards buying a gun but I would be remiss of me to not mention how important it is to buy a gun that fits you. It is well worth trying out as many as you can to see what you prefer, but its worth seeking the advice of a capable instructor that knows how to fit you for a gun. If you go off and buy something which later turns out not to fit you will have to fork out more money having it adjusted, at worst selling it and buying one which does fit. I was extremely lucky with the Onyx, it fits me perfectly off the shelf. I love it, its a fantastic gun and a pleasure to shoot. I hate scroll work on a gun, just not my thing, so this plain look is actually more appealing to me. The only fault it had was the fore-end screws kept coming loose, a bit of threadlock sorted that out though (not before it scratched the underside of the bottom barrel though :unsure: ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr W Posted December 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2006 The plan is to try several lessons in different places to try different guns and then buy gun from a decent dealer so I can make sure it fits ok, getting hitched in July so can't imagine I'll be able to afford one before (unless I sneak it in using a credit card) bloody weddings cost the earth and we're only doing a really small one. I wonder if doing it on the cheap so I can afford one is called a 'shotgun wedding'? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pin Posted December 12, 2006 Report Share Posted December 12, 2006 :unsure: very good If the white onyx fits you, you won't go far wrong with one of those. You can pick them up for a few boxes of carts less than a bag of sand these days which considering its the same action/barrels as guns costing double the amount - has to be good value Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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