Good choice for new gun (Beretta)?

[whiskymac]

Hi all,

This is my first post but I have been lurking for a couple of days and it seems like a great forum.

I am getting back into shooting after being away for 5 or 6 years and am wondering about shotgun choice.

I have access on my doorstep to a good 500+ acres rough shooting and also access to some pheasant shooting as there is a very small shoot run on some of this land, I probably won't do much clay shooting (maybe 3-4 times per year max) so basically 95% rough/game.

The gun I am considering is the Beretta 687 Silver Pigeon 3 with 28" barrels and m/choke (game/field version), it seems to come to my shoulder nicely and it is the one gun I seem to keep looking at.

Would this be a good choice for game and also do the very occasional sunday morning clay shoot.

Any downsides....is the auto safety a huge pain to live with, etc, etc?

Also anyone fired the game and Sporter versions?

Hope you can offer some insight.

 

Many thanks.

[beatingisbest]

they are good guns, if you arnt going to shoot many clays then i'd opt for the FC instead of MC

[whiskymac]

they are good guns, if you arnt going to shoot many clays then i'd opt for the FC instead of MC

 

Thanks for the reply mate.

I know what you mean but my thinking was that with the m/c I would be able to tinker and would be a little more adaptable as my only gun.

Are there any downsides to the m/choke in comparison with the f/c apart from price (presumably m/c is more expensive)?

 

Cheers.

[invector]

Stick with the MCs, then you can drive yourself mad changing them all the time.

[JRDS]

Definitely buy a Game Gun as opposed to a Sporter (they are lighter and you won't be firing alot of shots so you don't need the weight of a Sporter to soak up recoil) and as per other posts I wouldn't bother with multi chokes 1/4 & 1/2 will do all you need. I would also advise 28 inch tubes as you mention for rough shooting as they weigh less, are handier and snag less when you are walking up or in a hide.

[dunganick]

Definitely buy a Game Gun as opposed to a Sporter (they are lighter and you won't be firing alot of shots so you don't need the weight of a Sporter to soak up recoil) and as per other posts I wouldn't bother with multi chokes 1/4 & 1/2 will do all you need. I would also advise 28 inch tubes as you mention for rough shooting as they weigh less, are handier and snag less when you are walking up or in a hide.

 

 

i wouldnt nessicarily agree with this

 

buy what feels right, and fits you

 

i shoot a sporting gun for everything, the gun is a miroku mk70 sport, this gun is nearly identicle to my old mans mk70 game in every way apart from the fit. My gun has alot mroe drop at comb than his does. However weight is the same or very similar.

 

For this reason buying a game version of my gun just on the basis it would be lighter would be wrong. The sporter fits better, and fit is more important than anything else when choosing a gun.

 

go to a large gunshop with an asistant who is a competent shooter and ask them to show you a selection of guns beretta, browning, miroku, winchester, blaser, perazzi, rizzini, lanber, betolsi (spelt wrong) are all good makes but over a very different price range.

 

If you are tall with long arms or slopeing shoulders then i would not look too closely at beretta O/U's out of all of the ones ive tried (alot of them) ive found 2 which fitted me well. They typically suit shorter armed broad shouldered types (but this is a genralisation as some models do cater for people of my build)

 

also regarding barrel length, whilst a 28" gun is good in theory, not everone shoots well with them. I shoot significantly better with a 30" or 32" gun as it helps keep my swing steady and controlled (as those who have watched me shoot.... is my style) if i try to shoot a 28" gun i find i have too much control over the gun and over compensate. For this reason i use a 30" gun. Which i have found to be no disadvantage when walking around or in a hide. But it helps get my hits up, which must be a good thing.

 

best of luck, just find a gun your happy to shoot with, there is alot of rubish taked about chokes and barrel length.... if you can shoot with it then go for it.

 

btw what is your price range, may help us to guide you

[whiskymac]

Thanks for the input folks, it sounds like f/c is the way to go then.

I seem to remember hearing some negative comments about the game gun having an automatic safety (which comes on when you break the barrels I think), has anyone found this to be annoying and is it possible to get the game gun with a manual safety?

 

Cheers.

[dunganick]

Thanks for the input folks, it sounds like f/c is the way to go then.

I seem to remember hearing some negative comments about the game gun having an automatic safety (which comes on when you break the barrels I think), has anyone found this to be annoying and is it possible to get the game gun with a manual safety?

 

Cheers.

 

 

hi its me again

 

having been brought up with an auto safety i would say not to worry, within 25 shots it becomes second nature to remove it when needed. It is neither a hinderance nor an advantage. I know a few very good clay shots who shoot auto safety as it gives them something to do before calling for the bird and helps focus them.

[whiskymac]

Definitely buy a Game Gun as opposed to a Sporter (they are lighter and you won't be firing alot of shots so you don't need the weight of a Sporter to soak up recoil) and as per other posts I wouldn't bother with multi chokes 1/4 & 1/2 will do all you need. I would also advise 28 inch tubes as you mention for rough shooting as they weigh less, are handier and snag less when you are walking up or in a hide.

 

 

i wouldnt nessicarily agree with this

 

buy what feels right, and fits you

 

i shoot a sporting gun for everything, the gun is a miroku mk70 sport, this gun is nearly identicle to my old mans mk70 game in every way apart from the fit. My gun has alot mroe drop at comb than his does. However weight is the same or very similar.

 

For this reason buying a game version of my gun just on the basis it would be lighter would be wrong. The sporter fits better, and fit is more important than anything else when choosing a gun.

 

go to a large gunshop with an asistant who is a competent shooter and ask them to show you a selection of guns beretta, browning, miroku, winchester, blaser, perazzi, rizzini, lanber, betolsi (spelt wrong) are all good makes but over a very different price range.

 

If you are tall with long arms or slopeing shoulders then i would not look too closely at beretta O/U's out of all of the ones ive tried (alot of them) ive found 2 which fitted me well. They typically suit shorter armed broad shouldered types (but this is a genralisation as some models do cater for people of my build)

 

best of luck

 

btw what is your price range, may help us to guide you

 

Thanks for the reply mate.

The reason I was mentioning the 687 SP was because that was the gun that seemed to fit me best in the gunshop although I am unsure as to whether it was a Game or a Sporter to be honest.

I will definitely look into any other suggestions or recommendations to try though so please fire away.

My budget is around £1000-£1200 (max), I wouldn't previously have spent this kind of cash on a gun but I have had a bonus over Xmas after having a crappy year and just fancied treating myself.

My last gun was an old tempermental S/S that was kind of inherited so I think whatever I get is going to feel great.

Oh and that's nice to hear about the auto-safety!

 

Thanks.

[Gordon R]

At that sort of money - Browning XS. Lot of gun for your money.

[whiskymac]

At that sort of money - Browning XS. Lot of gun for your money.

 

Another I'll look at though for some reason the gunshop seemed to think Beretta suited me better (and they did have a lot of Brownings).

 

I'm off out now for a few beers but I will check in again tomorrow for any suggestions.

[shaun4860]

I wanted a browning for years but couldnt get one that fitted right straight from the box so always had berettas until the browning xs came out with an adjustable comb....best thing ive ever bought....little bit of tinkering to get the fit right....fits great and could shoot all day now.....although for your pric range you wont get a new xs but definatley give a second hand one a look but in my opinion keep away from the cynergy...supposed to be a good gun but its an aquired taste they look so strange

good luck in your hunt but you really need to try as many different makes as you can before parting with your hard earned....

[whiskymac]

I wanted a browning for years but couldnt get one that fitted right straight from the box so always had berettas until the browning xs came out with an adjustable comb....best thing ive ever bought....little bit of tinkering to get the fit right....fits great and could shoot all day now.....although for your pric range you wont get a new xs but definatley give a second hand one a look but in my opinion keep away from the cynergy...supposed to be a good gun but its an aquired taste they look so strange

good luck in your hunt but you really need to try as many different makes as you can before parting with your hard earned....

 

Thanks, I'll let you all know what I go for in the end but I will try and look at more guns.

[JRDS]

If 95% of your shooting is going to be rough or game shooting you will soon get fed up of lugging round a 30 inch Sporter believe me. Also game guns in a Manufacturers range are in general lighter then Sporters for that very reason, Berettas certainly are and I cannot undersand why Miroku would do things differently.

[dunganick]

If 95% of your shooting is going to be rough or game shooting you will soon get fed up of lugging round a 30 inch Sporter believe me. Also game guns in a Manufacturers range are in general lighter then Sporters for that very reason, Berettas certainly are and I cannot undersand why Miroku would do things differently.

 

 

the only difference between the game and sporter miroku is the stock dimensions and the weight in the barrel.

 

if your gun is ballenced properly and you have a little strength to you, you could carry a sporting miroku all day. I should know its the only shotgun i have at the moment.

 

I still maintain that fit is more important than anything including weight. If you cant shoot the gun well it dosent matter how light it is.

 

doubt we are going to agree over this point, so probably best that whiskymac draws his own conclusions.

[JRDS]

Each to his own but any gun within reason can be fitted by a competent gunsmith and if you are buying from one I would try and haggle that into the deal?

[dunganick]

Each to his own but any gun within reason can be fitted by a competent gunsmith and if you are buying from one I would try and haggle that into the deal?

 

every gun has its limits of how much the wood can be 'bent'

 

for a beretta to fit me would require the actual removal of material normally. But i have an unusual build compaired to most.

[JRDS]

Are you 6 FT 8 or 5FT 1

 

Only joking, Happy New Year to all

[whiskymac]

Just to let you all know I did go to a few local gunshops and ended up with a Beretta. It did seem as before to be the gun that fit me best out of all those I tried.

I ended up with a Silver Pigeon S instead of the SP 3 as I didn't see the point in paying extra for better wood, etc when the gun is basically the same.

I ended up with 30" barrels in the end (I did look at both 28" and 30" ) as I just seemed to prefer the way it shouldered and moved. I think it was probably the right move as I have decided to try and get in a decent amount of clay shooting and probably a lesson or two. The gunshop insists if I am unhappy they will get me into the 28" gun at little (if any) cost. They also suggested re-sale would probably be a little better on the 30" barrels?

I also went with the M/C in the end as the wood is fantastic on my gun and I would have had to order the F/C and accept whatever wood I got. I looked at 3 silver pigeon S guns and the timber on mine is better than the others by a long way. I have just stuck 1/4 and 1/2 in the barrels and probably will just leave them.

Many thanks for all your input. :blink:

 

Any other SP users using 30" barrels?

[Catamong]

I'm sure you'll be very pleased with your gun, and yes, the Gunshop is right when they tell you that a 30" model will sell easier than a 28".

 

It's well worth having the gun professionally fitted by a competent instructor if you want to shoot good scores at clays.

 

Cat.

[whiskymac]

I'm sure you'll be very pleased with your gun, and yes, the Gunshop is right when they tell you that a 30" model will sell easier than a 28".

 

It's well worth having the gun professionally fitted by a competent instructor if you want to shoot good scores at clays.

 

Cat.

 

Thanks cat, I just need to track down a decent instructor/school up here (North West).

[kiwi]

buy a m/c you never know when you will need it for ducks or geese or long range phesant, u never know whats down the road, the diffrence is micro oz, and the gun that fits best :blink:

 

 

 

 

o well teach me not to read the last posts now new gun get out there and use it

[whiskymac]

Just out of curiosity does anyone know if the 686 Silver Pigeon S is actually available as a Sporter? It only seems to be available as a field gun on the beretta website yet some of the other SP models are available as sporter or field?