First Shotgun Advice

[DeepThought]

Hi

 

Firstly my apologies for being (I imagine) yet another person asking this question.

 

I'm in the middle of getting my SGC and it's impossible not to think (perhaps obsess) over what gun to get.

 

My main dilemma right now is whether to get an over/under or a semi auto. I'll probably just be bashing clays at first but my main interest is in pigeons, rabbits, corvids and hopefully some wildfowl once I secure some permissions.

 

I know there can be a certain degree of snobbery surrounding semi auto users but I'm neither rich nor well connected enough to get an invite to a game shoot any time soon.

 

What do you think? If you could only have one shotgun, what type would it be?

[Scully]

One shotgun is never enough so don't restrict yourself. The most versatile option in my opinion is the o/u multi choke.

[roadkill]

if clays will be your main shooting then maybe a o/u but like said get a few if funds allow

[DeepThought]

One shotgun is never enough so don't restrict yourself. The most versatile option in my opinion is the o/u multi choke.

 

Believe me, I'd love to go out and buy a gun for every occasion, but finances limit me to one at a time for now.

 

Whatever I get, I'll follow up with the other in due course I'm sure.

[HDAV]

Buy a good quality OU with 3" chambers steel proof and multichokes, there is nothing you cannot shoot with this from clays to driven days and everything between. It's more important it you than anything else, while waiting for cert get out and bash some clays most clubs have guns you can borrow or hire see what suits and get a couple of lessons to get to grips with the basics before bad habits take hold!

[Flynn]

What this lot above me say. Cover all of the bases and pick up a multi-choke OU at whatever length feels right but fits you (vital).

 

Also, where are you? Fill in your contact details, as there are many people on here who can probably sort you out on a day as a guest on a shoot to get your feet wet once you get fixed up... On my shoot, "wet" means covered in fox scat, pond water, gearbox oil, barley, sloe gin, something that smells suspiciously like something shot and not picked from a fortnight ago, pork pie, more fox scat, port and sprocker widdle.

Edited November 27, 2014 by Flynn

[Ruster]

Bit repetitive but I add my vote to a decent O/U as above get one with steel proof bores and multi choke, I have a pump semi auto and O/U and by far the O/U is out of the cabinet most while the others sit cosy collecting dust......waste of money really

[69chris]

my fav gun is also my cheapest, an old 48-al semi i bought off here, aint even taken my maxus out of the cabinet since i got the franchi............more expensive doesnt always equal more fun

[andrew f]

never spend silly money on your first shotgun save up till you know what you want. I have a o/u and a semi my o/u is a browning medallist and my semi is a cheap revo 3 shot which cycles everything have put though it

Edited November 27, 2014 by andrew f

[ditchman]

never spend silly money on your first shotgun save up till you know what you want. I have a o/u and a semi my o/u is a browning medallist and my semi is a cheap revo 3 shot wish cycles everything have put though it

 

 

good sense.......get a sound cheapo first.........put a 1000 rounds thro your shoulder first...have a go with other guns ...............then make your desision

[andrew f]

 

 

good sense.......get a sound cheapo first.........put a 1000 rounds thro your shoulder first...have a go with other guns ...............then make your desision

never spent more than £500 on a shotgun don't think I could hit anymore with a lovely purdey

[DeepThought]

Thanks for the replies everyone, I've been leaning towards an O/U anyway and I think that seals it.

 

Now I've just got to navigate the minefield of installing a cabinet, securing my SGC, getting some shooting in and then finding a suitable gun.

 

Busy and expensive times ahead I feel.

 

I'm not going to ask which gun I should get, I know it's all about what's right for the individual, but are there any manufacturers I should avoid in case a pushy dealer starts trying to offload something he can't shift on me?

Edited November 27, 2014 by DeepThought

[Daveo26]

Have you got no mates into shooting? I'd use their gun for the time being

then If I were me, and I am....

I'd go to clay shoots and say s'cues me mate, is that a......... Mind if I shoot this stand with it?

If it's a big commercial place you might be able to hire a gun,

Most people will let you use there gun, if you explain your new and don't know what to buy.

It's hard to say what to avoid 20 people might give 20 answers,

Plenty of good cheap guns out there, my mate in exactly the same position as you bought a lanber o/u fixed choke at 1/4 and 1/2

For about £300 after shouldering every gun the shop had, he shoots well with it and he loves it.

[DeepThought]

I've got shooters in the family but they've all got semi autos. My brother used to have a Baikal O/U which I found came up a little low for me.

 

Hopefully I'll be able to get into a rough shoot pretty soon so don't want to spend too long mulling it over. I think a cheap but suitable second hand O/U will be the way forward, I'm sure I'll have a better idea once I've tried a few on.

[Daveo26]

Sorted it for you mate

http://www.yorkguns.com/browning-b25-hunting-sp-c2g-hunting-gold-12b-30-fc-overunder

[sishyplops]

Sorted it for you mate

http://www.yorkguns.com/browning-b25-hunting-sp-c2g-hunting-gold-12b-30-fc-overunder

 

Is it steel proofed?

[Westley]

 

Beretta 303, 28" m/c for under £500. Probably the best auto ever made. Cheapish to buy, easy to clean, just find a cartridge it likes and stick with them. Mine loves Hull Superfarts and 29 gram pigeon, fibre wads.

[DeepThought]

Sorted it for you mate

http://www.yorkguns.com/browning-b25-hunting-sp-c2g-hunting-gold-12b-30-fc-overunder

And about the same again on diesel getting to York and back.

[Daveo26]

Beretta 303, 28" m/c for under £500. Probably the best auto ever made. Cheapish to buy, easy to clean, just find a cartridge it likes and stick with them. Mine loves Hull Superfarts and 29 gram pigeon, fibre wads.

Just when he had decided on an o/u........

And about the same again on diesel getting to York and back.

Jesus mate, what do you drive? A Sherman tank

[DeepThought]

I'm pretty sure that would need more than a shotgun ticket.

[HDAV]

Avoid any unkown brands there are some nice looking but quite guns being imported under all sorts of names, Webley and Scott are pretty poor IMO. but there will be quite a few to choose from find a good dealer that isnt pushing you into what they have on the shelf and will let you shoot before you buy.

[Ruster]

If you stick to browning/beretta/mirouku you can't go wrong is what I was told when I started and seems like sound advise from my experiance so far. Everyone is different though some can shoot browning but not beretta and vise versa

[Richie092]

Have you got no mates into shooting? I'd use their gun for the time being

then If I were me, and I am....

I'd go to clay shoots and say s'cues me mate, is that a......... Mind if I shoot this stand with it?

If it's a big commercial place you might be able to hire a gun,

Most people will let you use there gun, if you explain your new and don't know what to buy.

It's hard to say what to avoid 20 people might give 20 answers,

Plenty of good cheap guns out there, my mate in exactly the same position as you bought a lanber o/u fixed choke at 1/4 and 1/2

For about £300 after shouldering every gun the shop had, he shoots well with it and he loves it.

gonna second this. My brother shot loads of different guns and decided on a used lanber o/u. Great guns for the money.

[Ricko]

Get a cheap gun either SBS or OU depending on what you are used to. See how much you use it during the first year then look for a better one if you can justify it to yourself.