Shotgun Catch 22

[DoctorG]

Just been to the local gunshop and clay range to get a feel for different guns before we buy.

 

Have shot a Beretta SP on a taster day last year and shot a Miroku 6000 a couple of times at the local site this year. Beretta seemed heavy, Miroku seemed pretty light and whippy.

 

 

So, at the gunshop tried a Browning 525.

Nice, bit heavy and it appeared that the comb was a bit low for me.

Then tried a Beretta SP which felt nicely balanced and the comb was about right.

 

OK, so that's no to Browning for me and a yes to Beretta (generally speaking).

 

Off to the local range and laid hands on the MK6000 again, feels great, but again comb seems a bit low.

Odd because I had shot quite well with it for a first go.

 

Then try a Browning 525 Sporter which, as we just found out at the gunshop, was too low in the comb.

BUT, the chap points out that I am holding the gun like a rifle....too many years with a rifle and scope!

So, relax the shoulders and remount and....I can see the rib and the bead clearly

 

So, overall, back to square one.....everything is a reasonable fit (maybe shorten the stock of whatever i eventually buy).

 

 

No wonder there are so many newbie questions about "which gun is right"!

 

So I suppose my overall question is...hands up if you kept and still use the first shotgun you bought -

[Pothunter]

That's the nub of it. There are such people, but they're few.

 

So the moral, imo, is dont spend too much, buy second hand, and assume you'll buy again after 6 months.

[Zetter]

Nope from me I started off with a Medalist that fitted me ok but this year upgraded to a Winchester select energy that fit me much better and my scores while not stellar now reflect this.

However when I first started I don't think my mount was consistent to allow any sort of good fit so the medallist was a good priced first step until I had a consistent enough mount to know what I needed.

[kent]

If your new to it then you will not have yet established a consistent mount. A gun is not hard to fit to the shooter but you cant fit a gun well until the mount is established. Lightweight guns are good to carry and quick to mount , heavy guns give a reduced recoil and swing smoother (choose the first for walking grouse and the latter for heavy duty clay busting).

Seek advice from a very honest dealer or coach face to face, try a few and listen to it

[welshwarrior]

The first gun I was bought was a Beretta 682 sliver action over 20 years ago still my main gun for clays.

 

Catch it's been fitted to me a few times in that time.

[ghosthunter]

Im not on my first shotgun but it was my fault by trying to be cheap.. I set myself an unrealistic budget and bought a Baikal for clays... now it would be superb for hopping across ditches and falling into brooks and still using etc but I later found I wanted something more refined and "slick to use" so luckily I bought the Baikal second hand and it came with a 1 week trial so after using it and realising I didnt like it, back it went and ive ended up now with a browning 425 which Im more than happy with and see no need to change (thankfully).

 

Some places (not many though) have somewhere to shoot out the back so providing its a second hand unit you can try before you buy which is what I did with the Browning.

[DoctorG]

Loving the histories

 

Think I confused myself yesterday, getting hung up on things like "ooh, for another £100 I could get the MK70 which is newer than the MK7000", instead of finding something that fits and feels right for sensible money.

 

As most say, I'll probably want/need something specific after 6 to 12 months of bashing clays and getting a more consistent gun mount etc.

 

Deep breath and wait for the license to be approved, then go to the sweet shop...I mean gun shop

[bobt]

bide your time, you can borrow a gun off a mate for 72 hours, after a few weeks of shooting/trying alsorts you will have a better idea what you want,

 

and then a year later you will swap it for something else anyway.