Semi autos

[figgy]

I don't use a semi for game though i think so long as its one of the lighter game shooting semis with nice engraving on the sides and wood stocks they look more than acceptable and are well used in the rest of Europe.

 

For shoots that have plenty of duck they are ideal shooting steel.

Edited October 27, 2016 by figgy

[TommyB]

Well, we were told he was a Viscount but none of us had heard of him!

Isn't that a type of minty biscuit?

[Scully]

Yes, and very good they are too. You're showing your age!

[Penelope]

But nowhere as big as they used to be, or is that my hands were smaller then?

 

Yes, and very good they are too. You're showing your age!

Edited October 28, 2016 by Penelope

[TommyB]

No, they got smaller just like monster munch! I am proud to be part of the Viscount generation 😆

[triumphant59]

We don't allow semi autos on our driven shoot. For the same reason everyone wears a tie, doesn't wear camouflage trousers and carry their gun in a bright red slip! It's just etiquette!

[bornfree]

We don't allow semi autos on our driven shoot. For the same reason everyone wears a tie, doesn't wear camouflage trousers and carry their gun in a bright red slip! It's just etiquette!

That's me ruled out on four counts. What about yellow wellies and baseball Caps?

[andrewluke]

That's me ruled out on four counts. What about yellow wellies and baseball Caps?

if wearing a baseball cap then the peak must be forward facing

[Jega]

What has a side by side, over and under , pump action ,semi auto ,single barrel ,double trigger ,hammer action , .410 ,12 gauge ,20 gauge ,got in common ?

I've missed with all of them .. :rolleyes:

[scotslad]

We don't allow semi autos on our driven shoot. For the same reason everyone wears a tie, doesn't wear camouflage trousers and carry their gun in a bright red slip! It's just etiquette!

 

Must admit we don't allow semi's either but purely on safety grounds, but we do allow cammo or most other things.

 

I really do think there is safety issues when shooting walked up game with a SA esp if ground is very rough. Atleast with a break barrel the rest of the guns can see its broken, with a semi no visible signs while walking esp if ur on there left.

 

I got rid of my semi even for vermin control/trapping, just diidn't like not haing the break barrel and picking up shell casings is a nightmare in rough cover or after flighting duck.

 

If u have a medical condition then fair enough if u ask the shoot captain/keeper first and all the guns know about it.

[12gauge82]

 

Must admit we don't allow semi's either but purely on safety grounds, but we do allow cammo or most other things.

 

I really do think there is safety issues when shooting walked up game with a SA esp if ground is very rough. Atleast with a break barrel the rest of the guns can see its broken, with a semi no visible signs while walking esp if ur on there left.

 

I got rid of my semi even for vermin control/trapping, just diidn't like not haing the break barrel and picking up shell casings is a nightmare in rough cover or after flighting duck.

 

If u have a medical condition then fair enough if u ask the shoot captain/keeper first and all the guns know about it.

To me that makes no sense, medical condition or not, it's either safe or it isn't.

[Scully]

I just don't get the safety issue with self loaders; I really don't. They are used almost exclusively throughout the USA and other countries for hunting on a daily basis, and the mechanism must be universally the most employed, and the majority seem to able to function without killing each other; yet over here the mention of semi autos seems to be an issue.

You're either safe with a gun or you're not.

[triumphant59]

Most will have heard a story and I for one have witnessed on more than one occasion when a semi auto user THOUGHT his gun was empty!!

[Mr.C]

Most will have heard a story and I for one have witnessed on more than one occasion when a semi auto user THOUGHT his gun was empty!!

It's not the gun that needs to be safe its the user. If you dont know them a break barrel is safer

Edited October 29, 2016 by Mr.C

[Old farrier]

I just don't get the safety issue with self loaders; I really don't. They are used almost exclusively throughout the USA and other countries for hunting on a daily basis, and the mechanism must be universally the most employed, and the majority seem to able to function without killing each other; yet over here the mention of semi autos seems to be an issue.

You're either safe with a gun or you're not.

How do you check up the barrels ?

Easy on a break gun

Bit harder on a semi or a pump

 

Lot of different ground and obstacles on a driven walked up day

Coupled with the red mist 😗

Personally would prefer to lend a guest who can't afford a game gun one of mine for the day 🤗

I'd be stood with them anyway ☹️️

All the best

Of

[scotslad]

There are differences with a semi that can make them more dangerous or atleast seen to be less safe, when shooting in the company of others, but as has been said the guns them selves are not unsafe.

 

Hence why i have no problem if on a driven day someone with a medical condition if guns/keeper/shoot captain have already been pre-warned and agreed to it, as i imagine unless they knew them a bit and knew he was safe they might not agree.

 

The simple fact is from any more than a few feet away no one really knows if the gun is safe, esp if ur on the left hand side even if gun has flags/shells sticking out, a break barrel gun u can tell if its broken from the oppisate side of the line.

 

Must admit i never really liked my SA so generally just left it in the cabinet, but there even a fiddle to load, yes u might get 3 shots of quickier, but if ur on a hot peg on a driven day i bet most break barrel shooters will get 4,6 or 8 shots of quickier plus easy to load while ur spotting ur next bird coming over, i never found that with a SA.

 

I have shot beside them on keepers days, even a FT (was quite shocked myself, and to be fair the gun was a ****, turned up in full cammo too) and even had a gun shooting driven grouse this year with 1 (his gun broke in the morning and keeper only had a semi).

On a driven peg day any safety issues are minimal really but i would not like to see them become more common as there is enough poor gun handling on some formal shoots as it is, adding semi's to the mix would not help things.

I've lost count of the ammount of times i've been handed semi's with bolts closed as folk climb fences/gates or being carried like a tool over there shoulder pointing almost horizontally, usually on vermin days or out with the hounds, peope would never dream of doing that with a break barrel gun.

And these are from very experienced shooters althou possibly complacant at times

 

I honestly would not be very happy on a walked up shoot in rough cover with strangers with semi's, it is very easy to close an open gun and shoot a bird or even in some cases pop a couple of shells in and close it sometimes in time for a shot.

Because of all the faffing about to load/unload people will take more chances/risks or atleas tthe potential is there, where with a break barrel u would just always push the top lever at the very least

Even walking throu some brambles/cover and u fire a few shots, how do u pick ur shells up? Same at duck flighting all over the place and i try never to leave any shells behind

 

In my opinion there is very good reason why there not used and long may it continue.

 

While appreciate it may be a pain to buy a gun specifically for 1/2 driven days a year, u can pick up plenty of decent servicable S/S or O/U for a lot cheaper the the rest of the clobber u've probably also bought for the day or the price of 8/10 pheasants. In grand scheme of things not a lot of cash and as has been said most folk do have a spare, i know i've lent mine out numerous times over the years for those very reasons

Edited October 29, 2016 by scotslad

[12gauge82]

So what about when a break open gun is in a slip, a canvas slip isn't going to stop a load going through it and it's the time people are likely to maintain poor muzzle awareness yet I never hear anyone harping on about that as a safety issues?

[roadkill]

to me it all depends on the shoot, i go on one shoot where anything goes but then on the other hand the shoot i keeper on would never have a semi auto and its tweed or nothing, i don't mind either to be honest and as long as you know what is expected then its fine and dandy

[scotslad]

So what about when a break open gun is in a slip, a canvas slip isn't going to stop a load going through it and it's the time people are likely to maintain poor muzzle awareness yet I never hear anyone harping on about that as a safety issues?

 

Fair enough but guns in slips shouldn't be loaded anyway no matter wot type of action it is.

I'm not trying to say owning a break barrel means u can ignore all muzzle awarness.

 

U can argue all day about safe handling etc, but the sad fact is a great many people don't handle guns safely esp when in a slip adding the complexities and the lack of being able to be seen to be safe.

I've seen lots of poor gun handling over the years, often keepers days can be worse than any formal days.

Infact 1 double day keepers day i rarely go too now as like the wild west, too many unsporting and occasional dodgy/dangerous shots handling going on, no need for it as usually plentty of birds about

 

U can tell from quite a long distance away if folk are climbing/jumping obsticles with there gun open/closed with a SA u can't.

Do u really trust ALL ur SA shooting buddies to take the shell out the spout fro every obsticle? Every fence no matter how short or even small ditches? Yet everyone will break a gun as it is just so simply and quick

 

 

The simple fact is while SA's may not be less safe in themselves it needs u to trust the folk holding them a whole lot more than normally and u really have no idea if ur trust is misplaced or not.

Atleast with a break barrel u can shout over to them if u notice something unsafe

[motty]

Scotslad, what are you on about?

[WinchesterDave]

You're either safe with a gun or you're not.

I personally agree with this. ^

 

It wouldn't bother me if a semi was used on a driven day - and I'd quite like to use mine once or twice just to see if I preferred it, really.

 

You can get some cracking semis with lovely wood and engraving just like OUs and I don't think they'd look out of place at all.

 

One thing that annoys me is the stigma SA users get over safety, ( I fully appreciate break barrels are easier for others to see if they're safe or not) at the clay ground I normally shoot at, there are gun stands for bystanders to leave their guns in - when I'm shooting my OUs unlike most, I leave it broken in the stand, butt on the base, chambers exposed facing down and barrels leaning against the top of the rack.

 

To me personally, all OU shooters should do this as when they get closed they're suddenly 'a LOT' more dangerous than any semi auto is. So I feel like people are a bit hypercritical. Not sure on others thoughts on this matter ?

 

 

However, I also fully appreciate tradition and I genuinely believe it depends on the type of shoot you're either a member of or buy a day off. I like being able to dress up relatively smartly for the syndicate I'm a member of, and I personally feel that my Beretta OU makes up part of that for me.

 

 

Atb,

Dave

Edited October 29, 2016 by WinchesterDave

[Walker570]

I just don't get the safety issue with self loaders; I really don't. They are used almost exclusively throughout the USA and other countries for hunting on a daily basis, and the mechanism must be universally the most employed, and the majority seem to able to function without killing each other; yet over here the mention of semi autos seems to be an issue.

You're either safe with a gun or you're not.

Absolutely agree. The gun has to be pointing where it should not to cause a problem. Same with doubles or whatever. The slide pulled back or in a sleeve and a simple comment, " My gun is unloaded" should suffice. The, thankfully, very few incidents in the UK of careless (note I don't say accidental) shootings have been with doubles. Stay safe, point it safe.

 

On subject of speed to unload semis, nothing quicker than pulling the slide back.

Edited October 29, 2016 by Walker570

[Glenlivet]

A couple of months ago there was a guy at Catton hall using a breaking semi. I'd never seen one before and, judging by other's reactions, neither had most of the other guys there.

[Scully]

There are differences with a semi that can make them more dangerous or atleast seen to be less safe, when shooting in the company of others, but as has been said the guns them selves are not unsafe.

Eh? What differences are these then if you at the end of the paragraph state that the guns themselves are not unsafe? You appear to be quite confused.

 

Hence why i have no problem if on a driven day someone with a medical condition if guns/keeper/shoot captain have already been pre-warned and agreed to it, as i imagine unless they knew them a bit and knew he was safe they might not agree. Entirely contradictory to your previous statements! One minute you claim they are 'more dangerous' but 'not unsafe' but then appear to be suggesting they're ok if used by someone due to a medical condition. Having a medical condition makes them safer than you previously claim they are?

 

The simple fact is from any more than a few feet away no one really knows if the gun is safe, esp if ur on the left hand side even if gun has flags/shells sticking out, a break barrel gun u can tell if its broken from the oppisate side of the line.

I was stood no more than 10 feet away from two guns today, both armed with closed OU's. I didn't feel threatened in any way, but have done in the past by many a 'good ole boy' walking around with his closed sxs who usually smirk if you suggest their guns should be broken when walking.

 

Must admit i never really liked my SA so generally just left it in the cabinet, but there even a fiddle to load, yes u might get 3 shots of quickier, but if ur on a hot peg on a driven day i bet most break barrel shooters will get 4,6 or 8 shots of quickier plus easy to load while ur spotting ur next bird coming over, i never found that with a SA.

 

I have shot beside them on keepers days, even a FT (was quite shocked myself, and to be fair the gun was a ****, turned up in full cammo too) and even had a gun shooting driven grouse this year with 1 (his gun broke in the morning and keeper only had a semi).

On a driven peg day any safety issues are minimal really but i would not like to see them become more common as there is enough poor gun handling on some formal shoots as it is, adding semi's to the mix would not help things.

I've lost count of the ammount of times i've been handed semi's with bolts closed as folk climb fences/gates or being carried like a tool over there shoulder pointing almost horizontally, usually on vermin days or out with the hounds, peope would never dream of doing that with a break barrel gun. Oh yes they would. I'm assuming you told those who had handed you a loaded SA?

And these are from very experienced shooters althou possibly complacant at times

 

I honestly would not be very happy on a walked up shoot in rough cover with strangers with semi's, it is very easy to close an open gun and shoot a bird or even in some cases pop a couple of shells in and close it sometimes in time for a shot. ​My mate walked around our rough shoot today with his SA; two shells in the mag' and the bolt open. It's not rocket science.

Because of all the faffing about to load/unload people will take more chances/risks or atleas tthe potential is there, where with a break barrel u would just always push the top lever at the very least

Even walking throu some brambles/cover and u fire a few shots, how do u pick ur shells up? Same at duck flighting all over the place and i try never to leave any shells behind

 

In my opinion there is very good reason why there not used and long may it continue.

 

While appreciate it may be a pain to buy a gun specifically for 1/2 driven days a year, u can pick up plenty of decent servicable S/S or O/U for a lot cheaper the the rest of the clobber u've probably also bought for the day or the price of 8/10 pheasants. In grand scheme of things not a lot of cash and as has been said most folk do have a spare, i know i've lent mine out numerous times over the years for those very reasons

 

As I've said, none of your concerns seem to be an issue in other countries. It puzzles me why it seems to be a British specific issue? I've known three shooting fatalities ( apart from suicides ) locally throughout my lifetime; none of which I witnessed, but two featured sxs shotguns and the remainder a BA rifle.

[triumphant59]

Scotslad, what are you on about?

He's talking a great deal of sense!