525 Game or Sporter

[Greg.L]

Hi Guys,

I realise this will probably come down to personal preference at the end of the day but im just after opinions incase there is anything i have overlooked.

Im pretty much decided im going to get myself a new 525 but just trying to decide between the game and sporter. I only shoot clays currently so that tells me a should get the sporter but I really like the look of the game gun. Is there much real world difference between the two? Weight seems pretty similar but will the smaller rib and slightly different fit of the game gun leave me at a disadvantage?

Thanks in advance.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Go to a Browning Supplier that will let you shoot both at some clays.

Then YOU can decide.

[daveboy]

I looked at both of these, In the end I went for the sporter with the adjustable comb.

[grrclark]

I don't know the variance in spec between the guns you are looking at, but typically the wider vented ribs and vented joints between barrels on clay bashing guns is to help with cooling the barrels down quicker.  On a clay gun you will typically shoot more in a shorter period and the barrels get hotter as a consequence, this can lead to a bit of heat haze off the barrels that blur the sight of the clay as well as cosy toasty fingers when you touch the wrong bit.

[Greg.L]

1 hour ago, grrclark said:

I don't know the variance in spec between the guns you are looking at, but typically the wider vented ribs and vented joints between barrels on clay bashing guns is to help with cooling the barrels down quicker.  On a clay gun you will typically shoot more in a shorter period and the barrels get hotter as a consequence, this can lead to a bit of heat haze off the barrels that blur the sight of the clay as well as cosy toasty fingers when you touch the wrong bit.

This is a good point that i'd not yet considered...

[Uilleachan]

5 hours ago, daveboy said:

I looked at both of these, In the end I went for the sporter with the adjustable comb.

Me too. The 525 to rule them all is the "sporter" IMO, clay game and fowl, it has it covered. 

I'm a fairly big guy so with the adjustable comb flat to the stock and cast a few mm to the right I'm seeing no rib and shooting flat. Fitted a butt pad shim moved the trigger forward and bingo, the gun is fitting well and I shoot it well. 

Next time I'm in the vicinity of a pattern plate I'll be finding the height the comb needs to be for a decent DTL trap sight picture then I'll make a gap tool so I can replicate the comb height simply and quickly. 

I did think about setting it up with a bit of rib showing so that I could just get used to that for all my shooting, but I like the flat shooting characteristics and I do little DTL, so having the adjustable comb is well worth it, in my opinion. 

[grrclark]

34 minutes ago, Uilleachan said:

Me too. The 525 to rule them all is the "sporter" IMO, clay game and fowl, it has it covered. 

I'm a fairly big guy so with the adjustable comb flat to the stock and cast a few mm to the right I'm seeing no rib and shooting flat. Fitted a butt pad shim moved the trigger forward and bingo, the gun is fitting well and I shoot it well. 

Next time I'm in the vicinity of a pattern plate I'll be finding the height the comb needs to be for a decent DTL trap sight picture then I'll make a gap tool so I can replicate the comb height simply and quickly. 

I did think about setting it up with a bit of rib showing so that I could just get used to that for all my shooting, but I like the flat shooting characteristics and I do little DTL, so having the adjustable comb is well worth it, in my opinion. 

Are you not just better to learn to shoot DTL with the gun as it is?  Lock the trap so it is firing straight out in front and learn what the sight picture is, then do the same with extreme left and extreme right.  Once you have your sight pictures established you will be sorted.

[Uilleachan]

13 hours ago, grrclark said:

Are you not just better to learn to shoot DTL with the gun as it is?  Lock the trap so it is firing straight out in front and learn what the sight picture is, then do the same with extreme left and extreme right.  Once you have your sight pictures established you will be sorted.

That involves blotting out the bird with the end of barrels, which isn't ideal. If I could see a little more rib I reckon I could up my average. Thinking a match width up on the comb, but I'd need to pattern it to see where it's throwing to decide. My sxs throws high and I can adjust to that easily enough so I'm thinking I can do the same with my main gun. 

In an ideal world I'd have a trap gun too, but to date I've done so little trap that at the moment I can't justify the expense nor, more particularly, the space. 

[grrclark]

14 hours ago, Uilleachan said:

That involves blotting out the bird with the end of barrels, which isn't ideal. If I could see a little more rib I reckon I could up my average. Thinking a match width up on the comb, but I'd need to pattern it to see where it's throwing to decide. My sxs throws high and I can adjust to that easily enough so I'm thinking I can do the same with my main gun. 

In an ideal world I'd have a trap gun too, but to date I've done so little trap that at the moment I can't justify the expense nor, more particularly, the space. 

Fair enough, if it is so flat that you can't sit the bird on the bead then it is likely too low.

[blackbird]

Before you rush out & get a 525 have you had a look at a Miroku MK38 it’s the same gun as a 525 but in my opinion nicer looking shotgun I had a look at a grade 5 last week (very very nice)