button Posted September 9, 2019 Report Share Posted September 9, 2019 After reading the thread regarding the 2k clay gun, starting thinking about dedicated high bird guns that have steadily been coming on the market, from the likes of Miroku, CG, Perazzis etc and then dug out an article where Chris Batha field tested various specialised guns including Perazzis, Farmers, William Powell etc and interestingly the two that he rated the best was a 725 and MK38 trap gun both 32" and both grade ones and it did get me thinking are these more expensive guns actually going to be any better, aside from the cosmetics, or is the specialist high bird gun really just a marketing ploy? What's others views? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted September 9, 2019 Report Share Posted September 9, 2019 The high bird guns are fancy trap and sporter clay guns, heavy and steady to swing. The fancy versions is same for all better wood and engraving, some are hand finished too. Shoot birds any better no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 High bird guns are to shooting what “Shooting Brakes” are to cars. One is a long barrel clay gun that the owner happens to shoot well with the other is an estate version of an already obscenely priced marque. I like both but that’s the truth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave at kelton Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 They are simply long barrelled heavy guns in either ou or SxS designed to give a steady swing and absorb the recall of heavy loads. I pickup on an estate showing some of the highest birds in the UK. I see birds shot with all manner of guns but undoubtedly those who shoot these birds regularly opt for these heavy guns in ou. It seems to me it is just using the right tool for the job, but like all tools it’s only regular use that justifies the price. Many of the shots I see are using guns that serve their purpose for all manner of shooting through the season because they shoot on a variety of shoots, not all presenting highest pheasant or partridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 My Gamba and 8500 can be classed as high bird guns, they don’t HAVE to be expensive. My Gamba was £1600 and the 8500 £150. 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
button Posted September 10, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 5 hours ago, Dave at kelton said: They are simply long barrelled heavy guns in either ou or SxS designed to give a steady swing and absorb the recall of heavy loads. I pickup on an estate showing some of the highest birds in the UK. I see birds shot with all manner of guns but undoubtedly those who shoot these birds regularly opt for these heavy guns in ou. It seems to me it is just using the right tool for the job, but like all tools it’s only regular use that justifies the price. Many of the shots I see are using guns that serve their purpose for all manner of shooting through the season because they shoot on a variety of shoots, not all presenting highest pheasant or partridge. What would you say is the most popular choice among the serious guns? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 1 hour ago, button said: What would you say is the most popular choice among the serious guns? Amongst my mates, who do some serious high driven bird shooting, it is the Sporterised Mk 38. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokersmith Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 Yep .. MK 38, and several onto Kreighoff's now. My 101 Waterfowl has knocked a few over on the serious named shoots also!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shalfordninja33 Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 If I ever have the funds for that kind of driven shooting I buy 2 682 Golds, have them serviced and refinished , job done. A couple of friends of mine shoot these high birds days and both have recently sold Perazzis following relabilty issues and gone back to Browning & Berettas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
button Posted September 10, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 10 hours ago, Scully said: My Gamba and 8500 can be classed as high bird guns, they don’t HAVE to be expensive. My Gamba was £1600 and the 8500 £150. 🙂 Interestingly one of the guns in the test was a Gamba, must say the Daytona is good looking gun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 11 minutes ago, button said: Interestingly one of the guns in the test was a Gamba, must say the Daytona is good looking gun It is, I use my Daytona on driven game days and the occasional outing at clays. It is a 32” barrelled Teague choked heavy gun, and swings through those high birds ( and Westland high tower ) like a big swingy thing! 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 (edited) Lots use Browning's or Miroku's can have a matched pair for not too much money. 32" and tight chokes with cartridges we used to shoot Hares and ducks with 40g 4 shot. Matched pair of Miroku specialised High Bird guns can be bought for around 7k. Browning's around 9k. Kreighoffs start from around 30k a matched pair. Watched one of Johnathon Magees high bird shoot videos with Dave Carrie. Camera zoomed in on a fellas gun and saw the star logo in black top lever it was a Baikal, so goes to show not all use big brand guns. Edited September 10, 2019 by figgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 I use mk 60 high pheasants and Kemen KM4s both do the job exceptionally well the MK60s are cheaper and prettier the KM4s handle a bit better and are slightly less tiring to shoot. I do like the plain black actions and understated straight strong wood on the KM4s though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 Kemen k4s are nice guns, I like the higher grades better than most Perazzis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd90 Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 7 hours ago, Scully said: Amongst my mates, who do some serious high driven bird shooting, it is the Sporterised Mk 38. Sporterised just being that they have been converted to multichoke? trap or normal rib? I know Dave Carrie uses a sporterised Miroku. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 More to it than just multi choking a trap gun. Dave Carrie has had Miroku make guns to his own spec. Carrie does use a oddball configuration between game and sporter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perazzishot Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 My sporterized trap mk38's have a Sporter foreend and are teagued. I use them for everything all clay disciplines and every form of wing shooting except walked up grouse and wildfowling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted September 11, 2019 Report Share Posted September 11, 2019 Best high bird guns are wildfowling guns like modern autos as used on foreshore geese. Just not the done thing in this country yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave at kelton Posted September 11, 2019 Report Share Posted September 11, 2019 10 hours ago, Scully said: It is, I use my Daytona on driven game days and the occasional outing at clays. It is a 32” barrelled Teague choked heavy gun, and swings through those high birds ( and Westland high tower ) like a big swingy thing! 🙂 If you are doing well on Westlands high tower that sounds good. It is my local ground and I have good and bad days on that tower with my 20 bore Guerini or Charles Lancaster wildfowling gun. The latter is a heavy 3 inch SxS with half choke in each barrel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokersmith Posted September 11, 2019 Report Share Posted September 11, 2019 7 minutes ago, figgy said: Best high bird guns are wildfowling guns like modern autos as used on foreshore geese I'd never choose to take one of my fowling auto's past or present on a high bird day … difficult to load quickly, and nowhere near as steady handling as a long barrelled OU (except the SP10, but I'd need arms like tarzan to get through a slab in a day!) That list includes A303, Xtrema1, A400, Vinci, SuperVinci, SP10, SX3, 1100, and a Versamax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted September 11, 2019 Report Share Posted September 11, 2019 8 hours ago, Lloyd90 said: Sporterised just being that they have been converted to multichoke? trap or normal rib? I know Dave Carrie uses a sporterised Miroku. I’m assuming that’s all it means, normal rib and trap fore end. Must admit I much prefer a chunky trap fore end on my guns; just a personal preference. 55 minutes ago, Dave at kelton said: If you are doing well on Westlands high tower that sounds good. It is my local ground and I have good and bad days on that tower with my 20 bore Guerini or Charles Lancaster wildfowling gun. The latter is a heavy 3 inch SxS with half choke in each barrel. Admittedly I was very inconsistent on it for the first few visits, but seem to find it quickly and stay on it nowadays. I use tighter chokes but mate has done it with 1/4 and 1/2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old farrier Posted September 11, 2019 Report Share Posted September 11, 2019 Most guns with a bit of choke will do high birds the key is gun fit familiarity with the gun and confidence in the gun cartridge/choke combination and good footwork the biggest downfall of most is not doing enough borrowing a long barrel gun and changing to a stupid heavy load for the day going equipped for extreme not high birds awful lot of high birds have been shot with side by sides over the years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robertt Posted September 11, 2019 Report Share Posted September 11, 2019 Sounds just the job for an old Greener Live Pigeon gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted September 11, 2019 Report Share Posted September 11, 2019 4 hours ago, Robertt said: Sounds just the job for an old Greener Live Pigeon gun. Mate in our syndicate has one of those...barrels like drain pipes! Nice bit of kit. 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted September 11, 2019 Report Share Posted September 11, 2019 7 hours ago, Robertt said: Sounds just the job for an old Greener Live Pigeon gun. I have a Tolley Live Pigeon Gun I use when people say a sbs can’t keep up beautiful to shoot on high birds but getting on and needs to be loved more than worked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.