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Anyone else prefer semi-autos above over and unders?


Shadowchaser
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I shot a semi most of the time but found a pump much better.  Eject empties into the bin (when safe and first/second bird timing allows!), no problems with light loads/subs, easier to clean, lighter and better balanced imho, cost peanuts, loads of mods/accessories (if that's your thing), and they very rarely jam.  

I cleaned a Mossy 500 that had been used for a couple of years with nowt but the packing grease to lubricate and protect it.  Unbelievable amount of crud came out and the mag spring was rusty as hell from salt.  Thing still functioned absolutely fine.  

My father on the other hand finds an old Beretta 303 so perfect, it's his only gun.  

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We're legally limited to 5+1 shots since Christchurch. Maxus takes 4+1. Don't always need that many, but one of the features of where I shoot is that you'll often get a large number of ducks flying over at one time, then nothing for the rest of the day, so I take full advantage of those opportunities.

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It's baffling to a lot of people, but there's something quite...satisfyingly basic about my Hatsan Escort.  Component count and engineering is exactly as good as it needs to be, it points ands swings...ok.  Built to a price, and as it's a second gen, not too cartridge fussy.  It's the complete opposite of a 'nice' gun, but I will take it out in preference to anything else for a wonder round the fields of an evening.  When I point it in the right place, I hit stuff with it.  They can be had for <£300 new.  What more do you need?

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I did try a SA at clays. Had a lovely Beretta. I found the accuracy amazing and I shot it well. Just could not put up with the great clattering crash when it fired and the empties going everywhere That and the pain of cleaning forced me to get rid.

The clay ground I use have a magnet stick at every stand. No excuse!

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1 hour ago, DUNKS said:

Just could not put up with the great clattering crash when it fired and the empties going everywhere

 

12 hours ago, Wharf Rat said:

Eject empties into the bin (when safe and first/second bird timing allows!),

Brass Deflectors/catchers are standard fare in countries where self-reloading rifles are used on ranges.  This avoids hitting your elbow/the shooter in the next lane with hot brass...  The SIG 550/StgW90 used by the Swiss army even has a slot for one

Seems such a thing does exist for SA shotguns...

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Gone to a Beretta 400 Xplor from my Beretta 682 Gold E, for clays, why, simply the 2lb in weight.
Handles beautifully for me and I don't miss the slight heavy nos of the O/U.

Downside, not really for trap as side ejection  ( a little bit forward though)  can be a bit of a problem.

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I do have a soft spot for Remington autos and have various ones for the past 25 years.I had a lovely 1100 which I shot very well with but it never seemed to cycle reliably except with 36gm shells.I tried everything but it would let me down occasionally. I then moved to an 1187 and an 870 pump.I now have a sporting Clay's 1187 which I use for all my decoying and where I have to shoot steel. I find that many men I know are very faithful to a particular make of auto and will never change make although they will change models.It will be up to you to make your choice. 

My everyday gun is a Charles Lancaster sxs which I got for my 14th birthday so I have had it a while!! I am so used to it it just feels like an extension of my arm.My only issue is that it has Damascus barrels and 2.5" chambers so I am restricted to what I can put through it. 

I suppose in an ideal world you would only use one gun (and be good with it) but circumstances dictate that I need two,neither I would be without but know that the auto is not an accepted gun on many formal shoots plus it is not as pleasant or as balanced to walk with all day when rough shooting. 

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No I don't think you can beat a SBS for walked up rough shooting, the way the broken gun fits into your arm is very good. 

If I had to only ever shoot/own one gun in the future it would be a semi auto.  But as many people find you do need more than one to cover all aspects.

To the guy in NZ I wish we could have 5 + 1 over here on a shotgun licence. 

Edited by Shadowchaser
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12 minutes ago, Shadowchaser said:

No I don't think you can beat a SBS for walked up rough shooting, the way the broken gun fits into your arm is very good.

When shooting walked up game the gun is carried closed with safety on.
This rubbish about walking up with a broken gun over your arm comes from clay shooters who never use a safety catch. They seem to think it is safe, but do not recognise that if the gun will accidentally discharge at any point it will be when they slam it shut in a hurry. 

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My brother used to bring a work colleague up home for about 3 seasons in a row,his ambition was to shoot his first woodcock.Snipe and woodcock are 90% of my game shooting  so I knew I could offer him the chance to shoot one but he insisted on walking with his very hard to close O/U open all the time.In those three years I don't think he ever got a shot off at a bird despite being told to carry his gun closed and on safe pointing at the ground.Most of those days would have seen 30 /40  birds risen so he had plenty of opportunity. He just could not get the gun closed and mounted before the bird was iur of range.Eventually I got him to stand at the end of a small planting while I drove it out with the dogs and he got his bird.

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41 minutes ago, London Best said:

When shooting walked up game the gun is carried closed with safety on.
This rubbish about walking up with a broken gun over your arm comes from clay shooters who never use a safety catch. They seem to think it is safe, but do not recognise that if the gun will accidentally discharge at any point it will be when they slam it shut in a hurry. 

Good grief, that’s just absolute rubbish. 

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19 minutes ago, Scully said:

Good grief, that’s just absolute rubbish. 

A game keeper at a trial insisted that us guns carried the guns closed, up and on safe as he has seen too many dogs shot whilst closing the barrels. Was an interesting experience for me. Shot the first two partridge whilst concentrating. Missed the third chance due to relaxing and forgetting the safety. Then wiped another gun’s eye for the 4th chance. Then had an easy one, and a very fast bird that sprung whilst reloading as the dog when to get the bird’s fallen mate, but I realised that was probably in contravention of our instruction as the gun was “closed” during the heat of the moment. 

I can see both points and now do both systems depending upon terrain, footing and proximity (dogs and people). 

Edited by WalkedUp
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1 hour ago, London Best said:

When shooting walked up game the gun is carried closed with safety on.
This rubbish about walking up with a broken gun over your arm comes from clay shooters who never use a safety catch. They seem to think it is safe, but do not recognise that if the gun will accidentally discharge at any point it will be when they slam it shut in a hurry. 

I was referring more specifically to the general walking you do on such a day. The SBS fits more snuggly in the crook of the elbow than an O/U. 

I'm sure you find it so? 

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3 hours ago, Shadowchaser said:

I was referring more specifically to the general walking you do on such a day. The SBS fits more snuggly in the crook of the elbow than an O/U. 

I'm sure you find it so? 

i always walk gun up  safety on    walked up       driven gun up on hip  up     wildfowling laid on the marsh safety on no one else about   pigeon shooting hide safety on      with others take it in turns to shoot   hammer gun barrels up thumb across both hammers to cock  and the same to de cock in reverse     i shoot all sorts  of guns    a greedy gun is dangerous       you can only kill someone once       a friend  gamekeeper steve  on blacklooms est     on the hill grouse shooting walked up   was shot with both barrels by a greedy gun  his game bag saved his life    lowest pellet in his knee highest broke a tooth   on meds  for the rest of his life      whatever keeps everyone safe works  we all want a good day and go home safe    despite the weapon of choice        greed is a killer 

Edited by Saltings
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On 22/11/2020 at 19:21, Shadowchaser said:

It was either Beretta or Remington that came out with a semi auto that ejected the shells through the carrier section. It must be a good 8 - 10 years ago. I remember reading about it in Sporting Gun.  The idea never took off. 

Remington 105cti had one about 10 tears ago lovely gun but was not reliable with 28g cartridges they where made to use 32g 70mm cartridges tried all the cartridges i could in 28 g if it would have worked with 28 would have been a keeper

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10 hours ago, Shadowchaser said:

I was referring more specifically to the general walking you do on such a day. The SBS fits more snuggly in the crook of the elbow than an O/U. 

I'm sure you find it so? 

Yes, very much so. The 1 1/2 - 2 lb weight difference helps too.

11 hours ago, WalkedUp said:

Missed the third chance due to relaxing and forgetting the safety.

You don’t forget the safety when you have only ever had an auto-safe as it is part of the gun mount.

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