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Miroku MK38 choice advice appreciated!


CountryBoyTweed
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Evening All, 

I've been a regular SxS shooter for some time, I've not shot with any brand of OU for a prolonged period of time. The time has finally come for me to dip my toe in the water of OU's due to the amount of clay that I'm now shooting, I feel it's time for slightly more modern workhorse. I've been fitted by my local shop Avalon Guns in Somerset. I've been advised that due to my stature and 'long neck' a gun higher in the comb would suit my build. 

So I've half settled on the Miroku MK38 teague special 12g. due to it's notorious reliability record and the way that it fitted in the hands. I am however slightly perplexed by the choice of stock grade.. It's also worth mentioning that I wouldn't be adversed to a browning B525 as they're essentially the same gun and offer slightly better value for money (they come cased etc).

Options so far are:

1. Miroku MK38 GD1 teague - No nonsense shotgun, average wood but likely to give trouble free shooting for years. 

2. Miroku MK38 GD5 teague. - Same as above, great looking wood and prettier engraving - Slight concern about some reports of stock cracking around the palm swell/receiver. (Brittle North American walnut).

3. Browning B525 Sporter.  No nonsense shotgun, average wood but likely to give trouble free shooting for years + added benefit of being cased and very slightly cheaper.

4. Browning B525 Laminate Game. No nonsense shotgun, bit of a workhorse.. bulletproof woodwork that requires minimal maintenance. Perhaps slightly a step too far from the traditional gun that i'm used too? Certianly more interesting to look at than a regular GD1 MK38 or B525 and well priced.

 

I'd love to hear personal experiences from you, particularly surrounding this GD5 browning/miroku stock cracking malarky, whether or not it's a myth or has some truth to it. Exciting times shopping for a new blunder bus. Thanks in advance! 

 

 

 

 

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You have nailed your research my man, they are the same but one comes in a cardboard box the other in plastic.. . . . . great guns I've had both and no difference so down to 2 things, how much you want to spend and how much you want to show your wealth; its that simple in my eyes and remember the cartridges and the cheapest part of a day out and the gun is a close second. . . . . a much more important financial question is where to shoot, lay your head and drink

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2 minutes ago, mgsontour said:

You have nailed your research my man, they are the same but one comes in a cardboard box the other in plastic.. . . . . great guns I've had both and no difference so down to 2 things, how much you want to spend and how much you want to show your wealth; its that simple in my eyes and remember the cartridges and the cheapest part of a day out and the gun is a close second. . . . . a much more important financial question is where to shoot, lay your head and drink

haha! you've hit the nail on the head there. They'd all make a cracking choice because they're all essentially the same gun. The choice is just bewildering... so far I'm leaning toward either the B525 laminate game (because it's prettier than a GD1 and the same price) OR a GD5 MK38.. downside of the latter is the mrs will probably leave me. (Few extra pennies for shooting then perhaps?) 🤪

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The Mk38 G5. It’s the only one you may not lose too much money on, if that’s of any concern to you, when you trade it for something else. 
A mate has a Mk38 G3 and the Mk38 G5 Teague, and has had no issues with either. They’re Mirokus after all. 
If you’re concerned about cracking stocks then you could always insure the gun. 
 

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7 minutes ago, CountryBoyTweed said:

haha! you've hit the nail on the head there. They'd all make a cracking choice because they're all essentially the same gun. The choice is just bewildering... so far I'm leaning toward either the B525 laminate game (because it's prettier than a GD1 and the same price) OR a GD5 MK38.. downside of the latter is the mrs will probably leave me. (Few extra pennies for shooting then perhaps?) 🤪

Bribe the gundealer to put a sale tag on the gun you want and walk in proud that you landed a deal

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1 hour ago, Smokersmith said:

Which one will you love in 5 years time?

Which one would you mourn if you found it had sold?

This. That’s the best way to narrow it down. 
I have bought more than one gun due to the fact I wouldn’t have slept if I’d gone home without them! 

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I can only comment on grade 1 Miroku MK38 sporter, teague choked as that's what I use.

When I bought it, I was told that as you go up a grade you get deeper and better engraving and prettier wood at about £1000 per grade. I was also told American walnut is brittle but have no experience of that. 

As mine is my main workhouse and gun for anything and everything and not a cabinet queen I bought grade 1. 

No regrets, but yes the grade 5 is gorgeous, even my wife said she thought that's what I would have gone for. 

The one for sale on here was soooooo tempting..........

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I have a 32” Mk38 and a 28” MK70, both are GR1, the 38 is my clay gun and the 70 is for rough/walked up. A great deal of people will say the 38 is essentially the same as a 525, I have to disagree with this for how they fitted ME. I was fortunate to be able to try them both back to back and I could hit 50% with a 525 with a nice bit of cheek slap, rising to 85% with the 38 on the same birds, so please try them both. As for the wood, I have several friends who shoot 38’s and only one has had a broken stock, that was a grade 5, but he was insured. Miroku stocks in Grade 1 have a huge variety, some horrible fence posts, some more like GR3 and believe it or not they ALL feel different in the hands. I shopped around for both of mine and purchased the best GR1’s I could find which felt the best in the shoulder, I managed to find my 38 which was a special order from Miroku and came with a trap forend, which is lovely, I have now purchased another for my 70. I’m not at all bothered by the cardboard box it comes in because that just goes up the loft. The 1 downside is the recoil pad, rock hard rubber, not the nice one on the 525, so that is a consideration for you. The wood on my 70 is that nice I have recently had it London finished and you would honestly believe it to be GR3+. One of my friends has a 38, he is a very good shot who is sponsored by a cartridge company, his 38 has had 500,000 through it and has only ever had 2 bottom pins and 1 top lever spring in a lot of years shooting. The 38 in 32” is quite barrel heavy, more than a 525 because of the solid mid rib, I have balanced mine with the aid of Teague titanium and some weights in the stock, it’s now perfect on the hinge pin and I won’t ever be selling it. For some reason Miroku barrels get heavy leading after a 150 bird shoot, not sure why, so get yourself a tornado brush which quickly removes leading/plastic marks.

Hope that helps, best of luck with the purchase.

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The 525 and MK38 share virtually the same action but, depending on vintage, the barrels will be different construction and different weight. My personal take is that Mirokus tend to be low in the comb, at least in comparison with Italian and German guns, but your mileage may vary - as the Americans tend to say.

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2 hours ago, London Best said:

My observation is that two or three identical models off the same rack will all feel different.

That’s absolutely right. A few years ago I wanted a grade 1 mk 38 trap gun 32” for sporting. The dealer got out several brand new guns and the comb heights were all different. I finished up buying a version with an adjustable comb which also had a longer 15” stock as well. I too have a long neck and it suited me well - another gun I wish I’d never sold.

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1 hour ago, Westward said:

My personal take is that Mirokus tend to be low in the comb, at least in comparison with Italian and German guns, 

Yes, have to agree with this and depending on which gun you shoulder they all vary. People often say the MK70 is far too flat shooting as the comb is very low, but TBH I find it spot on for walked up.

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18 hours ago, CountryBoyTweed said:

Evening All, 

I've been a regular SxS shooter for some time, I've not shot with any brand of OU for a prolonged period of time. The time has finally come for me to dip my toe in the water of OU's due to the amount of clay that I'm now shooting, I feel it's time for slightly more modern workhorse. I've been fitted by my local shop Avalon Guns in Somerset. I've been advised that due to my stature and 'long neck' a gun higher in the comb would suit my build. 

So I've half settled on the Miroku MK38 teague special 12g. due to it's notorious reliability record and the way that it fitted in the hands. I am however slightly perplexed by the choice of stock grade.. It's also worth mentioning that I wouldn't be adversed to a browning B525 as they're essentially the same gun and offer slightly better value for money (they come cased etc).

Options so far are:

1. Miroku MK38 GD1 teague - No nonsense shotgun, average wood but likely to give trouble free shooting for years. 

2. Miroku MK38 GD5 teague. - Same as above, great looking wood and prettier engraving - Slight concern about some reports of stock cracking around the palm swell/receiver. (Brittle North American walnut).

3. Browning B525 Sporter.  No nonsense shotgun, average wood but likely to give trouble free shooting for years + added benefit of being cased and very slightly cheaper.

4. Browning B525 Laminate Game. No nonsense shotgun, bit of a workhorse.. bulletproof woodwork that requires minimal maintenance. Perhaps slightly a step too far from the traditional gun that i'm used too? Certianly more interesting to look at than a regular GD1 MK38 or B525 and well priced.

 

I'd love to hear personal experiences from you, particularly surrounding this GD5 browning/miroku stock cracking malarky, whether or not it's a myth or has some truth to it. Exciting times shopping for a new blunder bus. Thanks in advance! 

 

 

 

 


 

Let me guess… that bloke Tony put a gun in your hand with the arrow laser shot and told you all the guns were aiming low and you needed a gun with a high comb? 

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13 minutes ago, Lloyd90 said:


 

Let me guess… that bloke Tony put a gun in your hand with the arrow laser shot and told you all the guns were aiming low and you needed a gun with a high comb? 

  No, he actually said my AYA Yeoman fits me well.. I'll be keeping that for rough shooting/walked up game. I'm just looking to merge into the world of O/U's for sporting clays and of all the big brands that I tried on the day Berretta, Browning, Breda, Miroku.. the MK38 was the one that felt most comfortable and that was because it's higher in the comb and has a taller action. I was originally looking for a Silver pigeon, but out of the few that I picked up that was the most uncomfortable, which was unfortunate. 

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4 hours ago, Taileron said:

I have a 32” Mk38 and a 28” MK70, both are GR1, the 38 is my clay gun and the 70 is for rough/walked up. A great deal of people will say the 38 is essentially the same as a 525, I have to disagree with this for how they fitted ME. I was fortunate to be able to try them both back to back and I could hit 50% with a 525 with a nice bit of cheek slap, rising to 85% with the 38 on the same birds, so please try them both. As for the wood, I have several friends who shoot 38’s and only one has had a broken stock, that was a grade 5, but he was insured. Miroku stocks in Grade 1 have a huge variety, some horrible fence posts, some more like GR3 and believe it or not they ALL feel different in the hands. I shopped around for both of mine and purchased the best GR1’s I could find which felt the best in the shoulder, I managed to find my 38 which was a special order from Miroku and came with a trap forend, which is lovely, I have now purchased another for my 70. I’m not at all bothered by the cardboard box it comes in because that just goes up the loft. The 1 downside is the recoil pad, rock hard rubber, not the nice one on the 525, so that is a consideration for you. The wood on my 70 is that nice I have recently had it London finished and you would honestly believe it to be GR3+. One of my friends has a 38, he is a very good shot who is sponsored by a cartridge company, his 38 has had 500,000 through it and has only ever had 2 bottom pins and 1 top lever spring in a lot of years shooting. The 38 in 32” is quite barrel heavy, more than a 525 because of the solid mid rib, I have balanced mine with the aid of Teague titanium and some weights in the stock, it’s now perfect on the hinge pin and I won’t ever be selling it. For some reason Miroku barrels get heavy leading after a 150 bird shoot, not sure why, so get yourself a tornado brush which quickly removes leading/plastic marks.

Hope that helps, best of luck with the purchase.

Taileron, that's a brilliant bit of feedback. Given me lots to think about - Browning are holding an open day in the SW this Saturday which I've got tickets for.. so with a bit of luck I'll have an opportunity to shoot all of the above and make an informed decision from there. 

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There all good guns 😊

pick the one you like and will enjoy the most 

have you considered the 725 

just to say I have got a few mirouke  and never had a problem ive browning as well and no problem with them either 

just as a footnote think about the future and should lead be banned for clays would the gun still be suitable?

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