Imperfection Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 I posted my SGC application form yesterday so its a waiting game on that matter and i'll update how quick Cambs Police are,but... What type of shotgun would be suitable for clays mostly,but also rabbits,pigeons etc when i get myself back into full swing. Im not excally a newbie (although i havent fired one for several years now) and used relatives S/S & O/U in the past,but i regulary see mentioned semi's.Never knew they existed until i did some reading,but are they reliable and also why do they seem to be cheaper than O/U? I read that semi's are good for clays because the recoil is absorbed on reloading? Are there any drawbacks with them over a standard O/U. Sorry if my questions sound dumb! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweedledee Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 a little more cleaning i suppose. autos are great fun but sadly frowned upon.i recently parted one of my autos but i think i will hold on to the other i would nt be without one.i love shooting them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyR Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 I guess like most, I have both. Semis are great - I use one for Pigeons and yes they do soak up recoil a lot. A friend of mine uses his a lot and is a very good shot (England and GB team) and as a gun dealer has access to all sorts. Plain advice is go somewhere where you can try both, ideally over more then just a single box of bangers. Also it doesn't matter what you get as long as it fits properly - bad fit will hurt you more than anything else in my opinion. Only downside I would say to a semi is that they are more difficult to clean and maybe are not as reliable as they are more complicated but only maybe. cheers, Jonny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted September 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 Are they frowned upon because they're not a traditional type of gun??? Im gonna be looking at a secondhand one for time being and will be spending upto £400 so will i pick up a half decent one for this money? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miroku Mike Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 First off it not a dumb question You doughnut Personally i like the o/u. Semi's make people weary when they dont know the person using them. ie you are never sure when there loaded. I bought a Semi which i have used twice messy bloody thing throws spent carts everywhere, spend more time picking up. Thats only my opinion, But having said that its nice to have 3 shots rather than 2 sometimes. I also know a couple of lads who are absolutely mustard shots with them. Its a trial and error thing, you will only know when you have tried both.Good luck with your licence , hope it gets to you quickly. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted September 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 Do you know-i never even gave the safety aspect a second thought. But of course you cannot break the barrell on them! So how do you secure the gun when not in use so not to alarm others? I havent made up my mind yet anyway cos like i said in a previous post-until few days ago i never even knew they were about.I'd already made my mind up on a O/U until i noticed semis mentioned! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oly Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 For your first gun I would go with an O/U, but then you'll probably end up like most on here and have one of both! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickb Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 Do you know-i never even gave the safety aspect a second thought. But of course you cannot break the barrell on them! So how do you secure the gun when not in use so not to alarm others? You put a breach flag into autos, its basicly cartridge shaped with a plastic "flag" hanging out for all to see, showing there is nothing live in the breach I enjoy shooting with both (in my very limited experience) and its handy having that extra shot with pigeons. ATB Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadkill Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 I had both but have now sold the semi , i think the O/U is a much better all rounder . I got fed up of going through the hedges looking for my spent carts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted September 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 (edited) After reading everyones advice-im leaning towards autos and in particular the Hasan Escort purely on price.I've read a few reviews and it does appear that they occasionally jam,but for a first gun it should do me.I know it might sound childish,but the novelty value also appeals to me since the only other auto i've fired was a FAL at Bassingbourn barracks as a kid years ago! I know they have more working parts to be cleaned,but i watched a video on YouTube of a bloke doing a strip down on one and it didnt look too bad.Local gunshop has one in stock,but its a camo which im not too keen on-i'd prefer a plain black one so he might have to order it. Edited September 3, 2008 by Imperfection Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libs Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 in terms of safety, the muzzle has ALWAYS got to be up, like right up (thats what my boss says anyway) beacuse a flag isnt always visble from far away, but a the hole in the end of the barrel is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George1990 Posted September 14, 2008 Report Share Posted September 14, 2008 One advantage of the o/u which isn't mentioned is that on an auto you can only have one choke. Especially if you are going to use it for game it would be better to have an o/u in case you take a pop and only wound the bird, while if you selected the other barrel with the tighter choke you'd have killed it. And handy to have a more open choke for closer birds so you don't have to be spot on - and it avoids the mess! Personally, i prefer the o/u anyway just for looks. Might sound childish but they look much more cool than a semi! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeh Posted September 14, 2008 Report Share Posted September 14, 2008 To be honest, as a novice shooter, I'd say you should go for an U/O for a few simple reason that people will learn that you are safe because you have the thing broke. You've got to be careful around clay shooting grounds with a semi, and people won't appricate it. Also, for clays at least, they make a bloody mess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted September 14, 2008 Report Share Posted September 14, 2008 They're not really frowned upon in the clay shooting world, only in DTL where they're all rather precious so I would scrap that notion, you've been misinformed. Plenty of blokes at my club use semi-autos (I use a pump action sometimes, when I get bored with the O/U) and it's not a problem. Having said that, I personally dislike them intensely, but not for any snobbish reasons. They're ******** for jamming (though everybody that shoots with one will tell you that it's never jammed on them in 250,000,000 shots , but as soon as I see them out shooting it jams half a dozen times ) Several blokes that I shoot with use them and do very well with them. If you're going down the clay shooting road, it has to be said that 99.9% of clay shooters use O/U shotguns and there is a reason fior that, and it's not just that they're all copying each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted September 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2008 Im divided at moment and think i need to try a few out at my local gunshop...after the Police hurry up with their checks that is! Im gonna be shooting clays primarily,but i do also want to get back into woodies again which is why i thought of the semi.Desions desions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonno243 Posted September 15, 2008 Report Share Posted September 15, 2008 They're not really frowned upon in the clay shooting world, only in DTL where they're all rather precious so I would scrap that notion, you've been misinformed. Plenty of blokes at my club use semi-autos (I use a pump action sometimes, when I get bored with the O/U) and it's not a problem. Having said that, I personally dislike them intensely, but not for any snobbish reasons. They're ******** for jamming (though everybody that shoots with one will tell you that it's never jammed on them in 250,000,000 shots , but as soon as I see them out shooting it jams half a dozen times ) Several blokes that I shoot with use them and do very well with them. If you're going down the clay shooting road, it has to be said that 99.9% of clay shooters use O/U shotguns and there is a reason fior that, and it's not just that they're all copying each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Che_Nottm Posted September 16, 2008 Report Share Posted September 16, 2008 I asked the club owner who's giving me lessons the same question at the weekend as I like the semi's. He said the two reasons there not as popular with people for clays is as has been mentioned previously its not obvious when its not live but also in some disciplines your spent cartridges will be flying past a fellow shooter and possibly put them off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter De La Mare Posted September 16, 2008 Report Share Posted September 16, 2008 Always O/U for me. At the British Open last Friday, out of the 300 that were there on the day I only saw 1 semi. You see a lot more at the local strawbale shoot though. I can't see a benefit to using one. I appear to be totally recoil proof as I can't peceive any on my 12 guage with 28g carts, or if there is any it doesn't bother me. If you are a girlie man, then the lighter weight and possible recoil benefits of a semi might appeal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted September 16, 2008 Report Share Posted September 16, 2008 I have had both, but i sold my semi and kept my o/u. i don't think i used the 3rd shot from the semi more than twice in 2 years and it does look safer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferretman Posted September 16, 2008 Report Share Posted September 16, 2008 you can get a new 1 for 400 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted September 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2008 If you are a girlie man, then the lighter weight and possible recoil benefits of a semi might appeal. I wonder if Hatsan produce an Escort in luscious pink.... Seriously though.Im still leaning towards the auto purely on grounds that they're new territory for me and it would give me an excuse to buying an O/U as a second gun! I am planning on going pidgon shooting too (i do like them) which is why i opted for the Hatsan 3 shot and it is cheap afterall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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