Looking for my first shottie

[Alpha Mule]

I live in 35 acres of farm which I already have permission to shoot my (sub 12ft/lbs) air rifle on and will have no problem with permission for FAC and shottie.

I also have permission on about double this area, about 2 miles from here.

I haven't applied for my licences yet, but don't see too much in the way to acquiring them (stone walled farm house, gun cabinet to be aquired as per any advice the fire arms plod are happy with, mature shooter, ex-army, bla, bla). We have open fields and woods.

 

I'm primarily looking for something that will reduce the number of crows we have here. They are decimating the local wildlife (not to mention the farmers lambs {but not my concern/permission}), in particular the buzzards, hawks and falcons. Yet again I watched about 30 crows mobbing one of the buzzards this morning. He got off lightly today, there are about 250~300 locally and they love to make his life a misery.

 

I also fancy bagging some of the woddies and bunnies that I often see lurking (usually just out of my range). We also have a handful of foxes, that only get brave enough to have a go at the cat on the occasions that the dog isn't out barking her head off.

 

My budget is virtually non existant, but I understand that you get what you pay for.

So: Where do I start looking and what do I look for?

I has to be powerful enough to knock crows and jackdaws down, take out rabbits and perhaps foxes (I've heard of 'garden guns and they seem to be a bit lacking), so bore info would be good.

I'm just over 6ft and not too flabby, so a heavier model shouldn't be a concern.

OU or SBS? Pros and Cons???

 

Just how little can I expect to pay for something that won't blow up in my face?

[turner2785]

hi there, if i was you i would just head straight for the 12/20 bore shotgun, that way you have enough power for everything you mentioned and can hit moving targets as well as static etc. Then move on to a rifle afterwards if you think its necessary. My first gun was a beretta 303 semi auto (which incidentally is for sale), it is a great gun will shoot everything cleanly and was a cheap starter at £300. I live in South Wales and when i applied for my SGC it was quick and easy, the firearms officer is very helpful.

 

Thats what i would be thinking, be interesting to see what other people say.

[dave1979]

my 1st gun was a cheap english side by side 12gauge!!! 120quid i think...still use it today!!! 12yrs on..only ever had to replace firing pins once!!! think i have accounted for most quarry(including fox) with it!!! iv you point it in the rite direction it ul knock um over!!!!

Edited January 9, 2009 by dave1979

[parislondonparis]

Dave1979, where do you buy an English side by side for that sort of money? I'll be shopping pretty soon for my first shotgun and I just love the look of a side by side over an o/u, but the cheapest I seem to find is Yildiz, or AYA Yeoman but that's still a few hundred at least.

 

 

I can't access guntrader at work as it's classified as weapons and thus forbidden, but I'll have a look when I am at home.

 

thanks,

 

Vincent

[Alpha Mule]

Dave1979, where do you buy an English side by side for that sort of money? I'll be shopping pretty soon for my first shotgun and I just love the look of a side by side over an o/u, but the cheapest I seem to find is Yildiz, or AYA Yeoman but that's still a few hundred at least.

 

 

I can't access guntrader at work as it's classified as weapons and thus forbidden, but I'll have a look when I am at home.

 

thanks,

 

Vincent

 

Gun Trader are currently listing 640 SBS starting at £75. Enjoy your evening

[parislondonparis]

As a beginner I guess I feel nervous at buying something so cheap. How can I tell whether it will last me a year or two, or whether it will blow up in my face after the first cartridge?

 

I guess reputation of the dealer is one thing to go by. Looking forward to browsing a bit tonight.

[Salop Matt]

Personally I would get a cheap over and under and practise on clays plenty and then either save up for or swap for a semi-auto to give the crows a good thining out !

[lukecarpenter123]

I've just bought a new gun. I've been looking for a few months and set my budget at about 600 quid.

 

Ended up paying 1200 quid for a brand new browning 525 sporter . I'm a muppet with money that I don't have.

 

Gun should last me, o say, all my life tho. Hopefully

 

 

A nice 2nd hand auto would be my option to keep budget rockbottom. Beretta 301, Beretta 303, about 300quid mark.

 

 

L

[turner2785]

what sort of shooting do you do in south wales?, i live in penarth but only ever shoot clays when im at home, and live quarry when im away at uni.

[lukecarpenter123]

what sort of shooting do you do in south wales?, i live in penarth but only ever shoot clays when im at home, and live quarry when im away at uni.

 

 

We rough shoot and pigeons shoot.

 

L

[derek.snr]

12 bore -cheapest and most variation in cartridges-from no6 pigeons to bb fox .cheap gun got to be a baikel- bomb proof and cheap o/u or sbs .

[dave1979]

it were bought from my local gun shop(bamfords in eccleston) it may have been 2nd or 3rd hand but its dun the job!!!!!

[Lloyd90]

Where abouts in wales are you mate ?

I live around porthcawl area and got my first shotty from a bloke in neath for £50

[warren]

iv just got a escort 12g new for £270 inc a 3 year warenty been out a few times with it and im well happy with it worth a look

[Gordon2008]

12 bore -cheapest and most variation in cartridges-from no6 pigeons to bb fox .cheap gun got to be a baikel- bomb proof and cheap o/u or sbs .

 

 

I am awaiting my certificate and was going to buy a lanber, lincoln or bettinsoli around the 600 mark BUT have decided to buy a 3rd hand o/u Baikal bomb for 50 quid from a mates brother to simply get the nack of it and will save up for something better over time. Getting a good deal as ive seen same guns on gun trader for 150 quid and the bomb is in mint nick!!

[Alpha Mule]

Quote thingy has gone a bit wonky, but I'm near Talbot Green

[tazkb]

if you shop around both on here and other forums and your local gun shops you will find some thing cheap and cheerfull that will get you started, I often see the odd cheap semi, a breda or the like or maybe a cheapish Baikal o/u or maybe a Lanber or Lincoln for around the £200 - £250 although I wouldn't expect much for that money unless you get lucky and I know that some people do, just not usually me all the above by the way are 12g shotguns.

If you can get a decent Hatsan Escort for around the £200 mark that's in good nick them fair enough. Other than that you need a budget of around £300 - £400 to get some thing really decent shotgun wise and whilst some people love em I wouldn't personally reccomend a side by side to start of with, better to stick with either o/u or semi auto, i'm not knocking SxS shotguns they can be great guns but they are a bit like marmite you either love em or loath em and they can be a bit awkward to learn to shoot with. For your 3 to 4 hundred quid mark you will find a decent single trigger ejector o/u by Lincoln, Lanber, Bettensoli, rizini, huglu, etc or by upping your budget another couple of hundred then you might well find a GOOD browning, berretta, miroku etc, you may well find one of the latter for less but make sure it's in good nick, Now the name on your gun won't mean jack if it doesn't fit you properly, by that I mean that it comes to your shoulder comfortably and sits right once there giving you the correct sight picture, it's also worth getting your eye dominance checked as well as all this will affect your shooting. Stick with 12 gauge for cheaper cartridges and spares for your gun should you need them, DON'T get tied up with chokes etc it just confuses things no end and unless you actually like them I would also stay away from double triggers If you find a nice semi auto then buy a good cleaning kit because they like to be clean to work properly, well most do. As for cartridges next, for clay shooting most people stick with 28grams of shot size 7.5, the wadding material depends on the clay ground, some only like fibre wads some don't care, fibre wadded cartridges usually cost a bit more than plastic, as for shooting live quarry the following is only a guide, for pigeon etc anything from 30grams to 36 grams of shot size around No:6 or No:5 (although some use No:7 if the birds are quite close) the same cartridges will double up for bunnies and 32g or slighty bigger loads of No:6 or 5 shot will take care of tricky crows, you will find over time what suites your shooting and buying a few boxs of different size cartridges will give you an idea of how each one performs.by that i mean shot size and weight not length, most cartridges are either 2 1/2" or 2 3/4" long and most guns are chambered for that except some older SxS guns, also most of the cartridges I mention are Lead shot, if you want to use steel shot then your gun must be "proofed" for steel shot, you will usually see a "fleurs de lys" mark on the gun barrels if it is. Lead is used for 90% of shooting although for waterfowl it has been banned and so steel or other materials (read as expensive materials) must be used.For fox's centerfire rifle is normally better but shotguns are fine as long as you keep the range sensible, by that I mean under 40yrds, personally I use 3" magnums with 50g of either No:1 or No:3 shot but some prefer bigger shot sizes or loads. While it isn't possible to cover shogun shooting completely I have tried to give you some info before you start, good luck

[Toombsy]

Two years ago I went through the same as you.... wanting to take up clay shooting and the likes on a fairly tight budget.

I come from a shooting family so I gained some sound advice and that's to get something decent right from the start that fits as soon as it's brought into the shoulder - even if it blew my budget.

 

There's absolutely no point in thinking you will get something for, say, £200-£350 and being content to use it for the rest of your days as there's a very, very high chance that it just won't do what you want it to do.

 

Go to a gun shot and try out a Miroku, a Beretta and a Browning sporter 12-bore - they are all slightly different fit and one of them will fit you. And they are all virtaully bomb-proof and worth something if you decide to trade in, in future. That will be your starting point...

 

Miroku's fit me perfect without any alteration at all, so my next step was to think about what I wanted to do with it. I knew I wanted to shoot clays, and knew I wanted to practice and get good at it, and knew that ultimately I might well end up going for ducks, pigeons, rabbits etc (which I did).

 

As I wasn't sure about what the future held I opted for a multichoke, and it's a good job I did as I'm mad keen on ISU skeet (short-range, fast, open choke work), and I also enjoy a pop or two at driven birds which demands a totally different choke option.

 

Then you have got to think about barrel length. 30in is a decent starting point and a great all-rounder. But 28in is better if you're hide shooting.

 

So, after initially thinking I could pick up something half-decent that would last me a lifetime for around the £400 mark, I ended up with a nearly-new Miroku MK70 Sport 28 inch multi for £799. It was far more than I would have wanted to spend but I am really very pleased I made that extra effort to save, think it through properly, get a decent gun from a decent manufacturer, but above all get a gun that fits correctly and will last longer than I will.

 

People say you get what you pay for in this game, but you don't.... 99 percent of the time anything under £400 will be ****, and anything over £2,000 is just showing off.

[Alpha Mule]

Tazkb

Toombsy

 

These replies are exacly what I was looking for. Thanks for taking the time to write these up and voice your opinions (I know many who won't for fear of being shot down {did you see what I did there?}).

 

Thanks also to you other respondees. I have so many web sites open now my PC is creaking

 

Luke, I understand the cash thing, I'm the same and now in deep **** over it.

BigThug - You're just round the corner.

 

 

The rain has stopped, the moon isn't up, the wind isn't too terrible, I'm off with the air rifle to see if I can give a couple of bunnies some lead ear-rings.

Edited January 11, 2009 by Alpha Mule