Shotguns: Show us your clay / game / zombie bashers

I have always shot maintained lead when appropriate - it's always been that way - however I do use pull through on short window crossing shots and at times just depending on target pot shoot a spot in front of target- mainly battue or curling droppers.

Years ago a old boy said to me if your target (crosser sort) has a defined curve to it drop your shoulder - ie. L/R crosser curving down drop right shoulder slightly to match curve - It worked perfect for me on pool shoot - it was on a sloping cliff face that curled up but was hard to see -clays followed curve as they were traveling up the curve so they looked straight had two goes and did two zeros - Stood back and looked again and went on - dropped right shoulder and hit the only 10 of day- still use that shoulder drop to this day.

If you mount gun and swing either way you will see your gun go straight - drop your shoulder and gun will swing in a arc - It has worked for me for last 30 years. :)
 
New to shooting and awaiting my licence. Live shooting with a friend's Browning B525 and will probably get the same, but a lot of the advice seems to be, Get a cheap gun to use until you know more about what you're looking for.

It also seems to me that the world class shooters go for lighter faster Berettas.

I'm therefore contemplating getting a £400ish secondhand Beretta-style o&u. An ATA maybe.

Is that a terrible idea?
 
garnett said:
New to shooting and awaiting my licence. Live shooting with a friend's Browning B525 and will probably get the same, but a lot of the advice seems to be, Get a cheap gun to use until you know more about what you're looking for.

It also seems to me that the world class shooters go for lighter faster Berettas.

I'm therefore contemplating getting a £400ish secondhand Beretta-style o&u. An ATA maybe.

Is that a terrible idea?
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Yes! don't buy a brand or a model, buy a gun that fits you as best as you can, don't spend a lot of money on a new gun either, get a <£1k gun that fits you, and shoot that for a while.
Personally the brownings mostly fit me (if a bit short), but the berettas don't fit me at all (I'm way too low on most of them, I can't see the bead!). Best thing you can do is to visit a gunroom that has lots of stock, and try 'mounting' a few until you find one that fits... If it's also a clay ground, also see if you can 'try' it, at least on the pattern plate to see if it does what you think it does.
Don't go for 'gimmicks' like 32" barrels or raised rib, try to find a good quality, well made, well maintained shooter and get cracking!

Ultimately it's likely you'll upgrade/crossgrade in a year or so, as your shooting will evolve.
 
I've had a cracking couple of days on the clays. Went to a lovely spot in Wakefield with some good people and got 36/50. Then today we went to our local club in a field near where I live and got 32/50. I'm well happy only being shooting a year.
 
Yippeeeee.

Certificate renewal came today - Only took 11 months and then because I rang them up to say my temp one expires end of May. - Rang monday got it today.
 
DXP55 said:
Yippeeeee.

Certificate renewal came today - Only took 11 months and then because I rang them up to say my temp one expires end of May. - Rang monday got it today.
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11 months for a renewal :eek:

My last renewal took 4 weeks from the day I sent it in, and the wifes just had hers done and that took 8 weeks but only because she had to get a Doctors report........
 
Have to say it's the longest I have had to wait - Seems West Mercia took over another area so doubled number of renewals/applications - I wasn't illegal as they send you a Temp Cert for a 1 year period - only trouble was you can't buy guns or cartridges. - Not that I will ever buy another gun but am running out of cartridges - I have been shooting 20 yr old fiber wads and all sorts of plastic ones of different make - Nothing left now in all the cubby holes and cupboards - going out Friday to stock up again - bit different than last stock up where average cost was £100 k - I think I am looking at £170k now - good job got another £4 a week on pension.:rolleyes:
 
I don't know why there isn't just a central admin team that deals with the entire UK. You could still have all the FEOs operating out of local stations, with no need to even visit the base.
 
In other news, I bought a 410! I played with one a little while back, and I thought it was cute. I could break 30 yards clays without too much problem. Only thing is, the one I was lent was not fantastic, single barrel for one thing...

Saturday went to AGL and was shooting my SxS for fun, and back in the shop I noticed a nice 410 SxS on the counter, just arrived. Picked it up, nice weigth to it, 14" so not 'child size' and build like a *tank*. Single trigger, ejectors, and reasonable chocking... Asked for the price and it was... £250, so I bought it there and then! It's a Baikal M43 something something, I'm actually well impressed by it! I'll give it a spin tomorrow, should be fun!

Ill post pics later...
 
Nice one -

I have shot 410's but never wanted one except one a guy my age bought to Hodnet to show it off - He was a Nikko collector and this was a O/U 410 single trigger and new in box - I couldn't afford the few grand he wanted for it but hell it was nice.

Further to my post above about stocking up on cartridges - They were 200 quid for Eley Olympics so didn't buy any - got one more contact to ring and hope they are cheaper there.

Getting a bit expensive this shooting game.
 
Here's the 410. Can't complain, it's actually superbly made. Took it apart earlier and there's nothing wrong with it. It's not as 'polished' as my london SxS, but it's definitely way overbuilt Even has a nice piece of wood on it, all for £250! I'll have a go at Compak with it tomorrow, just for the hell of it :)

@DXP55 yes carts are going up... a year or so ago I was buying mine for ~£150 and they are now £191 -- strangely, the 410 carts aren't cheaper either... Methink we might have a bit of a 'trust' issue here

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One said:
I don't know why there isn't just a central admin team that deals with the entire UK. You could still have all the FEOs operating out of local stations, with no need to even visit the base.
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That would require all the Chief Constables to agree on a common set of SGC and FAC rules = not going to happen.

My Met SGC renewal took 4 weeks.
 
BusError said:
Yes! don't buy a brand or a model, buy a gun that fits you as best as you can, don't spend a lot of money on a new gun either, get a <£1k gun that fits you, and shoot that for a while.
Personally the brownings mostly fit me (if a bit short), but the berettas don't fit me at all (I'm way too low on most of them, I can't see the bead!). Best thing you can do is to visit a gunroom that has lots of stock, and try 'mounting' a few until you find one that fits... If it's also a clay ground, also see if you can 'try' it, at least on the pattern plate to see if it does what you think it does.
Don't go for 'gimmicks' like 32" barrels or raised rib, try to find a good quality, well made, well maintained shooter and get cracking!

Ultimately it's likely you'll upgrade/crossgrade in a year or so, as your shooting will evolve.
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Most people fit one, but not both of the Two Bs...

My first gun advice would be to get a 28" multichoke sporter without a lot of drop in the stock and spend some money having the stock tailored to fit properly with a decent non-slip recoil pad.

This will allow you to have a go at any clay discipline after selecting suitable chokes and cartridges.
 
Hey all,

Ive been pretty interested in taking up shooting (clay pigeon) for a while now. Think it might be a nice bit of a hobby etc, nothing too serious. Ive done a couple of clay shoots recently and enjoyed it. What would be the next steps?

Do you join a club? or just goto whatever shooting grounds you want?
Ive got a few near me (Stoke area) but no idea which ones are best e.g. westwood leek, cloudside congleton, hodnet a bit further out, oakedge at cannock. Any recommendations?
Do all the clubs do lessons?
Beyond access, do these clubs do much else?

Assuming i need a SGC first before I do anything right? do i need to install the gun safe before i apply?

I know gun choice is really down to fit etc, but cant help looking. Beretta silver pigeon or browning 525? :)
 
@mikeh501 :
+ No need to join a club, *however* to get a SGC, being able to say you had X lessons with so-and-so and club Y is pretty important, just to demonstrate you know all the basics
+ Don't know ANY of the clubs you mention, wrong part of the country for me
+ MOST clubs will do lessons, price will vary, but it's important to have some (see ^^)
+ Clubs might give you a discount if you are a member, and that sort of things, but usually membership is not mandatory -- only if it makes senses...

You will need and SGC if you want to shoot /without an instructor/ -- and yes, it's a good idea to have the safe installed before you get a visit from the officer, there's TONS of advise on the interweb on what to do with that...

Gun choice, just look at the advises in the previous messages. Don't look for a brand, look for a gun that fits you. In fact, I don't recommend buying a new gun at all, especially to start with!
 
@mikeh501

You missed one out very close to Stoke - try Kingsley Moor shooting ground - Most of these ground now do corporate days -weddings and other sort of get togethers to make ends meet. - It would also help if you knew someone who shoots that you could go around with just to get the picture or even go to a ground and walk around on a Sunday shoot day.

On another note I have just put my name down for tomorrows first Thursday of month 100 birder at Hodnet - anyone else going ?? - just ring up -give your name and you get squadded - They try 6 to a squad but sometime it's more but they then put experienced shooters together to keep it moving.

Buserror.

Rang mate and he said they are now £200 so he isn't buying at moment as he thinks the club shooters will look for cheaper shells - he had some Fiochi ?? at 170 but they were slower than Eley Olympics - sooner keep to devil I know. - Will see what Hodnet has to offer.
 
Bleach said:
Just got my FAC & SGC through, 12 weeks in Hampshire so not too bad.

Will be spending some money this weekend!
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Nice! What's on your FAC, and what's the shopping list?

Had a good play with the 410 yesterday, it's fun! It's like shooting with a pencil instead of a hammer, definitely break them tho, if you put it in the right place. I was pleasantly surprised!
 
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