First shotgun,for a person,with military experience.

[sterling180]

Hello,my friends dad went out clay-shooting at a local range yesterday,with one of my other friends dad-who is a member of this club as well as being the head-shotgun coach,for the squads,regional,national and international competitions.

Now,he told me,when I visited my friend,that he liked clay-shooting so much,that he was considering getting a Section 2 license(Shotgun license.)for a Beretta break-action shotgun,but he was a bit concerned about the price of one.Now I suggested a cheap break-action, semi or even a pump,because a good second-hand one is alot cheaper,than many "top" branded break-actions,but he said that the club are a bit snooty about those types of guns and that they didn't permit them,or they wern't legal,as such

I reassured him that this wasn't the case,for most clay-shooting clubs and that he should go with what,he wants.He had displayed an interest in both the pump and semi-auto shotguns and is keen,to buy one,sometime this year.I have even offered him the opportunity,to try out the semi and pump for himself at another club,in Kent,so that he can decide for himself,without silly comments,from our sporting "elitist" break-action friends-at that club.That is why I dislike those types of shooters-too biased.

He is a Turkish-Cypriot in his early 50s,a veteren of the 1973/74,conflict with Greece,over Cyprus and he has previous experiance of small arms,that the Turkish army used then and LAWs and Bazookas.The same goes for the man,who took him shooting yesterday.Both men were drafted into national service,at that time,as conscription,was in place.

So could anyone with any thoughts,give him an ideal starting-out shotgun ,in an a appropriate calibre,for most disciplines.

 

[Hoppy590]

UK eh... do you guys have the Turk imported guns available there, such as the Escorts? these seem to have a decent price to quality ration. if your friend is really strapped for cash. also its turkish. so if hes big on national pride he may like that

 

[ArmedBear]

I have even offered him the opportunity,to try out the semi and pump for himself at another club,in Kent,so that he can decide for himself

Good idea. Have him try out a break-action, too.

There's one thing I can say in favor of getting the Beretta O/U. He won't want another gun soon.

WRT gauge, I figure 12 is most versatile for clays of all kinds, and it tends to be cheapest here in the US (20 is similar, but all others are a lot higher). However, I don't know about ammo/component prices in the UK.

 

[scout26]

The most important thing is finding one that fits him (and that he can afford). All the clay games can be played with a pump, semi-auto or break-action (SxS or O/U), granted some of the games are easier with at semi-auto or double barrel.

Find what fits (or can be made to fit with shims, a recoil pad or adjustable comb/stock) and go from there.

 

[gezzer]

Berreta and have the stock fitted. It will save money in the long run.

 

[ArmedBear]

Yeah, the guys at the range telling me to get an O/U were not snobs. They were doing me a favor. I started out with a cheap 870 Express. Still shoots well, and I still use it in the field sometimes.

Anyway, now I have 5 shotguns, and my next one will likely be a 12 Gauge O/U.

...not that I'd part with my trap single, my little 20G O/U, my 1100, my 870, my old single-shot farm gun...

But I might have saved money had I gotten a 686 first.

 

[RUT]

>>But I might have saved money had I gotten a 686 first.<<

Many of us have learned this lesson the hard way!

 

[sterling180]

UK eh... do you guys have the Turk imported guns available there, such as the Escorts? these seem to have a decent price to quality ration. if your friend is really strapped for cash. also its turkish. so if hes big on national pride he may like that

He isn't that interested in the Escorts,because he has seen the "top-branded" guns,that the other members had there.But I agree,the Escorts are value for money guns over here and that I suggested to him before,that he should have a read of the Gun Mart magazine and do a bit of research,in terms of what he wants and how much he is willing to spend,etc,etc.Early days yet.

Yeah, the guys at the range telling me to get an O/U were not snobs. They were doing me a favor. I started out with a cheap 870 Express. Still shoots well, and I still use it in the field sometimes.

Armed Bear,half of the problems that we face in the Uk,in terms of gun types,is that sadly there are shooters (Not the target crowd.)over here that will look their nose down on anything that isn't popular with the "crowd".Repeaters seem to some,uncooth or dangerous.This is why semi-auto centrefire rifles were added to the banning list in 1989,after Hungerford.With wildfowlers and pest-controllers,they are very popular.

In America,pumps and semis are very popular at clay-shooting events,over here they aren't as and people are generally biased in some clubs,towards them.Don't know why,possibly to do with the class-system and general ignorance,I suppose.

I think,from reading various posts,that he should start out with an O/U and progress,from there,upwards.

Thanks for the posts so far,everyone,they have been useful reads.

 

[kmrcstintn]

let me try this approach...a few years ago I belonged to a 'club' that held trap shoots every Wednesday evening open to the public for a nominal fee; I was a newbie to shotguns and had a Mossberg 835 combo for deer & turkey; since I was new, they let me 'slide' on my trap gun selection...

after a few times out, I noticed a pattern of very expensive break actions & highly accurate shooters...competition practice for the 'well-off' members of the club; one evening, the club president showed up with his well used Mossberg turkey gun (he is a well respected, down to earth, hunter type of guy); in between shooting sessions, I listen to a few of the 'snooty' types talking about him in a not-so-friendly manner;

so...he shoots a session of 25 clays and shoots 24 out of 25 with a common mossberg shotgun...the 'snoots' really had nothing to say much about his choice of platforms after that...

tell your dad's friend to shoot what the hell he wants to shoot at such events; if the club members intend on giving him a hard time, have him speak to the club president on the cant of 'wanting to join' but he's concerned over the 'welcoming committee' and their attitude and ask him to produce documentation about the trap shooting policies and the type of guns that are allowed...usually when expanding membership is at stake, the president will 'calm down' the welcoming committee...unless they're an 'exclusives' group

 

[Capstick1]

British shotgun mentality

This posting has confirmed the rumors I've heard about the trap and skeet clubs in England. There is definitely a separation between upper and middleclass shotgunners in England. I've always heard that if you don't show up to a trap shoot with a $20000.00 S/S from H&H or Purdey all the local gun snobs look down their noses at you. Pumps and Semi's are not only frowned on over there but in some clubs they're not even allowed. I'm so glad I don't live over there.