Some advise needed on what to look for in a gun

midlouth

Hi, first post on the board so go easy on me.

I am thinking of learning how to hunt and getting into the hunting scene as a few of my friends are into it and I think it is something I would enjoy and like to get into.

What advise would you give a person who has no experience around firearms and wants to get involved? I have looked around the internet and looked at various sites on hunting, and there seems to be a lot of information there, but is there anything that I should read? Would I be best to just go out with someone that is experienced and learn in a hands on approach? Would clay pigeon shooting be better area to start with?

I am going to wait before buying any equipment, as looking at the prices on the internet for firearms, it doesn't seem like something you wake up in the morning and decide to do.

bae

First join/visit a club, learn to shoot on .22 rimfire.
It will teach you all about hold etc. and will not cost too much for rounds.
It is also much safer, and more enjoyable that way, you don't get into so many bad habits, as you will, if you try to run before you can walk.
Thats how i started on firearms, but most of all have fun and be safe (you will be told how to be on a range).

good luck
Brian

revan23

decide what sort of hunting/shooting you want to do, rifle? shotgun? also it helps if you have someone to show you the ropes, and somewhere to shoot too. you dont strictly have to join a club but it might not be a bad idea if you dont have anyone to help you out. if you do then perfect, ask them to take you out with them sometime and teach you.

freekhead

well really depends on what type of hunting you want to get into, game or virmin? i started hunting when i was 7 all my brothers got me into it. I usta do alot of shotgun shooting phesant/duck mainly but when my bro got me into rifle shooting i havent used my shotgun since. I usta go out lamping with my bro for years when he CZ .22 Hornet. Was brillant fun and really enjoyed it, i only got to shoot a fox just before he sold it, and i ahve to say it made me buy my first gun. I applied for a marlin .22mag when i was old enough and started rabbit shooting, its a great way to learn. When i was hunting with my brother i though me everything he knew, backdrop is one of the main factors of rifle shooting(allways making sure u know whats behind the target, making sure you hitting into ground and that the target is not near a hedge or brow of a hill). I find the best way to learn is joining a gun club, getting to know some people and ask if you can talk along on a couple of shoots. Learn from other people even if you dont get to shoot anything. But if you want to start rifle shooting then i suggest a .22 or .22mag for your first gun. Great fro rabbit shooting and a brillant way to start. I have recently moved on from my .22mag to a .223 and what ive learned from the .22 still applies to the .223.

AckwelFoley

i am a rifle lover myself.. would you guess by my name perhaps?

But i do have a shotgun.

Personally i think Rifle shooting is more enhoyable, but also more dangerous because of the increased range that you can shoot. So if you are wreckless you can have stray bullets.

You need to have land..ie a farmer or join a gun club, or in some cases just permission from a land owner - inorder to get a licence.

the GALL

what to look for in a gun????
hmmmm...try bullits:D:D:D

freekhead

well if you looking for a shotgun there is 3 main types

double barrles
there is under and over like this one -

this is a common choice of clay shooters and game shooters

then there is side by side like this -

Then there is single barrels like this -

this is a great shotgun to start off on as you only have one shot, it really gets you aim up when game shooting cause you push yourself to kill with that one shot, then if you like to spray and pary there is allways semi-automatics like this - these can hold 3 cartiages, but can be unplugged to hold 4 or even 5. These are great for geese shooting especially in a 20bore cause it has a more enclosed spread, and can go furhter than a 12bore. There is 2 main calibers used in ireland 20bore and 12bore. Dont be fooled by bigger numbers the smaller the number the bigger the spread like this is a 12bore cartridge - this is a 20bore cartridge -

now ther is 2 main things with cartridges, it depends on what your hunting for but each have different strenghts and weakness's. Like the 20bore cartridge in the picture has numbers on the side, the 8Sot refeers to the spread of the cartridge and the oz is the ammount of pellets. Now depends on what you hunting for take pigeon for example a 8shot 2and half oz would be fine for pegeons. Now if you shooting fox u want something alot stronger like a 2shot or even slugs aor buckshots. Buckshots is a cartridge with 5/6 balls of lead in them and they do massive damage at close range's of about 15/20yards at the most. Another important thing if you out pigeon shooting and you are using a 12bore and your m8 is using a 20bore keep cartridges seprate cause in the heat of the moment when a flock of pigeon land and you shoot and want to reload fast you could accidently put a 20bore into a 12bore shotgun and then put a 12bore into it, the 20bore cartridge would get stuck in the barrel and when you fir the barrel explodes.


Ok rifles, there is many differnt calibres, if you just looksing to start of i suggest starting with a .22 or .22mag or maybe even a .17HMR,these are great low calibre rifles used for rabbits. If you looking for a bigger calibre for foxes then id suggest a .22hornet,.223 or .22-250 these are all great calibers for foxes they kill well and the ammo is retively cheap especially the .223 as you can get UMC ammo for only 14quid a box. For bigger game id suggest a .243,.270 or even a .303 these are all great calibres for the likes of deer, they require a deer licence. Main thing about rifle shooting is allways make sure of you backdrop(this is THEE most important thing when shooting espically at night allways make sure you know whats behind the target/vermin, allways make sure your shooting into ground, never ever shoot a target that is near or standing in a hedge as you dont know whats the other side, never ever shoot a target/vermin at the brow of a hill as the bullet could go anywhere, these bullets can travel for miles when shot into the air so this is another big thing you dont do when rifle shooting, allways check safety before getting over hedges/gates, its even good practice to check safety every 5-10mins while hunting just to keep safe. Never ever shoot if a fellow hunter with you is anywhere infront of the gun. Never ever point the gun at someone loaded or unloaded. I have a saying if you cant see behind the target clearly, you cant take the shot. This is applies especially at night say for example a fox is in a marsh area, and he is ****ting looking at you and you are the top of a hill, you cant see behind him,dont shoot wait try and get him into a grass clearing and then take him but dont shoot into unknown marsh, ive heard stories of ppl shooting lambs/sheep that where behind foxes in marsh area. Just dont do it.

Well thats all i have for now, hope it gave you some information on hunting both shotgun and rifle. Ill post more when i can just a little tired now

spideog7

To the best of my knowledge the weight ie. ounces in this case, refers to the number of pellets in the cartridge. When there is more pellets (there may be more powder to fire them) there is a greater energy exchange so this gram "rating" kind of indirectly tell's you how hard the cartridge is going to kick.
It's normally in grammes as we use metric, so 7/8oz is 24gram, that's pretty much as low as it goes, normally for trap cartridges (clay pigeons).

The 8 is the size of the shot and again that's in reverse order. The numbers are all old imperial measures with some convulted method for working them out, I believe some cartridges are sold in "mm" now without that numbering system but for the most part that system still holds.

By far the most common shotugn here is the 12 gauge and the most common shot (pellet) is lead, steel is used now in much of Europe shooting waterfowl to prevent polluting waterways with lead.


Grams:
Typically 24gram (light) up to 36gram (heavy) up to 42gram (sore shoulder)

Common shot (pellet) sizes from smallest to biggest (roughly ) are:
9, 8, 7 ,7 1/2 ,6 ,5 ,4 ,3 ,2 ,BB ,1, 0, Magnum ??, 00 ,000

Anything from 8 or so up is generally used.
8 or 7 for clay's and perhaps winged vermin (crow's etc.)
6 to 4 for Pheasant's and duck, (duck would tend to be on the larger side of this ie. 4 but 6 is good for pheasant)
Bigger is usually reserved for foxes and such like.
I always use BB for foxes I think they are smaller than a 1 but bigger than a 2 Magnum's are smaller than a 0 I think but I have never used them so I'm not sure.

The length of the cartridge is matched to the length of your chamber, normally guns come in two chamber sizes 3inch (75mm) or more commonly 2 3/4 inch. you CANNOT use a 3inch cartridge in a 2 3/4 inch chamber as it will protrude into the barrel and block it. Do not try and measure them either as the length includes the pleating (the fold that closes off the top) 3 inch cartridges are normally the bigger ones anyway from 1 to 000.

This is a good site for showing you the different cartridges used with different game.
http://www.irishfieldsports.com/shooting/loads.htm

Regards

IRLConor

Wikipedia has some useful stuff about gauge and shotguns in general.

midlouth

Guys I would just like to say thanks for all the information. Quite a lot to take in.

I got to shoot my first shot yesterday out of an up and under shot gun. I didn't get to shoot anything, was out with a friend and it was more getting a to shoot into the air and get used to it than anything.

We decided that we are going to get an electric clay pigeon trap, and when I get some more experience then look into getting a license and gun maybe in the next 12 months or so.

thed4king

I think thats a good place to start. My dad and two friends have a clay pigeon trap and i absolutly love shooting clays. I originally started shooting bottles etc and it was only until i had a lesson at our gun club, that i realised a couple of small things i was doing wrong. (ie. foot placement) I think you should get some practice and then decide what kind of gun you would like to buy. I'm currently looking into rifle shooting and i have so much too learn about rifles etc. Its amazing how different the two area's of shooting are.

stevoman

if you want me advice (but its not priceless!!!!!), if you have €1000 to spend, spend €100 on a gun and €900 on a dog!!!!!!!