Shotgun advice

HappyCamper1

Hello everyone, just after acquiring my first licence and bought a semi automatic shotgun. Collecting it tomorrow and wanted to ask some advice re getting plenty of practice before going out. I would like to put a good few rounds through the gun before I venture out, most likely looking to shoot duck. I have shot a variety of different firearms while abroad but no regular practice and I have completed a competency course and very aware of safety.

Now I live on a farm (not mine, have permission to shoot on the land but to be aware of the livestock) and very aware of the livestock which are in sheds now for the winter but a couple of cattle up on the fields.

Can anyone give me some advice on what is the best background to use for getting used to my shotgun and how far away with the cattle need to be to not bother them ie a couple of large fields away?

Any help or advice in general would be greatly appreciated

The pigeon man

The best place to get practice is the local clay ground. Once they're open again, book in for a lesson and put 50-100 rounds through the gun on a variety of targets.

I've never had a problem with cattle being startled by noise even when shooting very close to them. It doesn't matter what distance you think you need to be from the cattle not to startle them.

All that matters is that you don't provoke the farmer. So ask him/her what distance they would like you to keep from the livestock.

Also do you have a dog? It's essential if you're going out rough shooting.

HappyCamper1

@ the pigeon man many thanks but as you can imagine after waiting since April for the licence to come through, I am really eager to get practicising. Have a very good relationship with the farmer so as long as I am aware of where they are and keep that in mind, I won't have any problem. There are plenty of fields to go up but I was really wondering what's the safest background to use?

kjl412

HappyCamper1 wrote: »

@ the pigeon man many thanks but as you can imagine after waiting since April for the licence to come through, I am really eager to get practicising. Have a very good relationship with the farmer so as long as I am aware of where they are and keep that in mind, I won't have any problem. There are plenty of fields to go up but I was really wondering what's the safest background to use?

What do you mean background? Like your going to be shooting at clays or what?

HappyCamper1

@ kjl412 apologies as a newbie if I am not being clear. I suppose in simplest terms because I don't know how to phrase it correctly, but just wondering what advice I can get as to where can I fire safely?

dodderangler

HappyCamper1 wrote: »

@ kjl412 apologies as a newbie if I am not being clear. I suppose in simplest terms because I don't know how to phrase it correctly, but just wondering what advice I can get as to where can I fire safely?

with regards to a shotgun background isn't really a massive issue unlike a rifle. my advice on it would be to get familiar with the gun. get used to the weight and how to load it etc how it ejects spent cartridges. Learn about stance of holding it and how it sits to your shoulder. and what cartridges suit it better. some models don't agree with really cheap ammo and others do and what chokes t use on distance etc. learn safety points like never swing towards someone or rest it on your foot etc and ensure safety is always on until you need to fire it. things like that. Its easy for me t say because I learned it from my father at 10 year old but those are my 2 cents man.

but remember safety is nothing t joke about. always assume your gun and others around you with gun that theyre all loaded. never assume a gun is empty even your own. never joke or prank either man. and respect your quarry from pheasant to vermin like crow. but as stated a clay range is worth the learning. or give your location here and maybe someone experienced will bring you out and show you ropes

The pigeon man

If you want to just get a feel for the recoil you could just walk down the field and fire it straight up in the air!

Best not fire shots with the current lockdown though.

JP22

Camper1.

Congrats on your new acquisition, long may you enjoy it and shooting in general. I used them for 30 odd years for rough shooting & clays (SS, O&U & Semi Autos) and loved them. Old age/medical so rimfire shooting now, sad but that’s life, it catches up with us all.

Shotguns – lots say meh, a few pellets, not dangerous, WRONG. Up close shotguns are absolutely lethal and even from distance can cause severe damage – eyes, face.

Safety is the name of the game - First rule is Safety, Second rule is Safety, Third rule is SAFETY.
Google - Basic Shogun Safety Rules - lots of free info out there.

First – get to know your shotgun, get the shotgun manual, read it, read it again and then READ IT again. Semi autos are super, no more dangerous than other firearms however, lots of folk are very nervous around them. You need to know how it works and its safety procedures thoroughly.

Find a quiet place away from anything with a good backstop – danger area for shotgun pellets is 300m. Get some large pieces of cardboard or similar material (4’x4’) and from about 35 yards try some different cartridge’s and choke combos to determine your shot pattern. (google shotgun pattern – lots of info available).

If you have a local clay ground or local group of lads who shoot clays near you, this is one of the best places to start.

Enjoy

HappyCamper1

Many thanks for the posts and all the advices lads. While I am certainly a newbie, I have lots of advice and practice from very experienced shooter friends abroad and most of that has centered on safety, protocols etc. Also completed a competency course with my RFD.

The main reason I asked about a backstop was to make sure while I was getting familiar and used to my gun, that I was doing so in as as safe a manner as possible.

@JP22 what would you consider a safe backstop please?

JP22

I erred somewhat in my last post re backstop re rough-shooting/shotgun.

For rifle shooting you need a good backstop (solid ditch/mound/hill etc.) to catch the bullet should it go through your quarry.
With rough-shooting & shotguns it’s not so much the backstop but what’s behind something and unseen by you. If you’re hunting a ditch and flush quarry and it stays low and heads into the ditch or scrub and you shoot, that’s dangerous as you do not know what’s behind it, be it a person, livestock, you dog or a building.

Another example is shooting pigeon coming into a wood; you’re normally a yard or two in the trees and taking them as they come in. If houses/buildings/farmyards are in your arc of fire and within 300m, then it’s a possibility that pellets will land on rooftops/yards etc.

Where firearms are concerned, safety and awareness of your surroundings is vital.

Got him!

JP22 wrote: »

Camper1.

Congrats on your new acquisition, long may you enjoy it and shooting in general. I used them for 30 odd years for rough shooting & clays (SS, O&U & Semi Autos) and loved them. Old age/medical so rimfire shooting now, sad but that’s life, it catches up with us all.

Shotguns – lots say meh, a few pellets, not dangerous, WRONG. Up close shotguns are absolutely lethal and even from distance can cause severe damage – eyes, face.

Safety is the name of the game - First rule is Safety, Second rule is Safety, Third rule is SAFETY.
Google - Basic Shogun Safety Rules - lots of free info out there.

First – get to know your shotgun, get the shotgun manual, read it, read it again and then READ IT again. Semi autos are super, no more dangerous than other firearms however, lots of folk are very nervous around them. You need to know how it works and its safety procedures thoroughly.

Find a quiet place away from anything with a good backstop – danger area for shotgun pellets is 300m. Get some large pieces of cardboard or similar material (4’x4’) and from about 35 yards try some different cartridge’s and choke combos to determine your shot pattern. (google shotgun pattern – lots of info available).

If you have a local clay ground or local group of lads who shoot clays near you, this is one of the best places to start.

Enjoy

I though this chap did a competency course ? Was he listening in class? Fair play to you for giving him another refresher course!

BattleCorp

Got him! wrote: »

I though this chap did a competency course ? Was he listening in class? Fair play to you for giving him another refresher course!

No harm in someone asking again, just for clarity.

Clareman

I got my license last year and had to go through a competency course, it's all common sense but common sense isn't that common so don't assume anything.

Have you checked out to see if there's any gun clubs nearby? If there is there's probably a few members who would be delighted to bring a newbie out and show them the ropes, couple of weeks with them you'll be flying it. I'd also recommend the shooting ranges, it's 1 thing knowing how to shoot and doing it once or twice, but fire off 10 cartridges when you aren't holding the gun correctly will give you a nice bruise and ache so if nothing else going to the range will get you used to firing the gun.

mcbain087

Hi, and best of luck with your new semi.
Regardless of how experienced we are as shooters/hunters they previous posts are all so important every time we venture out. One great point was avoiding shooting into or through hedges or cover....we never know what is in the firing line.
One of the best pieces of advice I was given when rough shooting was ..." Always make sure there is lots of sky between the ground and where you are shooting"
Keep safe.

deeksofdoom

HappyCamper1 wrote: »

@ kjl412 apologies as a newbie if I am not being clear. I suppose in simplest terms because I don't know how to phrase it correctly, but just wondering what advice I can get as to where can I fire safely?

I'm not being smart... but for a shotgun up in the air with plenty of blue sky around you.

dodderangler

deeksofdoom wrote: »

I'm not being smart... but for a shotgun up in the air with plenty of blue sky around you.

Not smart. Its spot on pretty much man.

juice1304

As a rule of thumb, For each MM the diameter of the shot multiply it by 100m for lethality. That is what we were taught in school. So if you have 2mm diameter its dangerous to 200m and so on.

Eddie B

In simple terms, don't shoot in the direction of houses, people, or livestock, if they are anyway near where you are shooting. Livestock don't get panicked from the noise, Just use common sense with distance.