Which Gun for clays?

TombstoneT · 14-11-2018 5:40pm #1

I'm considering a Beretta 686 silver pigeon 1 sporter or a Browning 525 sporter , both 12g. Which is better option for clays and also what length barrels would be best? (A small bit of game also).
Thanks in advance.
TT

Cass · 14-11-2018 5:56pm

I'd look towards a sporter model. Bit heavier than most game guns (between a pound or pound and ahalf heavier) which means it'll take the constant shots better than a game gun. It also gives you a decent compromise between out right trap shotgun or game gun. IOW it's the best of both worlds. So it means you won't have too much more to carry when out for the occasional bird.

As for length. I went with 32" but i done mostly clays (90%). If you wanted to save a small bit of weight, have less swing, and still the range then 30" with the option of extended chokes would be my advice.

I cannot comment on the Browning because i cannot shoot them so never had one (O/U anyway, as i owned a semi auto for a short while). The Beretta is always my first choice. It's a personal preference and the fit of nearly any Beretta is perfect for me. However the Silver Pigeon leans more towards game. It most likely will do just fine for clays, but again i'd recommend a sporter class like the 686 Gold E or the older 682 Gold E.

slavetothegrind · 14-11-2018 10:05pm

the gun that fits you best is the simple answer.
both will break clays.
If you are in a clay club ask the experienced shooters, they will help you.

good advice above re length of barrel.

Gorgeousgeorge · 15-11-2018 10:51am

Depends what game your playing. Trap sporting clays skeet etc. Barrel length and chokes choices be it fixed or multi come into effect here.

But in all honesty gun fitment is half the battle. Both are nice guns. Could look at the mk38 miroku. Another fine piece. Browning 325/525/725. Beretta 682/686/690/692.

Lanber sporters are also a nice example as are the silma m80's

gunny123 · 15-11-2018 1:26pm

Bettinsoli's are a good starter gun too, not that expensive and easy to sell on once you progress.

Luckysasha · 15-11-2018 1:28pm

Best advice i can give is go to a dealer who either has a clay shooting range at his premises or can arrange a visit to one. You really need to try before you buy and as everyone else suggested get the gun fitted.

gunny123 · 15-11-2018 1:30pm

Luckysasha wrote: »

Best advice i can give is go to a dealer who either has a clay shooting range at his premises or can arrange a visit to one. You really need to try before you buy and as everyone else suggested get the gun fitted.

Who is fitting guns though ? Anyone with a try-gun ?

Luckysasha · 15-11-2018 1:38pm

I know McCloys in the north do it. They actually have a couple of youtube videos about it. But even to get the basic fit right by shooting a few clays will give you a good indication of weather a gun fits you right or not. You can fine tune the fit from there adding shims for cast and adjusting the trigger for pull length etc but get the basics right and go from there.

raymo19 · 18-11-2018 4:06pm

Luckysasha wrote: »

I know McCloys in the north do it. They actually have a couple of youtube videos about it. But even to get the basic fit right by shooting a few clays will give you a good indication of weather a gun fits you right or not. You can fine tune the fit from there adding shims for cast and adjusting the trigger for pull length etc but get the basics right and go from there.

That gunfit stuff is a waste of time starting off. As long as you can see across the rib and stock isn't too low you will do fine. You need to shoot it and develop your skill level. Don't waste your time on pattern plates either just another gimmick that messes with your head. All guns suggested are fine. Get one and put the stuff down the barrel. I totally agree with luckysasha comments above.
Raymo.

Gorgeousgeorge · 18-11-2018 4:50pm

raymo19 wrote: »

That gunfit stuff is a waste of time starting off. As long as you can see across the rib and stock isn't too low you will do fine. You need to shoot it and develop your skill level. Don't waste your time on pattern plates either just another gimmick that messes with your head. All guns suggested are fine. Get one and put the stuff down the barrel. I totally agree with luckysasha comments above.
Raymo.

Imo its not a waste of time starting off. Seen more lads buy first sporter head out and have all the basics right after a few weeks and cant hit a barn door. Then they give up on it altogether. Lop comb and cast are very important.

.

gunny123 · 18-11-2018 7:19pm

raymo19 wrote: »

That gunfit stuff is a waste of time starting off. As long as you can see across the rib and stock isn't too low you will do fine. You need to shoot it and develop your skill level. Don't waste your time on pattern plates either just another gimmick that messes with your head. All guns suggested are fine. Get one and put the stuff down the barrel. I totally agree with luckysasha comments above.
Raymo.

Apart from not being consistant in hitting your target, a gun that does not fit you right, will also likely contribute to recoil. I had a ill fitting centrefire rifle years ago, used to kick me around. Bought a new stock that fit better and it was a pussycat.

raymo19 · 18-11-2018 7:33pm

Gorgeousgeorge wrote: »

Imo its not a waste of time starting off. Seen more lads buy first sporter head out and have all the basics right after a few weeks and cant hit a barn door. Then they give up on it altogether. Lop comb and cast are very important.

.

Poor coaching or no coaching IMO. We have all been through that. Had nothing to do with cast , lop, fit as long as you could see across rib. Had to do with not watching the target and measuring. I would not be the one to stand in the barn door in front of any beginner.

Raymo

Gorgeousgeorge · 18-11-2018 10:34pm

raymo19 wrote: »

Poor coaching or no coaching IMO. We have all been through that. Had nothing to do with cast , lop, fit as long as you could see across rib. Had to do with not watching the target and measuring. I would not be the one to stand in the barn door in front of any beginner.

Raymo

Who said anything about standing in front of anyone? Quiet a silly thing to say.

My first beretta had everything to do with fit. Shooting low. Quick trip to pat sludd to get measured. Chop here and their. Was like a new gun. Shot it till i hit the mid 40's consistently.

raymo19 · 18-11-2018 10:55pm

Gorgeousgeorge wrote: »

Who said anything about standing in front of anyone? Quiet a silly thing to say.

My first beretta had everything to do with fit. Shooting low. Quick trip to pat sludd to get measured. Chop here and their. Was like a new gun. Shot it till i hit the mid 40's consistently.

Im looking at beginners week in and out who can't mount their gun correctly nor place the gun in shoulder correctly, their heads are totally off the stock, however they seem to shoot quite well. So what has gun fit to do with that ?. It's a total waste of time at an early stage. I have also seen beginners getting custom stocks made and they couldn't hit anything after and gave up. If there stopping the gun or swinging too fast or putting the shot in the wrong place, it doesn't care how good the gun fit is. GD himself said this in his video, he never had a gun fitted. He just learns to shoot it. He did quite well.

Gorgeousgeorge · 19-11-2018 9:50am

raymo19 wrote: »

Im looking at beginners week in and out who can't mount their gun correctly nor place the gun in shoulder correctly, their heads are totally off the stock, however they seem to shoot quite well. So what has gun fit to do with that ?. It's a total waste of time at an early stage. I have also seen beginners getting custom stocks made and they couldn't hit anything after and gave up. If there stopping the gun or swinging too fast or putting the shot in the wrong place, it doesn't care how good the gun fit is. GD himself said this in his video, he never had a gun fitted. He just learns to shoot it. He did quite well.

heads off the stock? and cant mount a gun and they shoot quiet well? now your telling lies!

well i for one am not george digweed and neither are you but i will take every advantage i can including getting a gun fitted if it helps. and as we all know 9/10 times it will

raymo19 · 19-11-2018 10:53am

Gorgeousgeorge wrote: »

heads off the stock? and cant mount a gun and they shoot quiet well? now your telling lies!

well i for one am not george digweed and neither are you but i will take every advantage i can including getting a gun fitted if it helps. and as we all know 9/10 times it will

No I'm not telling porkies. Go and look at some of the top American shooters eg David Raudlovic. His head is no where near the stock. How do trick shooters do it ?. It's all hand eye. Stock fitting and all that bull us just another way of relieving beginners and we'll healed idiots of hard earned cash. ðŸ˜‚

Gorgeousgeorge · 19-11-2018 1:20pm

raymo19 wrote: »

No I'm not telling porkies. Go and look at some of the top American shooters eg David Raudlovic. His head is no where near the stock. How do trick shooters do it ?. It's all hand eye. Stock fitting and all that bull us just another way of relieving beginners and we'll healed idiots of hard earned cash. ðŸ˜‚

We are gone from talking about beginner techniques and advantages to george digweed david raudlovic and sharpshooters? Come on now!

raymo19 · 19-11-2018 2:36pm

Gorgeousgeorge wrote: »

We are gone from talking about beginner techniques and advantages to george digweed david raudlovic and sharpshooters? Come on now!

Just providing evidence to what I'm saying. Beginners better off spending hard earned cash on coaching and practice.

useurowname · 19-11-2018 3:10pm

Both excellent guns and will give years of service. They have very different handling characteristics. Pick the gun that feels most comfortable to mount. I would be certain of the discipline of clays you intend to concentrate on if that's your primary intention, sporters have more in common with game guns to be honest, although the styling is on many is more like a trap gun. If you can get one the Miroku Mk 38 is an excellent second hand buy. it's effectively a browning, or more accurately the browning is is a Miroku cos that's where their made.

solarwinds · 19-11-2018 9:05pm

I find two wrongs very rarely make a right. First off get a gun that fits you well the rest will come with practice. If you have an ill fitting gun no amount of practice will help you if you cant consistantely mount it to the same position each and every time.

Gorgeousgeorge · 20-11-2018 1:17am

raymo19 wrote: »

Just providing evidence to what I'm saying. Beginners better off spending hard earned cash on coaching and practice.

I cant really disagree with that. But all factors need to be addressee imo

tweek84 · 20-11-2018 4:36pm

solarwinds wrote: »

I find two wrongs very rarely make a right. First off get a gun that fits you well the rest will come with practice. If you have an ill fitting gun no amount of practice will help you if you cant consistantely mount it to the same position each and every time.

This man is on the ball, when i first started shooting all i wanted was a Beretta 686 (i had picked up loads of guns and fired out of different ones) i went to loads of gun shops looking for one that hadn't a massive amount of shots gone through it. I had my heart set on the 686 finally found one that was in my price range and in the condition i considered reasonable, while i was waiting to talk to the owner of the shop who was busy with someone else my father suggested i look at some of the other guns picked up a few nothing special then i picked up a Lanber UO and it lined up perfect first time and everytime i put it up to my shoulder I bought the gun on the spot. That was 18 years ago and i still have the same gun it's what suits me.
Try the guns see what suits you best, then go from there.

I could say that the Lanber is the best gun and will turn clays to powder and birds in to a casserole but that gun might not be the one for you.

TombstoneT · 23-11-2018 11:31am

Hi Cass,
Sorry for delay with reply (off line for a while) and thanks for your swift response. I have since held both guns and the Browning fits me fine wheras the Beretta causes me to aim way too high. Amazing the difference between two guns that look very similar (to me anyway) but fit so differently.I know now where to go and what to buy thanks to you Cass and all others on this thread.

Best Regards
TT

TombstoneT · 23-11-2018 11:40am

useurowname wrote: »

Both excellent guns and will give years of service. They have very different handling characteristics. Pick the gun that feels most comfortable to mount. I would be certain of the discipline of clays you intend to concentrate on if that's your primary intention, sporters have more in common with game guns to be honest, although the styling is on many is more like a trap gun. If you can get one the Miroku Mk 38 is an excellent second hand buy. it's effectively a browning, or more accurately the browning is is a Miroku cos that's where their made.

Hi,
Thanks for the advice which made my choice easy when I held both guns.The Browning for me anyway. Beretta totally wrong.

Best Regards
TT

TombstoneT · 23-11-2018 11:44am

tweek84 wrote: »

This man is on the ball, when i first started shooting all i wanted was a Beretta 686 (i had picked up loads of guns and fired out of different ones) i went to loads of gun shops looking for one that hadn't a massive amount of shots gone through it. I had my heart set on the 686 finally found one that was in my price range and in the condition i considered reasonable, while i was waiting to talk to the owner of the shop who was busy with someone else my father suggested i look at some of the other guns picked up a few nothing special then i picked up a Lanber UO and it lined up perfect first time and everytime i put it up to my shoulder I bought the gun on the spot. That was 18 years ago and i still have the same gun it's what suits me.
Try the guns see what suits you best, then go from there.

I could say that the Lanber is the best gun and will turn clays to powder and birds in to a casserole but that gun might not be the one for you.

Hi Tweeks,
Great story. Makes perfect sense. Thanks TT

slavetothegrind · 13-12-2018 10:38pm

raymo19 wrote: »

No I'm not telling porkies. Go and look at some of the top American shooters eg David Raudlovic. His head is no where near the stock. How do trick shooters do it ?. It's all hand eye. Stock fitting and all that bull us just another way of relieving beginners and we'll healed idiots of hard earned cash. &#55357;&#56834;

David has a custom made stock on his gun , custom fit to him. Why would he do this if it did not matter?

Shooting Forum - Firearms licencing information

Which Gun for clays?

Comments

Forum Charter - Useful Information - Photo thread: Hardware - Ranges by County - Hunting Laws/Important threads - Upcoming Events - RFDs by County