Hi chaps,

I have been bitten by the shotgun bug and can't get enough shooting clays

I am after advice on what shotguns to look for and what to avoid, there seem to many out there some very expensive some very cheap, i know you get what you pay for but this will be my first gun, so i am after something i can easily sell on and start the upgrade process when the time comes.

What have you got and why

 2010 defender utility
2010 RRS TDV8 (gone)
2007 discovery 3 (gone)
2004 discovery 4 (gone)
1994 discovery 1
1970 v8 hybrid (gone)
1975 bobtail (gone)

I have a Beretta Silver Pigeon - £1350 brand new. Not cheap but certainly cheaper than a lot. Gets good reviews and being a Beretta is well made and reliable. I've never had a problem with it. It looked nice and felt comfortable so I got it. Doesn't mean I can hit a clay though Friends have Brownings which have been just as good in over and under format but the semi auto is no where near as reliable.

Seems to hold its value well as I see second hand ones still going for £1200+

+ 1 for Beretta - sporting multi choke

The most important thing is gun fit. No point going cheap or expensive if the gun doesn't fit because that'll only lead to frustration and an early towel throw.

When it comes to what to buy, my opinion hasn't changed from when I bought my first.....better to buy a used, recognised make that is known to being solid, reliable and always in demand than go for a gun from a lesser known maker which is the same price but new. The new cheap gun will almost certainly lose you more money than a used example from one of the 'big two.'

The reason for that is quite simple; the used Beretta or Browning (for example) will cost the same but lose very little (if anything at all) IF you decide to sell at a future stage.....if you look after it an keep it clean.

However, the main benefit of this route is that even the entry level guns by those two makes are very, very capable and many people shoot with them for years and years, in competitions and rough shooting etc. They are capable, well built, reliable and because they are the two biggest sellers in the world, parts are cheap, every gunsmith has handled thousands of them (for routine servicing mainly) and there is a wealth of information available should you wish to try a little repair yourself.

I would do some research and find A. retail sellers near you and B. gunsmiths near you.

Visit the shops and see what they recommend. If they steer you towards a £5000 gun, walk away......I had that; they insisted that was a reasonable price for a first gun. And just like viewing cars, don't buy the first one you see.....another shop may have exactly the same gun at the same price but it may have more pleasing (to your eye) woodwork.

I mention gunsmiths for two reasons. Whilst a good shop will guide you with regards gun fitting (and may even have an in-house smith), a gunsmith will be able to help with the fit alter the stock cast, length etc etc AND they often have a few guns lying around for sale which will be cheaper than the retail outlet.

If you haven't found it already, have look at https://www.guntrader.uk Start by searching for guns that are recommended to you and start to compare prices because they can vary a lot. In case you didn't know, if you spot a gun in the Shetland Islands (an example for demonstration purposes) and you live in Cornwall, it is worth speaking to the selling shop to see what they charge for transfer to your local shop/gunsmith (Registered Firearms Dealer) and how much they charge for receiving it.

If I had to recommend anything, I would look at Beretta Silver Pigeon 1 and the Browning 725. They are entry level guns that are relatively inexpensive new but there are many good used example around. Use them as your baseline comparison. Both are very capable and quality guns (don;t let the fact they are entry level put you off) and will serve you well for many years.

I went from a Miroku Mk38 (30" m/c) to Beretta 692 Gold E (32" m/c) and just like cars, although the first did the job well enough, to me at least, I could feel the difference in quality and balance, not because one make is better than the other but the latter is up a few notches on the price ladder and that to me at least shows.........the Silver Pigeon came out a while after I bought my Gold E and I was astonished at how well it handled. Mind you, I thought the same about the 725!

Both are immense value new, never mind used.

Good luck and hope this helps.

+1 for gun fit first and also find a good gunsmith.

I have a Beretta 686 O/U and a unnamed SBS from Brescia with Holland and Holland mechanics. I actually prefer to shoot the double trigger SBS but wouldn't part with either. I paid about £1k for each. "On first name terms with my local Dealer......now."

'61 Plate 5.0SC Autobiography - in Black ——— Gone
'53 plate 4.4V8 Vogue Bonatti Grey inside and out. ----- Gone

Surely, as a Range Rover owner, you need a Holland and Holland? Ron B. VK2OTC
2003 L322 V8 Auto
2007 Yamaha XJR1300
Previous: 1983, 1986 RRC; 1995, 1996 P38A; 1995 Disco1; 1984 V8 County 110; Series IIA

+1 for correct gun fit !

Some shooting grounds have on site shops with a range of new and used guns in them. They should let you take a gun you like out on to a stand to try - if they won't walk away there will be other shops attavhed to grounds that will do. I must hae tried 50% of the guns in my local ground's shop before settling on one that I felt comfortable with - a used Browning 525 for which I paid if i remember correctly £650 8 years ago. I would expect to recover that if I sold it now.
Also visiting a gun smith is also great advice - think of them as the tuners of the gun world if you like. Just a couple of mm removed here and there or an adjustment in stock angle can make a massive difference. 2008 TDV8

My friend has a Holland and Holland and I prefer the way mine shoots Its not about brand name (cars and Shotguns) but the way they feel and perform.

 "On first name terms with my local Dealer......now."

'61 Plate 5.0SC Autobiography - in Black ——— Gone
'53 plate 4.4V8 Vogue Bonatti Grey inside and out. ----- Gone

A bit like women.  Ron B. VK2OTC
2003 L322 V8 Auto
2007 Yamaha XJR1300
Previous: 1983, 1986 RRC; 1995, 1996 P38A; 1995 Disco1; 1984 V8 County 110; Series IIA

Been covered, but find a gun that fits!

I bought a Beretta Silver Pigeon 1 Sporter to begin, great gun, however I found I shot clays better with a £300 Castellani O/U. Although there was only a very subtle difference in fit.

I have recently traded the SP 1 for Beretta Gold Pigeon, which I am really happy with and my shooting has improved.

I still like my cheaper guns too

I took a half gun on a shoot this season and thoroughly enjoyed it, although I mainly shot clays, badly at times  Regards
Royston

2008 4.2 Supercharged Autobiography
1994 Classic Vogue SE
1999 Rover BRM
1987 Rover Vitesse Twin Plenum

+1 for gun fit. I have a Beretta 687, bought second hand 10 years ago for £900 from Chris Potter in Tunbridge Wells. Before buying, they asked me my budget and then showed me what was in my price range. I spent some time with them and narrowed it down to a Browning or the Beretta, choosing the latter for its better fit. I've used it for clays and driven pheasant/partridge shooting. Its well balanced and suits me. Others on my syndicate have the same gun. So find a goid gunsmith, explain what you will be using it for and your price range and they will sort you out.

Thanks for the advice chaps, lots of food for thought!
I popped to my local gun shop on the weekend and tried a couple for fit, I was surprised how good some felt and how wrong others felt

I have narrowed it down to the Browning and Beretta 2010 defender utility
2010 RRS TDV8 (gone)
2007 discovery 3 (gone)
2004 discovery 4 (gone)
1994 discovery 1
1970 v8 hybrid (gone)
1975 bobtail (gone)

Lucky beggars! In Australia now, one cannot even handle a gun in a gunshop unless one has already obtained a gun licence. Ron B. VK2OTC
2003 L322 V8 Auto
2007 Yamaha XJR1300
Previous: 1983, 1986 RRC; 1995, 1996 P38A; 1995 Disco1; 1984 V8 County 110; Series IIA

Beretta although a 9mm is easily hidden and post offices are carrying less cash.....sorry wrong forum  Is this where I put the car details and a bit about myself ?........

 Tom

Current Drive
2011 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography - Santorini Black - Ivory Leather

Previous Drives
2004 Model Vogue Td6 (Touchscreen) - Java Black - Parchment Leather
1994 RR Classic 3.9 V8 Soft dash - Niagara Grey - Grey Leather
1972 Series III SWB Safari - Green (Hand Painted) - Black Plastic