A good cheap sporting gun

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Tom b

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 9, 2014
Messages
250
Location
Horton South glos
I have been away from the forum for a while and shooting in general, I started to get a bit disillusioned with the sport and the realisation that it was costing more than a mortgage a month pushed me over the edge. I have been going through a stage of not being able to settle on a gun and have gone through many and varied, perazzi, krieghoff and Blaser to name a few but I have finally realised as nice as these guns are they make little to no difference to my shooting.

Today has been my first day back shooting atter a little time off and a holiday and I enjoyed it, I feel I enjoyed it simply because I was using a cheap gun (beretta 303 from the 80s) and felt there was no pressure to perform well with the gun. I ended second in class at meadowcroft which was a nice bonus.

So I've decided to spend a small amount on an o/u (as I don't like using a semi auto) but what? I will say that most sporting gun stock dimesions are to low for me so I usually have to go for a trap spec gun, and I would ideally be looking for new (bit not strictly) I know there are going to be a lot of mk38 grade 1 advocates but I was wondering what other options are out there.

 
Beretta 682 or 686 is obvious choice in fact the new fangled silver pigeon etc stuff seem very good value. If it was me I would go for a new Beretta as above.

ps

I agree entirely that pounds don't buy targets I have shot more straights with parker hale, 682s, 686s than anything else.

 
Beretta 682 or 686 is obvious choice in fact the new fangled silver pigeon etc stuff seem very good value. If it was me I would go for a new Beretta as above.

ps

I agree entirely that pounds don't buy targets I have shot more straights with parker hale, 682s, 686s than anything else.




 
NOT the obvious choice !!!!! ..........try a Miroku

 
Saw a 682 gold e with adjustable comb for a grand the other day. Can't go wrong.

Browning 525 sporter one also with adjustable  comb seem good value also.

 
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Old spec 682 or 682e with Trap wood will cost from £750 - £1400, various Miroku Trap guns are also very good and cost about the same. I personally believe the former are better mechanically and have fewer (almost none) issues. 

ps. anything less than the above is not cheap but nasty.

 
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If your talking cheaper than an MK 38.. look at a Medalist.. or as they are commonly known as a Browning Medalist. I have on in 20b and its a good gun for the price..(sub £500) 

 
My budget is up to around £1500, I'm thinking new mk38 trap is going to be the way to go.
Good amount then.. Think you should also look at the new Browning 525 one series in trap and sporter..   Nothing else comes close to the value the Browning 525 or Miroku Mk series deliver imo. 

A beretta of similar quality will set you back at least £1k more.

 
I have been away from the forum for a while and shooting in general, I started to get a bit disillusioned with the sport and the realisation that it was costing more than a mortgage a month pushed me over the edge. I have been going through a stage of not being able to settle on a gun and have gone through many and varied, perazzi, krieghoff and Blaser to name a few but I have finally realised as nice as these guns are they make little to no difference to my shooting.

Today has been my first day back shooting atter a little time off and a holiday and I enjoyed it, I feel I enjoyed it simply because I was using a cheap gun (beretta 303 from the 80s) and felt there was no pressure to perform well with the gun. I ended second in class at meadowcroft which was a nice bonus.

So I've decided to spend a small amount on an o/u (as I don't like using a semi auto) but what? I will say that most sporting gun stock dimesions are to low for me so I usually have to go for a trap spec gun, and I would ideally be looking for new (bit not strictly) I know there are going to be a lot of mk38 grade 1 advocates but I was wondering what other options are out there.
Sounds to me like you should spend more time thinking about shooting targets than the gun you use to shoot them with. Taking this whole thing to a conclusion you are going to start shooting shoite again, we all do from time to time, and blame the gun because it is too cheap. My take on it don't think about the gun think about the target... a gun is for life, and a good one will see you well away to your box, in real terms its the cheapest part of your outlay! I spend, and I don't shoot fancy cartridges, about £2000 a year on cartridges the clays cost another £750 or so per annum and fuel for the car don't go there  and comp fees on top  . So for a year that is approx. £3500 to £4k my gun is a second hand MX8 cost me less than £3k and it is a thing which I adore and although I have thought about the visit to Perazzi to have my own one made for me but there really is no need the gun I have is perfect... anybody who does not want to have a nice gun or uses the cost of one to justify not having one has a screw loose IMO :)  

In summary people who moan on about expensive guns have clearly not done a costing on their shooting outgoings! In real terms you can buy expensive cartridges one pop and its gone... if you really want to save money over the course of you shooting life shoot the cheapest cartridges you can find and you will save money and 99.9% of the shooting public will not even know... because your scores will be exactly the same....the gun though will still be worth something when you hand up your boots! An expensive Perazzi etc ? gun at say £12k over ten years costs £1200 a year, at the end of the ten years is still worth at least half that if you look after it probably more... but you could well be spending three times or more a year on summat that goes bang, targets and fuel that has no residual value at all!

 
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jimmymuller said:
[SIZE=11pt]Beretta 682 is perfect choice for you. It is the most successful competition gun in affordable range. It comes with barrels 28, 30 and 32 inches. It has enduring design and excellent competition pedigree. [/SIZE]
Thats a big claim.. Just out of interest, what are you basing that on? 

 
If you are looking for a proper clay basher and aren't too worried about re-sale then I would give serious consideration to a Zoli. I have both a Beretta 686 and a Zoli Z sport. I accept that compared on new price they are wide apart (Beretta £2k v Zoli £5k) but they level of gun and quality is even further apart. After swining the Zoli around a fair bit the Beretta feels like a Baikal. A quick check on guntrader and you can pick up a Kronos with adjustable stock for under £2k.

 
I know you are fully aware of mk38s but I paid £795 for this including 7 Teague chokes and rfd and it's a 32 inch from a dealer. I think you'll struggle to get better value considering people are still winning big comps with the same piece of kit. I like the fact that I don't feel like "all the gear no idea" when shooting it.

IMG_0155.JPG

 
Can I ask if the Beretta 303 had a Trap stock on it  ?  You say you shot well with that gun, but, you are used to shooting with a Trap gun, which, unless 'sporterised' would have a higher stock and thus be shooting high, one would think. If the 303 had a standard stock/spacer set up and you shot well with it, do you really need a Trap gun  ? 

 
If you are looking for a proper clay basher and aren't too worried about re-sale then I would give serious consideration to a Zoli. I have both a Beretta 686 and a Zoli Z sport. I accept that compared on new price they are wide apart (Beretta £2k v Zoli £5k) but they level of gun and quality is even further apart. After swining the Zoli around a fair bit the Beretta feels like a Baikal. A quick check on guntrader and you can pick up a Kronos with adjustable stock for under £2k.
I concur about the Zoli quality being on a par with or better than some guns in its class but the Kronos doesn't quite hit the mark handling wise, I had one and it's nose heavy and a little chunky in the wrong places, good gun but flawed, not as good as a used 682 or 682e which can be had around the grand mark.

 
Saw a 682 gold e with adjustable comb for a grand the other day. Can't go wrong.

Browning 525 sporter one also with adjustable  comb seem good value also.
I have the 525 with adj comb.... really like it. Not stupid money, does the job better than I do. I agree that having an expensive gun does not buy you targets.

 
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