Changing Guns for a new season

As the clayshooting season draws to a close , how many of you are considering a Gun change and why?

Obviously the manufacturers consider applications from potential 'stars' , but what makes you want to change ?

Is it trading up to a more expensive brand , lifetime ambition , windfall of wealth, feeling your current gun is holding you back?

Tying in with previous posts , why have Zoli never made a real impact despite putting them in the hands of some very good shots, Blaser have announced Team Blaser on numerous occassions , only for the team members to defect fairly rapidly. Most seem to aspire to Krieghoffs or Perazzi, so what happens to the other brands ? Are they really inferior ? I seriously doubt it .

Take Guerini for example , wonderful sponsors and a great help to Amber Hill and Brett Winstanley  , only to be lured away by Perazzi. But forget about the cash incentives are Perazzi really considerably better competition guns than Guerini? Is a Krieghoff Parcours really at least five times better than a Miroku , which is what it shares many features with?

Food for thought whilst we watch the Winter months pass by.

I've often wondered about the "package" Perazzi must offer to lure people away from brands they've won major championships with already, it must surely involve some monetary incentives if not an actual immediate retainer or else why would they do it ? 

In answer to you questions regarding Krieghoff and Perazzi build quality I'd say the former is prolly as good as it gets BUT it doesn't appear to translate into flawless reliability as I have known mates whose Parcours has repeatedly broken down and only the dreamy eyed romantics would deny P guns are any better in that department. I think people aspire to own what they think is the pinnacle of guns as well as some who secretly (and erroneously) think it'll give them extra targets.

I would love to switch to a CG M spec Invictus but by the time I've done what I need to do with the stock and recoil devices etc, it'll be around £5k so currently waiting to see if finances allow it after a major home improvement project. Do I need it, no, but after 27 years with the same make and pretty much 15 years with the same gun I just owe it to myself to see what having a gun with the right grip feels like and to also see whether the spec that is sooooo close to my own ideal is indeed any good. 

I think when you look at what Perazzi do it is easy to understand why shooters do go to them. However if you look the other way round Beretta recently went on a signing spree for top shooters to promote there competition guns... they have indeed won some major competitions recently but I do stand to be corrected that none of their major signings have actually who those competitions... but they still like to stand out in adverts for Beretta with lots Olympic medals dangling round their collective necks... none of them won while shooting a Beretta shotgun :lol:

It was this time last year I changed from a CG Elipse Evo Ascent to Parcours. 

Personal reasons for the swap. I have learnt the new gun and scores have increased nicely. 

I have a new stock booked for January to finish off the change. 

Whilst working with CG it was interesting to understand the process of sponsorship (not that I was sponsored) 

I think big budget will always win regardless of the quality of the gun. 

I was amazed to see the names leave CG for other brands but it seemed the cheque book from Italy was bigger than the importers. 

shoot badly, change gun. Its the guns fault.

shoot well, change gun. You could do even better with a new gun.

fast forward a few decades and many thousands spent on many guns. Realisation kicks in that its you that has reached your potential. Sell expensive guns by a nice affordable one....enjoy pulling the trigger.

........sound familiar to anyone ??

ips said:

shoot badly, change gun. Its the guns fault.

shoot well, change gun. You could do even better with a new gun.

fast forward a few decades and many thousands spent on many guns. Realisation kicks in that its you that has reached your potential. Sell expensive guns by a nice affordable one....enjoy pulling the trigger.

........sound familiar to anyone ??

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I short-cut the process.  Went from battered old DT10 to Parcours.  I did it because I wanted a nice gun - not because it would make me better, but just because I wanted one and I'm in the fortunate position that I could afford one.  That's it, I don't intend changing again and hope to get another 30 years use out of it (if I'm still shooting at 80). 

Although, I have just seen that they are now doing one with a black action that is fairly plain, which is more to my taste.

https://www.krieghoff.co.uk/standard-black-shadow.html

Salopian said:

Is a Krieghoff Parcours really at least five times better than a Miroku , which is what it shares many features with?

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Only lacking the features of reliability and some reasonable aesthetic of form on the part of Krieghoff.  I mean, life is too short to own so ugly a gun.  I must admit that I do admire those who shoot KG's well.  To overcome such a disadvantage imposed by by the barbell handling and recoil is certainly a model of perseverance.

Hamster said:

In answer to you questions regarding Krieghoff and Perazzi build quality I'd say the former is prolly as good as it gets BUT it doesn't appear to translate into flawless reliability as I have known mates whose Parcours has repeatedly broken down and only the dreamy eyed romantics would deny P guns are any better in that department. 

 I just owe it to myself to see what having a gun with the right grip feels like and to also see whether the spec that is sooooo close to my own ideal is indeed any good. 

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The telling difference is that if a Perazzi breaks it takes about 10 seconds to fix it.  And that would be (for me at any rate) about once every two decades.

As to the grip - what could be easier?  Get an Evo-comp or a TSK and be happy.  An easy TabA/SlotB solution

ips said:

shoot badly, change gun. Its the guns fault.

shoot well, change gun. You could do even better with a new gun.

fast forward a few decades and many thousands spent on many guns. Realisation kicks in that its you that has reached your potential. Sell expensive guns by a nice affordable one....enjoy pulling the trigger.

........sound familiar to anyone ??

Click to expand...

Ian I shoot with a young lad that has spent thousands on a Beretta 692 ... he bought the gun new and has had a stock made to measure, had very high rib fitted, then a semi high rib fitted  and now a TSK stock which he has just bought for it ... his shooting has gone backwards !!! I tried to tell him a really good secondhand  Perazzi was the way to go for about €3500  but nope he has spent way more than that and is not shooting well at all. I was shooting with him last week and said to my friend/coach , with reference to my friend's gun "Its me that's the problem not the gun " he just smiled and said "precisely".  That day I started with a 19 then shot a 24 and then 23... 47 from 50 is not too bad ...66 from 75 is bad and changing the gun, stock , rib , cartridges or my cap is not going to get rid of 19's it is down to the man behind the gun! Richard is like many shooters he believes that if you spend money on something it is going to make a difference... well of course that can be true BUT sometimes the difference it makes is not what you expected !

edit

The only thing I have done to my gun since I bought it is have Andy fit an adjustable comb to the stock and it has made a difference to my shooting... for the better money well spent. Now next year I will be holidaying at Lonato so I will have my gun looked at by Perazzi. I think the H bolt needs changed but not much more than that.

A total of seven posts and five have either changed their gun or would like to.

Sadly anyone who desires a black action Krieghoff is possibly beyond help  :lol:

I’m just in the process of changing my Krieghoff Trap Special, I bought it 15 months ago & have had a lot of success shooting DTL & ABT. However I’m done with DTL now and I want to focus on ABT + shoot more UT, the K80 is a solid performer on the DTL circuit but a tad heavy for the faster stuff. I’ve tried a couple of Perazzi’s in 29 1/2” & 31 1/2” & Beretta ACS’s in 30” & 32” - the MX2000/3 29 1/2” was very nice but for me the 32” Beretta ACS had the edge & for a little more ££’s I get a new one + I couldn’t find a used MX2000/3 29 1/2” MC/Full. I’m also heading to see Mr Ricardo for a fitted stock. 

Summary : Either a new Beretta ACS for the money I’ll get for my Krieghoff or used MX2000/3 ?

Salopian said:

A total of seven posts and five have either changed their gun or would like to.

Sadly anyone who desires a black action Krieghoff is possibly beyond help  :lol:

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I would, funds permitting (which they presently do not), buy a black action K-80, a DT11 black and a black action MXS, and shoot them on rotation. 

Guess I am doomed

Salopian said:

A total of seven posts and five have either changed their gun or would like to.

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I have no wish to change from my CG. The haters can nurse their ulcers till the cows come home but I've tried almost everything around and have yet to shoot a gun that's significantly better as a sporting clays gun - regardless of cost.

mattjevans said:

I would, funds permitting (which they presently do not), buy a black action K-80, a DT11 black and a black action MXS, and shoot them on rotation. 

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A man of taste.  You put the K80 first.

well I have changed guns in the last few months simply to allow the original gun to take a break and become my back up gun.  I now have a very nice DT10 which I have transitioned to very well and will definitely keep, use and abuse and she will take it.  If I ever buy another gun it would simply be because I want it and I have no intention of selling either of my guns ever.

Am another that has changed guns, circumstances allowed me to buy a new gun, the model of which Ive previously “borrowed” and shot, its a far cry from my much abused MK38 (which Ive kept) and she will be with me for the long haul.

Ive come to terms with my shooting limitations, and no doubt fit at “all the gear and no idea” class, still remain the happy old codger that I am 

Bebo said:

A man of taste.  You put the K80 first.

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Although I’m buying the DT11 (albeit not black) first ...

I think you have to have very specific needs to spend a fortune on customised stocks / guns  , most modern guns are adequate   out the box !   and why would you buy one in the first place if it was such a awful fit ?      gd & rf   seem to manage with standard  gear .         its my skill level  needs to improve not my gun !   

Salopian said:

As the clayshooting season draws to a close, how many of you are considering a gun change and why?

Take Guerini for example, wonderful sponsors and a great help to Amber Hill and Brett Winstanley but are Perazzi guns really better than Guerini?

Is a Krieghoff Parcours really at least five times better than a Miroku, which is what it shares many features with?

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1. Absolutely not, I'm already lucky enough to shoot the best gun available.

2. Yes, that's why they choose them.

3. Yes, but whether the average shooter will benefit is another matter.

I changed guns around this time last year. I went from a 14 year old 32" Beretta 682 gold e , to a 13 year old 32" Beretta gold e and swapped over the stock and forend. I felt instantly at home with the new gun but i cannot really say its improved my shooting.