Another 525 Question

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JTaylor

Member
Joined
May 4, 2019
Messages
15
Afternoon everyone,

Currently awaiting the licence to drop on the mat but I’ve been scouting around for my first purchase. Shooting as many as I can and settled on a 525, specifically the one linked. Perfect condition hardly ever seen work.......but isn’t a sporter. I preferred the feel of the game model but am I going to get beat up by it and sick of shooting 100 carts a day? The weights don’t seem massively different with this one being 3.35kgs and the sporters being about 3.5 but obviously everybody here has better knowledge. 

https://www.gunstar.co.uk/browning-525-12-bore-gauge-over-and-under/Shotguns/1055240

 
Afternoon everyone,

Currently awaiting the licence to drop on the mat but I’ve been scouting around for my first purchase. Shooting as many as I can and settled on a 525, specifically the one linked. Perfect condition hardly ever seen work.......but isn’t a sporter. I preferred the feel of the game model but am I going to get beat up by it and sick of shooting 100 carts a day? The weights don’t seem massively different with this one being 3.35kgs and the sporters being about 3.5 but obviously everybody here has better knowledge. 

https://www.gunstar.co.uk/browning-525-12-bore-gauge-over-and-under/Shotguns/1055240
The simple fact is this. New shooters (or their muscles) are not used to holding a gun and when they do, they hold it up for longer to take a shot than experienced shooters do. So, for those two reasons new shooters always lean towards lighter guns. Personally i think this is a mistake as you will soon acclimatise and want a heavier gun. My first gun was under 7lb and 28" barrel. I recall it being the nicest gun I handled in the shop by far. It was gone withing 3 months of regular shooting. I replaced it with a 525 Sporter funnily enough.

 
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Thanks for the input, would the difference in weight between that particular 525 and a similar sporter they have of around 0.3lb actually be noticeable? The majority of my shooting will be clays but I do have a couple of game day invites. I’m really looking for an all rounder that could do both.

 
Thanks for the input, would the difference in weight between that particular 525 and a similar sporter they have of around 0.3lb actually be noticeable? The majority of my shooting will be clays but I do have a couple of game day invites. I’m really looking for an all rounder that could do both.
I couldn't specifically say.. But a 525 Sporter is on the light side already IMO. Very few serious clay shooters use a gun under 8lb. Certainly the sporter version would be fine on a game shoot. None of this is absolute. Personal preference is always a factor.

 
The gun linked above is less than 7½lbs so to a newcomer it probably feels easier to handle, but your shoulder won't thank you if you use it to shoot a 100 clays using full speed 28gm shells. The absolute minimum gun weight for a sporter is 7lb 12oz and as Will says, 8lb+ (to well over 9lbs) is the usual weight for regular clay shooters.

It's not about strength or physical size so much as familiarity and practice. There are plenty of women, including a couple on this forum, who are happily and successsfully shooting DT10s, Krieghoffs, Perazzis etc.

 
Thanks for your input, seems the sporter variant of the 525 wouldn’t be suitable either with most I’ve looked at being about 7.5lbs. Maybe back to the drawing board. 

 
Thanks for your input, seems the sporter variant of the 525 wouldn’t be suitable either with most I’ve looked at being about 7.5lbs. Maybe back to the drawing board. 
I would say the sporter is OK. They are often a bit muzzle heavy so balance and overall mass can be helped by adding some weight in the stock (very easy). 

 
My husband had a 525 Citori when he started.  I found it horribly nose heavy when I tried it.  He's got a 725 S3 now, much better balanced.  Still has a sh*te trigger though that every now and again randomly requires double the amount of usual force to pull it.

 
I would not say that the 525 Sporter is a light gun, the one that I have handled and shot was a shade under 8 1/4lbs. In fact it's owner has just traded it in for a Beretta Silver Pig because the 525 was too heavy for him (he has arthritis). It was muzzle heavy but we added weight to the stock that took the overall weight nearer the 8 1/2lbs mark.

 
  Still has a sh*te trigger though that every now and again randomly requires double the amount of usual force to pull it.
They do that. It's a feature of Browning triggers that most people don't notice because they just whack the trigger, but those of us who's finger remembers the pull weight get caught out over and over.

I would not say that the 525 Sporter is a light gun, the one that I have handled and shot was a shade under 8 1/4lbs. In fact it's owner has just traded it in for a Beretta Silver Pig because the 525 was too heavy for him (he has arthritis). It was muzzle heavy but we added weight to the stock that took the overall weight nearer the 8 1/2lbs mark.
I believe that later ones had lighter barrels. Not sure when they introduced them, but I'm reliably informed the balance is much better now.

 
I certainly can 'recall pull weights', but I have never had any issue with my 725 G3 or my 525 Heritage game gun. I did have some issues with Browning triggers when I switched to the 725 from a Miroku. The 725 was firing before I had given lead to the target, this comes from 50 years of Miroku triggers and I was unknowingly taking up the free play on them prior to actually pulling the trigger. The Browning has no 'free play' and was firing when I  was taking up the slack that did not exist.

 
Thanks for your input, seems the sporter variant of the 525 wouldn’t be suitable either with most I’ve looked at being about 7.5lbs. Maybe back to the drawing board. 
The 525 sporter is one of the best guns you can buy full stop . The difference to the game gun is a little bit of extra weight , and the sporter will have  some sort of rubber recoil pad which will make those 100 shot  or more days a little more comfortable , and more easily customisable if you want to change the length. As the guys above have said , heavy is good on a clay ground . The game gun has a hard plastic butt , it slides easier , and it is more shaped for a shoulder fit .  You won’t shoot the game gun loose , but you might beat yourself up a bit more  . 

If you like the 525 , and you want heavier still  , have a look at it’s big brother , Miroku MK38 multichoke  sporter . Same gun different clothes     , a bit more weight , not to be confused with the 38 trap gun . 

 
They do that. It's a feature of Browning triggers that most people don't notice because they just whack the trigger, but those of us who's finger remembers the pull weight get caught out over and over.

I believe that later ones had lighter barrels. Not sure when they introduced them, but I'm reliably informed the balance is much better now.
Around 2011 I think the lighter barrels came in, if it has invector chokes they are the old barrels, invector plus and they are the lighter barrels.

 
I'd say, it depends on what you intend. If you're thinking of getting into serious competitive shooting, then Will has nailed it. If however you just want to bust a few clays every Sunday, then the 525 will be absolutely fine. 

 
Make sure you shop around... not sure the price difference between game and sporter models for 525s, but the one linked is from 2012 and over £200 more than my 2015 32" Sporter One I bought last August which hadn't seen many cartridges through it when purchased. Might have gotten myself a bargain, but the prices do vary quite a bit so keep your eyes open.

 
Well I thought I would treat myself slightly and I’ve gone for a brand new 525 sporter. Thanks for everybody’s input I shall report back with how I get on.

 
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