A gun for the wife

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powenb

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 3, 2012
Messages
138
Location
Suffolk
I have the chance to buy one of 3 guns for my wife so she can shoot a few clays. Mine is obviously simply too big/heavy for her.

The options are:

Browning Citori 28g 28" fixed chokes, Black action, nice oiled stock, £1100

Browning B525 Hunter 28g 28" multi-choke, Game engraving, £1200

Webley and Scott 920 20g 28", multi-choke, New £700

All would be made to fit her.

I would want the 3/4 choke in the Citori enlarged.

I like the thought of the Brownings more as I have 2 already.

But the W&S seems super value.

Thanks

Owen

 
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I'll say what many will think on here: go for a 12g.

I watched a 12 year old girl hit 71 at a registered shoot with hers today. There is less recoil and it need not be a heavy gun. The ammo comes cheaper and in better choice.

My wife is one of many ladies to have dumped a 20g in favour of a 12g.

 
For someone who will only use it every now and again, won't the 12 be too heavy?

 
Mine has just bought herself a Winchester 12g Select Light Gold.

Very light and she loves it. Only a small lady.

Cheers

 
For someone who will only use it every now and again, won't the 12 be too heavy?
Most of the "difficulty" with ladies using a 12 bore (if any at all), is not the weight or recoil etc, but the fact that the stock is too long etc for them...which then makes the gun heavy as they hold it out in front of them and lean back to compensate.

As people have suggested, go for a 12 with shorter barrels..so perhaps 28 inch if you like...get the stock shortened appropriately, then if you really need to control recoil, go for 21g carts.  Game guns tend to be lighter, as you may know.

Also consider the economy related to 12g carts over something like 28 or 20g, which tend to be more expensive,

The Webley is not a bargain, it is cheap...for  a reason.  Webley are not "Webley" these days...don't be fooled by the name.

 
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Most of the "difficulty" with ladies using a 12 bore (if any at all), is not the weight or recoil etc, but the fact that the stock is too long etc for them...which then makes the gun heavy as they hold it out in front of them and lean back to compensate.
Thanks very much for taking the time to write such a indepth response. I see what you mean. My gun weighs over 8lbs and like you said, is way too long in the stock that her front hand is almost off the back of the fore end. She actually put a few 28g loads through mine and didn't struggle with the recoil.

I actually bought her a new Browning B525 Hunter Light and it was so lovely I kept it for myself and started to look for something different and slightly cheaper for her.

So a Browning B525 Game with 28" barrels (my local shop has one 2nd hand), with a shortened stock should be fine you think?

 
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Beretta 686s in 12g, 28" tubes weighing in at just over the 7lb mark. Mrs fuz shoots hers all day long with 21 gram shells :) less recoil than a 20 or 28 bore and far cheaper to feed to boot :D

Edit, hers is cut down to 13 5/8 inch stock with a little bit of lead in there to balance it up. A slightly stock heavy balance may well help as the weight is closer to the body hence more manageable.

 
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PPS dont forget the pitch, ladies tend to need slightly less toe due to their wonderful assets getting in the way :)

 
Thanks very much for taking the time to write such a indepth response.

I see what you mean. My gun weighs over 8lbs and like you said, is way too long in the stock that her front hand is almost off the back of the fore end. She actually put a few 28g loads through mine and didn't struggle with the recoil.

I actually bought her a new Browning B525 Hunter Light and it was so lovely I kept it for myself and started to look for something different and slightly cheaper for her.

So a Browning B525 Game with 28" barrels (my local shop has one 2nd hand), with a shortened stock should be fine you think?

No worries.

I am far from an expert on such things, but with what I know and what I have gleaned from here and the experiences of lady shooters....don't choose a game gun unless you have to.  I only mentioned game guns tend to be lighter, if weight really would be an issue...women aren't actually as weak as some would have you believe ;)

Whatever you look at, get the shop to take the butt plate off for starters, so you get a better idea of fit and weight distribution.

Stock length wise, she should have two or three finger widths, between her nose and her thumb...not one and a half palm widths, bit also not nose resting on thumb.

Also be aware that a 1/4 inch reduction in length from the back, moves the cheek along an inch on the comb.

Teach her a good stance as well before fine tuning the length.

As Fuz says about pitch, ladies tend to need more room for their lady bits (length at toe) and also need the toe chamfered off a touch more, just for general comfort.

Who would be doing the chopping up?

 
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Beretta 686s in 12g, 28" tubes weighing in at just over the 7lb mark. Mrs fuz shoots hers all day long with 21 gram shells :) less recoil than a 20 or 28 bore and far cheaper to feed to boot :D
My only concern is because she won't use the gun very often, even a 7lb gun may seem heavy.

 
My only concern is because she won't use the gun very often, even a 7lb gun may seem heavy.
What about an Auto then..in that case?

Cheap enough that you can still buy a quality gun (Beretta), light, you can still shorten it etc...and lower recoil, so she can use teh same carts as you.

Also, with only one barrel..the majority of the weight is between the hands and nearer the body.

 
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My only concern is because she won't use the gun very often, even a 7lb gun may seem heavy.
Weight isn't the issue IMO but balance most definitely is, get it back toward the body and she shouldn't have too many problems. A 9lb gun well balanced will feel lighter than a nose heavy 7lb. Mrs fuz picked up a K80 weighing in at 11lb when we were in Mulliner guns and said "god thats light" nope, it was just balanced very stock heavy.

 
I initially found my 12bore a bit heavy, but that was probably because I'd never shot before.  Now I don't find any problem with it most of the time.  Occassionally my arms get a little tired when waiting for what seems like ages for some of the overhead targets at West Kent to come across, but not often.  I use 28g cartridges and don't have any problems with bruising as long as I've mounted the gun properly.

Definitely make sure the stock is shortened if she's not tall.  Mine's down to 13 and 1/2 inches and is comfortable.  Maybe instead of getting the to chamfered off maybe look at going straight for a Jones adjuster or the adjustable Isis pad.  I'm planning on getting one put on my gun, as I think for me its not just a matter of reducing the toe but also altering the angle of the stock to keep the gun straight.

Must admit I'm tempted to get a 20bore, but that not because I've got any regrets about the 12bore, I'm just hooked and fancy owning a second gun.

 
Weight isn't the issue IMO but balance most definitely is, get it back toward the body and she shouldn't have too many problems. A 9lb gun well balanced will feel lighter than a nose heavy 7lb. Mrs fuz picked up a K80 weighing in at 11lb when we were in Mulliner guns and said "god thats light" nope, it was just balanced very stock heavy.
What Fuz says.

I fell for a DT10 because of the weight distribution. It was heavyish, but felt better for me because of the weight being back towards the stock. Actually I ended up with a Browning 425. It was a toss-up between that and the 525, but the 425 was a V and so a little nicer with the fripparies. Got that gun fitted and it felt soooooo good! But it felt the best before I had it fitted. I nearly had a new game (or possibly the field, I don't remember) version of the 525 but there was no need. I think that was more salesman kickback. I'm more likely to shoot a hundred clays in short order than spend hours lugging a gun around the field. I figured if I got any chances to shoot in the field I could always buy another gun. Got slots in the cabinet. 

 
I think something like the B525 Hunter in 12g would suit her fine.

Not too heavy but nicely balanced gun.  My little cousin who is tiny has no problem with it, she is now trying to persuade her hubby that she should have one!

 
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