First Gun

As I wait for my grant I've been trawling the InterWeb reading reviews, watching Youtube etc trying to decide what gun to buy. 

I've had a few lessons and been told that a Browning/Miroku would fit me fine. 

Almost everywhere I read people say that a Beretta/Browning/Miroku make great first gun which is fine. However, if I wanted something a little different (Zoli, Blaser etc) is there anywhere I can determine what is closest to a Browning 'fit'. For example, ATAs are apparently close to a Beretta and Yildiz close to Browning. I appreciate I can go to a shop and try them out but just wondered what peoples thoughts/experiences are.

aynesie said:

As I wait for my grant I've been trawling the InterWeb reading reviews, watching Youtube etc trying to decide what gun to buy. 

I've had a few lessons and been told that a Browning/Miroku would fit me fine. 

Almost everywhere I read people say that a Beretta/Browning/Miroku make great first gun which is fine. However, if I wanted something a little different (Zoli, Blaser etc) is there anywhere I can determine what is closest to a Browning 'fit'. For example, ATAs are apparently close to a Beretta and Yildiz close to Browning. I appreciate I can go to a shop and try them out but just wondered what peoples thoughts/experiences are.

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I’m gonna be the first to say, go try them buddy. 
where in the country are you? 

TK421 said:

I’m gonna be the first to say, go try them buddy. 
where in the country are you? 

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Looking at your first post, (staffs) I’d go over to premier guns doveridge and have a play. Guys in the shop are good guys as well they will help set you up with good fit and you can shoot on the ground as well. 
enjoy the experience and welcome to the sport… you’ll love it 

Thanks. I've had a few lessons at Millride and Cyril (great bloke) suggested I go to Doveridge because of the choice of guns and their service, which I'll certainly do. 

I posted because I'm still waiting for my grant and I'm impatient and I'm working out what my budget should be.

aynesie said:

Thanks. I've had a few lessons at Millride and Cyril (great bloke) suggested I go to Doveridge because of the choice of guns and their service, which I'll certainly do. 

I posted because I'm still waiting for my grant and I'm impatient and I'm working out what my budget should be.

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I know the feeling, but you can still go and have a play, which to be fair is a good way to get some practice as well as find ‘the one’. 
save as much as you can and by a little used gun that fits, then spend money on cartridges, and practice practice practice. 

Any thoughts on other brands that have a similar fit to Browning?

aynesie said:

Any thoughts on other brands that have a similar fit to Browning?

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Look at all the usual well known brands as one individual gun is the answer, which may have been modified (or can easily be modified) to be a decent fit. Until you’ve shot 10,000 cartridges you won’t know what finer gun fit points are needed, so about right for now will do. A good used gun that will re sell well in a year or two. 

And if it’s in the cards, try getting one with an adjustable stock. That way you can make adjustments (if needed) once you have an idea (or get advice) on how the gun should fit you, without the need for woodwork. Don’t be tempted to fidget over how it’s set in the beginning, and once you set it up to what works best, leave it alone. That said, I found it helpful to adjust once or twice in the process of figuring out my mount and stance to ensure proper cheekweld and alignment over the rib. 
 

Best of all find a gun that brings a smile to your face when you open the case. Starting a round from a happy place works for your score. 

Can get the stock altered to fit an adjustable stock easily and not much, couple of hundred, so don't rule out something just cos it hasn't got one. My 525 doesn't, and I think about getting it done every now and then, but then I decide to spend it on summat else instead as it goes bang okay and I hit enough to not worry about chasing the perfect gun.

If it had come with one, great, but it deffo would have been more expensive if it was adjustable, so swings and roundabouts.

I can't profess to being a good shot, but my local, reputable gunshop got me to hold a couple of guns when I was chatting to them and gave some basic advice/thoughts on things like stock length based on my physical characteristics, natural stance, etc. Now, they may be wrong or right, and I'm not debating what they said, but when I knew nothing on the subject, it made sense what they said so I took the advice and went with it. I can't imagine I'll change my gun to anything flashier cos I don't feel I need to, and I'm not in the hunt for incremental score increases at the cost of thousands, but my 525 is basic, looks like the stock is made from a scaffold board, and works absolutely fine for me.

Ask Will above about how happy he is when he chopped in his 525!

Hey, you may never know what you're meant to be 'feeling' in terms of what a gun should be like at first or any point after that... I've absolutely no idea what I'd be searching for as all shotguns still pretty much feel the same to me, just lighter and heavier, so don't sweat it just yet, just enjoy it for what it is and work with what you've got.

Another thing to consider is what discipline you want to shoot. Try as many disciplines as you can before you chuck the money around. 

The OP never seems to come back when you have left any comments for some reason

browning 525 sporter laminate , tick many boxes , check out lloyd pattison  on youtube reviews . 

ColinD said:

The OP never seems to come back when you have left any comments for some reason

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Been bonkers busy lately so haven't replied much.

I'm still waiting for my FLO visit, but all being well I intend to go to Doveridge and get fitted etc

Les53 said:

Another thing to consider is what discipline you want to shoot. Try as many disciplines as you can before you chuck the money around. 

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I'm very fortunate to have a quite large budget for a first gun which actually seems to be making what to go for even harder. My current thought is a MK38 Gd5 (fit depending of course).

aynesie said:

Been bonkers busy lately so haven't replied much.

I'm still waiting for my FLO visit, but all being well I intend to go to Doveridge and get fitted etc

I'm very fortunate to have a quite large budget for a first gun which actually seems to be making what to go for even harder. My current thought is a MK38 Gd5 (fit depending of course).

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A fitting session is a good idea, but not until you know what gun to fit and what to get fitted for. I don't shoot much trap, but it is my understanding that the stance and posture differs from say skeet, as does the preferred sight picture (with trap shooters wanting to see 'more rib' to account for the rise of their targets). As well as the discipline, your style of shooting will likely matter. Like Will said, close enough will work well enough until you have a consistent mount and an idea of what needs improving from there. 

Try and get as much shooting done in different disciplines with a friend, mentor, instructor or coach who can show you some of the do's and don'ts. Best of all, see if you can try various guns and feel what works for you. Then decide on buying a gun. If you must have one now-ish, don't go for broke but save your money for the gun you'll want to buy once you're more aware of what to look for.   

Your first gun is a sacrifice. If you start learning to shoot as an adult you will changed get the gun fitted to you, learn to shoot, change how you shoot as you improve and then need the gun refitted. Adam Calvert did a great piece on how you need a gun refitting properly when you have been shooting 8-10 years, which mirrored my own experience. 

Buy a gun your can afford but that isn't your forever gun, that is a tool to be used. Pay to get it fitted and refitted and get some lessons every now and then. 

Thanks for the advice everyone. I've gone full circle to be honest and I'll probably go for a second hand B525/Miroku as the general consensus appears to be that these are good enough for most disciplines as a beginner. 

I've been taking my daughters with me to the lessons and they're also really enjoying it. It seems I need to buy a 20 bore as well now .....

Luke_(NL) said:

A fitting session is a good idea, but not until you know what gun to fit and what to get fitted for.

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To be honest I have no idea yet. I'm going to try everything I can so I'm looking for a gun that is OK for all disciplines.

aynesie said:

Thanks for the advice everyone. I've gone full circle to be honest and I'll probably go for a second hand B525/Miroku as the general consensus appears to be that these are good enough for most disciplines as a beginner. 

I've been taking my daughters with me to the lessons and they're also really enjoying it. It seems I need to buy a 20 bore as well now .....

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Be careful about the assumption that young ladies need 20b. They usually do not. 12b all the way is normal for clay shooting

Will Hewland said:

Be careful about the assumption that young ladies need 20b. They usually do not. 12b all the way is normal for clay shooting

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Glad you said that. I've wondered what the difference is really. They've been using 21gm 20 bore during lessons and been doing fine. However, surely a 12 bore shooting 21gm will have similar recoil? Wouldn't a decent recoil pad and a heavier gun also reduce recoil and be more pleasant to shoot for them? I'd prefer to get them a 12 bore as the cartridges seem cheaper and there's a greater choice gun wise.

aynesie said:

Glad you said that. I've wondered what the difference is really. They've been using 21gm 20 bore during lessons and been doing fine. However, surely a 12 bore shooting 21gm will have similar recoil? Wouldn't a decent recoil pad and a heavier gun also reduce recoil and be more pleasant to shoot for them? I'd prefer to get them a 12 bore as the cartridges seem cheaper and there's a greater choice gun wise.

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Get a 12G. Shoot it for two years. Buy a 20G with the money you have saved. 

Roughly a third of women shoot 20G. They don't tend to be competitive clay shooters. 

Shooting schools have 20Gs because it's easier to use an ill-fitting 20G than an ill-fitting 12G.