Back up gun?

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AW13

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 29, 2013
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915
Location
East Sussex
I only shoot sporting disciplines with my Miroku MK38 but in the past when the weather has been vile I have shot my Franchi Affinity as it is pretty weatherproof. Call me a softy but in the past I have worried about the MK38 G5 wood getting wet.

I hardly shoot the Franchi any more as I have decided to shoot the MK38 almost all of the time.

So my question is whether I keep the Franchi tucked away in case the MK38 is out of commission or whether I sell it and buy an O/U very close to the handling of the MK38, whether another MK38, B525 or maybe even a Beretta. Something old probably.

 Any thoughts to help me solve my little conundrum are very welcome.

 
It’s personal. As for me, swapping guns is difficult. I have recently been through some turmoil, ever since my primary gun went to be fixed. I shot my other gun for 9 shoots and it took a while to get used to it. Then when I got my main gun back I struggled badly instantly, before getting better but not right. I’m hoping to get back on track shortly. But I maybe think about things more than many, which is a distraction in itself. 
 

I do wonder if shooting a vastly different gun to your usual one may not mess with your head as much as using a gun that is 10% different will!

 
The wood isn’t really a problem , I’ve had my GD 5s soaked on game days . I do think any gun will suffer if water creeps into the action . When my guns have been soaked , I take the stock off and blow the action dry . Of course this is practical and not as much fun as buying a new standby gun . 😃

 
AW13 said:
I only shoot sporting disciplines with my Miroku MK38 but in the past when the weather has been vile I have shot my Franchi Affinity as it is pretty weatherproof. Call me a softy but in the past I have worried about the MK38 G5 wood getting wet.

I hardly shoot the Franchi any more as I have decided to shoot the MK38 almost all of the time.

So my question is whether I keep the Franchi tucked away in case the MK38 is out of commission or whether I sell it and buy an O/U very close to the handling of the MK38, whether another MK38, B525 or maybe even a Beretta. Something old probably.

 Any thoughts to help me solve my little conundrum are very welcome.
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Firstly, if you’re happy with the handling characteristics of your Miroku and you want a spare gun, get another Miroku and spec it to match.

Secondly and for the reasons Will’s mentioned, swapping guns is counterproductive and doesn’t generally do you any good from a scores point of view. It was for this reason Briley gave us tube sets. The opportunity to shoot different gauges without affecting gun handling.

The only time I’d consider a swap is if I were shooting disciplines for which one gun is completely unsuitable for the other, DTL and Olympic Skeet for example. Even then I’d put shorter and lighter barrels of the same action if I could.

 
Interesting subject. I’d be interested to know if the top shots take a spare gun with them to the big events? And if they do, is it set up as close to their main gun as possible or are there deliberate differences?

In my golfing time I had a second set of irons set up exactly the same +1” longer and + 1 degree upright from standard, but the other set were + 2 degrees stronger loft, for play in high winds, but also used as a spare set.

What happens in a big event if you have a gun malfunction? Are you allowed to get your spare, borrow someone else’s gun or given time to get it repaired? Or just marked down as DNF?

 
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BerettaDan said:
Interesting subject. I’d be interested to know if the top shots take a spare gun with them to the big events? And if they do, is it set up as close to their main gun as possible or are there deliberate differences?

In my golfing time I had a second set of irons set up exactly the same +1” longer and + 1 degree upright from standard, but the other set were + 2 degrees stronger loft, for play in high winds, but also used as a spare set.

What happens in a big event if you have a gun malfunction? Are you allowed to get your spare, borrow someone else’s gun or given time to get it repaired? Or just marked down as DNF?
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I certainly don’t a take spare gun, I’ve never felt the need. I do know a few that carry a spare action just in case. Most Perazzi shooters usually take spare springs as there’s always a chance they’ll go.

Rules do allow time for repairs or the obtaining of a replacement gun in competition. I can’t comment on Sporting but I know quite a few people that have had to borrow another competitors gun in trap competitions, including one poor lady that managed to lock hers in the car just before she represented her country at last year’s Home International!

 
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Thanks for the insight Jan! I guess you’d have to be pretty unlucky to get a malfunctioning gun during a big comp, especially as I imagine top shooters look after/get regular services on the tools of their trade.

I remember reading that George Digweed had a spare Perazzi, set up exactly the same as his competition gun, but I’m not sure that was so he had a spare to take to comps, I think that was for when his main gun was away at Perazzi for work?

 
BerettaDan said:
Thanks for the insight Jan! I guess you’d have to be pretty unlucky to get a malfunctioning gun during a big comp, especially as I imagine top shooters look after/get regular services on the tools of their trade.

I remember reading that George Digweed had a spare Perazzi, set up exactly the same as his competition gun, but I’m not sure that was so he had a spare to take to comps, I think that was for when his main gun was away at Perazzi for work?
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Certainly regular maintenance is important but that applies to everyone, not just the top shots. Such is the quality of manufacture nowadays almost all guns will give you years of reliable service and a breakdown’s usually at the back of most peoples minds. It does happen though and sods law says just when you don’t want it to. I once had an ejector break whilst shooting off for a county title many years ago. Fortunately that’s as bad as it’s ever been for me. 

 
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vmax1010 said:
Interesting how a different gun effects people, I swap between my 525 sl and a400 gas pipe regularly due to my bad shoulder but find I'm back on track after a few shots, saying that I am in the middling "c" class ( or d if there was one) 😁
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That’s my point though. Those are so different it won’t confuse you. Like driving a small car then a van. 

 
vmax1010 said:
Interesting how a different gun effects people, I swap between my 525 sl and a400 gas pipe regularly due to my bad shoulder but find I'm back on track after a few shots, saying that I am in the middling "c" class ( or d if there was one) 😁
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I’m the same vmax, I alternate between my 682 gold and my a400 and don’t seem to suffer. I definitely shoot my 682 better but I’ve had that 20 years and my a400 about 3 months. I agree with Will, the two guns are so totally different and at opposite ends of the scale that it’s not as likely to affect using either?

 
Hmmm, reading these last posts makes me wonder whether I should keep the Franchi then.

It's more nose heavy than the very well balanced MK38 so I suppose I could add some weight into the stock and see how that works but am I then trying to recreate a MK38 feeling that would then negate the point about having a gun that feels quite different.

This is getting to be a conundrum!

 
I’m no expert AW but wouldn’t that cause more of a problem if you tried to recreate the handling characteristics of you MK with your Franchi as they are at completely the opposite ends of the spectrum? Personally, I think getting them similar but not exact would mess me up?

 
Slightly digressing, but the argument for having a spare gun is useful in other ways. When you see a nice gun at a bargain price it gives you a comforting reason to fill another space in your gun cabinet.  

 
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