The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

I had my visit this morning. It was perhaps 25 minutes long, most of which consisted of the officer explaining the format of the certificate, the rules and laws, gun safety, and inquiring about my choice of gun. He also asked what type of shooting I had been doing/am hoping to do in the future. He gave the clamp a cursory look and asked where I bought it, but did not check any doors or windows or go anywhere except the room where the gun is to be stored, and the room where we had coffee and talked. My certificate will be with me by the beginning of next week, he said.

I got a call a few hours later to say he had just noticed that I had changed my name by deed poll and wanted to know why. I said just because, not a domestic dispute or anything, and he said ok fine.

Jobs a good 'un :-)

Well done Porcupine,

Always good to hear when things go well after all that preparation.
I bet you are skipping!

Definitely, he seems an easy going chap so I'm happy for him to be my FEO. Now to start shopping

Porcupine wrote:Definitely, he seems an easy going chap so I'm happy for him to be my FEO. Now to start shopping

I hope you have a deep pocket!! it NEVER stops. :lol:

Alan :)

Great news, have you decided what to look for first? Bitter experience tells me what I originally decided on and what actually happens can be two very different things and with a significantly higher outlay. Just wait until you start reloading something, DM describes it as 'Chasing the Dragon' which I think is quite apt.

Well personally I'm very much in favour of a semi-auto (in 20 or 12). I much preferred these to break actions when using them. Perhaps because I'm left handed, I found it rather awkward to open the action on break opens where as with a semi-auto it locks back automatically! I didn't like how the barrels swing around on break opens when the action is opened or closed, and I felt noticeably less recoil with the semi. I'd like something with some nice wood on it, for under £700. Remington 1100/11-87, and Beretta AL391 are front runners for me I think.

On the other hand, I've heard a number of people - including my FEO - say that semis (and presumably even pumps?) have something of a stigma, make people uncomfortable, and are even banned from some shoots because it is harder for other people to see if the action is open or not. Now personally I think a semi is inherently safer so I'm inclined to choose the gun that is actually safer than the one that looks safer (not to mention less recoil, more aesthetically pleasing to my eye etc).

I know there are used Remmys and Berettas in my price range, and I know a new Beretta is too much, but how much do new 1100/11-87s go for?

As for everything else, I've got gloves, glasses and electronic muffs, though I need a shooting vest, gun slip and cartridge pouch. I'm going to mix up some Ed's Red gun cleaner and I've been saving up old toothbrushes and rags. I guess I'll need a cleaning rod (I hear you can fold up paper kitchen towels to save buying patches) and something to clean/protect the wooden parts with... anything else?

With regards to either 12 or 20 gauge-i'd always opt for a 12.Cartridges are cheaper and theres always going to be a better selection because its the most common calibre.Saying that though,20's have the same killing power,but have less recoil so are often good for smaller people/children etc.One thing i would never do personally is have both calibres in the same house.Its all too easy to mix the ammunition up and slip a 20 cartridge into the chamber (which will drop through).Commonly,people then load a 12 into the same chamber and fire-with catastropic results.If i was to get a 20 gauge i would sell my 12's so i could never mix ammo.A quick rule of thumb-20 gauge cartridges are normally yellow,but dont follow my advice to the letter because some manufacturers annoyingly switch them round.

Semi-autos are great though and very popular for clay shooting due to greatly reduced recoil.I've never heard of any shooting ground which dont allow them though.They're biggest drawback is that people cannot see that the gun is unloaded from a distance,but a breech flag soon solves that and eitherway it should be slipped between stands anyhow.As you're a sooty (left handed-Sooty was always on the pupeteers left hand!) i recomend you getting a left handed semi.If you dont the spent cartridges will be ejected across your face.One drawback is you could never use it on a gameshoot if you were invited and other is cleaning them as they're very labour intensive.I have a semi-auto which i soley use for pigeon shooting because its easier to load while in a hide (you load from beneath) and you get a third shot should you miss.I do recomend you atleast trying a few to see which fits you best.

Dont dismiss the double barrel though.You can get nice leftys and atleast the stock will also be cast for you so will fit you better than a righty.Gun fit is more important than anything else.A poorly fitted gun will do you no favours at all.

Pumps are like Marmite-you either love em' or hate em'.Me personally i cannot get on with them,but do try one yourself though if you can as you might click with them straight away.

Thanks for that, Steve. When you say I couldn't go to game shoots with a semi, does that include duck and geese on the foreshore and around rivers, ponds etc? I would have thought FAC semis would be top choice for duck!

Some grounds will pull a face at S/A's and pumps but if treated correctly they are every bit as safe a break action the only difference is proving safe to the casual observer. i used to use a flag in the breech of mine but more importantly keep it in the slip until you get into the cage, shoot and then replace it in the slip before you step out, I cannot see how that can be criticised but some will.

Regarding rough shooting, the more formal shoots may not allow C/A or Pump but in my day the wild fowlers used to swear by a Mossie P/A

I am with Steve on 20G, never mix them in your cabinet let alone out on the field, yes you can use different coloured cartridges and keep them in different pockets and yes in the heat of the moment you can make that one mistake. Not for me thanks.

I saw this in another topic as well - what is the deal with slips? I have never seen anyone obsessively put guns into slips or cases when not in use - they just open the action and stick them in a rack (or lay them on the bench/ground facing down range). That's what I have always done too... To me it seems counter-intuitive to keep putting things in slips because then you can't see whether the action is closed, and, as people keep mentioning, there can be a muzzle control issue with removing guns from and placing guns in slips. But is that none the less what I should be doing at clay grounds here?