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I have renewed my Fire arm certificate (FAC) and this time I asked for a dual jobby a FAC and a Shot gun certificate the reason being my most recently joined Club runs a Clay Pidgeon shoot the 3rd Sunday in every month. A local gun shop has a set up on a farm that is 20 minutes from me.
So I am looking for advice on what to buy for a first gun. I am thinking a under and over in 12gauge. I am not wanting to spend a fortune this is going to be a fun thing I am not looking to break any records. I have used a shot gun to bust clays probably four times and that,s only because I had to to complete my probationary membership.
So I am basically clueless any help would be appreciated. They do offer tuition by the way but I would like to be using my own.

Thimbleby shooting ground is a 30 minute drive the older retired guys meet up there at least once a week so I am keen to get involved with that as well.

https://www.thimblebyshoot.com/

This line should of read.

I am basically clueless any help would be appreciated. They do offer tuition by the way but I would like to be using my own gun.

But the editing time out thing caught me out again.

Buy one that's fits you,so try a few if you can,make doesn't matter,12g for Clay's and an o/u imo,

fit.fit and fit, 12 g because its all you need. you can experiment with loads to find out what suits you.
no need to spend big, especialy if you have no intention of it being an overwhelming hobby, chokes, interchangeable are nice (always good to have another thing to blame ) but not that important to start with.
IMHO its worth getting some pro instruction when you start, it will make the whole deal more enjoyable

Tuition, definitely. I really enjoy clays, but having shot rifles for so long, I am crap! Getting better, but still basically crap. To be even moderately successful, and by that I mean not embarrassed when you shoot, it takes practice. A lot. But, how much will depend upon how much you enjoy it. Two guys I started clays with, had bee rifle shooters for decades. Both are now quite good, but they don’t shoot rifles half as much as they did…

Gun wise, everyone is going to say buy one that fits. No, I think that’s wrong, especially for someone who is already “into” guns. I bought my first clay gun because boy, did I like that gun! The form, the function, the features, I loved everything about it. Couldn’t hit myself on the arse with it! Was advised to change it for one that fitted. My scores improved dramatically on the first outing and have since always been better than with my last gun. But I so miss that gun. The joy of ownership far outweighed it’s practicality….

What I should have done, as a gun bloke, bought the gun I wanted, then had that fitted to me! Makes sense now, but couldn’t see past “get one that fits” at the time.

Don’t get me wrong, I have a really nice gun now, but it is a tool for the sport… I don’t get the same smile when I uncase it like I did with the other…

Oh, should have mentioned. Clay shooting is bloody hard!

I did not have a lot of luck clay busting to be honest I keep trying to aim at the clay which is totally the wrong thing to do. I just don,t want to be using other peoples guns and I have no intention of spending a load of money on a first gun. When you say get one that fits what do you mean by fit. Apologies if that's a stupid question. Should I get tuition before buying the gun or after.

Alpha1 wrote:I did not have a lot of luck clay busting to be honest I keep trying to aim at the clay which is totally the wrong thing to do. I just don,t want to be using other peoples guns and I have no intention of spending a load of money on a first gun. When you say get one that fits what do you mean by fit. Apologies if that's a stupid question. Should I get tuition before buying the gun or after.

Have a read of this, it explains about fit......

https://www.shootinguk.co.uk/guns/all-a ... nfit-83927

As others have said, try a few - get one that fits. That's more important than buying a posh name. A "name's" usless if you can't hit owt with it.

And YES, get some tuition - it's money well spent and much cheaper than unlearning self inflicted bad habits.

Shotguns are great - have fun.

Don't spend a lot of money to start off with, I had a Baikal which wasn't that much, and moved from that to a Turkish semi which is good as I need until I've got a lot better.

As to fit, a gun that fits, and it applies to gallery rifles as well to some extent, is one that points itself when you pick it up. You'll know it when you find it.

Can you wait until late July?

If so, go to the Gane Fair at Ragley Hall and walk round all of the gun sellers and see what tends to fit and what takes your fancy. You may find just teh right one, or you will have a much better idea.