by Charles Da Last » 29 Mar 2017, 12:45 pm
Firstly, forget a side by side as has already been mentioned.
It can be confusing when starting out but bear in mind the following points. All shotguns shoot straight, not high/low or left/right. The only thing that changes is how someone looks down the barrel. If you look down the barrel from a higher point (eye higher than the barrel looking down to the end bead) then it will appear the gun is shooting higher than what you are aiming at. If your eye is lower (so line of sight runs flat along the rib) then the gun will shoot flatter (exactly what you are looking at with your eye). This explains the comment about tapered ribs shooting higher.
There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to Shotgun types you can mix and match everything but they are generally marketed as Trap, Sporter & Field.
Trap guns are generally heavier and bigger in most regards. When you are shooting trap the gun is pre-mounted and you don't need something you can move so easily. The rib is often higher and slightly tapered (closer to the barrel at the end), barrels are normally 30"-32", the stock is higher so the head is normally more upright. A bigger gun with longer barrels generally has less recoil than a lighter gun with shorter barrels.
A sporter is probably the middle ground gun. It has a flatter rib and lower stock, normally 28"-32" barrels. The gun is designed to hunt and shoot sporting clays (which effectively replicate hunting). A sporter is normally shot gun down (not pre-mounted to the shoulder) so it is historically a bit lighter and more 'whippy' than a trap gun. Having said that there are many top shooters who are shooting sporting disciplines with big guns, mid-high ribs, adjustable stocks and 32" barrels. This Saturday just gone I was shooting a comp with an ex-national champion and he shooting sporting clays with a 32" trap gun.
A field gun is a stripped down sporter, lower stock again, thinner stock (less wood), 28"-30" barrels. It is marketed as being light and easy to carry around whilst hunting.
HIstorically Trap guns had a beavertail/semi-beavertail forend, sporters has a schnabel forend and field guns had an english forend. These days people mix and match as to whatever they like.
I have had a few trap guns but now shoot only sporters and can put together a reasonable A grade trap score but if I was serious about being an AA grade shooter I would probably buy another trap gun. These days I shoot sporting clays almost exclusively so happy to stick with the same gun for those times I shoot trap or skeet.
A good gun to start with would be a 30" sporter with a schnabel forend and a multi-choke system.
Personally, I would advise you to steer away from cheap guns or guns that do not have a good footprint in Australia because if you need repairs or servicing then you may get stuck for parts or the know-how - nothing worse than a gun out of action for months. If you can stick with Browning or Beretta and as mentioned the Silver Pigeon or Citori then you won't go wrong. You can buy either of these at around $1500 pre-owned in superb condition. I'm a Browning and Blaser shooter but would say that at the lower price point Beretta make a better gun than Browning from the few I have shot.
Whatever you buy, just make sure it feels right and fits you. If you are 6'6" you dont want a pissy little gun with a short stock, vice versa if you are 5'5". You need someone who really knows what to look at with gun fit. This is the biggest benefit of buying new. If your most comfortable position on a gun has your eye out by just a couple of mm then that will translate to several feet at the target. You need professional advice with regard to gun fit.
Get someone to check your eye dominance or google on how to check it yourself.If you happen to have an eye dominance opposite your hand dominance then you may be better off starting out shooting with the hand other than the one you would normally, it will save you lots of grief over the years.
When you get your gun, pattern it properly so you are confident of where it is shooting relative to where you are looking.
Join a club. You'll learn loads and be taught good habits about gun safety.
Join Field & Game Australia. They are a quality organisation and have shoots every weekend around Melbourne.
Enjoy shooting.