Sporter choice

[Alexandro Faria]

Hoping to get some advice from those in the know:

I have a 525 sporting that just isn't working for me. I shoot fine (about 80%) but the more I shoot it, the more I find about it that I don;t particularly like. I thought I was a fan of the large swell, but I'm not sure any more and the fact that the stock is cast for right handers irritated me to no end... Nothing fits how it should.

I handled a sp1 sporting the other day and it felt good. Faster up, less clunky and ambidextrous in design. I enjoyed it quite a bit.

I need advice from those with experience: Is this just a case of "the grass is greener on the other side" or does this sound like something worth paying attention to?

If it IS reasonable, any suggestions on a good sporter for upland and sporting for me to try before doing this all again?

 

[Ridgewalker]

JMO, but as gun owners we all suffer from “the grass is greener on the other side”.
Absolutely nothing wrong with 80%! But if you don’t like it, or it’s not comfortable, or what ever, you will never get that next % improvement.
When I shot a lot of sporting clays, I found a used Beretta 686. I shot it quite a lot, then went through a gun fitting. Afterward I improved a few %. It started life as a low cost field grade, but I was happy for many years with it.
Now I pretty much shoot only in the field using one of my SxSs. I hit the clays a couple of times before the bird season opens, but my scores are nowhere near what they were with the fitted 686 O/U.

In conclusion, I’d suggest you try and shoot a few guns you like. Pick your favorite (emotions to a gun seem stronger to man than reality). Use it a while. Then if you want improvement find a good gun fitter and have it fitted.

Best of luck finding what you are looking for!

 

[Alexandro Faria]

Cheers, @Ridgewalker, I don't quite know what you mean by a gun fitter, could you please elaborate? Shows how little I know...

 

[Ridgewalker]

A gunfitter has a “try” gun with adjustable comb, pull, cast, etc. He will keep adjusting until when you through the gun to the shoulder your eyes are set on the target. It can be a little spooky because he is usually looking at you from the muzzle end trying to see how your eyes line up. He records the data. Then usually you take the try gun an shoot it through all or part of a course depending on if you’re wanting a sporting clays, trap or skeet gun (they all align a bit different for their given purpose).
Once you are comfortable with it, the data is used to make your choice of gun fit the same. Kind of an interesting process.
Here is one of the best known who has written books on it as well as other shotgun books.
http://www.chrisbatha.com/schoolsandshows.html

 

[Alexandro Faria]

Brilliant, much appreciated, thank you. Doubtful that we have such a person in South Africa, but thank you for educating me!

 

[Ridgewalker]

Try a search on YouTube for gun fit. That should give you an idea of a little help anyway.
Good luck finding what you are looking for!