Advice please.......

[mightywokka]

Tomorrow I'm off to try a couple of guns with a view to buying. They have been sourced by a RFD who is instructing me. They are a Browning 525 and an A1 along with two Nikkos (sorry don't know which model). Any views on them will be appreciated no matter how derogatory! Cheers.

 

[Will Hewland]

I only have experience of the well known B525. You can't really go wrong with that (if it fits you). Reliable, well known, nice gun with good resale value.

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[mightywokka]

Thanks CSC3. Should have said it will be my first gun, just waiting for SGL to arrive. Budget is around £800. Looking at second hand.

 

[Will Hewland]

Second hand 525 would be a great start ( if it fits you about right).

 

[VicW]

While they are very nice,well made guns,I would advise against buying a Nikko.

They are no longer in production and spare parts are like hens teeth,hence resale value can be low.

Certain models had a problem with the ejectors failing.

Vic.

 

[mightywokka]

Thanks Vic. Been finding the same thing out on t'internet. The browning gets good reviews.

 

[Mick.J]

Yep 525, or a Miroku, and you will not go far wrong. As has been said- as long as they fit quite well.

 

[Les53]

While they are very nice,well made guns,I would advise against buying a Nikko.

They are no longer in production and spare parts are like hens teeth,hence resale value can be low.

Certain models had a problem with the ejectors failing.

Vic.

I will go along with Vic on that about the Nikko, but they were very good guns! As for the Browning B525, it's made by Miroku, so it should be almost bomb proof if looked after, no probs with parts either. As for the A1, I presume you mean a Browning B25 A1? Well they were great guns in their day, but I'm not sure if they still make them, if it's a real old one make sure you get it checked out by a gunsmith, but parts should not be a problem, as far as I know the mechanicals of B25's have changed little over the years and just about any gunsmith on the planet can work on them. The A1 as far as I remember was the base model B25 with a black action and fixed chokes, get a gunsmith to check what it is choked at and make sure that any work done on it was done properly as it could cost a fair whack to get it up to scratch. Try to get a new a gun as possible, and try to get a guarantee as well, most gun dealers will give you some sort of guarantee if they are worth their salt. For £800 you should be able to get a decent second hand Miroku or Miroku made Browning, a second hand Beretta 686/682. These guns hold their money very well and can be repaired by any gunsmith. Old B25's (such as the A1) may have shot quite loose and may have had dodgey repairs over the years, so unless you know what to look for or can take it to a gunsmith for appraisal, I would try to stay away from such guns. Same goes for Nikko's I'm afraid! Good luck! :wink:

 

[Angelfire]

While they are very nice,well made guns,I would advise against buying a Nikko.

They are no longer in production and spare parts are like hens teeth,hence resale value can be low.

Certain models had a problem with the ejectors failing.

Vic.

Nikko made by Kodensha Co Ltd. of Tochigi Japan. In the same class as a Mirook IMHO. Had a couple from new and never had a problem with them. Was it Jeff Dales that imported them?.

 

[chesterse]

Also beware of the A1 it sounds like a very old model Browning which although now a bit of a collectors item might be a bit "long in the tooth" for your purposes.

Far better off with the 525 or a Miroku MK 38 or a Beretta 686.

It's important when you first start to get a gun which fits you somewhere near ok. For example the stock not far too long or short and also the comb height not far too high or low.

This is difficult as if you have only just started you gun mount will be inconsistent so it is important to seek the assistance of someone who has some idea of what you need.

Take a good look at the gun you intend to purchase, for your budget you should be able to buy something which looks tidy. If the gun has an overall scruffy appearance it probably has had a lot of use and or has not been looked after very well.

 

[Les53]

Nikko made by Kodensha Co Ltd. of Tochigi Japan. In the same class as a Mirook IMHO. Had a couple from new and never had a problem with them. Was it Jeff Dales that imported them?.

Not sure who imported them, but as far as I know Kevin Borely is still using his Nikko trap gun and still winning with it too, it surely must be over 25 years old by now.

 

[Les53]

Oh and another thing to bear in mind is what discipline you intend to use it for! Buying guns can be a minefield, especially old guns, so it may be a good idea to seek advice on anything that looks of interest to you. A good gunsmith or coach will be able to help you and could save you a lot of money too!

 

[Hamster]

Lots of good advice for you mightywokka, no need to go for really old models.

 

[mightywokka]

Thanks for all the guidance will definetly have it mind tomorrow. I'll update the thread afterwards. Thanks again!

 

[ips]

I dont meen to sound synical but whatever he buys he probably only have for a month then someone will tell him its too high too low too long etc etc then its off on the quest for the holy grail like the rest of us

 

[Will Hewland]

Exactly, hence buy the browning because it will resell well. Mine did!

 

[Skeet UK]

Tomorrow I'm off to try a couple of guns with a view to buying. They have been sourced by a RFD who is instructing me. They are a Browning 525 and an A1 along with two Nikkos (sorry don't know which model). Any views on them will be appreciated no matter how derogatory! Cheers.

Just out of curiosity...why are you have an RFD look for some guns for you, then picking from those...rather than going to a bunch of gun shops and seeing what is available?

As has been observed, 3 out of the 4 are properly old guns...and if you have £800 to spend, you could do much better.

By all means look, but I was just curious...obviously if the guy is instructing you, then you trust his judgement etc. I doubt he would have any problems with storing a gun for you if you found one elsewhere.

 

[mightywokka]

Back from shooting the four contenders and I got..........none of them.

I did like the mikkos very much, so much so that if I hadn't asked on here about them I would have probably bought one.

After the feedback on here for mikkos I went there not really interested in them due to not being made anymore, spares and resale value. But they both were very effective. Just had that little niggling thought in the back of my mind.

The Brownings were ok. The 525 though would only fire 1 barrel though so was a put off from the start, I know it can be fixed but it would always be in the 'history' of the gun.

The good thing was that I now know that I prefer a shorter barrel(28"/29"). The Brownings were 30".

I initially felt gutted not to have got one after my instructor sourcing them, but having searched on t'internet I know there is a berreta/miroku out there to fit the bill.

Thanks for the advice, keep it coming! Any more steers greatly appreciated. As ips says ill probably want to change it soon anyway!

 

[Will Hewland]

Hi,

Good not to hurry into it. Go to a big gunshop and look around / get advice / try some more.

If you are going to shoot sporting clays and you are not a midget, do not go for a short barrel. Of course it feels better now, because holding any gun feels odd at first; so a smaller one feels easier. A pencil is easier to hold than a fishing rod, but you wont get many fish for dinner with it..

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