Demo gun experience?

[Cosmicblue]

I was at Ian Coley's ground near Cheltenham - home to the most expensive coffee on any shooting ground anywhere I've ever encountered - £1.50 for a small cup of very poor machine produced coffee, equaled only by equally expensive clays nearly £49 for 115...good target presentations though.

Anyway I digress still on the trail of a gun for poor weather days I'd thought I'd try Benelli's 828U, lightweight, innovative technology combing the ruggedness of a semi-auto in OU format, my wife has muttered about having another go at clays (recoil sensitive) so though maybe an 828u and 21Grm carts might make it a candidate.  Checked Gun-Trader and Coley's had a second hand 828U.. so went and asked if I could try a gun......big intake of breath...well maybe you could put 25 through the used gun, clearly very reluctant.

Oh well was only going to spend £2k, with stuff in the racks costing 10 times that it clearly wasn't worth the effort, went and shot my round, had a go at DTL and decided I'd take my business elsewhere.

Am I unreasonable to expect a demo of a new technology type gun before purchase?

 

[Finners]

I had a similar experience there when looking to buy a CG. They were quite reluctant to let me try it out, I did but like you took my money elsewhere. 

And to answer your question, no you're not being unreasonable.  

 

[Wonko the Sane]

Oh well was only going to spend £2k

Seems to me that most any dealer would welcome a sale for "even" £2k.  But that might just be me.

 

[Rupert]

I have experienced same,i think its fair enough they own the gun and need to maintain its value, for the most part i look for demo days, benelli were at orston last month along with others and no limit on shooting,

 

[Mike]

Kelbrook are very good with demo guns, you can shoot as many clays as you want to with their guns. :smile:

I forgot to mention that mid-week tea and coffee are free.

 

[westley]

My vote goes to Malmo Guns, some Demo guns,  BUT just great people to deal with.

 

[Iggy]

Well I'm rather relieved.....I had a similar experience at Coleys a few years ago and assumed it was just me. 

I'd made quite a long journey on the day having heard good reports but left feeling somewhat underwhelmed. 

They were less than complimentary about my trade in (a Benelli at the time so not exactly trash) and when I told them I was leaving to look at another few guns while in the area (which was true) they told me a man was coming down later to look at the gun I'd been interested in. Felt like I'd been served by a used car salesman. 

Having said that we are all human and I suppose we can all have our off days, but it did put me off and I've not been there since and spent my money elsewhere.

Distributor run demo days are generally a good bet, I swapped to Guerini after such a day at Oakedge and the guys from Anglo Itialian could not have been better...access to all guns, free clays and free cartridges. A week later I bought one.

Sorry to hear if your experience but we all need to vote with our feet, things don't/won't change or improve otherwise. 

 

[chippy]

Unless its an adjustable stock and they let you alter it, I cannot see the point in trying a gun as its not going to fit.

 

[westley]

Unless its an adjustable stock and they let you alter it, I cannot see the point in trying a gun as its not going to fit.

Although NOT impossible, I agree that a degree of fit enters into things. Having said that, I could now have an F16 (the gun not the aircraft) residing in my cabinet, having had the chance to try the 'demo model', I thankfully found out that, it was NOT the gun for me. A couple of weeks later and a chance conversation in a gun shop led to my trying a Browning 725. Now I knew that if purchased, the gun would need at least 1/2" chopping off the stock, but it gave me the chance to test other features like the trigger pulls, drag etc. and by keeping my left hand back,  a degree of fit enabled me to shoot it. I hit most of which I shot at and that swayed me to buy the gun. I made the decision to shoot it for 6 months before any stock alterations, just to make sure I had got it right. It has an adjustable comb (which I hate) but, the weight of all that scrap iron in the mechanism, helps to make for perfect balance, even after I have now had it chopped. Without trying that gun,  it would be still be on the shelf and I would still be trying to replace my Miroku. Now I have had it fettled, I am managing to hit more than I miss, so there is a degree of    'It Pays to try before you Buy'  attached !  I would not buy a car without finding out if I could live with it or not, so why do that with a gun  ?

 

[chippy]

Its a bit like test driving a new car when you cannot move the seat, steering wheel or mirrors.

You just hope the last person to drive it was similar size.

 

[jasper]

To be fair the open days at Coleys have been superb. Ok you pay for your own clays but any gun,any amount of clays any amount of time.  And maybe you still take your money elsewhere but buyers choice..

Tried loads last year. Including DT 11 and kreighoffs. f16. A400 multi target. Etc.

Jasper

 

[Markh701]

Never ceases to amaze me that people selling guns expect you to buy them without trying them. You don't do that as a matter of course with most other personnel items so why with this one. If they don't offer you that chance then go elsewhere. If we all asked for a demo before buying the industry would stop giving shoddy service. Come on people make a stand.

 

[westley]

Its a bit like test driving a new car when you cannot move the seat, steering wheel or mirrors.

You just hope the last person to drive it was similar size.

Ah, you have had a Land Rover then  ?

 

[Cosmicblue]

Rugby Gun shop has a 28" 828U demo gun which I had a try with today at Barby Sporting, a really nicely made and extremely light tool, admire the tactile quality and balance of the thing a lot and really wanted to like it , fitted nicely straight out of the box too, super pointable for fast close-in crossers.  However even with 24 gram (Trusts) shells the recoil is very sharp, more than I could tolerate - it is positioned as a game gun so not totally unexpected.  The 30" version is a tad heavier, but it would be great if Benelli did a a version for us clay busters, I'd have one without a second thought...the search for a suitable wet-weather gun goes on...