ESCORT vs WEBLEY & SCOTT SEMI-AUTO?

The Mole

Well-Known Member
OK, I know this is a stalking site but I thought I'd tap into the experience out there. I'm looking to get a semi-auto 12 bore for general purpose shooting (pigeon, wildfowl, vermin etc) and don't want to spend a fortune. It needs to cycle 2 1/2" to 3" loads, and cope with steel shot. The Escort and W&S both seem to fit the requirement, but I'd be interested in your thoughts or experiences.

Mole
 
You get better quality/reliability with the more you pay for mate,

I would suggest a Browning or a Berretta - if you put a lot of heavy loads through one of these it'll stand it - W & S have a problem where they like longer carts but cant cycle shorter ones after a while. Hatsans and escorts are ok if you are putting >28g through them (and keeping them clean/maintained) otherwise you'll be buying again.

Tom
 
Out of interest why do you want a semi auto .
What is it your looking for a 3 or 5 or 8 shot ???

Ive been down the semi auto route for wildfowling I found them impractical on the shore line, ejecting empty cartridges all over the shop into the river I spent more time picking up cartridges ,I now use a non ejector side by side full and full .

With a 3 your just with in range for a third shot the 5 shot Hmmm, the 8 your just wasting lead.

My main use for having the 5 shot was for foxing with terriers,gave me better scope when bolting foxes .
 
I would probably try and find the extra cash and look for a secondhand Beretta Extrema or Benelli. I use a old Beretta 303 for clay shooting and get on really well with it. Its a fair point about the cartridges being ejected out and lost. If you've never had a semi-auto before then you will have to get used to a cleaning regime to ensure that it works well. If you go for a fixed choke gun of any kind be aware that it is not advisable to put steel shot through more than half choke, having said that its no big deal or cost to get the choke opened out. JC
 
i got a escort last winter,now you do get what you pay for but i have fired around 250 28g 7 1/2s through it and never had a problem with it.mine is the 3" camo synthetic i paid £345 and you get a 3 year garuantee with them.
 
I would forget a semi-auto on the foreshore - they jam sooner or later, unless you get the Benelli. My suggestion is get a pump action if at all possible - Benelli Nova, Browning BPS, Mossberg Remington 870 etc - more reliable, half the price (something I can never understand as they have just about the same number of components) and learning to pump takes a box of cartridges. And in practice no slower than a semi auto or side by side. They tend to be heavier than a double and thus kick is not actually an issue - I shoot 3inch steel on the foreshore, and whilst I would n't want to shoot 50 at a time, for the half dozen or so shots I get in a flight its not an issue.
 
autos

forget both of them they are crap second rate guns!!! buy a benelli inertia action no gas piston to foul up, they are the best semi autos on the market honestly,I use mine for wildfowling and vermin control its been covered in mud on the foreshore an never let me down, mate of mine got an escort an i must admit he could shoot with it, but it jammed from brand new :cry: you will get a second hand benelli for a bit more than a new escort worth every penny buy one of them an you will regret it Ipromise. HORNET.
 
Don't bother with either. A number of keepers on our estate HAD escorts which rattled to bits with heavy loads being put through also a problem with cycling short cartridges.
I have a beretta extrema with built in recoil system which is great to use - I suppose you get what you pay for. If cost is an issue look for second hand quality rather than new low end market.
Hope you get sorted.
 
For the money , I think the Escorts are fine, depending how many rounds you fire and what for.
I know a few people with the with no complaints. the escort stock is far too short for me, the blueing is crap and soon wears of after a couple of days work.
I have used Benneli, Bereta and brownings as wel as a remmy, I wasn't impessed , I had trouble with the bennlli cycling 28g cats, however for vermin I rarely use less than 30g.
I use a bennelli Nova, pump, no probs with jams, use it every day , just as fast after a it of practice.
 
hatsan is bulgarian for S**t

I had killed lots with my escort, then moved on to a benneli
I shot better with the escort and for the price you can throw it away and get another one.
Ive been told it was made out of reycled wheely bins and hatsan is bulgarian for S**t but l killed a lot of stuff with it so has the guy i sold it to.
 
Thanks for all the input, it's greatly apprciated. I think that for the money I'll take a punt on the Escort. If it all ends in tears I promise I'll report it here and you can tell me you told me so!

Mole
 
I have had a Hatsan escort for a few years, never had a problem with it, a mate bought one and kept having problems, but he never cleans a gun and likes to fiddle, he broke the circlip holding the slide (its not supposed to pull off)

another few mates have them without problems I think its all down to how you handle them, clean them and oil them.

FFS if it all goes wrong tommorow I will buy another they are only £300 ish. :lol:
 
Have a beretta a390 (£500 when bought) which has done 2000+ sporting and at least 250 heavy 3" on the shore since 2002. It's battered and worn but the only thing that it has needed was a replacement piston last year which snapped :cry: .

I was looking at a 3" escort after that happened thinking my beretta was toast and to be honest I liked the escort lots because for the price and 3 year guarantee how could you not?. So you batter one and it fails, guarantee is there to repair or replace and after 3 years you trade in for something new.

Yes an escort is not a fancy pants make but as a cheap knock about to chuck in the pickup and batter stuff it's a smart choice for anyone on a budget. It's better to buy cheap, shoot more and get good than to pay more shoot less and stay average... That's my pitch 8)
 
I have an Escort magnum brilliant gun can't knock it bought it several years ago shot many foxes, crows vermin etc used it for clays little front heavy but ok once you are used to it can't reccomend it as a gun used day in day out with the comment about the keepers but as a general knock about it is unbeatable
And cheap like me :D
 
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