Semi auto shotguns on let days
- Thread starter Dazb1967
- Start date
I have seen semi autos used a couple of times recently on game shoots. One of which was quite a smart shoot where I remember someone being asked not to bring an over and under again 10 years ago.
Both handled totally safely and no issues at all. I think one was being used by someone who had recently had shoulder surgery in any case.
A friend of mine tried one on his own walked shoot but got so fed up with the rigmarole of unloading every time he crossed a wall or fence that he went back home and swapped it for a side by side at lunchtime.
Both handled totally safely and no issues at all. I think one was being used by someone who had recently had shoulder surgery in any case.
A friend of mine tried one on his own walked shoot but got so fed up with the rigmarole of unloading every time he crossed a wall or fence that he went back home and swapped it for a side by side at lunchtime.
Yeah , gun handling with break actions is bad enough " barrels up to action " being common . The semi auto or even better the pump are very , vary safe when directly compared with break action . Pump carried empty chamber maybe the safest of all perhaps ?
"Anyhow its a Saturday and the Banks aint open LOL"
"Anyhow its a Saturday and the Banks aint open LOL"
markyw
Well-Known Member
SxS and OU are easy to show safe and people are familiar with a broken gun at a distance to know. I assume a lot out there would not be so familiar with a safety flag in the semi' s chamber and it can be harder to see at a distance.
Also, there's the faff of finding the empties for reasons of environment and cartridge count.
Mark
Also, there's the faff of finding the empties for reasons of environment and cartridge count.
Mark
Rhodesianjess
Well-Known Member
On previous estate, my employer told me, upon seeing me with a Miroku ou,if God had meant you to use a gun like that you'd have one eye above the other.
Present employer calls my Winchester auto my gangster gun!
Don't think we'll be seeing any used by guests here!
Present employer calls my Winchester auto my gangster gun!
Don't think we'll be seeing any used by guests here!
reiver
Well-Known Member
Seen a few over the years used on driven days . Mostly in 20bore and often because the shot has a shoulder injury of some kind .
Autos are no more dangerous than other shotguns. It’s all down to the user .
On a foot note if you turn up on the grouse moors nr me on a keepers day without an auto you end up in the butts and not walking . The 3rd shot makes a difference when they want the numbers reduced at the end of the season and the pack is flying back .
Autos are no more dangerous than other shotguns. It’s all down to the user .
On a foot note if you turn up on the grouse moors nr me on a keepers day without an auto you end up in the butts and not walking . The 3rd shot makes a difference when they want the numbers reduced at the end of the season and the pack is flying back .
roaring_stag
Well-Known Member
what about semi-autos at keepers/beaters day? 
(in reference to another recent thread).
(in reference to another recent thread).Phil fox man
Well-Known Member
we had a beater in the 90ts who wasn't a game shooter but turned up every week and waved a flag ,so cut him a bit of slack as he only had one shotgun.
" fat rod " turned up with a savage 5 shot pump " fck me pink".
on the first drive I stood with him and every time he racked it all the other guns in earshot turned and looked,to make matters worse he racked it by holding the fore end and jerking it up and down.
as soon as this happened I lent him my o/u and I didn't shoot.
as for rod,he was a Scouser and did have a shell suit
" fat rod " turned up with a savage 5 shot pump " fck me pink".
on the first drive I stood with him and every time he racked it all the other guns in earshot turned and looked,to make matters worse he racked it by holding the fore end and jerking it up and down.
as soon as this happened I lent him my o/u and I didn't shoot.
as for rod,he was a Scouser and did have a shell suit
No more hard to find than any ejector ! No barrels being swung upwards to close ! Flag in end of each drive!
So many people think break actions are mechanically safer , they are not ! Especially when barrels get closed not pointed clearly at the ground with the stock brought up to the barrels
The who thing of the semi auto prejudice in UK shooting stems from war fighting imo.
can you see a broken action isnt holding shells ? If a fall or a slip occurs it can release the sears and yet so many thing shells in a broken gun is safe !
The Pump will carry even greater prejudice but is likely the safest gun for driven point against point , it hard to better as the next shell needs to be chambered manually
Of course its never the guns fault !
There is a tale above about a Savage 5 shot pump. I had one for years and you can not "rack" it to load by just holding the fore end as there is a wee release lever close to the trigger needed, unless it had just been fired in which case the reload is instant and not achieved by waving the gun about. The knack with pumps is to work the slide on recoil - Gough Thomas discusses this in one of his gun books.
Fifty years ago, the pump had not become a film cliche. I took mine one some cock days as it was my only piece at one time. Folk were intrigued as many had never seen a "trombone action repeater" back then.
Fifty years ago, the pump had not become a film cliche. I took mine one some cock days as it was my only piece at one time. Folk were intrigued as many had never seen a "trombone action repeater" back then.
benelli pumps actually part recycle the rearward action ( very good for those not quite used to the pumps). with many a std pump like you say but after a short enough time, you just dont notice. i shoot a benneli and and old mossberg
I've known people to use semis on driven shoots. Not posh ones though and the reason was invariably because they had some sort of injury/condition. But the main two reasons they often aren't allowed is because, although they might be quite safe, they can't be SEEN to be safe by others. So it can affect their enjoyment of the day. The other one is that they give you three shots (usually) compared to the two of O/Us and SXSs, so there's an issue that it's seen to be not fair.
There is a third reason and that's one of tradition. I get that once O/Us were frowned upon, but aren't now and maybe there'll be a time when semis aren't. But we ain't there yet.
They have their uses though, such as vermin control and wildfowling, which they are great at. Or robbing banks if you listen to Higgie Higgins.
There is a third reason and that's one of tradition. I get that once O/Us were frowned upon, but aren't now and maybe there'll be a time when semis aren't. But we ain't there yet.
They have their uses though, such as vermin control and wildfowling, which they are great at. Or robbing banks if you listen to Higgie Higgins.
Franchi Matt
Well-Known Member
Taking a semi to a clay ground is a bad enough experience 
markyw
Well-Known Member
Not disputing any of that and use a semi-auto myself for pigeon shooting, was just stating that there is a certain unfamiliarity amongst the older shooter (on our shoot) with single barrelled, non-breakable shotguns. With my ejector, I eject the shells at my body so that they fall to the ground around me, while my semi-auto tries to launch them into orbit
Regards
Mark
An old mate of mine used to refer to OU’s as Louts guns.
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