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Discussion starter · #41 ·
I think perhaps You can tell him You’re thrilled that He introduced You to the shooting sports, but You’re gonna have to level with him about the discomfort. He doesn’t want to lose a shooting buddy and He’ll understand. He might even help You pick up something else so the two of you can continue to shoot together.
Good luck
Bob
I've been begging other friends and family to go with us so he has other shooting buddies but they never want to come back! Lol

Yes, I need to level with him and tell him it isn't JUST me, but the gun is beating me up and I need better skills
 
Discussion starter · #43 ·
I'm curious - do what he paid for that old gun? Can he sell it for anywhere close to what he paid for it. I would insist he do so ASAP as you aren't ever going to shoot it again!
I don't know. I never asked him since it was a gift and never tried to find out, but I suspect a few thousand, maybe more than a few. Yikes. I know he had trouble finding one with a short enough LOP, so that might be a difficulty in selling it (not much demand?) But it's a well known English maker, and I'm sure he could get his money back perhaps with patience to find a smaller buyer.

I know that his guns are worth a small fortune. He has quite the collection! Mine isn't quite the same quality - not as big a name - but heading in the same direction.
 
F - judging from the avatar that gun is so wrong in so many ways. Too long, no soft recoil pad , too light for Sporting clays or really any clays game. Start over.
 
I don't know. I never asked him since it was a gift and never tried to find out, but I suspect a few thousand, maybe more than a few. Yikes. I know he had trouble finding one with a short enough LOP, so that might be a difficulty in selling it (not much demand?) But it's a well known English maker, and I'm sure he could get his money back perhaps with patience to find a smaller buyer.

I know that his guns are worth a small fortune. He has quite the collection! Mine isn't quite the same quality - not as big a name - but heading in the same direction.
Unfortunately, as you have found out, gun fit and recoil sensitivity are such a uniquely personal thing. Only you can choose the gun that works for you. I was lucky as a newbie in that I bought a Diamond Anniversary Remington 1100 from a local auction at a great bargain before ever having shot at a clay target. It turned out that it was a good gun for me - particularly in regards to recoil. Even so, I have swapped the field stock for a Monte Carlo, and the 28" barrel for a 30" trap barrel. Good luck on your quest!
 
Discussion starter · #48 ·
Unfortunately, as you have found out, gun fit and recoil sensitivity are such a uniquely personal thing. Only you can choose the gun that works for you. I was lucky as a newbie in that I bought a Diamond Anniversary Remington 1100 from a local auction at a great bargain before ever having shot at a clay target. It turned out that it was a good gun for me - particularly in regards to recoil. Even so, I have swapped the field stock for a Monte Carlo, and the 28" barrel for a 30" trap barrel. Good luck on your quest!
I just looked up what a Monte Carlo is - interesting! It wouldn't work on my old gun but maybe the next, if needed.
He'll never let me choose, so I'll be saving up and seeing what I like in the meantime! I wish there was a try-before-buying method but at least I know what I don't want (a SxS).
 
My wife is 5’3” and your size. It took her going to Wenig to get a proper stock. In one year she went from E class to B class. Get help from a pro. My bride of 47 years is now in AA class. It can be done , don’t give up.
 
I just looked up what a Monte Carlo is - interesting! It wouldn't work on my old gun but maybe the next, if needed.
He'll never let me choose, so I'll be saving up and seeing what I like in the meantime! I wish there was a try-before-buying method but at least I know what I don't want (a SxS).
You've already done some 'try before buy'--you rented a 28 gauge. Lots of options for you--have a lesson or two and get advice about gun and fit, rent some more guns or borrow from folks at the range, or get together with other women shooters in your area and find out the full range of options. Since you have daughters, you have already noticed that women are built differently than men. Did you know there are a few models of guns that are fully built just for women? Sometimes women choose a Syren, sometimes they get a youth model with a shorter stock and that works for them, and sometimes they shoot full sized guns with success. YOU have to find what works for you.
(BTW Charlie Pfleger at Hill Rod and Gun is a certified instructor, a gunfitter, and a fixer/retailer of fine English guns. And a wonderful person. He could be a resource for you on your English gun)
 
I've been begging other friends and family to go with us so he has other shooting buddies but they never want to come back! Lol

Yes, I need to level with him and tell him it isn't JUST me, but the gun is beating me up and I need better skills
I’m afraid better skills and a gun that adapts to you go hand in hand. I wish I could be of more help.

Bob
 
First let me say these guys are really nice and helpful when a lady needs assistance. Just kidding, but I looked at your avatar picture and had a lot to say immediately. I read all the posts here and Oregunner and Sera already hit on photo.

As someone that has hunted for many years and used to shoot a lot of hand thrown clays out in the pasture, recoil never bothered me. I would shoot a case of shells in an afternoon, no problem. Then I got older and got laid up for a few months ine winter with pretty severe illness. I bounced back most of the way, so I thought. The next April when we started shooting sporting clays again, I would shoot 75 or 100 shells with my over under and the next day it would be like I had a terrible hangover. Headaches so bad I couldn't function. I was thinking about giving up shooting. Then I thought about my old semiautomatic Remington 1100 20 ga that is very soft shooting. I shot that 20 ga the whole summer. Got plenty of comments about shooting the 20 ga, but by the end of summer my scores were back up in the mid 80's.

When ammo got scarce, I could get lots of 12 ga ammo, but not much 20 ga. So, I got a Remington 1100 12 ga Sporting model. That gun shoots very soft even with the 1 1/8 oz loads that I usually prefer not to shoot. I can shoot my over unders a bit more now, but I like the soft recoil of a gas operated semiauto so much better. On a good day now I can shoot in the upper 80's to low 90's and feel great the next day.

You need to find a soft shooting gun that fits you. I know there are some female specific semiauto guns out there. I am not up on them but maybe Fabarms Syren, Franchi maybe had a Catalyst model and I am sure there are others that I am not recalling at the moment. Sounds like your uncle means well, but his gun for you was a poor choice. See Ventrib's rule again. Get a lesson from someone other than your uncle. Have fun.
 
Frieda,
You said that you went for an X-ray to make sure nothing was broken so you already have a reason to shoot something else without hurting your uncles feelings.

You - "Doc, it hurts when I (fill in the blank) ."
Doctor - "Well, then don't (fill in the blank) . At least for a while."

Tell your uncle that 'it's been suggested' that you go with a gas operated 20ga or 28ga until you recover a bit. If he thinks the suggestion came from the doc, he shouldn't have a problem with that,

Way back (40+ years ago) I taught my wife to shoot with a 28ga pump. 12 or 14 years ago when we decided to kinda get serious I got her a 20ga a400 and she shot that for several years. Then shortly before all the Covid stuff, the lady instructor she was working with had her try a 12ga 391 with a shorter (26") barrel that she loved. It took a while to find her one like it but that's pretty much all she shoots now and that's mostly with 1oz loads at a tic over 1200fps. Oh, and we're both in our mid-70's.

Be patient and welcome to the clay shooting addiction!
 
Discussion starter · #57 ·
First let me say these guys are really nice and helpful when a lady needs assistance. Just kidding, but I looked at your avatar picture and had a lot to say immediately. I read all the posts here and Oregunner and Sera already hit on photo.

As someone that has hunted for many years and used to shoot a lot of hand thrown clays out in the pasture, recoil never bothered me. I would shoot a case of shells in an afternoon, no problem. Then I got older and got laid up for a few months ine winter with pretty severe illness. I bounced back most of the way, so I thought. The next April when we started shooting sporting clays again, I would shoot 75 or 100 shells with my over under and the next day it would be like I had a terrible hangover. Headaches so bad I couldn't function. I was thinking about giving up shooting. Then I thought about my old semiautomatic Remington 1100 20 ga that is very soft shooting. I shot that 20 ga the whole summer. Got plenty of comments about shooting the 20 ga, but by the end of summer my scores were back up in the mid 80's.

When ammo got scarce, I could get lots of 12 ga ammo, but not much 20 ga. So, I got a Remington 1100 12 ga Sporting model. That gun shoots very soft even with the 1 1/8 oz loads that I usually prefer not to shoot. I can shoot my over unders a bit more now, but I like the soft recoil of a gas operated semiauto so much better. On a good day now I can shoot in the upper 80's to low 90's and feel great the next day.

You need to find a soft shooting gun that fits you. I know there are some female specific semiauto guns out there. I am not up on them but maybe Fabarms Syren, Franchi maybe had a Catalyst model and I am sure there are others that I am not recalling at the moment. Sounds like your uncle means well, but his gun for you was a poor choice. See Ventrib's rule again. Get a lesson from someone other than your uncle. Have fun.
Thank you! I'm glad you didn't give it up and that your health is restored, or mostly. I can't wait to shop for a new gun now. The Remington 1100 seems to be a favorite, but maybe I'll take a couple lessons without the Uncle before I decide. Ammo shortages are creepy and frustrating, because I'd otherwise love a 28 gauge.... because I'm a "wimp"! 😆
 
Discussion starter · #58 ·
My wife is 5’3” and your size. It took her going to Wenig to get a proper stock. In one year she went from E class to B class. Get help from a pro. My bride of 47 years is now in AA class. It can be done , don’t give up.
That's exciting to hear! Congrats to her!! I'm also 5'3". I just looked up Wenig - very interesting!
 
My wife is 59 years old and 5'3" with high cheek bones, prominent collar bones, long neck, etc. In other words, nothing off of the shelf fits her. Yet, she bought a very adjustable (comb and butt plate) semi-auto in 20 gauge, had it adjusted by a professional, and recoil is a non-issue when shooting sporting clays. I believe the same would be true of a 12 gauge that fits her, but the smaller frame of a 20 gauge feels better in her hands. Its all about gun fit and there are shotguns out there that will allow you to enjoy shooting sporting clays if you take the time to find the gun that fits you. Good luck!
 
Discussion starter · #60 ·
You've already done some 'try before buy'--you rented a 28 gauge. Lots of options for you--have a lesson or two and get advice about gun and fit, rent some more guns or borrow from folks at the range, or get together with other women shooters in your area and find out the full range of options. Since you have daughters, you have already noticed that women are built differently than men. Did you know there are a few models of guns that are fully built just for women? Sometimes women choose a Syren, sometimes they get a youth model with a shorter stock and that works for them, and sometimes they shoot full sized guns with success. YOU have to find what works for you.
(BTW Charlie Pfleger at Hill Rod and Gun is a certified instructor, a gunfitter, and a fixer/retailer of fine English guns. And a wonderful person. He could be a resource for you on your English gun)
Thanks! I've made a note with his name and will keep it handy! No, I did not know. It's confusing because I need a smaller one but lighter, smaller ones kick more!?

I have always heard that guns were the great equalizer of strength between men and women.... maybe not!! We women don't have the upper body strength to mount all this iron! That said, I saw a group of men at the range a couple weeks ago that didn't know what they were doing, and they were getting beaten up by their guns worse than I was, so their innate upper body strength didn't seem to help them!

I have also learned very well that you CAN miss a target with a shotgun!! 😆
 
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