Happy to Reconnect with My Shotgun - Unhappy with the "Pro" who "Fitted" me

[sxs]

After re-reading the thread belong maybe we have more Browning fans than I thought, or perhaps the Beretta crowd is just a bit louder:

Recommendations: Over/Under for Trap and Skeet Under $5K

Hi All, I've been using a Beretta AL391 for about the last 10 years to shoot primarily trap with an occasional round of skeet. I'm looking to purchase an over/under shotgun for both trap and skeet. I like to think I don't have too many requirements, but they are: - Type: Over/under - Budget...

www.mdshooters.com

In general I have no issue with Berettas. They are fine firearms. It just seems that Brownings usually fit me better. I did come across a Silver Hawk some years back for a decent price. It seemed to handle and mount well for me, but I left it on the rack. When I came back a couple days later to see it again, it was gone. Could have kicked myself.

Anyway, I have liked all the Brownings I have owned. In addition to shotguns, I have a BLR in 308, a BL22 Grade II in 22 and a Browning SA 22 Belgium plus a High Power in 9mm.

 

[fabsroman]

Wow! Wonder how you ended up with rusted chambers and barrels? When I am shooting very frequently I don't clean my barrels everytime after I shoot. In addition, at least once I let the gun sit in my safe for over a month after going shooting without cleaning it (unusual for me). The latter time I intended to clean it the next day or so but let it slip my mind. I have never seen a sign of rust. To be sure, when I have hunted in rain or around water (as in Waterfowl hunting) I have always given my gun a thorough wipe down and cleaning immediately. I actually have several Brownings....the aforementioned 12 ga Citori Hunter and a fairly recently acquired (2 or 3 years ago) 20 ga White Satin Hunter. These are in addition to a BSS, 3 Browning A5s (a Light 12, Mag 12 and a newer A5 in 3.5"). None of them have had rust issues. Brownings certain had some bad issues in the mid 60s to early 70s with salt wood and had some issues with the A500s with shell cycling (I had one of those for quite a few years. Had the trigger replaced under recall and the cycling problem fixed under warrantee and no more issues for the 20 years I owned it). To be sure, there can be something said for chrome lined bores. But they can also be a problem like any other shotgun if you don't keep threads clean under the tubes (not speaking to you in particular Fabs, but for others who may not think of it, always remove your choke tubes after cleaning your barrels, clean the threaded area and at least use oil before reinserting although I prefer a light coating of choke tube thread grease ). Never had issues getting my tubes out as a result. I can't tell you how many shotties I saw while working at Scott's that had tubes seized up because the owner never cleaned under the tubes (usually due to rusting in place). Some of those guns had chrome lined barrels. It seems that threading the inside of the barrel cuts through the chrome lining. So you can clean the barrel without removing the tubes then still end up with issues.
Waterfowl hunters around salt or brackish water seem to have the worst problems. I swear, I sometimes wonder if some guys don't use their shotguns as paddles or outright drop them in the water (because it isn't unusual for them to have rust all throughout the action if they have stuck tubes)

The Browning I had the issue with was a Browning Citori Lightning. I have a Browning BPS that I hunted with a lot and a Browning A-5 that is older than I am. The one and only time I did not clean the Citori right after shooting trap, there was rust inside the barrels. Enter the Beretta and the Benelli. I can go years without cleaning them, and usually do, and they still work fine. Only issue might be the gas ports on my 391 semis. Until I bought that Citori, I was a Browning fan.

I use grease on choke tube threads. Have never had a problem getting them out. I keep a tube of it in my shotgun tackle box that has oil, choke tubes, etc.

 

[fabsroman]

Here's a pic from a decade ago. I've added a couple since then.

 

[teratos]

Good as new because you took care of it right away. BTW you can hose off most firearms without issue. Just blow it off real well after with an air compressor and relube

It’s not always so great for the wood.

 

[calicojack]

ok - well I am going to remove the chokes on my 870's and Browning and clean those threads today.

 

[calicojack]

I want to go back to the subject of fitting a shotgun (or not). @E.Shell made an interesting statement; "I was once told that I shot pretty well for doing everything wrong..." I think there's a Catch 22 here. You can't get fitted if you are not consistent and mounting the gun properly. On the other hand - you can't shoot it if it does not fit. So you get into this thrashing cycle and now this has turned into a gun tinkering hobby instead of fun with busting clays sport. I think in my case I should have held off until I settled in with the gun before fitting, or at the very least put my money in professional instruction and stable shooting before being evaluated for fitting.

 

[sxs]

It’s not always so great for the wood.

Well, that's true. Lol. Yep, might want to remove
The stock if its wood. I figured when you said Maxus that it was a poly stocked firearm. Working at Scott's, they actually break the entire firearm down and clean in a hot water parts tank with water and a cleaning solution. We would then just blow dry the parts, buff or wire wheel off anything the parts washing didn't remove, oil and reassemble. But most Maxus and newer A5s I've seen are poly stocked. Note to self: never presume. Still, I can imagine that hosing down that firearm to remove dirty, possibly brackish water and crud was probably no worse that dropping it in muddy water to begin with.

 

[teratos]

Well, that's true. Lol. Yep, might want to remove
The stock if its wood. I figured when you said Maxus that it was a poly stocked firearm. Working at Scott's, they actually break the entire firearm down and clean in a hot water parts tank with water and a cleaning solution. We would then just blow dry the parts, buff or wire wheel off anything the parts washing didn't remove, oil and reassemble. But most Maxus and newer A5s I've seen are poly stocked. Note to self: never presume. Still, I can imagine that hosing down that firearm to remove dirty, possibly brackish water and crud was probably no worse that dropping it in muddy water to begin with.

Oh, yes. It’s polymer. That’s why I got it, so I could hose it off, blow out with the compressor and lube. I was always worried about falling into the river. That premonition came to pass the first time I was out with the Maxus.

Don’t want to drop my Belgian Brownings or Winchester 21s in the river. Prior to buying the Maxus, they were the only suitable waterfowl guns I owned. Never did drop any of them. Lol.

 

[sxs]

Oh, yes. It’s polymer. That’s why I got it, so I could hose it off, blow out with the compressor and lube. I was always worried about falling into the river. That premonition came to pass the first time I was out with the Maxus.

Don’t want to drop my Belgian Brownings or Winchester 21s in the river. Prior to buying the Maxus, they were the only suitable waterfowl guns I owned. Never did drop any of them. Lol.

 

[El_flasko]

Jack is great people and been around for years. That Said, you Ever want to break some clays hit me up

 

[slsc98]

Jack is great people and been around for years. …

+1. And, despite one helluvan attempt at one-sided personality assassination he obviously knows what he’s doing when it comes to fitting shotguns.

My wife is right handed but left eye dominant and after he fitted my wife’s AL390, shooting off her left shoulder, her skeet scores went from low teens to 20’s. In fact, the first time she mounted the gun on Station 1 after leaving his shop she took the gun off her shoulder and with a quizzical look in her eye whispered, “This isn’t my gun.”

I assured her, ”It is the only 390 custom painted those colors by Bruce Ney”… she said, “No, I mean, the gun is actually pointing where I look, now!”

Last time I ran ran into him at PG, Jack had just finished teaching a lesson and was shooting a round of skeet, holding the gun over his head!

 

[El_flasko]

+1. And, despite one helluvan attempt at one-sided personality assassination he obviously knows what he’s doing when it comes to fitting shotguns.

My wife is right handed but left eye dominant and after he fitted my wife’s AL390, shooting off her left shoulder, her skeet scores went from low teens to 20’s. In fact, the first time she mounted the gun on Station 1 after leaving his shop she took the gun off her shoulder and with a quizzical look in her eye whispered, “This isn’t my gun.”

I assured her, ”It is the only 390 custom painted those colors by Bruce Ney”… she said, “No, I mean, the gun is actually pointing where I look, now!”

Last time I ran ran into him at PG, Jack had just finished teaching a lesson and was shooting a round of skeet, holding the gun over his head!

Ha. I remember the shotgun over the head moments with Jack. He taught me a lot. He was between MD and Florida for a while so we lost touch over the last few years. He helped me with some fitting issues I had with a CG I ran in NSCA for a while. Then I went back to old faithful and got a Coles A400 clays gun to match my hunting gun and backup, then shimmed them all the same and never looked back. Lesson learned for sure. Trying to make a shotgun fit is a PITA. When you find one that fits properly and feels like an extension of yourself hold on to it for life.

 

[slsc98]

… He was between MD and Florida for a while so we lost touch over the last few years. …

The wife and I shoot at Sarasota Trap, Skeet and Sporting Clays every winter - if y’all make it down, give us a shout!

Sarasota Gun Club – Trap, Skeet & Clay Recreational Gateway

www.sarasotatrapskeetandclays.com

 

[calicojack]

Jack is great people and been around for years. That Said, you Ever want to break some clays hit me up

This has been an informative thread. Gives me an idea where to put my and where not to.