Greenwood Gunsmiths in Kent

Greenwood Gunsmiths

CHOOSING A SHOTGUN

One of the first questions you need to ask yourself, is what am I going to use my shotgun for?

Will it be game shooting in a formal situation? (I.e. driven pheasants, grouse etc.) Or rough shooting?

Will it be clay shooting at the local sporting shoot, or do you want to specialise in one of the many disciplines?

You see, each of the above could quite easily qualify for a different type of shotgun.

Most of us, when we start shooting buy an “All rounder”, so that we can try everything. A “jack of all trades, master of none”. We are also, probably, limited by budget.

This brings us to yet another question. Where shall I buy my shotgun from?
There are always guns for sale at local clubs, or somebody knows someone who has one for sale, and, of course, if you know what you want and need for your sport, and if you have knowledge of guns regarding their condition and safety, then bargains can be found. However, if you are unsure, my advice is to always go to a recognised retailer.

Most retailers will offer you good advice, and will always offer a warranty on both new and second hand guns. They will also have checked the gun for safety and proof. When a gun is first made, it is stamped with a measurement taken internally 9 inches from the breach. Due to age, neglect or damage, the bore can become enlarged to the point where it is deemed to be out of proof.
This can be very dangerous, and it is, therefore, illegal to sell a gun in that condition.

However, your own eyes will also tell you a great deal about a potential purchase. Look at the following points.

1)	Take the forend off of the gun and make sure there is no movement between the barrel faces and the standing breach face. If there is, it will probably require tightening, or even a full re‐joint.
2)	Look at the woodwork and, in particular, the chequering. Is it worn, smooth or full of dirt? Is there damage to the wood, chips, dents or even splits? Not only will this show how much use the gun has had, but can be very expensive to repair due to the time it can take. Good quality chequering and finishing cannot be done quickly. There is no such thing as a “quick good job”,
3)	Take the barrels off the gun; hold them up to the light. Are the barrels clean and shiny, or are there marks, pits or streaks? Depending upon the severity will depend on the cost of a repair.
4)	Is the blacking/blueing in good condition? Small areas of wear will nearly always be found, but look for pits or little dark speckles of rust. Once again, a little is no problem, but a lot shows neglect.
5)	While the barrels are off, look at the action. Check the breach face for rust. Look for accumulated dirt and old oil. Check around the top leaver and triggers. If there is dirt or a yellow/brown stain of old dried oil, it means the gun has not been recently serviced and will require one shortly.
6)	Lastly, if possible, arrange to test fire the gun. Most shops can offer this service. At the very least, put snap caps in the gun and make sure the ejectors work properly.

It is very tempting for me, at this point, to give my suggestions for what shotgun to buy for what use. I.e. side by side, over and under, 12 bore, 20 bore etc. Etc!!! But I am trying to focus more on gunsmithing in this site rather than general advice, especially when so much comes down to personal choice. However, what I would recommend is that if you are buying an over and under, look at Beretta, Browning, Miroku, and Perazzi. If you want to buy a side by side, look at A.Y.A and Beretta.

All of these makes, as a gunsmith, I have found to be very reliable and reasonable to repair with good spares back up from the importers. If, however, you have your heart set on a classic English boxlock or sidelock, then take care. There are some very good guns out there, but also a lot of rubbish. My advice is to always obtain a warranty, and then get it checked by a competent gunsmith. Most English guns are hand made and finished, which means they can be expensive to repair.

GREENWOOD GUNSMITHS
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BARREL REPAIRS / ALLTERATIONS
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STOCK REPAIRS
Apart from fitting, most shooters, at some time, will damage their stocks.
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CHOOSING A SHOTGUN
One of the first questions you need to ask yourself, is what am I going to use my shotgun for?
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ACTION WORK
There are many little jobs that could come under this heading. Most of them would be carried out when the gun is serviced, including tightening the barrels to the action, replacing worn springs, firing pins, light trigger pulls.
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STOCK WORK
Ok! This is where things can get complicated. Apart from the usual cracks, dents, chips etc.there is also re‐finishing, re‐chequering and, of course, fitting, and it is here I will start.
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