So I joined TITSC this season after I liked the experience of last birds season tune-up there.
Quickly I realized a need for a dedicated sporting shotgun, after getting sore shooting 100 rounds from my bird-gun.
Started on a cheap side with a Turkey made Arthemis by Khan Arms (adjustable cheek piece, Monte Carlo stock), which I fitted to my stature.
I took the gun apart and poor workmanship was apparent, had to do some gunsmithing so I could close it without going to the gym to strengthen some dedicated muscle group, re-bedding some screws and more, but what the heck, I liked it ($850 tax included!), minimal recoil (really like that stock), and quickly climbed to 23 average.
Then after ~1500 shells fire pin broke and I new I had to get rid of it pronto, luckily the supplier carries Bettinsoli made sporting guns, I was given credit for my 1st gun and bought Bettinsoli X-9 Sporting (about month and a half ago), went through fitting process (still working on it - shortened the stock & now experimenting with pitch angle), and in short order got my 25 & 50 straight patches, average now is ~ 23.5-24. Shooting twice a week and loving it.
Switching from Monte Carlo stock was an unpleasant surprise, cheek-slap limited me to 80-100 rounds after which I was developing a flinch and had to go home and take a few days break to heal
So I put a Kick-EEZ cheek pad on, put 10oz weight in the stock and have now no problems with 250 rounds a session, still trying to minimize the the kick-up by changing the pitch (cedar wedges held by duck tape), and I removed the bead, I felt it was obstructing the view of the target and like it that way now.
What is left are the imponderables that are in the way to achieve perfection and on which one can work on for the rest of one's life..
The only complaint is that the barrels are not aligned for the same POI, top one hits about 1.5" above the bottom, might be a problem for doubles(?).
So >2000 rounds (without a problem) and Italian pedigree gun making quality gives me some measure of confidence that the gun will last for some foreseeable future. I tried quite a few high-end trap guns and in handling and results at this stage of my trap shooting, I couldn't see that much of a difference, so at the price ~$2300 I would consider it a very good entry point shotgun of an aspiring sportsman.
Quickly I realized a need for a dedicated sporting shotgun, after getting sore shooting 100 rounds from my bird-gun.
Started on a cheap side with a Turkey made Arthemis by Khan Arms (adjustable cheek piece, Monte Carlo stock), which I fitted to my stature.
I took the gun apart and poor workmanship was apparent, had to do some gunsmithing so I could close it without going to the gym to strengthen some dedicated muscle group, re-bedding some screws and more, but what the heck, I liked it ($850 tax included!), minimal recoil (really like that stock), and quickly climbed to 23 average.
Then after ~1500 shells fire pin broke and I new I had to get rid of it pronto, luckily the supplier carries Bettinsoli made sporting guns, I was given credit for my 1st gun and bought Bettinsoli X-9 Sporting (about month and a half ago), went through fitting process (still working on it - shortened the stock & now experimenting with pitch angle), and in short order got my 25 & 50 straight patches, average now is ~ 23.5-24. Shooting twice a week and loving it.
Switching from Monte Carlo stock was an unpleasant surprise, cheek-slap limited me to 80-100 rounds after which I was developing a flinch and had to go home and take a few days break to heal
So I put a Kick-EEZ cheek pad on, put 10oz weight in the stock and have now no problems with 250 rounds a session, still trying to minimize the the kick-up by changing the pitch (cedar wedges held by duck tape
), and I removed the bead, I felt it was obstructing the view of the target and like it that way now.What is left are the imponderables that are in the way to achieve perfection and on which one can work on for the rest of one's life..
The only complaint is that the barrels are not aligned for the same POI, top one hits about 1.5" above the bottom, might be a problem for doubles(?).
So >2000 rounds (without a problem) and Italian pedigree gun making quality gives me some measure of confidence that the gun will last for some foreseeable future. I tried quite a few high-end trap guns and in handling and results at this stage of my trap shooting, I couldn't see that much of a difference, so at the price ~$2300 I would consider it a very good entry point shotgun of an aspiring sportsman.
