Choosing a gun is easier when you match it to what you actually do, clays at the weekend, foreshore mornings, lamping, woodland stalking, or a bit of everything. This guide sets out the key options that British shooters really buy, how to stay on the right side of the law, and where current prices sit today. It blends practical tips with lived experience from the fitting bench at The Instinctive Shooter in Lincolnshire.

“Fit beats finish. A correctly balanced gun that mounts the same way every time will outshoot prettier wood all day long,” says David Bellamy, Managing Director at The Instinctive Shooter.

Quick answer, by common purpose

• Clays: a multichoke over and under in the 12 bore sporter mould, for example a Browning B525 Sporter or Beretta 686, keeps life simple and resale strong. Hearing and eye protection are required on clay grounds, so bring both. sportsmanguncentre.co.uk, Countryway Gunshop, Clay Pigeon Shooting Association
• Game days: a lighter “game” over and under or side by side, plan now for non-lead loads, and check your barrels for the fleur de lys steel proof if you want the option of high performance steel. GOV.UK, gunproof.com
• Wildfowling: a weatherproof semi auto that handles 3 inch or 3.5 inch steel, for example a Benelli Super Black Eagle 3. Verify HP steel proof before using big steel. sportsmanguncentre.co.uk, BASC
• Small vermin and range practice: .22 LR bolt action for economy and low noise, .17 HMR if you routinely need a flatter trajectory in wind. Pair with a moderator where authorised. GOV.UK
• Fox and mixed field work: centrefires like .223 Rem or .22-250 are common choices, select bullet construction to suit backstops and typical ranges. Check your land conditions and certificate wording. College of Policing Library
• Deer stalking: in England and Wales most deer require not less than .240 calibre and 1,700 ft·lbf, with muntjac and Chinese water deer legal at .220 calibre with 50 grain bullets and 1,000 ft·lbf. Scotland sets different minima for roe and larger species, so check before you buy. BASC

Legal basics you must know

You need a police issued certificate to possess, buy or acquire a shotgun or firearm in Great Britain, and a certificate to buy ammunition. Shotguns that meet the statutory definition, smoothbore, barrel at least 24 inches, overall length at least 40 inches, and a non-detachable magazine incapable of holding more than two cartridges, sit on a shotgun certificate. Higher capacity shotguns are “section 1 shotguns” and require a firearm certificate. GOV.UK, Crown Prosecution Service

Solid slugs and cartridges with fewer than five pellets are treated as section 1 ammunition, they are not ordinary “shot gun cartridges”, so you need the right firearm certificate authority if you intend to use them. GOV.UK

On clay grounds, hearing protection is mandatory and eye protection is standard practice, the CPSA publishes safety guidance that clubs follow. Clay Pigeon Shooting Association

Lead ammunition, what is changing

On 27 June 2025 the Government adopted a UK REACH restriction on the use and sale of most lead bullets and shot, published 10 July 2025. The measures start to take effect from 2026, with derogations and staged transition periods. In short, every live quarry and target shooter should plan for non-lead alternatives over the next few seasons. GOV.UK

If your barrels carry the fleur de lys mark, and usually “STEEL SHOT”, you can use high performance steel. Otherwise, stick to standard steel within choke guidance, typically no tighter than half, or choose bismuth if appropriate. The London and Birmingham Proof Houses recognise the fleur de lys as the HP steel proof mark. BASC, gunproof.com

“Before you buy used, bring it in and we will read the proof marks with you. A two minute check can save a very expensive mistake,” says David.

What people actually buy, with today’s UK prices

Prices move with finish, wood grade and offers. These live examples show the ballpark as of 16 August 2025 and help set expectations. Stock is often collection only or via RFD transfer, see the buying mechanics below.

Shotguns

• Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon I Sporter 12 bore, typically listed around £1,890 new. Countryway Gunshop
• Browning B525 Sporter 1, current retail examples from roughly £1,575 to £1,895 depending on spec. sportsmanguncentre.co.uk, avalonguns.co.uk
• Miroku MK38 Sporter Grade 1, commonly around the low two thousands new. gun.co.uk
• Yildiz Steel Sporter over and under, from £694.99 new, a strong budget option. Yildiz Shotguns UK
• Benelli Super Black Eagle 3, wildfowling favourite, currently around £2,400 depending on finish. sportsmanguncentre.co.uk

Rifles

• CZ 457 rimfire family, new rifles widely advertised between about £549 and £1,120 depending on model. Rightgun
• Tikka T3x Lite, UK importer RRP from £1,195, with retail listings around that mark. gmk.co.uk, Livens Gun Shop
• Howa 1500, value centrefire platform, new rifles from roughly £847 to £1,200 depending on stock and barrel. solware.co.uk, Rightgun
• Sako S20 Hunter variants, recent UK listings typically from about £1,690 to just over £2,000. Rightgun

Matching kit to how you shoot

Clay shooting
Choose a 12 bore sporter with multichokes and 28 to 32 inch barrels. Focus on mount and balance before chasing high rib fashion. Bring ear and eye protection, clubs expect it. We will check comb height and cast, then watch you shoot ten birds to confirm point of impact before you spend. Clay Pigeon Shooting Association

Walked up and driven game
A lighter game spec over and under helps on a long day. As non-lead becomes the norm, check the proof marks. If you want the flexibility to use high performance steel, look for the fleur de lys on the barrel flats. If your favourite side by side is standard nitro proof, we will pattern standard steel for you with sensible choke and shot size, or source bismuth if needed. gunproof.com, BASC

Wildfowling
Salt, weather, and big steel. A 3 inch or 3.5 inch semi auto with proper corrosion resistance keeps you in the hide longer. Confirm HP steel proof and run no tighter than half choke with large steel pellets. The Benelli SBE3 is a common pick at this level. gunproof.com

Small vermin
.22 LR is quiet, affordable and ideal around buildings with a safe backstop. .17 HMR stretches the distance when wind and drop matter. Either way, get your moderator, thread and crown fitted correctly, then zero and keep a simple drop card in the rifle slip. The Government has signalled its intention to remove moderators from firearms licensing, changes are pending, so continue to follow your certificate conditions until the law is updated. GOV.UK, BASC

Fox control
There is no statutory minimum calibre for fox in Great Britain, but .223 Rem and .22-250 remain common choices. Seek a condition that reflects your ground and typical ranges, and select frangible bullets with safe backstops in mind. We can help you document land details for your application. College of Policing Library

Deer stalking
Legal minima matter. For England and Wales most deer require not less than .240 calibre and 1,700 ft·lbf, muntjac and Chinese water deer are legal at .220 calibre with 50 grain bullets and 1,000 ft·lbf. Scotland sets a different roe minimum that includes a velocity and bullet weight condition. We map that to real rifles in stock and build you a zeroed package with a drop chart. BASC

“We start with the law, then your quarry, then your body geometry. The right rifle and scope height will let you settle behind the gun and make a clean first shot,” says David.

Buying mechanics, collection, RFD transfers and etiquette

Most section 1 and section 2 guns are collected in person or moved RFD to RFD, not posted direct to your door. Police and retailer guidance confirm you can sell or transfer to a registered dealer or another certificate holder with proper records. We manage the paperwork and the liaison with your local RFD so collection is smooth. West Yorkshire Police Website

If you are new to semi autos on clay grounds, bring a chamber flag and check the ground rules. Above all, treat safety kit as non-negotiable, hearing protection is mandatory and eye protection strongly advised by the CPSA. Clay Pigeon Shooting Association

Practical, field tested tips

• Proof marks first: before you buy used, photograph the barrel flats. Look for chamber length, bore size, fleur de lys for HP steel, and any reproof marks. We can read them with you in store. gunproof.com
• Choke for steel: with standard steel, half or more open is the rule of thumb, and HP steel requires guns carrying the fleur de lys. Pattern your chosen load, do not guess. BASC
• Slugs and S1 cartridges: if it is a solid slug or a cartridge with fewer than five pellets, it is treated as section 1 ammunition, make sure your certificate covers it. GOV.UK
• Clay day checklist: hearing and eye protection, a chamber flag for semi autos, and a simple mounting routine you repeat for every stand. Clay Pigeon Shooting Association
• Keep the law in mind: the Home Office definition of a shotgun, barrel at least 24 inches, overall length at least 40 inches, and no more than two in the magazine, explains why some “big mag” guns need an FAC. Crown Prosecution Service

Real world examples

• A first club gun for clays: we fitted a left-handed shooter with a B525 Sporter 1 at 30 inches, adjusted comb and pitch, then confirmed POI on the pattern plate and a quick 25 bird round. Scores jumped the same day. sportsmanguncentre.co.uk
• A fowler’s upgrade: a customer moved to an HP steel proofed semi auto with 3.5 inch chamber, we verified proof marks, supplied half and quarter chokes, and patterned BB steel at 40 yards. gunproof.com
• A first deer rifle: we built a Tikka T3x Lite in 6.5 Creedmoor with a lightweight moderator, set ring height to clear the bolt and get a clean cheek weld, then provided a laminated drop card and a re-zero guide. gmk.co.uk

Pricing and availability, how to read today’s listings

Retail prices vary week to week, by finish and by importer offer. Use live retailer pages as your reality check. For example, on 16 August 2025 we see Silver Pigeon Sporters listed around £1,890, B525 Sporters between about £1,575 and £1,895, Miroku MK38 around the low two thousands, Benelli SBE3 around £2,400, and Yildiz Steel Sporters from £694.99. Expect “collection only” or “RFD transfer” callouts on checkout for guns. Countryway Gunshop, sportsmanguncentre.co.uk

Rifle pricing follows similar patterns, CZ 457 models advertised from roughly the mid five hundreds to just over a thousand, Tikka T3x Lite around the £1,200 mark, Howa 1500 from the mid eight hundreds to just over £1,000, and Sako S20 Hunter builds from about £1,700. Rightgun, gmk.co.uk, solware.co.uk

How The Instinctive Shooter can help

• Gun fit and patterning: comb, cast, length of pull and pitch set to you, with pattern plate validation and a written summary.
• Steel readiness check: proof mark inspection, choke advice, and a simple plan for standard or HP steel as the UK REACH restriction phases in. GOV.UK
• Stalking packages: rifle, mounts, optic, moderator and zero, with a drop chart in your pocket and guidance matched to England, Wales and Scotland’s legal minima. BASC
• RFD transfer handling: we coordinate the dealer to dealer shipment and the certificate entries so you only make one collection visit. West Yorkshire Police Website
• Clay starter sessions: safe range routine, PPE sorted, semi auto etiquette and a reliable cartridge choice for your gun. Clay Pigeon Shooting Association

Frequently asked, answered fast

Do I need ear defenders on clay grounds?
Yes. CPSA guidance makes hearing protection mandatory on clay grounds, and eye protection is standard practice. Clay Pigeon Shooting Association

How do I know if my gun can handle HP steel?
Look for the fleur de lys mark and appropriate chamber and pressure markings. If in doubt, ask us to check and pattern the gun. gunproof.com

When do the new lead rules bite?
The Government decision under UK REACH was taken on 27 June 2025 and published 10 July 2025, with measures beginning from 2026 and transition periods and exemptions set out in the decision. GOV.UK

Are slugs legal on a shotgun certificate?
No. Slugs and cartridges with fewer than five pellets fall within section 1 ammunition. You need the appropriate firearm certificate authority. GOV.UK

Why do many retailers say collection only or RFD transfer?
Guns are normally collected in person or moved dealer to dealer, then collected on production of the correct certificate. Police guidance confirms disposal or transfer to an RFD or another certificate holder is the proper route. West Yorkshire Police Website

Questions Every New Buyer Asks