07-Aug-2026
Walk around any clay ground on a Sunday morning, and you will spot them: tidy, plain-stocked over-and-unders in the hands of newer shooters, quietly breaking clays alongside guns costing ten times as much. The KOFS Sceptre has become one of the default recommendations for a first shotgun in the UK, and searches for the model have been ticking up as more shooters discover just how much gun the Turkish maker delivers for the money. But is a budget over-and-under a false economy, or genuinely smart buying? Here is our honest take on the KOFS Sceptre for UK shooters.
Who are KOFS?
KOFS are a Turkish gunmaker based in Isparta, a region that has become a significant centre of shotgun manufacturing over the past two decades. Turkish guns once carried a reputation for rough finishing and soft metalwork, but the better factories have improved enormously, investing in CNC machining and modern quality control. KOFS sit firmly in that improved bracket, and their guns are imported into the UK in meaningful numbers, which also means spares and support are straightforward to come by, something that cannot be said for every budget brand.
The Sceptre is the range that most UK buyers encounter first: a conventional boxlock over-and-under available in 12-bore, 20-bore, 28-bore and .410, typically with multichokes, single selective trigger and ejectors, a specification that would have been mid-market ten years ago, at an entry-level price today.
Build quality and finish
Handle a Sceptre after a session with a premium gun and the differences are obvious: the wood is plainer, the chequering is machine-cut, and the engraving is rolled rather than hand-finished. None of that affects how the gun shoots. What matters is that the action locks up tightly, the barrels are properly regulated and the trigger breaks cleanly, and on the examples we have handled, the Sceptre does the fundamentals properly.
The metal-to-wood fit is honest rather than beautiful, and the blacking is serviceable. Where budget guns of the past often gave trouble, ejector timing, firing pin reliability, loose fore-end catches, the current generation of Turkish guns, the Sceptre included, are far more consistent. Treat the gun to basic maintenance and there is no reason it should not give years of club-level service.
How does it shoot?
The Sceptre handles like what it is: a sensible, middle-of-the-road over-and-under with no vices. Twelve-bore Sporter versions carry enough weight between the hands to swing smoothly without feeling barrel-heavy, and recoil with standard 21–28 gram clay loads is entirely manageable. The single selective trigger is heavier than a tuned competition trigger but predictable, and the multichokes pattern well enough for sporting clays, skeet and general game duties.
The smaller bores deserve a mention. The 20-bore and .410 Sceptres have found a real following among younger shooters and those wanting a light hedgerow gun, if you have read our guide to .410 shotguns in the UK, the Sceptre is one of the most affordable ways into that world.
Who is the Sceptre for?
The honest answer: beginners, occasional shooters, and anyone who wants a working gun they need not worry about. If you are buying your first shotgun and working through the certificate process, our guide to buying your first shotgun in the UK covers the practical steps, the Sceptre lets you get shooting properly without committing serious money before you know what you like.
It is also a shrewd second gun: a knockabout for the pigeon hide or the foreshore where you would rather not take a cherished Beretta. Plenty of experienced shooters keep a Turkish over-and-under for exactly this purpose.
Who is it not for? If you shoot registered competitions every weekend, the economics change, a used Browning or Beretta will hold its value better over thousands of cartridges and offers a wider aftermarket of stocks, chokes and tuning. Budget guns depreciate in percentage terms much like any other, but from a far lower base, you simply have less at stake either way.
New vs used: What should you pay?
Because the Sceptre’s new price is already modest, the used market is where the value gets genuinely striking, lightly used examples often surface for little more than half the new cost, frequently because an upgrading shooter is funding their next gun. Condition tends to be good: these guns are usually owned by newer shooters who shoot moderate volumes.
When buying used, apply the same checks you would to any over-and-under: tightness on the face, clean bores, both ejectors working, and a stock free of cracks. With a gun this affordable, a professional inspection matters less financially, but it is still worth dry-firing with snap caps and checking the selective trigger switches barrels correctly.
One more practical note: because Turkish guns are imported in batches, specifications can vary subtly between years, stock dimensions, rib style and choke sets have all shifted across the Sceptre’s production run. Handle the actual gun you intend to buy rather than assuming it matches one you tried elsewhere, and check that the multichoke set and key are present, as replacements, while available, are an avoidable cost. If the gun comes with its original box and paperwork, so much the better for resale later.
FAQs
Are KOFS shotguns any good? Yes, within their price bracket. Modern KOFS guns are properly machined, reliable and well supported in the UK. They will not match a premium gun for finish or long-term refinement, but as working shotguns they represent excellent value.
Where are KOFS shotguns made? KOFS guns are manufactured in Isparta, Turkey, one of the country’s main gunmaking regions, and are imported into the UK through established distributors.
Is the KOFS Sceptre suitable for a beginner? It is one of the most commonly recommended first guns in the UK, and for good reason: sensible weight, forgiving handling, full specification (ejectors, multichokes, single selective trigger) and a price that leaves budget for lessons and cartridges.
What gauges does the KOFS Sceptre come in? The Sceptre range covers 12-bore, 20-bore, 28-bore and .410, in game and sporting configurations depending on the importer’s current line-up.
Browse KOFS Sceptre shotguns on Rightgun.uk
The Sceptre will not win any beauty contests against a hand-finished sidelock, but as a first gun, a spare gun or simply an honest tool for breaking clays, it is very hard to argue with. Browse the latest KOFS Sceptre shotguns for sale on Rightgun.uk to compare new and used prices from UK sellers, and if you are upgrading from a Sceptre yourself, listing it on Rightgun.uk puts it in front of exactly the audience of new shooters looking for one.
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