Game Shooting - Documentory

[annv]

How on earth is Brexit causing the increase in cost we make them here surly. John

[BroadAmbition]

We do make them here. No idea if it is brexit or Covid or raw materials going up. 10 - 12% increase is some hike though

Griff

[grendel]

its the government restricting access to the raw materials in case someone collects together 36 barrels of gunpowder.

[BroadAmbition]

Good - That's sommat to look forward to then.

We have booked in at 'Raisthorpe Flyer' for a days simulated driven game clay shooting mid June.  Our usual group of guns attending.  I've been only once before a couple years ago now as it's an expensive day out (For the likes of me) at around £380:00, but seeing as I've spent very little on game / clay shooting since March 2020 I reckon I can treat mysen.  We get given breakfast, lunch and dinner, more clays in the air at any one time than one could possible shoot and all cartridges provided.  Bring it on

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

Result !

That mate of mine came good and did indeed order a stack of cartridges prior to the price hike. 

As a result today I will collect 2000 12g Olympic Blues 24g FW for just £400.  That's a bargain and will last me a fair while.  I might even get to drive MrsG's new car as it needs the ZX1 treatment 

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

Things are on the up!

Our local clay shooting ground is opening tomorrow - At last.  They normally open every second Sunday as the planning they have been granted allows them to open for around 27 Sundays per year.  We have missed many Sundays so they intend to open for every Sunday until they have caught up.  Plus our once monthly shoot at a farm outside Bawtry recommences this coming Wednesday evening too.

Onwards and upward then, and about time too.  It'll be interesting to see how we get on having not been shooting for ages

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

That was just so enjoyable, to be outdoors with mates not seen for ages.  The Wx was perfect too.  I expended around 130 x 12g cartridges.  Now for Wednesday evening followed on by Next Sunday.

Lets hope this is a sign of the start of life getting back to normal

Griff

[floydraser]

35 minutes ago, BroadAmbition said:

I expended around 130 x 12g cartridges. 

Ah, but did you hit owt?  

My best scores were always just after a long lay off, then next time, full of confidence, couldn't hit a barn door stood next to it! 

But nice to hear the bangs again and have a dirty gun to clean! 

[BroadAmbition]

Did ok on DTL - 22,  S k e e t   not so good - 21, Sporting - terrible,  Ball Trap - rubbish, Double rise - 21.

Room for improvement on Wednesday, a 50 bird (Clay) sporting event

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

Ssssshhhhhhh   -   Wanna know a secret?

The 'Room for improvement' happened - Griff - Top Gun in our group this evening 

Bring on this Sunday

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

Tomorrow is a rare treat for me.  Ten of us going to Raisthorpe Flyers near Malton.  It's a simulated driven game shoot (Clays) proper expensive day out.

I aim (Pun intended) do this once a year although that's enough for me at £360:00 a pop.  However it is good value, Breakfast, lunch and dinner included along with an abundance of clays in the air, cartridges are also included and we will expend around 500 each (21g 7's fibre).

Each drive you shoot whilst your partner loads for you then change over.  A full day out with my shooting mates 

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

First time for me visited Thimbleby shooting ground yesterday, nine of us on the sporting ground, very good afternoon out, cheap too, 100 clays £30 each, followed by visiting the Ryther Arms steak house for dinner on our way home

What was far from cheap was the experience I had in their gun room whilst having a browse,

My current favourite shotgun that I use for clay shooting (Apart form the Sk e e t discipline) and game shooting is a Miroku Grade III 30'  I have had this gun for over ten years now and it is in v.good condition.  But there is an issue with it in that I have never had it professionally fitted and I know it's not a perfect fit, needs more rake on the stock which is about a £400 adjustment that needs doing at some stage.

The expert in the gunroom confirmed this when he offered to do a free fitting check.

Then a close friend of mine picked a brand new gun up of the display rack and was waxing lyrical about it explaining that he had been researching this model and was after one but had never seen one in the flesh before. It was a Browning Ultra XS Pro Adj - I had never heard of or seen this particular model

On getting my hands on it, I have to admit it did feel rather correct, balanced, came up just perfect.  It is fully adjustable in all departments too.  Titanium chokes, Steel shot proofed, back bored, the list just goes on and on.  The stock grain was linear throughout from fore to aft

Gun expert then made some adjustments to the comb, stock length and in twenty minutes had it professionally fitted to me perfectly.

I took it out for a trial.  First Time I have ever discharged a brand new gun.  First pair of clays in the air - destroyed em both.  The first thing I noticed on the very first shot was how much less the recoil was apparent due to it being back-bored, far less than any other gun I have ever used although having said that recoil on shotguns has never bothered me much before.  I was and still am suitably impressed

Long story short, I arrived home last night minus one Miroku but plus one Browning

My aforementioned mate is none too chuffed as he was after it too.  Said if I changed my mind he would give me same price and have it off me anytime I liked

 

 

Explaining to MrsG how I had done so very well in saving not spending £400 on my much loved Miroku getting it professionally fitted and also getting £1k in part exchange for it was easy - I had to make sure she was sitting down and say it quietly when I told her the balance I paid for the Browning       She could not quite believe it (Neither can I if I'm honest)

On the upside, this gun will outlast me and it has also improved my percentage kill rate first time out

Its our fortnightly meeting at my local shooting clay ground tomorrow where I am back on familiar territory.  I'm itching to see how we perform together on the disciplines I know so well.

As an aside today will be the day that Purdey dog will be introduced to the gun for her very first time too

It's gonna be a fine weekend

Griff

 

[ChrisB]

Very nice indeed

[kpnut]

I know nothing about guns, not being a shooter myself, but I do know a bit about gundogs. Finlay springer is 'in training' for his first season picking up. (He still works too far in front of me to be in the beating line). We went picking up on beaters' day at end of season before last, on lead just to introduce him to the experience, apart from a couple of retrieves towards end of the day,which were spot on. I didn't have a chance last season, so now am aiming to have a regular season. I think it'll be the final peg in the hole of switching him on.

My first time introducing him to shot was about 10 months old and he was steady right from day one. And far more attentive in training sessions when there is shot or cold game. Just take it slowly and at distance with Purdey, always time to be closer as time goes on.

Good luck Purdey, hopefully she'll love it. I just love their expression as they look so focused and ready for the 'word' to go.

[ChrisB]

An adjustable is a sound investment as you get older. One of my guns, fitted by Churchills at West Wycombe Shooting Ground in 2005 is no longer a correct fit.

In old age your frame changes, in my case I have become more round shouldered and the butt is now too long.

[floydraser]

Nice bit of kit! Browning was my choice too. Adjustable must be a good investment too; it'll not depreciate much at all I wouldn't think. Changing eye dominance finished my shooting, it became an expensive way of pouring lead up a field! 

[BroadAmbition]

We’ll just how chuffed am I?

Proper cock a hoop!

No, not my new Browning  (btw, MrsG now as a result of said new gun is holding me to ransom, new sofas or the Browning is off     I wonder if she would settle for a padded foot stool ?)

I’ve been out this forenoon with a shooting mate who is also one of our regular Lads Week crew and our Purdey dog who has just turned 11 x months.

We introduced her to the shotgun. 

No retrieves as no quarry available, that’s irrelevant at this point. What is extremely relevant is that Purdey is most definitely NOT gun shy. Within a few discharges she was right next to me. Each time I fired the gun her head came up / round paying attention & looking ahead. Of course she has no Idea why she is looking ahead or what she is looking for,  that’s just her breeding showing through.

Retrieving game & quarry will be the next steps.

Proper delighted with her today 

Griff

 

[ChrisB]

I don't want to teach an old hand etc. But keep her for game until she is at least two and got used to game. I wrecked a lovely lab/retriever's mouth working and schooling her on Woodpigeon at too young an age.

[Maxwellian]

Will you use Purdy to retrieve the New Sofa cushions :)

[MauriceMynah]

1 hour ago, Maxwellian said:

Will you use Purdy to retrieve the New Sofa cushions :)

Nah, Purdey's going to be too busy fetching all the clays Griff misses.

[BroadAmbition]

Nah, Purdey's going to be too busy fetching all the clays Griff misses.

Oh Fnar Fnar,    'Ping' - There goes another rib!

However many a true word in jest.

We'll see how I get on tomorrow with my new weapon, it may well take me a while to get dialled in and to know each other, but yesterday taught me there was an immediate improvement on dead straight targets

Griff

[grendel]

what about live straight targets?

 

[BroadAmbition]

They do come along now and again during the correct season. However if they are straight and an easy target then I leave well alone

Griff

[ChrisB]

I went to our North Norfolk Clay Club this morning. And I could not hit a cow's ar*e with a banjo! 

Over the last couple of weeks I have been shooting "the old way"  an open sight bolt action 5 shot .22LR. I have had this before when too much rifle wrecks my shotgun eye.

But I am OK for rabbit pie this winter.

[Turnoar]

I’m a hopeless shot but I do enjoy the Clay course at the Norfolk shooting school at Attlebridge once in a while, I do like the idea of mixing conservation with water though....