jonnyoftheboy

thanks for the replies gents.... will be phoning the FLO tomorrow.

thanks Mossy, but he's retired. yeah, gonna call FLO for my area of kent on tuesday.... but just wanted to know if anyone could shed any light for me... cos been racking my brains...

My father is applying for his SGC, has one slight snag..... doesn't know anybody to be his counter signatory.... doesn't know an accountant, solicitor, JP, etc. Has just moved in with us, so new doctor (and never used to visit the old one....).... only other doctor he knows is his nephew - so relative counts that out. my girlfriend is a co. director who employs 30+ people.... so she is not strictly a relative, & fits the bill of a person of standing (allegedly).... but as he is temporarily living at the same address us her/us... & the link of her & me.... I assume that this counts her out? anyone have any advice? can his new GP just sign it, even though they don't really know him?

lol.... well done dad when you out next?

how have you got on Pete? settled on anyone yet.... any feedback would be good ref the coach you went for.....

u shooting tomorrow Carl? or working?

......You fibber Dave....!!! lol..... yes you do!!! ..... what was it you said the other day "always need to be pushing the boundaries"? agree with Mung ref. the dedication bit. I would like to be in the position to dedicate the time (& money), but certainly am not at present. would love to have a 12 month period where I could practice 3 times a week & travel round to shoot across the country..... hopefully one day! at present, 6 months in to shooting with an inconsistent technique.... I'll stick to the weekend's of shooting & save for a few more lessons!

hoping to Dave..... will let ya know.

Hi Plinker... yep, you may be right in ABT.... (a discipline I don't shoot) but less in sporting I think, which is pretty much all I shoot (or try to, allegedly). unless there are 50-70 yd birds... my point was, you can get hung up on which cart to use on each stand (keep changing to size 9's, then back to 7.5's etc), & keep changing chokes between stands, etc..... but if you put the pattern on the clay... it will break. & for 85% of clay shooters.... the level that they shoot at, it won't make much of a difference. all in my opinion of course. but your point taken on board. Jonny

yeah fine..... no probs with me....

No way would I go back to 12g now, they feel like field artillery after using 20g. lol..... cheers the burpster. if not tomorrow... then next w/e, hopefully going with dad to try a 12b ultralight (with 21g loads) & a 20b Silver pig III.... have to say though, the cost of carts rather puts us off the 20b!!! £110 per 1000 for as 21g hull comp x plastic.... vs £165+ for 20b carts...... jesus!

excellent pics Nick......

what's the score... still on? think I may struggle......

international movers move country air freight Al4X.... where do you get your avatars? please let us know the website......!!!!

yeah interesting..... main points looking at - he will only shoot clays 20b vs 12b - cartridge price, weight of gun to carry around, recoil issues, cost of gun initially. he is mainly concerned with not having to lug a heavier gun around a ground.... so like the weight etc of a 20b, but has a concern that 20b cartridges are that much more exp. I thought about a 12b beretta ultralight, with a 21g hull comp x cart.... but don't want him to be black & blue from recoil (cos that will end up more of an issue rather than the weight!). anyone else have experience of a beretta ultralight?

gents.... many thanks for all your replies / advice... some very interesting food for thought. think a trip to oxford gun may be an idea to try some things out?

thanks for the responses guys..... thanks for the post Harnser.... agreed on the 20b over a semi auto

sorry guys..... forgot to say, thanks for reminding me Gary B... for sporting clays.. thanks for the replies so far.... interesting....

Gents my dad had his 1st clay lesson yesterday, absolutely loved it.... he used a 20 bore beretta in his lesson, which he handled very well. He had a go with my 28" beretta 686 12g & he felt he wouldn't be able to manage walking around a 80 or 100 bird shoot carrying & then handling that size of gun. so he wants to look at a 20 bore... what advice would anyone of the "older generation" give ref. a suitable 20 bore? My own personal preference is for browning shotguns over a beretta now having handled/owned both, but that is from a 12 bore perspective (& I am fairly new to shooting myself... so maybe not the best judge). heard that a browning 20g will be heavier than a 20g beretta? significantly? I suppose that is better from a recoil perspective, but are we talking a massive difference - ie make a real difference to carry around? I did think about looking at a semi auto, but I don't think he'd get on with fiddling around with loading the carts side & bottom.... any other advice? good guns to look at? I was thinking of looking at a browning 525 sporter......

use 21g Hull comp X 7.5's (65mm) all of the time..... a decent cartridge at a good price. I don't shoot big comps, just practice & straw bales... so really don't see the point in getting hung up on different carts.... more exp...etc.. bit like changing chokes all the time..... if you're technique is good enough, & you put the pattern on the clay it will break. (my technique is not good enough by the way, & I often do not put the pattern on the clay!!!)..... cartridge & constantly changing chokes is not gonna make a great deal of difference unless you are a serious contender for the british open (all in my humble opinion of course). BTW, not having a particular go at anyone who does get hung up on carts & chokes.... shooting is very personal, & what works for each individual is up to the individual...! (just realised this post was under your's Nicky T.... didn't want to start a riot!...

Hi Pete took my dad for a lesson with frank yesterday. my dad is 68, never shot before..... loved every minute.... teaching was at a perfect level for him. was hitting going aways, crossers, quartering by the end. so again, recommended...

£65 per hour pretty standard wherever I've looked. pretty much all in at meadowhead.....think you may pay for carts, difference with dartford & places like that is you pay tracey £50-60.... then pay for carts AND clays extra (as that is obviously a cost to her)..... so you end up paying the £65-70 anyway...! had a lesson at west kent, more expensive than £65 .... as the instructor took a claymate cube with him, dropped me back to clubhouse & you pay for what used.... plus carts if you didn't have your own (which obviously beginners & those without licences don't)

Pete I used Frank Copper at Meadowhead in tunbridge wells (there are other coaches there, but personally think he's the best) - a small, but very personal school, he is a CPSA reg. coach & a member of the institute of instructors. a couple of other family members have used him, all enjoyed the lessons & found very beneficial. not sure if that is too far for you.....? link http://www.clayshoots.co.uk/contact.html

Glenshooter.... worth a trip & the money to a top quality coach? Bidwell? somebody like that? at least someone of that experience may be able to point out whether technique or concentration.... & at their level, also give some excellent advice on concentration.... just a thought....

steve will do, there is a small group of us who try to shoot fairly regularly..... you are more than welcome to join us. where else do you shoot? mainly in the week or weekends? Jon