dazlindazza

I've recently been considering getting a .410 and I see there are quite a few hushpower's around. I've not really had any dealings with hushpower guns before, but my question is can you use standard cartridges in them or do they only take special cartridges for hushpower which I'm guessing would probably be more expensive. Thanks in advance.

Thanks for all your replies! Thanks to Masterzone, that sounds like a great idea. I have tried using an auir rifle, but I dont have a very good one and when I hit them they just squeal and run off, and I really dont like the thought of leaving them injured, I want to do the job properly if I shoot them. Yes, I could buy a better air rifle, but to be honest now I have shotties I dont really ever use an air rifle so dont see the point in spending hundreds on one for it to virtually never be used. I'm with Masterzone on the poison, Yes the rats are a pain but I dont want to see them suffer at all! Once again, thanks!

I'm just after some advice on the law regarding shooting in a private garden. I have a detached house with a rather large garden that backs on to woods, but has neighbouring gardens on either side. We've got a problem with bloody rats that have come in from the woods and into our chicken house, and have been thinking of keeping watch with my little .410 and taking a few rats out. Obviously I will be using common sense - ie not shooting towards the fence on either side of the garden towards neighbours and would only shoot if in the middle of the garden or with the woods behind etc but I basically want to know what the law on this is, were one of the neighbours to complain and the police turn up as I dont want to jeopardise my licence. Cheers

Hello again... With regards to the question about whether I shoot gun down, the answer is no, I always shoot gun up. To the person who said that he found his scores increasing when they switched to the 21g because you wern't flinching, I must admit I had wondered that myself. There have been a couple of times when I've gone to take a shot and forgot to turn the safety off, and when I pull the trigger, I almost take a step forwards where I must be subconciously bracing myself against the recoil. Cheers

Thanks for all the replies! With regards to the comments about gun mount, I actually had a couple of lessons in the summer part of that being gun mount, so I would like to think that i'm doing it right. However I do find that different coaches and long established shooters do tell me conflicting things - One person will advise the "right" way to do something, and then somewhere else I will be told that it's wrong! Cheers

I'm after some help please! I have been using eley Firsts 28g but have been finding the recoil too much. I tried installing a bigger recoil pad which really mucked up my aim and affected my scores greatly so am now thinking about changing cartridges. I have been reccomended Eley First lites 21g, but am worried that the lower amount of lead will affect my scores, and dont want to buy 500 or 1000 and regret it. Are there any of you out there who have made the change? How did you find them? How did it affect your scores? Cheers

Hi, Thanks for the reply! I would say that with the thicker pad on, I see more of the rib, but the main thing that I seem to notice, is that my original pad is smooth so it kinda slides into position on my shoulder nice and easy, but the new one is rubber, so it doesn't slide into position easy, just kind of get stuck on my clothing and I have to spend an extra few seconds adjusting. I'm hoping to find a pad similar to the new one I put on there, but the same thickness as the original. ( the original is just a solid plastic thing, but the new one was has a kinda honeycombe centre to absorb the recoil ) Cheers

Hello everyone! Some advice please! I recently put a thicker recoil pad on my lanber, purely because I was finding I was getting battered by the recoil, and the couple of times I have had the chance to get to the clay ground since, my scores have absolutely plummeted! I am convinced that the extra 1cm or so thickness in the recoil pad I fitted has somehow put me slightly off my shooting as I missing the easiest of shots. Also, something about the gun doesn't feel right, although I cant put my finger exactly on what it is, so have re-installed my old pad ready for the next time to put my theory to the test. For all you experts out there, can you please tell me whether the extra 1cm in length is enough to put me off my shooting? I would also be gratefull for any suggestions on how to rectify the recoil problem with the least detriment to my shooting (as i'm **** enough as it is) I suppose I could cut the extra 1cm of the stock, but I'm a bit too scared to do that because if i find I dont like it or muck it up, then there's not much I can do about it, and people have suggested I use 24g loads but I would rather stick with my 28g eley first, as I need all the help I can get so more lead can only be good! Cheers

Hi Guys, It's looking like the best way to grind the pad is to do it fixed to the stock. Cheers for the Youtube links, I have already seen them, but couldn't find anything on there that shows how to grind down a fairly thick 2.5cm pad. Cheers

Hi, I've just bought a recoil pad which i'm going to put on my Lanber, and am after advice on the sanding down part! I installed one on my old SBS a while ago, and markked it and ground it down off the gun, but I found that it doesn't really look right because it doesn't follow the line of the stock. I was wondering whether it would make my life a bit easier if I taped up the stock with something to protect it, fit the pad and then grind it down on the gun. Any help, or suggestions appreciated. Cheers

I've never shot 50 in one day either. As I never have much time, I only go out for an hour or so, and just wait quietly underneath a flightline. Normally call it a day once I've got 4 or 5 birds as that's just enough for me to cook up for the family. I think it's much more hygenic to throw the de breasted bird back in the hedge or woods where it can go to some use feeding the foxes or other wildlife. If I put it a dustbin sack, depending on what day it is, I could have anything upto a week for that sack to be sitting outside my house in a dustbin which really is not nice in this heat. Plus, the times that I have actually brought them home, I have found that no matter how careful I am, I always end up with feathers all over the place from plucking the breast. Again, plucking in the field is much easier as they just blow away in the wind!

I dont bother with a hide or decoys, as when I go out, I generally only have a couple of hours. What I normally do is find a hedgrow, or edge of wood or somewhere like that underneath a flightline, I tuck myself into the edge and wait completely still. Providing you wait long enough before raising your gun as the birds over, the bird will pass what I call the point of no return, and even tho it see's you and tries to take evasive action, it's too late and you have it.

I've not had much chance to shoot many pigeon lately but I find that I take a sharp knife and some sealable plastic bags and I debreast the pigeon in the field. Limits the mess at home, and I throw the carcass back into an apropriate place in the field for the foxes or whatever other wildlife may want them!

Hi Guys, Cheers for all your help! The Browning sounds lovely, but is more than I'm after paying, however thanks anyhow. With regards to looking on Guntrader, I did have a quick look yesterday but nothing much on there. I had this problem when I settled for my lanber, with there not being much about, which was why it was suggested that I get a righty and then get it re cast. Cheers

Hi, I'm after a left handed M/C 12 bore Shotgun, so thought I would put out some feelers on here! After going to my local shop, and asking for their advice because of my relative inexperience (stupidly!) I recently bought a Lanber which was a righty, but the shop said would fine for me by casting it to the left, but after having a few lessons, have been told that the gun is not really suitable for me, as it's heel or toe (not sure which it's called) is still turned for a righty so it digs in when placed to the shoulder making me not place it in the right place on my shoulder, and it has a bit of a palm swell. Therefore, I am apparantly making life difficult. Therefore, if someone does have a lefty as above, and may be interested in my lanber, I would be interested in a swap / PX. I live near to Dover, and dont particularly want to travel miles, so would really appreciate it if you're fairly local. Regards

I expect this has been asked loads of times before on here, but I am wondering what is the best choke to use for clays? The guys at the club I go to say half and half, which I am currently using should be right, but I had a lesson yesterday and my coach told me I should use cyl and quarter. I'm worried that using such open chokes, I may have problems hitting the further away targets because of the shot not going as far. Now I know that ultimately, whatever chokes I put in the gun arn't going to make the blindest bit of difference if I'm not pointing the gun in the right direction, and by and large I should just put a set of chokes in and leave them alone, but I am wondering what are your views on this? Cheers

Does anyone have a cheap .410 they no longer want? Must be close to Dover, Ashford, Canterbury area! Cheers

Following on from a previous post, I was wondering if there are any of you out there that are near Dover and do private shooting lessons? Cheers.

hi guys thanks to everyone for your comments and advice. I live near dover and have been told greenfields in canterbury are very good, but as i said very expensive. Have also been reccomended a guy that does them privately so might give him a try first.

I have been thinking about taking lessons at my local clay ground in the hope of improving my scores on a sunday, but have always been put off by the cost of them. I am now in a position to be able to afford an hour, maybe two hours of lessons, but before I go and spend £70 for each hour I want to know whether just an hour can actually make any difference or whether I shouldn't bother unless I can afford to do a whole course of lessons.

Have just bought a gun where small bits of blacking has come off in places along the barrels and wondered whether if I take it to a gun shop, it is something that can be "touched up" and what the rough idea of what I could expect to pay? Cheers

After some personal experiences now... I have always shot 28g loads at the clay ground, but a few people have said that they are finding 24g loads better or equally as good as the 28's. Not only are they cheaper of course, but give less recoil helping better performance. I am nearly out of shells now and have been thinking whether to get a thousand 24g loads, but thought I would pick all yours brains first to see what the general concensus is. Should I stick with the 28's or are the 24's becoming more the "norm" now? Cheers

I'm a relative newcomer to the sport too. Similarly to you have grown up with air rifles, only having a few goes on a shotgun. Anyhow I got the permissions and then the gun and went out to shoot my first pigeons but had no luck. In the end I joined my local clay pigeon club, and with help from the guys there - telling me exactly where i'm missing and giving advice on how much lead etc. I am now much better and much more successful when I go out shooting rabbit or pigeon. I think how you go forwards depends on what you want from the sport. I have been shooting for about 8 months and am by no means very good, and the guy at my local gun shop keeps trying to get to to go for lessons at £70 an hour. I am only after a bit of fun and maybe a little sense of improvement and personally would rather spend the money at my local club on Sundays and get the little pointers from the other people there. If you really want to get better much quicker and understand the science of it a bit more, maybe a lesson or two would be worth it!

Hi, Dont know if any one has already doen the same, but have just got a Lanber and was thinking of getting a bigger recoil pad for it. If I get the pad, how much would I expect to pay to get it fitted profesionally? Cheers

I have only been shooting for about 6 months and want to get a better gun ( I have an old Baikal sbs and want an o/u). I have found a Lanber on a website I like but it has 30" barrels. The gun I have at the moment has 28" barrels, so my question is, am I better to buy a gun with the same size barrels as I'm used to (bearing in mind I'm a relative novice) and what is the advantage / dissadvanage of longer barrels? Cheers