Charlie1965

Mine is a 2003 model I think. No it’s not HP steel proof. No fleur de lys stamp. l’m sure it would pass HP reproof if I sent to the proof house but can see little point in doing so. I did put some standard steel Lyvale’s through it last season and some Gamebore Silver Steels. Brought down some cracking pheasants. There was no noticeable difference to my usual lead cartridges.

The standard suggestion from the finance industry for a couple is minimum £22,400 moderate £43,100 comfortable £59,000 Here’s my back of the cigarette packet…. aged 60 and contemplating retirement , 7 years until state pension. 7 years x £43,000 = £301,000 Wife gets her pension 3 years before 3 x £11,000 = £33,000 £301,000 - £33,000 = £268,000 Age 67 to 85 we get state pension £11,000 each - £22,000 £43,000 - £22,000 = £21,000 18 years x £21,000 = £378,000 £268,000 + £378,000 = £646,000 So £646,000 in our SIPP’s / ISA’s all invested in high yielding dividend stocks, eg HSBC, Aviva both at 7% £646,000 x 7% = £45,220 / year and the capital is still left for the kids when we are gone. (I know it will be £67,220 from age 67 with the state pension) Shoot it down folks, it’s a shooting site after all. ( This is all fictional and I’ll just keep working ) For the younger ones, the percentage of your salary you put in your pension should be half your age when you start contributing.

Zabala 3” magnum for £32.50 will surely tempt someone to push the buy it now button…..

I got a couple of boxes of fibre wad steels to pattern test thru my Beretta. Yes it has 3” chambers but no it’s not steel proofed, running i/c and half chokes. 16 years old and well run in. The Lyalvale Express are most interesting as 30g, 5’s, 65mm with a roll turnover so could be used in 2 1/2” chambered guns. Sorry if someone has already covered this. And no I haven’t had chance to try them yet.

Spraying off maize stubbles this morning, only harvested yesterday. There were about 100 birds down when I started but sat here now, can’t see a single bird but they are out there. Heads up if you have maize on your permissions as they have started harvesting for digesters but the opportunity to shoot will be very short as this will be cultivated and drilled next week.

A shot every 3 minutes and no passes..... It also feels much easier on the days you hit 2 out 3 as opposed to 1 out of 5. Just starting to see a few birds on rape around here. Always great to read P.C.’s and Motty’s reports.

My fall back method is : Look at the bird, Mount the gun, Pull the trigger. I have no awareness of lead. I am pulling the trigger as soon as the gun comes into my shoulder. Have been 3:1 on the pheasants so far this season. Had my gun fitted a few years ago and have had lessons with various instructors / methods in the past including maintained lead, don't have lessons now, just dry mount the gun every so often and try to have my feet in the right place. Are you aware of when you pull the trigger Scully?

Have never counted. Only planning to use the little speed controller on the flapper as imagine my old homemade magnet would burn it out, as wiper motor is off old Vauxhall cavalier. Will try doing some rpm counts next time I get out. Nice looking speed controller you made up, will the next model have gears and a sequential shift gearstick 😄

This is one of cheap £2.75 flea bay speed controllers, came this morning, slows flapper right down for the crows! Next to it is a old 3 speed car heater fan switch, gives me off and three speeds on the magnet and was free out of scrap car.

Stuy, if you stopped at Locks Garage you could have bought petrol, coffee, paper and cartridges! Can't be many garages where you can do that, must be in the country

Well done Stuy. We seem to have a lot of pigeons about at the moment, but like you I'm working to much to have a go at them!

You can always ask the farmer if he's able to get the VAT back on a few cartridges for you for pest control?

That's a bargain for someone, I have one and it's very reliable.

If you talk to your farmers you'll find the reason they are growing more pea's and beans this year, even on farms that haven't grown them for years are the new E U agricultural policy "greening" rules. I have a couple of permissions with a field of peas going in for the first time in years. The farmers aren't totally happy about it but the alternative was more grass buffer strips. So does this make Nigel Farage anti pigeon shooter? And the rest of them pro? Always good to talk to your farmers and take an interest in the whys and wherefores of what their doing!

Try cracking the chicken egg open and leave the yolk upturned in half the shell. If you have a side entry trap it sometimes works if you put a mirror in the back of it and the pie attacks its own reflection.