Mec 9000

why not pm me and I will help you out. Gerry

Parallel taper cases, most cartridges you shoot will be PT cases, the plastic walls are thin and run parallel to each other top to bottom, slice an empty case all the way down and you will see. Compression cases get thicker as they get to the bottom and taper in towards the primer, again cut one and have a look. The wads for PT cases should not be used for CF as they can increase pressures by ramming too tight. If you need some help PM. Gerry

Best cases to use were compression formed cases like old winchester AA trap but don't see them much now so I use 70mm parallel taper cases have had no problem reloading them several times but so easy to comeby at clay grounds I only use them once or twice. If you know what to look for, once fired wads can be re used too. You won't save much with 12g but you will have fun.

Have been loading my own for 25 yrs used to save a fortune until recently. You won't save much but you will get good cartridges in relation to shop prices, biggest saving now is making your own shot. I re use cases and wads if seal is undamaged. I use two Mec 9000 progressive loaders set for different loads that I use most. Great hobby Gerry

Just take out the shot,wad and powder and re load into a primed case or post it to me and i'll do it. the problem is either a dud primer or poor firing striker in the gun. It aint a bomb till it's in the gun. Throw one in an open fire and you will hear a pop like a cap gun, a wee puff of smoke and get some melted lead when the fire goes out. Gerry

Clean barrels never killed anything. I tried D&J for some clay busting and found that they did the job once I found the lead, they seemed to me to be entry level clay loads and were cheap enough at the time. But for Game ,fowl or pigeon give me my home loads every time. Gerry

I don't use an oven for them. Deep fry till only half cooked, drain on kitchen roll and allow 10 mins for them to cook in own heat then return to pan till golden brown. My recipe differs all the time but I use some baking powder in the mix at all times. Gerry

Good question Ollie. What I do is always place place pigeon in hole from upwind side, cover and walk the string in a semi circle to downwind marker as much as possible, this means the dog working in from straight downwind and not following my footscent but will wind the bird, I don't lay a trail for unshot birds but do lay a trail for shot and running birds to teach the dog to follow from fall area. A shot bird will have blood and powder scent in addition that the dog will learn to distinguish. How close to work before release, close enough that the dog thinks it is doing the flushing, the telling factor is how far in front of you will it sit to flush when not on check, experiment and think it through. Remember that in the field a dog may have to actually nudge a sitting pheasant to get it in the air. As I said I only work Labs now for retrieving so they are never sent out unless there is a bird to be picked, they do not hunt up as to send them out to seek what may not be there is contrary to me sending them out to find a shot bird thus instilling all the time in the dog that there is something to find and bring back. Gives no mixed messages. A little bit more difficult with a hunting dog as it's instincts to hunt is strong, Hunt, flush mark and retieve is easy but then to ask it to retrieve a blind at reasonable distance takes more time and patience but once the penny drops in the dog and with experience they can do it all. I always say, If you work your training so that the dog can't get it wrong you are well on the way. Take the dog that flushes and chases, flush may be good and in range of shot but dog makes mistake by running off into the distance possibly flushing out of range birds as it goes, if this goes on unchecked you will have many a day ruined. So, if we again go back to the pigeon in the hole you get hunt flush drop and you are in control so no mistakes. Happy training. Oh and bye the way if all goes well then a run in go back and do it all again. The dog must learn what it must do and do it. Gerry

Ollie. A few things to think about. She is only a rough shooting dog as you say, OK so what is a gundog or better still what dog is entitled to be called a gundog. Is it a dog that flushes an odd bird or rabbit for the gun then is laid up for a while till the notion comes on again. Is it the well meaning owner who has his dog run wild on a shoot but can luckily flush the odd thing, or is it a dog trained for the purpose of regular work, knows its stuff and dog and handler make up a trustworthy team. I would always argue the latter. If you have the makings of a good dog then don't sell yourself or the dog short, get out there and train the dog to work in the way you want it to because from what you have said the dog wants to learn and to please you and at the end of the day you may be the envy of your shooting pals. I only work Labs now and pick up but I always get a sense of pride when I'm congratulated on my dogs so go for it. Once you are confident that she will stop to a whistle then introduce her to the temptation that the flush will bring, If the dog fails to stop then she is not properly conditioned as it should be a conditioned reflex action, but then sometimes excitement gets the better and how do you shoot a rabbit without shooting the dog hot on it's tail. How do you feel when it flushes a bird, you miss and the dog follows it into the next county. Create the flush and control the dog yourself. Since you don't have access to a rabbit pen I will let you work that one out for yourself and give my way of dealing with flushing birds. I borrow half a dozen homing pigeons from a friend then get out into the training field and dig six holes 50-60yds apart into each I place a pigeon and cover with a piece of plywood with 20-30 yds of string attached and laid out in a line to a marker that I can find easily. Go get the dog who has not seen all this going on and work the dog onto the pigeon all the while controlled on a long check cord as dog nears pigeon to flush then I pull string and let pigeon flush, the dog is checked up whith whistle and cord praised and move to next one and so on. You can work close to or farther from flush as dog improves. Pigeons all fly home to be used another day. within a couple of weeks you should be able to do this without cord then without whistle. Problem nowadays is getting the homers but the idea of instantly correcting the dog at the precice moment means the dog cannot get into the habit of chasing, it will stop or drop whichever you teach it. Gerry

At 9 months it is nearing the time for advanced training so you are in an ideal situation to move forward. Don't know where you are up to with the basic stuff so it would be worthwhile listing all the likely things that the dog will come up against on a shoot day and plan your regime to suit. Steadiness is a must, recall is a must. stopping a dog in it's tracks when hunting is for me the most important as there is so much danger from nearby roads. When you are happy that these areas are bombproof then you could think about dropping to shot and or dropping to flush. Another area to consider is redirection from a known dead bird onto a runner. All these are not difficult to achieve with a good dog and both you and the dog will enjoy the progression, they can all be simulated in the field easily. A rabbit pen is handy if you have access. Gerry

I use launcher with a rifle stock, get someone to fire it from a distance away that you can steady the dog from running in.I also use a bumper boy which is a good piece of kit, again it helps steady the dog and gives it confidence working at distance. Remember that the dog will mark this type of retrieve which should be easy. Have you started on short or long blind retrieves which are more important. Gerry

Best advice I can give at this stage is to buy a dog cage and put it in an area where the dog can retire to, it will save your furnishings for a start. Dogs need their own place to rest, where they can reflect on the days happenings and be at peace, they will come to regard it as their pad. Gerry

Hi Chris As I said, all dogs differ as to the time to move them on and I would not start them on any advanced training until 10 mths to a year old by which time you should be confident that the basic stuff is well instilled. If the dog is keen to fetch and return then before moving to cold game try rabbit skin on a dummy and some feathers taped to another dummy, if all goes well then try a feathered dummy and add a wing so that it flaps about as the dog carries it. Keep them light in the early stages and gradually increase the weight as the dog gets stronger. Picking a pigeon then asking it to pick a 9lb Hare is quite different in young inexperienced dogs. Picking a cock Pheasant that is not dead can also be traumatic for a young dog if it gets spurred so as I say it's all about knowing your dog and thinking out the next step and the best way to achieve the outcome. I am sure we would all like to hear how you get on with your training. Gerry

Lovely pup but not really living up to the name Havoc, the house is too tidy.

Hate to hear of dogs being stolen and hope you get the pup back again. I believe most gundogs are stolen to order, either for breeding purposes by the unscrupulous or to be sold on as shooting dogs and bought by the unwary. They could turn up at shoot days with their new master and no one is any the wiser. If we chipped all our dogs we still have to rely on any dog found being scanned for the chip by the finders ie police etc. Scanners are not hard to come by and organisers of driven shoots for example could insist that all dogs working on their shoots be chipped. Any dog not known to that shoot could be scanned by the shoot to ensure a match between owner and dog. I wonder how many dogs would be reunited with their proper owners if this were the case and would it reduce the number of thefts of good gundogs if the market was limited somewhat. We could go a long way to policing this ourselves within organised shoots at least. Hope this give some food for thought because stealing someones dog is as low as we can get. Gerry