Whitebridges

I've noticed fields being left longer than usual with more fields left until the spring for drilling. One old boy farmer said to me he'll spray fields off for weeds which can be a nuisance to the pigeon shooter as i've had some excellent shooting over chickweed in years past.

Fair enough, it's your call afterall. One call to Fiocchi could sort it. I can't believe they would be very happy with threads such as this rubbishing the quality of products emanating from their aquisition and the abysmal customer service under the Fiocchi brand of companies. Squit like this puts you off buying from companies who do not look after their customers, there are loads of other options. I had a bad batch of Eley cartridges with loose shot rolling around on the boxes, the shell cases weren't properly sealed, so I wrote to Eley and they didn't even have the decency to reply. That was the last case of Eley cartridges I ever bought.

I believe Fiocchi recently bought Lyalvale Express. Maybe with changes pending customer service has gone down the toilet. Try talk to someone at Fioccchi before there's an accident.

Just going back to the OP's first post. An 8% reduction is a massive number. Is it really due to the licensing issue or rather the cost of shooting e.g. putting birds down, cartridges, fuel costs, feed costs etc.? Also of course everything is going up up up and something has to give in times of hardship. The numbers are really worrying and once someone sells up their gun cabinets and guns and ammunition they are unlikely to return.

Still down but good old https://www.airgunbbs.com/index.php still serving up some interesting topics.

Not quite the same thing I realise but when Hull Cartridge launched their Driven Grouse range they loaded them in a green case then and quickly changed this to a purple case meaning the green cased jobbies went on offer at a big price reduction. I shot my way through two slabs mostly on pigeon and I found them very good. I just looked up the price of a slab ( 30g No6 ) at todays prices and they are £144.00 a slab !! HaHa. Ridiculous money if you ask me. I think I paid £60 a slab back in the day. Yes these are Hulls equivalent copper coated lead shot shell to the Eley Zenith.

I'd be very willingly to write to my MP about chucking out any lead ban. Hopefully an appropriately drafted letter will become available soon. Following this thread with interest.

Excellent results , good shooting.

This morning (Sunday) Four European Bee-Eater on wires at top of Gimingham Road, Trimingham, Norfolk.

Yes we are very fortunate in Norfolk with the birds, especially in the spring. The Golden Orioles are still here plus a few other interesting birds. Some of yesterdays sightings: Hickling - Caspian tern, Bee-eater , Little Gull Snettisham - Great Reed Warbler, 2 Little Gull, 3 Turtle Doves Sculthorpe Moor - Golden Oriole, 3 Cattle Egrets

We seem to have an influx of Golden Orioles in Norfolk at the moment. Yesterdays sighting: West Runton - 5 Muckleburgh - 3 Cley - 2 Titchwell - 2

The end draws nigh. That's it I'll end my BASC membership at the next renewal.

I'd happily dump using plastic cases and switch to paper cases stuffed with lead shot. Surely that would be environmentally friendly step in the right direction? If our government truly wants our nation sign up to end global scourge of plastic pollution this should have been done years ago.

Good post Vince. This Lead ban will be the Death Knell of shooting in this country as we know it. Why do shooters have to carry the overarching anti pollution issue? There's lead everywhere or is going to be cleared up? Not to mention other pollutants that are not high on the agenda as they are complex and expensive to resolve and unpopular to sort out. Global warming being an example. Lead should be lower on the big picture agenda.

Same here. This whole ban lead thing is a nonsense. Has anyone tried non lead air rifle pellets? They are hopeless much lighter and can easily put a sub 12ft lb gun over the limit. As for non lead rifle bullets, you're having a laugh BASC ! I quote: “BASC remains fully committed to the five-year VOLUNTARY transition away from using lead shot for live quarry shooting that has made such significant progress under challenging conditions. “Given the severity of the proposed restrictions, the VOLUNTARY transition has afforded the sector a head-start in the move away from lead ammunition.” The key here is VOLUNTARY so I won't get put in jail if I don't comply will I ? If the BASC keep pushing this twaddle I won't be paying them a membership fee. I'd rather join a more pragmatic group who are against a lead ban.

You bad bad man. I shoot an old Wilkinson of Pall Mall boxlock ejector made in 1908 it loves Impax 1 ounce loads.

Here's some more blurb from social media. Fiocchi Group announces the acquisition of Lyalvale Express. Fiocchi Group, the worldwide leader in the production of small calibre ammunition under Fiocchi Munizioni, Baschieri & Pellagri and Fiocchi of America brands, announces the acquisition of the entire share capital of Lyalvale Express, the historical British manufacturer established in 1983 in Lichfield, United Kingdom, and specialised in manufacturing and distribution of premium game and clay shotshells. Closing of the deal occurred April, 6th, 2022. The acquisition of the manufacturing platform of Lyalvale Express in the United Kingdom has the strategic objective to further consolidate Fiocchi Group’s leadership in the game and clay target shooting segments, not only from a manufacturing point of view but also through the expansion of the Group’s product portfolio, offering to consumers a complete range of premium and super-premium products. Unique to this sector, Fiocchi Group will benefit from four manufacturing plants in two continents: the historical Fiocchi Munizioni plant in Lecco (Italy), Baschieri & Pellagri’s centre of excellence in Bologna (Italy), the manufacturing platform with two plants in Missouri and Arkansas (United States) and the newly acquired Lyalvale Express plant in Lichfield, north of Birmingham (UK). In addition, the strong complementarity of the brands’ product range, coupled with the unparalleled innovation footprint – the latest example being the biodegradable shotshell components launched within the Green Core project – will allow the Group to enjoy an additional, significant growth in the global markets thanks to the unrivalled commercial network the Group has consolidated over the years. “We are excited to announce this transaction, which has a significant strategic value. Lyalvale Express becomes part of a Group with an unbeatable historical heritage and will benefit from outstanding innovation capabilities and from a large production platform which will generate important synergies” proudly says Maurizio *****, Group’s CEO. Stefano Fiocchi, Group’s President, highlights that “it’s with great pride that we welcome Lyalvale Express to our Group. We will benefit from another historical brand which will further contribute to strengthen and develop the Group’s leadership”. James Rose, Fiocchi UK Managing Director, will become Managing Director of the new Group’s UK entity: “I’m extremely thrilled by this transaction, I’ve always respected Lyalvale’s high quality and positioning as a UK manufacturer, so I’m absolutely sure that together, we will be able to strengthen and further develop our market”.

Cracking footage. I noticed the pellet exited on the bird you shot at 5.43. Good shooting !

Noooo ! Just seen this. Poor old boy, must have been quite nasty. Hope you are on the mend.

Sounds lush Ditchy. Are you washing it down with something nice?

Sand Martin at Titchwell, Norfolk yesterday.

There's two cracking chip shops in Cromer: https://www.maryjanes.co.uk/about https://www.no1cromer.com/ No1Cromer is owned and run by Galton Blackiston a Michelin starred chef who also runs Morston Hall. Now is a good time to go before Cromer gets rammed out in the summer months.

When I don't use either the .204 or .17hmr on longer range corvids I use these. Far far and away the best HV .22LR round i've tried. It will depend on your gun. I use an Anschutz or a Sako.

^^^^ This

My pleasure. I reckon they're having a reight ol' mardle. I watched the programme late last night and enjoyed it. I hope the estate can find a way of satisfying those pinks. The answer may well lie with British Sugar if they pay better prices, so farmers could set the machines to leave the top inch on the tops. It also looks like we are buying in sugar cane in order to do deals on our exports post Brexit.