dougall

Get him a Larsen Trap and say this may assist you with the magpies. Nothing gives a 'keeper a message better than telling him how to do his job. Out of interest is he a good keeper?What do you tip him on shoot days? Personally life is too short for someone to cloud shoot days,I would give him a written warning as part of his job is to be civil to the people paying his wages and if he does'nt like it he can $%^& off. Happy Xmas.

Its possible to shoot at better looking beasts being driven through the trees at you in Poland...

The adrenalin will pump,so enjoy as the day will go quick! 1)take glasses(often look into sun) 2)''If behind there is no sky,let it live and glide on by'' Only shoot if there is nothing but sky behind the bird. There is no disgrace in missing,try and shoot out in front,only birds flying toward you. Don't think everyone is looking at you they are not.The only gun that ever gets noticed is an unsafe one, aim to be the safest gun and take pride in your safety and gun handling. A pheasant is flying faster than you will first think, smoothly brush 'em out the sky..imagine a paintbrush..nice smooth long stroke.. Have a great day and I bet when your head hits your pillow you will have 1 or 2 shots clearly in your mind..they will stay there a very long time. Happy days.

Tomba, no shell will help with Lead..get that out of yer head. Any cartridge from leading suppliers good.You have the right type of gun,any modern cartridge works so it is all down to you my friend! Spend £60 on a lesson rather than multiple cartridges.You,like all of us will try out a few shells over time and at some point you will like one,but to improve as a shooter forget looking to your equipment its the tradesman not the tools so spend a bit on training the tradesman and not just new tools! All the best,

It was like watching 4 18 year olds with a cornered precocious 13 yr old.Dimbleby chaired it very poorly and it felt quite a 'charged atmosphere'. But Griffins ''I cannot explain why I've changed my mind'' and ''it was a friendly Klu Klux branch'' were simply pitiful. Should he have been on,yes, freedom of speech permits idiots,has he garnered more support from this,I doubt it. I'd rather shoot my own leg off than vote for him but I totally defend his right to speak(well his attempts to try to). Poor programme,poor panel poorly chaired.

Well have you ever tried to decoy pigeons within 40 yards of your kitchen sink?..(hits add reply then Ducks).

David, I pay for myself and my 2 sons separately,how about a family membership? Monthly sounds good,probably better for BASC too not just cashflow wise but also increased renewals as no doubt a few folk have binned renewing at full annual whack? So long as there is no loading for monthly then it is a good thing. I also think BASC need to be pretty careful about annual rises in subscriptions,inflation is currently nil,keep the cost down and attract more members,don't whack it up and lose members. Personally I am a big fan of BASC and believe the subscription is FAIR,it is not only my insurance sorted but also a contribution to shooting...PLEASE keep it that way. Best.

??whats wrong with your HW 90.perfect for rabbits.

I have also performed a total U turn on Lyevale Express. Having used them for ages in 12 gauge, pro Fibre for Clays and Spreme & special game,I have always been delighted. Then I bought slab of pro fibre in 20 gauge and had cartridges so deformed they would not fit in chambres even if you would have wanted to! I had 3 totally unuseable in one 25 cartridge box. As I use @ 5000 cartridges a year and was a fan , I emailed Lyevale Express' Brian Jackson thinking they ought to know a machine was eating the odd cartridge and no doubt they knew the problem. Brian Jackson responded in the ''never get complaints,cannot believe it will collect immediately'' type positive way.We agreed i would drop an example of the problem at the Gunshop where I purchased them and I thought what a professional way to respond. Well to cut along story short they never collected them from the gunshop to where I returned a duff one to show them the problem along with its box,nor has Mr Jackson responded to my email asking for an update. So for me Lyevale Express can go poke it. They too are off my shopping list due to unfortunately joke customer service. And as we all know one quick response,even just a box of 25 shells for my trouble and I would have been a customer for life...sad. so anyway RC professional 30g 6s and SIPE 32g 5 for game,Hull for all clays and clear pigeons 30g 6s in 12 gauge, and anything BUT Lyevale Express in the 20s!!!

...'' hello playboy mansion....I ordered 2 bunnies to give me head''

Beno, Both superb. Personally though really know about it when using Gamebore Blackgolds...seem that bit louder/punchier. Once you get up into the £200+ per thou though I cannot think of a bad cartridge. Presume you're thinking for Pheasant? Either will do a good job. If it is a genuinely high bird shoot then go Gamebore. ATB

Hugh, Presume you have a parent with a licence who can do the buying etc? My 2 sons at similar ages to you went with 20 gauge,a Browning 425 and a Beretta.We still have both guns. At your budget, which was pretty much the same I would without hesitation say Beretta Silver Pigeon 20 bore, 28 inch barrel. Lovely handling,weight,proportion and very importantly hold their value better than any other gun. £850 ish should get you a very good condition 2nd hand gun.Go and try one. Good luck.

Has she shot before? If you just turn up and she shoots your 12? bore for more than 25 shots you will put her off for life.That may be a good thing?! Most grounds do a beginners/have a go with AN INSTRUCTOR it is worth it.They will not overshoot etc and gunfit will be taken into consideration. My guess for the above would be £30-£40 for a first lesson and IMHO is the way to go.

If you have used this gun along time and are therefore used to the sight for assisting with range plus the aesthetic then fair enough.If however you are fairly new to shotguns go without,it does make for far better target concentration and focus and therefore swing.A number of instructors remove ''sights'' from shotguns when teaching as they frankly serve little purpose other perhaps preventing canting. I bet you won't shoot worse...although I guess the look of the gun may take a bit of getting used to.

Woah!!Slow down. You sound like you are being rushed.By the sounds of it this gun shop sold you a gun with 3 splits in the stock,any gunsmith who did not notice this fact does not get my money,especially as he is now offering you 2 totally different guns. I suggest; 1.Take full cash refund 2.decide what type of gun you want 3.Do not feel you must return to that same shop to buy it. Analogy, I go into a garage and buy a Ford Focus.When I get home I find the chassis is split,on taking it back the garage offers me a tired old Forklift truck or a Moped.....If you originally wanted a Ford Focus don't, because the shop did a bad job, now accept a Moped, that is daft!

Hi have been through this twice with my 2 boys. both started lessons with 28 bore,lovely gun. 1 aged 10 other aged 9 average size. I bought them both 20 bores once they showed they were keen and 'in this for life', which was at 13/14 yrs old for mine.I do not regret decison at all. .410 a funny gun, I really don't think it is a starter gun these days.All us old shooters have affection for .410s but so difficult to hit clays with.....great for 20 yard sitting rabbits which was what we started on but not confidence builders on clays where kids start today.Expensive cartridges too. 28 gauge are quite rare/expensive/and cartridge choice pretty poor..cracking guns but....... I would recommend a 20 bore, loads around already cut down /choice/better cartridge options and prices ..and initially stick to 21 gram shells...most shooting grounds use 19 gram in 28 bore; the 21g in a 20 bore v.similar recoil(low). 21g from a 20 bore will break all clays. As & when or if ready for first pigeon/rabbit have wide range of game shells readily available. Look for 25/26 inch barrels if small lad, DON'T buy a very lightweight one. All best,you and he will never forget the opening of first gunbox, put in Beaufoys poem of 1902 ''a Fathers advice''(google it if don't know it)....special day.

I was trying to help Jasper who was between a 525 & an SP.. Anyway please excuse my overly thought out answers what I really meant to say is just go and buy lots of guns, tons of kit do it all on a whim,go in every gunshop in every town and every game fair............that way you make all the same mistakes all the old lags on here have made but its a fun way to go through life!!! PS a Missus will buy ''I need a different gun for game than for clays''......beyond that you have to slip a few in the cabinet on the QT and/or have Kids who obviously need their own (opportunity to try nice 28/20 bores etc..). BUT and its a big BUT don't leave your insurance renewal out with list of the true collection!! A school boy error that has cost me shoes/cloths/holidays/car change............

he is looking at a Browning 525,which is chromelined as are later 425s....having owned both Brownings/Berettas/shot in all conditions it is plain rubbish to say Browning rusts more than a Beretta. Clearly an abused gun is an abused gun and Stuart hangs out with shooters unable to look after their equipment.. Take or ignore whatever advice you wish I posted with a view to helping you. Mungler,methinks you don't just keep your Berettas in your closet.......

Ok;This Question will illicit lots of personal views...not sure mine will help you?... I presume you are looking at 12 gauge;Browning bigger in hand and feels more substantial.Beretta much slimmer/sleaker in the hand.Both work well if pointed in the right direction,some people point 1 make better than the other,Which are you? You need to go to a shooting ground and shoot both.You will know which you prefer as I feel they are so obviously different/ I have a Browning 425 in both 12 & 20 and a Beretta SP in 20.For me the Beretta's slim frame just looks and feels right in 20 bore But for ME not great in a 12.. I believe 8/10 new guns sold are now Beretta!! The rust thing is rubbish,both chromelined so ignore that as a factor. Both great guns/readily changeable/hold their values. If you like Browning also try Miroku Mk60/Mk70(same thing without the snob value),these are great guns. If you are going to be Mainly/All Clays 682 Beretta should be tried too(the more specialist Beretta Clay gun).. Firstly go and have 3 lessons with an instructor,you will learn a bit about fit/feel,you will try different guns(go to the biggest Clay ground near you they will have choice of guns)and there is No rush to buy a gun until you are really ready to buy (I know its all exciting but wait a bit..)!! Don't buy Grade 6s/gold inlay doodles at this point, get the basic guns,you can worry about Bling/upgrades later. Final tip is if you buy a Multichoke don;t EVER think changing chokes will make any difference to your shooting it does'nt and won't for years,buy a gun you like in your hands and which fits/the gun dealer will fit to you (and get a slip and cleaning kit included). I have gone through this choice/learning thing myself and twice recently with both my sons...in my opinion what you spend at this point on lessons is more important than what you spend on on your first gun..whatever make it is. all best.

A wonderful tribute. RIP Shady,and God Bless you & yours for the great life you gave her and to ease the hurt you are currently suffering.

Well according to the Airgunners on here; If under 12ft lbs use .22, if PCP & over 12ft lbs .177 will be fine if head shots... Never been Boar hunting but if they are getting within 30 yards of you I would think Big is beautiful!

Bignoel, Hi. I see from your profile that you may have a Black Lab? Me too.Imagine when that Lab was about 16 weeks old,about 10lb in weight..thats a full grown Hare, well over twice a big bunny,with a thick boned cranium. If you could imagine the awful thought that you would have had to put your Lab out of its misery would you have laid it on the ground retreated 25 yards then laid down with your sub 12ft/lb air rifle to do the deed? I made my first ever post on here because I personally believe it is wrong to shoot a Hare with an Air Rifle. I do not know a single Land owner/gamekeeper who would permit it.If either of my sons shot at a Hare with an air rifle they would never shoot again. After the awful death of a 5 year old to another airgun accident Airguns are frontpage news again.Mix that with a lot of Airgunners on here going against our own main bodies advice and shooting Large animals/game with them and reap the whirlwind my friend.

sorry to enter this debate slightly late but thought these comments might assist; 1) I Bought my sons @ 5 yrs ago a Lincoln 20 bore as their first shotgun,great 1st gun.It was fixed choke 'Premier' model 28inch barrels. Have since chopped it in and now I have both a Browning 425 & Beretta SP in 20 bore. Without doubt Beretta SP is the best handling/balanced a belter of a 20 bore. To me Berettas are best in 20 bore( Idon't go mad for their 12s) The 425 comes 2nd as a fine well made gun but the Lincoln whilst 3rd in the contest I thought was a good gun;It was also readily exchangeable if/when you wish to change. Cartridge wise I am a big fan of RC SIPE 1oz 5s and Lyalvale Express/Game bore Traditional for game/quarry. Lyalvale special twenty 24gm for clays. I shot a lot of pigeons with the Lincoln(just making sure it was all right for the boys you understand..)and I don't think you will be disappointed,it is solid/well made and works. All the best with it.

folks, this is my first post, I feel moved to post as I cannot ever imagine that an air rifle is the right tool for a Hare.There is IMHO nothing harder to clean Kill with 36g of No4 let alone 1 pellet. Out of respect for a fabulous animal I would NEVER shoot a Hare with an Airgun and I would sincerely hope the vast majority on here are of the same view or heaven help us all.