adam f

Thanks. Just checked... I see they now do an extra small, so just ordered one.

I want one of those neoprene vests for my little cocker for when we are wild fowling this year. The little thing loves it but gets cold easily. The jack pyke ones only seem to go to medium, will these be small enough for a small cocker?

Yes please. I'll drop you a pm

Try taking the mod off next time. Then you'll know what loud sounds like! They are Pusey cats with a mod on. But as others have said how the sound bounces off the surrounds will have a big effect. If it's an issue go with the HMR. Nice shooting.

Look at the Alan Paine tweed jackets, around the £150 mark and superb, waterproof and breathable and nicely cut not like the cheapo game fare jobs. I bought one a few years ago and I'm rely pleased with it.

This all started as a bit of pub banter last game season between myself and two shooting mates. Clearly based on the South Coast, a true MacNab (grouse, salmon and stag) isn't an option, but we got talking to what we could achieve! The best equivalent was a brace of partridge, a brown trout or sea bass and a roe buck. However we wanted to make this an annual event, all three of us lead hectic busy lives and we live in 3 neighbouring counties.... So as our first attempt this year we have set our sights a but lower. A brace of rabbit, and brace of pigeon and a brace of bass, all in one day, sun rise to sunset! The date has slipped a few times, but is now set as Oct 2nd. Really looking forward to it and ill post on here how it goes. Anyone else tried anything similar?

Well I had my work clothes on when I went, shirt and shoes etc. I put Welles on to go to the range, 'you won't need them' said Shane.... He wasn't wrong, it was cleaner than my office! Awesome range to shoot from. Made the rifle louder as you're shooting inside but great place to try a rifle.

Need to pay them yet, but I think £1300/1400 for the gun and £250 for the Mod.

Firstly, thank you to all who advised and assisted in picking a new rifle for my new 243 slot. In the end I rounded it down to a M595, Tikka T3 or a Howa 1500. Having looked around the internet, I gave Steve and Shane at Ivythorne Sporting a call as it looked like that had pretty much all the guns and options I was looking at, plus my time is precious and I liked the appointment system they run - no grabbing 5 mins of a shop assistants time to look at a gun. They also have a range to test the rifles out - perfect. So I went in with a stainless barrel and laminated stock as my no1 choice - with synthetic stock as a fall back. I ended up with pretty much the complete opposite! Shane was excellent in running through all the options and even stripping the guns for me to see the fine differances. The laminate stock was quickly ruled out due to it's weight.... nearly 10lb for a bare gun before mod and scope.... It was then a toss up between the T3 and the Howa - both stainless barrells and synthetic stock. My heart said Tikka my head said Howa - but neither really had me that excited... both were good, soild, plain rifles. Then Shane showed me the Sauer 101 Classic XT - first glance it looked pretty unassuming, black stock, black barrells, but in the hands it just felt lovely. Nice smooth bolt, very similar to my mates M595. Nice shape stock, esp the little forend. A crisp light trigger set about 2lb and a 5 shot mag that flush fits. Basically it ticked all my boxes. It didnt have the stainless action or barrells but Im informed the coating Sauer use isnt a normal blacking and is durable as stainless steel. I summed it by saying it felt like a rimfire to hold not a big heavy centrefire. It comes in at £300 more than a T3, around Sako money I think? Out on the range I was just as impressed. I'm new to the calibre and the rifle wasnt set up for me, but I still managed satisfactory hunting groups. Then the mod - I tried an SL5 and a CMM4 both were good but I was torn between short fat and heavy and long slim and light! Then Steve showed me and I tried a new mod that had just come in - an AimZonic Compact. Small, short and light with a 5 year warrenty. I tried it, I liked it! I cant get too excited over mods, but this seemed to tick all the boxes! So there it is. A Sauer 101 Classic XT in 243 with AimZonic Mod and Zeiss Duralyt 3-12x50. I hope that keeps me satisfied for a new years to come! I would recommend Ivythorne Sporting to anyone - superb set-up, friendly knowledgeble guys and customer service that is very rare these days. Adam

Lovely picks. My favourite deer the Sika. I love the dark winter coat but rarely get to see the lighter summer coat these have. Great head gear on the stag too.

Hi, the jacket is a medium. I'm a 40" chest and 6' tall and it fits me with room to spare. I'll take a pic of the jacket tomorrow and post it up. I'll also take a pic of the mark for you. The coat is under a year old, lightly worn and from a non smoking home.

Selling this as I have too many coats! Awesome Jacket - made for far tougher environments than shooting. It's a mountaineering jacket, but Ive worn it for shooting and dog walking no problem - it's green. I small mark on the underside of one arm which cant easily be seen or effect performance. These retail for about £160. More info here: http://marmot.com/products/palisades_jacket I'm after £60 posted.

I used a cheap cammo fishing bucket for a few years with 3" of foam glued to the top... Basically a cheap DIY version of the proper swivel bucket seats. It worked well.... But I'm pretty tall and always found myself hunched on it with my knees too high and my neck bent. I'd often come back from a longer session with a sore back. So I bought a Bergara off here... A bit more expensive, but a very good kit of kit. Now I can get the correct level and height and I've got a bit of a back rest. If you go out often, I'd say worth the investment. Adam

More thanks. My 22.250 was a Remmy 700 with a DM80 and massive 56mm scope - it weighed a ton! I'm keen on a lighter gun this time - also a bit shorter if I can, the Remmy had 24" barrell, plus 4/5" for the mod. I'll shop around and handle a few next week. I didnt know the M595 was as old as that - it seems many rave about them, but as I only want to buy one gun to last me, it seems new might be the way forward?

Just swapped out my 22.250 for a 243 to enable me to be deer legal. But what rifle to go for? I want to buy once and buy right, but saying that I dont have an endless budget. Ive just picked up a Zeiss Duralyt to pop on the top. Currently looking at Tikka T3 vs Howa 1500. Stuck between the practicality of a synthetic stock and a pretty grey laminated stock. Set on a stainless action and barrell. Now a few people have thrown the M595 into the mix! Dont know much about them - did prefer a newer gun, but people seem to highly rate the M595 action? How easy is an aftermarket laminated stock for one of these if I go that way? Adam

Well done Dorset - 1 week from sending my FAC in, to getting it back in the post for a 1-4-1 variation - very impressed. Now to go shopping!

Nice one! Lovely dog too!

I've always done mine fresh. Loads on info on the web about this. Boil the head for 30 min or so, then scrape off as much as the flesh as you can. A selection of picks, knives, screwdrivers etc are all helpful. Then I got a 1l bottle of peroxide from eBay. A 1l ice cream tub is good for most roe heads, you'll need to improvise for a Sika or fallow etc. the bits of the head you can't cover with the peroxide, use tissue soaked in peroxide. This will bleach the skull white, the longer the whiter but don't go too long... Trial and error. Wear gloves for the above bit. Peroxide is nasty stuff. Wash the skull well. For cutting you can buy fancy jigs, but unless your submitting for CIC scoring, have a good look on the web and decide the line you want to cut it on. I use a hacksaw and just work carefully, ensuring a true, straight and level cut. Don't use a wood saw, you'll splinter the skull. A hacksaw is better. Plenty of trophy mounts online for all species. Personally, if you can work with wood.... What I did was source some wide (300mm ish) oak floorboards... Proper oak not laminate. Use the snowflake trick frm school where you fold a piece of a4 lengthways and design half a shield, open it out and bingo, you've got a perfectly symmetrical template. Trace it onto your timber, cut it out with a bandsaw or jigsaw, then run a router with with an ovilo or cornice cutter round the outside. Smooth it with glass paper and then give it a few coats of oil, linseed etc. Use no nails to bind a piece of timber flush into the brain socket of the skull. Drill a hole and screw the head to it. All done! A bit if a fuss, but I enjoy doing it and the end result looks fantastic!

MTM Case Guard in green holds 50no. 22.250 cases. 53no. Once fired 22.250 brass cases mixture of Sako, Federal and Norma. £15 plus £2.50 p&p

Thanks Nic - saw that - quite tempting......

Thanks chaps, plenty to consider and look at. I know lots of you swear by the s&b 8x56 but I'm nervous about not being able to wind up the mag for longer shots. Will I be wowed enough by the ultra clear glass? Should I simply practise more at x8?

I'm currently using a 6-24x56 Nikko Stirling Nighteater on my centrefire. It's ok. But just ok. I swapped it off my hmr when I got the rifle and its been ok, I like the big magnification, but it needs good light to function. In low light it struggles and I find myself winding the mag right back. I now find myself stalking with the gun more and more and I'm finding the limitations of the scope. So what to upgrade to? Budget is up to £500, less would be better. I'm quite keen on having adjustable mag again if possible. Suggestions?

Forget this post, just googled it and noticed it was Aug 2011.... Flipping Internet!

What size is 42"? What size chest and height will it fit?

Terry's advice is bang on. They are what you make of them. Mine has 40 odd reds in the pedigree, she is as quiet as a mouse in the house with the kids.... And like lightening as soon as I pop my boots on and take her out. She will sit in a pigeon hide for hours on end or run flat out beating all day. It's all in the training. Good luck!