Sunray

I had a number of cheap and nasty plastic half shell pigeon decoys which I sprayed with matt black paint. I bought a few garden canes from a garden centre and mounted the black decoys on the canes so that they were about 6 inches above growing wheat. It definitely attracted some passing crows to within range of my hide. Certainly worth trying, the alternative plan for these rubbish decoys involved the recycling bin! Chris

I also found that when walking distances you do tend to notice the weight if holding it in your hand ready for a shot. Definitely worth fitting a sling. I have put one on each of the CZ452's that I own and it makles a very considerable difference to the amount of time that I can carry one around. Chris

Just got back from Doveridge, shot 100 28g Comp X. Easy on the shoulder and a clean cartridge. A friend with a back injury changed to 21g Comp X and swears by them. Usually 28g of any cartridge causes him problems. Chris

Another vote for using a separate and additional piece of Army cam net to make the stealth netting more effective. It took a while before I realised just how transparent some of these stealth nets become when the sun is shining. I don't normally bother with additional foliage but last year I set up my hide in a field where someone else had shot a couple of days previously. He had cut down a number of hawthorn branches from an overgrown hedge to add to his hide and left them behind. As they were there I decided to use them. It seemed to make a difference at the time, crows and pigeons coming in even closer and lower than normal. Not a very scientific test but I shall take advantage of any additional natural cam in future! Chris

Good advice from the previous posters. One useful thing I discovered in the last couple of years is to put a sentry crow in your decoys. I put a flock crow decoy on a vertical rod about 5ft. high and place it on the nearest edge of the pattern to the hide. I have seen crows drawn from hundreds of yards away. They usually swoop over the sentry and tend to offer a very easy target! Anyone else use a sentry? Chris

I bought a hardly used Browning B525 Prestige game gun last year which had fixed chokes. I decided to treat myself and had it Teagued with long chokes. I can thoroghly recommend doing this to any fixed choke gun that you are likely to keep! Chris

For shooting over decoys, Fiocchi 32g No 6 for pigeons or No 5 for crows, through a Miroku 800S skeet gun with 26'' barrels. For rough shooting generally, 36g No 5 through a Browning B525 Prestige game gun with Teague chokes. Chris

I have two type CZ452 American rifles with 16'' barrels. One 22LR and the other 17 HMR. Both triggers adjusted to about 2 Pounds pressure, brilliant! Chris

Swift Audubon 8.5x44 ED. Chris

Another thing worth trying is to put a `sentry' decoy on a stick about 3-4 ft. above the ground near the decoys. It appears to draw the attention of passing crows and they tend to approach the sentry out of curiosity. Place it where the incoming crows come within range. I had alot of success using this approach during the summer. Chris

Zeus, I use 1/4 1/4 for most rough shooting and when after pigeons and crows over decoys when in the hide. If I am going to shoot a bit further out I may change to 1/2 1/2. I would recommend this approach when starting out but you will develop your own preferences with experience. Good luck! Chris

The 525 should be great in the field. Start with 30 or 32g of no 6 shot in fibre wad and you will be fine. The only problem which you might find is the weight if you are going to carry it around whilst rough shooting. I sold my 525 grade 1 Sporter last year for this reason. I bought a 525 grade 5 Prestige Game gun with fixed chokes and had it fitted with long Teague chokes. Fantastic gun in the field and far easier to carry. It's only 1/2lb lighter but I find that this makes all the difference. Chris

Interesting comment on the results from different cartridges. I presume that the effect is going to be more noticeable with wider chokes although it would be worth while trying different cartridges and chokes, so much to do, so little time! I intend having a good shotgun patterning session with the farmer who owns my nearest permission (50 yards away at the bottomof the garden!). I took him and his wife to Doveridge to shoot some clays on Friday and he is genuinely interested in going through this excercise with his Browning Prestige Sporter. I have a Prestige Game gun with Teague long chokes, should be interesting to see if there is actually a difference between my Teagues and his Invectors. Chris

On the day I bought the gun I called in at a friend's workshop on the way home and we measured the exit diameter of the barrel. It was 0.721''. The barrel is marked 0.729'' which gives a constriction of 0.008''. Skeet chokes are usually around 0.005'' and quarter around 0.010'' so I regard this as a slightly open 1/4 choke. The letter S is stamped on each barrel so it corresponds to whatever Miroku thought was the optimum choking for skeet shooting back in 1974 when it was made. If I am out rough shooting with the gun, I find that Lyalvale Express 36g no. 5 will bring down crows at ridiculous distances. I got one at 50 yards last winter although that was the exception! Chris

It sounds like the Miroku 800S which I bought about a year ago, 26 inch barrels, choked skeet and skeet. Superb for clays (skeet, sporting, high tower and simulated grouse) and as a hide gun when shooting pigeons and crows. Mine likes 30/32 gram no. 6 for most purposes, change to no. 5 for targets further out. Chris