Houseplant

They look good. Would you consider posting to NZ if I covered postage? I'm after a .22LR wallet.

Stock photo plus keys, but you get the idea. NZ is pretty much a cashless society, so no dirty looks if you buy a can of coke with a debit card. I never carry cash, but do keep a little of "emergency cash" in the car.

Back out on the ducks. Not really happy with my hide setup from last time, thought I'd give the ghillie suit thing a go. It worked well and I hit everything I shot at which was quite pleasing. Bagged two greys/mallards and three paradise shelducks which are a large goose-like bird which make good eating. Unfortunately for this fellow, he crossed my path on the way back to the car from the ponds. When I got back to the car, there were two rabbits sat about 5 metres away. It would have been an easy shot, but they were on the small side and I had enough meat to take home, so left them to it. I did manage a photo though.

I have a cheap tripod, but it's not steady enough for rabbit shooting, at least not in my hands. I use a 30 litre rucksack with a rigid plastic bin in it (seriously!). It makes a good rest, especially with a bit of padding in the front pocket. I need to carry the bag anyway and the bin doesn't add much weight. Works for me.

chipless

I think that is a fair comment.

Sounds like you've experienced it! The last bit is true, if you don't fish or hunt, not a hell of a lot to do here and more so in the provinces than Auckland. Yep, we're now pretty much self-sufficient for meat and fish, apart from when we fancy a steak or a pork chop. That reminds me, must try and shoot a pig

Lots of people here use them for wild goat hunting, and long bows as well. Don't want to get in to the ethics, just a point of interest.

cheers, just wondered.

Just out of interest, what do you use that kind of thing for?

Thought I'd add my new adventures to this thread as everybody may not want to read stories from the other side of the world. The rabbit and possum shooting has been fairly consistent... ...but more interesting is that I've done a bit of duck shooting for the first time. One of my permissions has a small few ponds and last weekend was the start of the duck season, so I thought why not. Went out and bought a Miroku MK70 multi-choke. I owned a Beretta semi-auto in the UK and didn't want another semi-auto, personal preference. The Miroku is proofed for steel and magnum cartridges. Bought a duck hunting license, hide netting and some decoys and got to work. One of the things I like about NZ is that you can just do things without too many obstacles. Having said that, I had no idea what I was doing apart from a bit of internet education and previous experience decoying for pigeon in the UK. Also, haven't fired a shotgun for four years. Shot four ducks, all grey (NZ indigenous species)-mallard crosses over the day. Not a huge number, but a lot of fun and a good learning experience.

Yes, it's a great rifle. Once a rabbit (or possum!) is in the crosshairs, it's pretty much dead already.

Those who are claiming long distance shots with .22LR, what size is the target? If it's any bigger than a couple of inches, not much use for rabbit hunting or any other practical application, but interesting nonetheless.

These are very good, but don't know if available in the UK and may not come in the right size for your torch body. http://www.outdooroutfitters.co.nz/outdoor-outfitters-torch-scope-mount-30mm-quick-detach-fits-any-30mm-torch-body-xidp799599.html This is my current setup. Just about to upgrade the torch and will probably go with a very simple mount like this which is cheap as chips. https://www.torchmonster.co.nz/accessories/mounts/gm5-variable.html

I can't comment on semi-autos because I have no personal experience. I've always liked the idea of a bolt action rifle, so when it came to buying a .22LR, I went for a CZ452. I'm very happy with bolt action. It's never jammed and I can get a 2nd shot off pretty quickly. Occasionally, I miss out on a rabbit that I think would have been in the bag with a semi-auto, but on balance, if I was to buy again, would definitely go bolt action.

I wish!

I got full on charged by a cow a little while ago. Not a bull, a cow (with a calf). Literally threw myself over an electrified fence to get away! Mentioned it to the land owner, a no-nonsense tough Kiwi bloke and he said "yup, a cow will kill you, don't take any chances". I'm now very wary.

Haha. As I said, they were given to me in a bag of other bits. The previous owner used them on wild goats. I know, different world here!

Snow white - you are welcome to come and collect them any time. Otherwise, I will give them a clean up and use.

A friend at work was kind enough to give me a load of old hunting gear. In the package was some old cartridges. They are a bit rusty. Are they safe to use? Are they going to do any damage to the chambers of my shiny new Miroku? Thanks.

A friend at work was kind enough to give me a load of old hunting gear. In the package was some old cartridges. They are a bit rusty. Are they safe to use? Are they going to do any damage to the chambers of my shiny new Miroku? Thanks.

Went in to the gun shop to buy some .22 ammunition. Came out with a Miroku MK70. It was a good deal, honestly!

Interesting thread. Love my CZ452, but getting a little frustrated with the ballistics of .22LR. Funny thing is that I started out with the intention of buying a small bore centrefire, but got talked out of it by numerous people.

Do people actually believe what the Daily Mail says? When used correctly, the LCP was one of the most compassionate parts of modern medicine. It provided symptom relief for dying patients and prevented unnecessary (and often painful) medical intervention at the end of life. That's my view from the factory floor, from someone who has actually cared for dying patients. If you really believe doctors go to work with the intention of killing someone for institutional reward, to free beds or for some other disingenuous motive, then you are living in cloud cuckoo land.

I think that's a fair enough viewpoint. After many years of education and training and for most a real passion for medicine, it's natural that they wouldn't want to get another job. What they will do is move to another country. It's been happening for years and will get worse. Nearly every one of my anaesthetic colleagues are British and about half the surgeons. I know it's not a very fashionable thing to say, but it would pay to look after your doctors, nursed and other healthcare staff if you want the NHS to continue in it's current form.