Dead-Eyed Duck

I would disagree with your last comment, in that I would say that it's damn near impossible, and the sooner that people realise this the better the situation will be. Blissful ignorance is sheer stupidity. The country is bust, with nowt left in the coffers. We have all heard some people say that life is hard, whilst smoking a fag and drinking in the pub, and discussing their next holiday. I am not seeking to ignore the fact that for some life can truly be hard and full of misfortune, but I am sick and tired of head in the sands attitude that ignores the blatantly obvious facts of life. Those that seek to rely on the government to look after them in their old age have obviously never seen the news or read the financial pages of newspapers.

All you can do is to try and plan for it. We did without lots of 'luxuries', and managed to pay off our last mortgage 15 years before I retired at the age of 65 (this took 18 years mortgage payments). All of a sudden we had lots of money, as this coincided with both of our youngsters leaving home. For the last 15 years working I paid 29% of my salary into a pension scheme, and my net retirement income is higher now than when I was working. I know that saving and planning is out of fashion for some, as is living within your means, but it can work out if you get it right.

I really do think that you need to go in a darkened room to chill. I am no fan of Dave, but consider the recent alternatives - Gordon Brown, who ruined the economy, or his bosom pal Tony Bliar, the true socialist, stocking up his largess since he left office. Politicians are human, not robots. Give me Boris any day rather than a po-faced do-gooder who turns people off politics.

I have the thumbhole versions of the .22 and the hmr, and the hmr only has a one stage trigger as standard. Whilst the one stage is OK, it is an obvious scam on the part of the supplier. I eventually bought a two stage trigger to fit the hmr (think it was £65), and can now swap from one gun to the other with no noticeable difference, which is a great advantage. They are great guns, and are extremely accurate

Thank you for all the very informative replies to my post, although I must admit that I do not fully understand some of the technicalities involved. I want to keep things as simple as possible, and as far as I can see this means using either bismuth or copper shot. If I were to do this would it be OK to 'load' as normal - i.e. simply use the normal wadding system procedures applicable to Damascus barrelled muzzle loaders? I intend to use black powder, and assume that bismuth or copper shot will produce any noticeable barrel wear. I would have thought that I would not fire more than 100 shots in any season. Does anyone have any sources for bismuth or copper shot - I assume that the powder:shot volume ratio will be approx. the same as per when using lead shot?

What - have you been watching at all? Georgia has enough 'meat' on her to make any bloke happy, and the way that she moves is enough to make any male drool... I have been ballroom dancing for over 15 years - was dragged there kicking and screaming by my wife. I hated and loathed it at first, but after 3 months it started to make sense. I can honestly say that the wife has never been happier - she has a bunch of cronies and female chums to gossip to, and a new frock or pair of shoes is enough to let me go shooting and fishing whenever I want to. I am quite happy to let you stand by the bar eyeing up the talent whilst I am dancing with them....

I have various calibres of percussion muzzle loaders, and want to know the options for when using these for wildfowling. I assume that using steel shot would be out due to the pressures involved? If so what are the alternatives - bismuth? If bismuth is an option, then what are the approximate rules for the powder:shot ratio. Would this be as per when using lead shot - roughly equal measures by volume of black powder to shot? Finally, if bismuth shot is an option then does anyone have an idea as to where this could be sourced, and if so an approximate cost.

I have one. A bit heavy, but a very good piece of kit in my opinion. As with all of the Nite Site kit your are looking into a screen, and so it pays to wear a face mask or whatever to prevent your face being lit up at 'close' ranges.

I bought a Yeti simply because my company car just before I retired was a Yeti, and I did 120,000 trouble-free miles in it in 2.5 years or so. I did look at the X Trail, but didn't like the low ground clearance of the silencer at the back, although this may not have been a severe disadvantage. It just looks potentially troublesome. I have done 48,000 miles in my Yeti since I retired 3 years ago, and I have been delighted with all aspects of it. The back seats drop at the flick of a lever and the electronic 4 x 4 system is very easy to activate etc. Have a look at the Top Gear test, which is very good. My shooting buddy shoots over 500 rabbits/year out of the sun roof, and he is no lightweight! My car has the 170 hp diesel engine which is plenty quick enough. I am not a hard driver, and mpg averages c. 50 mpg according to the onboard computer.

I have a Skoda Yeti, which is great for me. I never forget that it is fitted with road tyres, and carefully plan where I am going. Years ago I got stuck in a field at night with a Subaru Forester - there was a spring bubbling up that I was not aware of, and luckily for me the keeper came along and dragged me out. He also was not aware of the spring, and said that he would have got stuck there in his Hilux... Last week a Jeep Cherokee got stuck on a field near me - some lurcher guys, so I don't have too much sympathy as they did not have permission. It is still there now with the windows all smashed etc., etc. No doubt they thought that they knew what they were doing....

I suppose one really disturbing aspect is why our unbiased, report anything BBC has not included this in the news. Why, they could even have reported it as the ramblings of the far right UKIP. After all, they have bombarded us in the past few days with Dave's proposals for renegotiation that nobody seems to understand.

I had a trapped sciatic nerve a few years back, and traded both of my 12g guns for exactly the same models in 20g. The main benefit is that the guns are lighter, although the recoil not necessarily so - it all depends on the cartridges used. All I can say is that there is a significant benefit when carrying a gun for some hours. I have not noticed any in reduction in my shooting.

I wuz allers told that common sense sense starts in t'North and weakens as it filters darn sarf due ter gravity. Yer shud come up er more often and larn a lot more. But there again, if yer do then house prices might go up to the daft levels that you lots pay. Stay darn there!

It all depends on how close you are to the houses of non-country folk, and how many shots you expect to fire... On a weekday I would normally start at 08.00 or so, and expect little trouble. However, I have had plod walking towards me following a noise complaint from townies living 250 yards away. On a Sunday morning common courtesy where I live dictates that I would not start before 09.00. Even then, I would not set up facing houses 300 yards away so that the noise is directed away from where they are.. It all depends where, and how many shots you expect to fire...

I have dealt with him a few times, and he has always provided me with top service...

Lots of mink at the RSPB reserve underneath the Thelwall Viaduct. Over 30 trapped there last year

I used to deal with factory owners on a daily basis for 15 years; most of whom were millionaires. The self-made men were no different to the inherited wealth crowd, except perhaps the latter were better spoken and more 'cultured'. I eventually came to the conclusion that the good old 80:20 rule applied. This meant that I could trust 20%, and on the remainder I would not willingly spend my money on buying them a drink outside of work duties. The 20% were the salt of the earth, and I still keep in touch with some of them since I retired. So expect the worst, and when a good deed is done this gives you some faith in human nature.

Many moons ago I bought a Rem 700 in 22-50 Varmint heavy barrel. As I intended sticking a long moderator on the end I asked the dealer to 'lop off' 4" from the barrel to make it more handy. He was horrified, but I insisted. According to the literature that I read at the time this would lose 50fps for each 1" removed, and I was quite happy with that. The end result was a very accurate rifle (I still have some targets that I shot with it) and I wish that I had never sold it..... The trigger was poor by Sako/Tikka standards, but I shot loads of long range foxes with it.

Three field hare dog :- It takes three fields for the dog chasing a hare before it gives up. Until the next hare.

Cobblers. It's just that you are not young enough to know everything.

So let me get this right - you don't like Prince Philip because he had the audacity to go out with a few ladies before he got wed. I think that you had better go back to playing snakes and ladders or tiddly winks.

Must be a wind up, with nowt better to do. No other rational explanation

I do love a good socialist rant. I bet that you have pictures of Tony Blair on your bedroom wall..... Now he did no wrong, apart from start a war that 1000's of innocent people died in.

Bought my HW 100 4 years ago, and it was 2nd hand then. Inlet seal went last week, and took me 20 mins to put a new one in - easy peasy.

My answer to such 'One hole' comments is always that I really appreciate your skill in doing that. Would you mind if I come with you the next time and I am quite happy to pay you £50 for the privilege and the learning curve. Oh, and by the way, if you cannot do it then you will have to pay me £250. I've had no takers so far....