-Mongrel-

On the flip side, the BSAC clubs tend to organise diving which is generally pretty cheap, if PADI do the same thay are always having to add on their costs. If you have the time, pick your club carefully and do the training with BSAC. In my opinion you will end up a more rounded diver and have a decent circle of diving buddies with the opportunities that and being in a club brings. You can take as long as you need over the training and not be under pressure to qualify or pay again. If you are in a hurry, or only really do resort diving, PADI all the way. I will add that I was diving with Bromley BSAC (Branch 26) and quailified as the equivalent of the current Ocean Diver easily within the year. I was also diving every weekend with the club through the summer.

LOL! You saying 'end of' does not make it so! You sound like my ex boss, I told him I was leaving, he said "You can't, we have X,Y & Z to finish, so you can't leave yet, end of", yeah, end of our business relationship. And, as you say, it is your opinion, nothing more. it would appear mine and Karpman's opinion is not the same. Such is life.

BSAC for british diving for sure, but PADI is more widely/easily accepted abroad. I too trained to dive leader and did both British and warm water diving. I used to find that warm water got a bit 'samey' and boring after a few days, maybe I just needed the challenge of cold, murky water and strong currents!!! Never did make Scapa although it was on the list, I was actually working towards the dive depths required (60 metres) and did plenty of 40 metre plus channel diving.

As said, it's easy enough to bring it down, but, I don't own a chrono (really should mind you!) and the 'smith's been paid to do it, it's not right, so he can bloody well sort it FOC.

Right, the 'rooks' are crows, he has a shedload of carrion crows on the land at the moment but doesn't appear to have the roost. Decoys it is I assume then!

My S510 runs at 11.5 and I'm happy with that in a regulated gun, but the break barrel I'd rather see at lower 11's.

Recently bought a Theoben Sirroco, not because I wanted it, but it was really cheap! However, a chrono showed it underpowered. Sent it to a local 'smith to have new seals, a service and regas on the ram. Came back today. I said to my dealer "Best run it through the chrono, just to check.", " 'smiths already done it mate, look, he's listed it as now at 11.67". Slightly higher than ideal I thought but anyway, " Just run a couple through it Nick, just to be sure!". He capitulates and puts a pellet through it...which went with a helluva pop, and shattered all over the place as it hit the back stop... ..."14.87 and it sounded like it" was his first comment, a couple more through, both above 14ft/lb, "We'll send that back to be redone shall we" says he! Yes, might be wise!!!

To be fair, he did say rooks and crows, but I'll know more soon enough. If rooks aren't a predatory problem, why are they culled?

The approach is from a local farm, they have a game syndicate who don't seem to bother. Apparently the rooks hammer the new born lambs every year.

Fairly obviously not if he didn't like it.

Thanks for all the info, all taken on board and very much appreciated, hadn't considered lofting poles to move them or a flapper. Cheers.

That's what I wanted to hear, any good tips for decoying? Are they like crows in that they really don't like owls? Are rook decoys viable...I'm thinking about the other thread of sticking pigeon deeks in a balck stocking?

I may have an invitation to do some rook shooting. I'm aware of the practice of shooting branchers when they leave the nest, but are they decoyable, can you shoot them on the way in to roost with any reliability? I have other people locally I can call on but was just looking to see how other people deal with them?

Always sad when you inevitably lose them but best to focus on the good times. You can sleep easy in the knowledge that her years with you were her best!

Looked at one for my S510...£85.00! Suffice to say I bought the Weirauch.

...and it matters not a jot how much dough the manager has, the calibre of the fans will be unchanged. You only have to look back at the Chelsea of the 80's to see where their fans come from.

That'll be why you put a link in then!

As far as I can find the Hw range are all 1/2"UNF female threaded, if you can find something suggesting otherwise please post up a link.

True! Don't buy cheap air rifles, not about to start. They are cheap for a reason. I have handled a couple and they feel cheap, that's enough for me. You pick up a quality rifle it has the feel of what it is, and the old adage of you get what you pay for is based on market economics. If it's very cheap, they must have used cheap parts. If it's got decent wood, they've had to cut costs even further elsewhere. I've owned enough air rifles now to know the difference between a quality piece of kit (AirArms, Daystate, Weirauch et al) and the inferior versions. If you want to use cheap air rifles that's absolutely fine, but don't try and make them out to be more than they are. All of the above is only my opinion of course, you don't have to agree but I am entitled to it.

Interesting, didn't think Weirauch did a male threaded silencer. The 510 is female threaded and as such requires a nipple between gun and silencer. I have to say that I have tried an AirArms silencer on the 510, and compared it to the Weirauch just held against the end of the barrel, there is no competition, the Weirauch is considerably quieter!

Numbers 5 & 6 are reasonable guns, you're welcome to the rest. The cheapies are cheap for good reason, build quality.

I am in this boat with my 510. It has a AirArms silencer at the moment but, I have a Weirauch silencer which is quieter with me just holding it over the end of the barrel. What were the downsides to the adapter?

S200/S400 and a stirrup pump. I am guessing that if you only want single shot it's a hunting tool, in which case you are unlikely to take enough shots to require a refill mid session, so, a stirrup pump will be adequate for your needs. I am a big Air Arms fan though so a bit biased.

Thanks gentlemen (and ladies perhaps!) and especially Eskoky (that's really kicked things along), all taken on board and investigated.

More than I got, but then I suppose that if he got what he wanted in the first couple of PM's, why bother answering the rest of them? Like you I gave details of what I could do, but no personal details.