-Mongrel-

Nah, you're alright. I'll take my own hard won opinion over that of a 'select' committee of people with an over inflated opinion of themselves and those they consider worthy.

"The ex-husband claimed “tiredness and health problems” had prevented him from being more attentive between the sheets." Phew! That was a close one, if he'd claimed to have been out hunting at all hours of the night I could foresee a storm brewing in the Mongrel household!

Well yes...and no! The bricks are bound to absorb some of the heat, however, of the overall heat provided I'd not think it would be enough to make a noticeable dent in the output, add to that the bricks will then also act as mini radiators once they are warmed then your losses are reduced further (the heated bricks are basically how storage heaters work, they take in the heat and then slowly release it over a period of time). Adding fans would work...how effectively I don't know but fan heaters are more effective than plain convector heaters, whether the cost of running fans would offset the heat benefit I'm afraid I also don't know.

This is too broad a question, you can't pick just one man to cover all bases. I mean, as greatest explorer you would have to go with Sir Ranulph Fiennes, greatest entrepreneur is probably Branson, greatest living British Actor, I'd nominate David Jason, sportsman? Sir Steve Redgrave etc, etc. Many of the other names mentioned are top lads in their field, but I don't think you can choose an overall greatest Brit.

Crikey! ...and an amphibious vehicle to lug it all!!! I note that some suggest wellies and leggings while others advocate waders, I'd personally have gone for neoprene chest waders but pros/cons? I will be accompanied for the first year and am hoping to convert my currently keenly retrieving lab into a keen fowl retrieving lab, otherwise we're going up to 3 dogs! Some other good suggestions I hadn't considered...and at least we're all agreed on the bog roll!

The older 400/10 can be adjusted. It can be adjusted to well over 12ft/lb. If you adjust it over 12ft/lb it would then require you to have it on a FAC. Simple answer is don't adjust it over 12 ft/lb. If you've been playing with it I'd get it chrono'd a bit sharpish and likewise if you are unsure of it's output, if you intend to regularly try and tweak it then buy a chronograph. My S400 when I first got it had been played with, fortunately I got the dealer to check it before I took it..."Bloody Hell!" he muttered, "It's running at 18.5 ft/lb!". It was swiftly recalibrated to 11.2, far more sensible! All the time the output is below 12 it's fine to use, regardless of the fact that it COULD be more powerful, it isn't. As a footnote, I'd be a little concerned with it running at 11.6 myself, different temperatures and even pellets can alter the velocity, it may be 11.6 with one pellet but higher with another, at 11.6 there's not much room for error.

So long as you have closed the chimney off around the flue just above the mantlepiece height then I'd not expect much negative effect to be honest. The heat would rise but with nowhere to go would then find its way out.

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In my usual ars* about ti* fashion, I've gone and joined a fowling club. I do not however know what I need!!! I'm a probationer for a year, so, what am I going to NEED, and what would be nice to have? I'm guessing the list goes something along the lines of: Gun.(I have a steel proofed o/u, but, should I be on the lookout for a semi auto?) Steel carts (sizes? mainly duck I gather) Camo jacket/hat Waders? (If so what type?) Hide? I have some camo nets and poles, is this adequate? What else please?

Didn't notice the Paypal payment, contact them and open a dispute for goods not received, you should end up being refunded if it was a purchase 'for goods', not sure what the situation is if you sent it as a 'gift'.

Sounds as if you have exhausted your options to be honest, if he is saying that it was posted at your risk then I'd be looking at the legal situation...my feeling would be that it is probably down to the seller to prove postage but I'm no brief... ... otherwise, cut your losses and name and shame to prevent anyone else getting turned over.

With a bit of practice you'll get similar accuracy at close on twice that distance with the 410. That said the Daystates are hardly known for being inaccurate! But, if you prefer the feel of the 410, that's the one to shoot with.

That's a great idea, I can't believe I didn't think of this before! I now have a use for the three old gas bottles I have!

It may help that my permissions are mainly paddocks and therefore I've been able to check my ranges and, my shooting distances are kept sensible. I also take the time to make sure everything is shooting straight every time the gun comes out of the slip or has been cleaned. I also have the restraint to not take on any shot I consider marginal. I have spent an entire evening watching longer range rabbits without firing a shot. I don't pull the trigger unless it's a pretty certain shot and I can honestly say, I can only think of one this year that had me up and running over to deliver a mercy shot. I'm not guaranteeing 200 rabbits, it maybe be 150 ish, maybe more, but I am out every week hunting, plus a day a week on the targets. I probably average 5 a visit so, at least 30 visits at 5 a visit is 150. That is a minimum as I'm often out 2 or sometimes 3 times a week. As I said, the figure is a guess-timate.

I'm not going to tell you that every one fell over motionless instantly, you'll always get some that twitch for a short time afterwards, but they are not running around or escaping wounded. I don't really care how hard to believe you find that, it does seem you have a penchant for disbelief in many of your posts, but, I am quite happy that of the guesstimated total for this year, I've only had one that hasn't been dead pretty much instantly.

As per the title, I am trying to establish which Kick-Eez pad I need for my Diamond line deluxe and am wondering if anyone already done so...and if so, which pad they bought (ideally for a direct replacement). All info gratefully received.

Tough...very!

That would be fair comment if I was wounding quarry with any regularity, I don't call one wounding (which was despatched seconds later with a follow up) out of around 200 rabbits this year regular. I do also regularly compete in HFT as do several of my colleagues, it's how we met.

Unfortunately all of my dealings with ****** sorry, travellers, have been bad. That starts as a teen on a South London council estate and has continued for the next 30 years all over the South East of the country. We have 3 illegal camps around Brighton at the moment, each one a dirty, illegal blight on the park/down land they choose to squat on. I can honestly say that in that time I've met a good few and have yet to find an honest, decent law abiding one yet. As such, I'd call it as I find it and say they deserve to be subjected to the strong arm of the law...for once. Jeremy Vine was talking about this on his Radio 2 show yesterday, it was pointed out that the travellers don't NEED to be on this site at all, there are several other approved sites around the country with hard standing and amenities laid on...that are EMPTY as they have chosen not to use them. Edited for typos.

But even at 35 yards you have a more loopy trajectory with a .22, and at the distances up to 35 yds you still have more pronounced hold under (assuming a 35 yard zero) than the flatter .177. I wouldn't disagree that a .22 in the right place has more killing power, but maybe more than is actually needed? Making a bigger hole won't make it any more dead. As for 45 yards being ten yards too far for most competent shots...I know of six other airgun hunters who consistently shoot out to 45 yards and consistently, cleanly kill. I've assumed this to be the norm for competent shots as well as the ability to be able to range fairly accurately. Surely you should be grouping well and on target at this sort of range before even considering taking on live quarry? My .177 shoots only 1/2" lower at 45 yards than it does at 35, that's still likely to be in the kill zone is it not and getting 45 to be 48 is even less of an issue surely? Clean kills has to be the benchmark and I know the lads are very keen to make sure this happens, personally I've had only one that needed a second shot all year.

If it was mine I'd have it on a long training leash. You can let it have a good sniff around around but also stop it while commanding it and prevent the jumping up/scaring people. As said though, there's plenty more training there to be done and a lot of your battle will be getting the whole family to be consistent. It's no good you teaching it good habits for the wife/kids to then reinforce the old bad ones. Yo al need to be maintaining the same regime.

A full statement from MSVR reads as follows: On the first lap of the National Superstock 600 race at Cadwell Park circuit, Benjamin Gautrey fell on the right hand corner at the bottom of the Mountain section. He was unavoidably hit by two riders immediately following him, five riders fell in total. The race was immediately stopped. Gautrey, 18 from Southport sustained significant and serious chest and head injuries, he was treated immediately trackside by the BSB Medical Team before being transferred to the circuit medical centre where further attempts to resuscitate him were made. All other riders involved in the incident were uninjured. Tragically he succumbed to his injuries. RIP young Ben, sad when we lose a racer, doubly so when so young and talented.

Look-ing gooooood buddy!!!!!

Have you got a link for that smoker?