Granty84

Hey all! Does anyone by any chance have a .pdf manual for a Savage Arms/Stevens 58d Bolt Action 12 bore? I've tried Stevespage and it only has the manual for the newer Savage Arms bolt action shotguns. Believe it or not, but Savage Arms don't have an email address on their site. I'm about to send a letter requesting a manual but wondered if anyone could help. Cheers!

Fiocchi 2 3/4" cases for sale here: http://www.shotgunreloading.co.uk/page13.html £6.70 per 100 primed

Problem solved! I've made a trigger cover from a length of narrow diameter rubber bunsen burner tubing. I think I'll also stay clear of the VIPs when doing clays! Cheers for everyone's input. I really appreciate it!

Fab! Any idea where I might get one from? I've managed to source a bit of narrow rubber tubing, at work, which might suffice. I'll try it when I get home.

Hi John, now I've read your thoughts, I've realised that it wasn't just the LOP that was different this weekend compared to last. I used different cartridges as well! As a scientist, I should know that you should only change one factor at a time!!!!!! The weekend where my finger came away unscathed, I was using Gamebore Kent Velocity 28gm 7.5s and the finger bashing time, I was using Eley VIP 28gm 7.5s which I've found in the past to have a lot more of a kick! I will try some Kent Velocities with the new LOP and see if my finger survives!

That's a good point Oscarsdad. I might reduce the LOP a bit and try again once my finger's healed up!

Thanks for those answers. In actual fact I've lengthened the length of pull rather than shortened it- by about an inch. I was finding it difficult to hold it firmly to my shoulder and therefore was getting a rather large bruise on my arm! I'll speak to a gunsmith about this.

Hello all, I recently adjusted the length of pull on my sxs and found that when I now work the second trigger, the recoil drives the front one into my trigger finger. The big problem I have is that the gun is quite old and the back of the front trigger is rather abrasive, thus when I looked down at my hand after 40 clays I was shocked to see it covered in blood! You should have seen the trigger guard which had gained a crimson paint job! Does anyone have any advice on how I might be able to alleviate the issue. I don't really want to alter the gun but have considered putting a layer of rubberised shrink wrap on the front trigger to give it a smooth surface. Any ideas most welcome!

I've been working on and off on the concept of an escort case catcher and have found that adding any sort of deflector/case bag combo obstructs the bolt and loading port from the user. I have, however managed to build a case deflector, which admirably drops the cartridges within a metre of my feet every time. I haven't got a photo of the finished piece of work, but here's a picture of it pre-paint job. It was made from a pair of cheap Umarex scope mounts (a 4x20 scope and the mounts set me back all of £4 on a well known auction site) and a piece of plasticard. I cut and filed down the scope rings and attached the plasticard using the screws and threads that tightened the scope rings. With the Escort's built in 11mm weaver rail, the deflector can be attached to the gun in seconds.

Just finished a butt stock shell holder for my Escort. I figured that I didn't need to buy one- I used neoprene from an a old wetsuit and some nylon webbing. This should speed up reloads in the field.

Brilliant! It's comments like that which I miss in the holidays!

Amen to that! I used to have the most lazy science technician who always treid to palm you off with the comment "Have you risk assessed this?" The funniest was when she asked me to risk assess having a second pet hamster in my lab. I calmly asked for the original form back and wrote "x2" in big writing on it!

Hey guys, I'm new to shooting and want to get into pigeon shooting. I've obtained permission to shoot on some land nearby and am going to be called once the rape crop is up. I need somone to show me the ropes and was hoping someone might be able to help. I live in Droitwich in NE Worcestershire. Would anyone be willing to help me out? Cheers

I want to get written permission to shoot on land. I saw a really good thread that had a form that I could hand to the land owner to complete but I can't find the thread anymore. Can anyone post something like this for me to print and use? Cheers!

We have a shooting team at our school that does rather well nationally. Suggesting that Shooting is made part of the national curriculum is going a little bit too far. As far as I'm aware, no sport is NC compulsory. The REAL problem that needs to be overcome is Health & Safety!!! In my experience, Independent Schools are more willing to deal with H&S because there's no LEA tying their hands.

Swapping from an urika to a hatsan does appear to be a serious step down in quality and more importantly to most of the people in the UK who don't have one "class". Escorts are seriously Marmite guns- There's nothing wrong with them but there are a lot of haters out there (most of whom haven't owned one). I bought a second hand 3.5" and found it wouldn't cycle anything less than 32gms. It all depends on what you want to use it on. 3" will still handle pretty heavy magnum loads but my Mk4 will happily cycle a super weak 21gm without batting an eyelid. If you do decide to get an Escort go 3" as you'll have a great all-rounder, but it would appear that this will be a step down in quality from your urika.

I'm using a Mk4 with 28gm Eley VIPs. There's virtually no kick whatsoever in my opinion, and these guys have a bit more kick than comparable carts- I've tried this in sxs and ou's and the difference you see in these is not noticeable in the Escort.

Aparently the best prices are usually at The Countryman of Derby- they sell more than anywhere else. Prices for black synthetic was 389 the other day. Don't know about camo. I got a new one on Tuesday at Shooting Supplies of Bromsgrove for 350- they have a deal on at the moment.

I tried out my new Hatsan 3" this evening- worked like a flaming charm!! As a test, a friend lent me some really pathetic 21gm carts and it cycled them without even blinking! I can't get over the lack of recoil with the VIPs, which hammered me when I used someones OU the other week, unbelievable. Subsonicat- I saw your comment about lengthening a gun's stock and this made my life a lot easier tonight. Cheers for all your advice and help people!

Droitwich- Worcestershire but work in Warwick.

Thanks for all your comments and advice. I went back to the shop expecting a bit of a barney, only to get really good, no questions asked service. I got my refund and bought a brand new '12 edition 3" Magnum for £40 quid more than I paid for the second hand Mk1. I'll run it in on Thursday with those Eley VIPs and let you know how it works out. I get the feeling that at Shooting Supplies Bromsgrove it all depends on who serves you as to whether or not you get the best advice. I can't fault them as a shop for all their help, even if they did generate the problems to start with!!

Dear all, Thanks for your really helpful comments. I'm gonna head to the shop first thing and demand a full refund. I've got my eye on a brand new 3" Escort on sale at the countryman up in Derby so will be heading up that way later in the week. I'll let you know how it fairs in the future. Cheers!

The VIP is a faster cartridge I'm afraid!! That link is one I'll definitely use if I keep the Escort. I'm of a mind not to strip it and clean the mechanism until I've spoken to the chaps at the store- I feel if I strip it, I'm acknowledging that the cartridges are fine and it's the gun.

Hello all, I've recently purchased a Hatsan Escort Magnum 3.5" as my first shotgun. The shop I bought it from told me that 28gm 70mm cartridges would be adequate and not cause any issues with cycling- despite my doubts as the manual suggests that it will not cycle anything lighter than a 32g 70mm. When I voiced my doubts, the staff assured me that 28s wouldn't be a problem as the gun was second hand and would therefore be "broken in". I took it out for a round of clays with 28g Eley VIPs and must have had to clear the breach, of a half loaded cartridge, and manually re-load 20 of my 30 second shots, much to the amusement of my friends (Whenever I stepped up to the plate it was suggested that everyone else went for a pint!). As I'm fairly new to shooting and even newer to owning a gun, I wanted your opinions on what the shop told me. Should I take the cartridges back (the shop are happy to do this), or should I give the gun a good oiling? Personally I've got no issues buying 70mm 32g cartridges. Thank you in advance for your replies. PS: I don't need any comments of "Get anything other than an Escort". I wanted a knock about all purpose semi-auto and it was in my price range (which was rather restrictive!!)

Hello all! I've just taken up clay pigeon shooting and after a few shoots have just purchased a SH Hatsan Escort SA Double Magnum. Here's to many years of shooting- Although I think I might have to put in a lot of silly newbie questions to get a full idea of the sport! Cheers, Chris