CaptainBeaky

They do balance a little oddly out of the box, although a few tyre weights under the recoil pad will sort that out.This does add to the other thing you will notice, which is that they are quite heavy - mine is 8 lb 10 oz with the stock extension and balance weights. The weight does help shooting bigger loads. I'm told that they are quite happy cycling 3.5" Roman candles, as long as you adjust the gas valve accordingly. Mine will happily cycle 24g target loads as well, again with the correct valve setting. What it isn't is a set and forget gun - you do need to adjust for different loads, and you may also have to put up with some snobbery. "Why handicap yourself with one of those?" is a phrase I have heard more often than I would prefer. It was cheap, it works (every time), it hits what you aim at, if you point it in the right direction, and I like it, so ner! And I won't cry if it scrapes around in the back of a pickup..... They do balance a little oddly out of the box, although a few tyre weights under the recoil pad will sort that out.This does add to the other thing you will notice, which is that they are quite heavy - mine is 8 lb 10 oz with the stock extension and balance weights. The weight does help shooting bigger loads. I'm told that they are quite happy cycling 3.5" Roman candles, as long as you adjust the gas valve accordingly. Mine will happily cycle 24g target loads as well, again with the correct valve setting. What it isn't is a set and forget gun - you do need to adjust for different loads, and you may also have to put up with some snobbery. "Why handicap yourself with one of those?" is a phrase I have heard more often than I would prefer. It was cheap, it works (every time), it hits what you aim at, if you point it in the right direction, and I like it, so ner! And I won't cry if it scrapes around in the back of a pickup..... What happened there?

If you go down the veg route, be aware that you can only use 2500 litres per annum before you have to start paying Road Fuel Duty, which wipes out the cost saving if you are buying new oil. I use cheapo supermarket veg oil when I can get it for more than 20p a litre cheaper than derv, and chip shop surplus when I can get that. New oil goes straight in, used gets filtered and washed first. A tankful of derv every so often helps clear any **** through. Oh yeah, it's a Toyota Surf with the 3l td engine, so a Denso inline fuel pump. I've done upwards of 60k like that, no problems so far...

So as to create a one-stop shop for gun thieves?And why shouldn't law-abiding citizens own pistols? Because you don't want one?

It's called a stacked leather handle, and yes, they need to be glued up under pressure. You can set up a suitable jig with a sash cramp - you need a hole for the tang to slide into, and a non stick surface to avoid gluing the last washer to the clamp. I made one up using scrap lengths of Unistrut and some studding. I can't remember off hand how the butt is secured on an Estwing, but on knives the tang usually goes through a metal pommel or plate, and is peened over to hold it on. In my experience, you don't need to cut holes the exact shape of the tang, but a line of circular punch holes works as long as the diameter of the holes it's about the width of the tang. The washers can also be rectangular and over size - create the final shape using a belt sander once the epoxy has set. So; Count washers on original handle, and cut 20% more than this - the originals are very thick, and yours will squash down in the clamp. Measure the profile along the length of the handle and cut rectangular washers to cover this. Punch a line of holes across the centre of your washers so they will slide onto the tang. The glue will lubricate them on final assembly, so the washers can be quite tight. Mix up sufficient epoxy for the job, making sure it is warm. Spread glue on the top (head side) of the first washer, and slide it onto the tang, all the way to the top. Spread glue on the bottom of the first washer and slide the next one on. Repeat. I would suggest clamping up briefly about a third of the way along, and the again at two thirds, just to start compressing the leather. When you get to the end, put the handle in the clamp and clamp tightly. After an hour or so you will be able to wind it down a bit more as the leather compresses. Keep checking every few hours and tighten when possible. When the epoxy is set, you may now find too much tang sticking out, so you will need to repeat the process - you did cut enough washers, didn't you? When all the washers are on and set, c rivet on the pommel. Shape the handle profile using a belt sander - take it slowly so you don't burn the leather, and use a new, sharp belt of about 40 grit. When you have the shape cut, polish by working up the grits to about 400 - don't use emery or carborundum as they will stain the leather. Finish with carnuaba wax or beeswax, applied hot and rubbed in hard. Hmmm - that post ended up longer than I intended! Also, search on the British Blades forum for"stacked leather handle tutorial". hth Peter

You are correct: they are the same thing

Doubled Portuguese sinnet - go one way, then go back over out in the opposite direction. www.theparacord store.co.uk are quite good on price if you want a reasonable quantity. (No connection)

Hi Rob

Hawley Clay Shooting Ground, Hawley JJ's clay shoot, Darenth Dartford Clay Shooting, Dartford - all these have websites, so exercise your Google-fu. All maybe northwest-ish rather than west - fairly sure there are a couple around Tonbridge, but don't have names to hand. hth

Willow is a great wood to learn to carve with, as it carves easily, and is readily available (most farmers I know regards it as a weed, and are only too happy for me to cut it back). I use a lot of it teaching knife skills to Scouts (usually make tent pegs, pot hangers and spoons). Beware - it's addictive!

check the local boot sales, armed with your serial number - you'd be amazed how many many Muppets steal identifiable stuff and flog it at the nearest boot sale...

Or you wash it at 60C, and it'll come out as a 16 bore...

If it has been in a damp, salty environment, then yes, with the proviso that it is thoroughly dried and then re-oiled. Cleaning with oil or solvent won't remove salt residue. So a conditional yes.

Iechyd da

RTM?

Congratulations to you and your good lady, and welcome to Dad-World. Start saving, and learn to sleep anytime, anywhere you can...

Had it for most of summer 2011, sorted out by wearing supportive shoes, taking anti inflammatories and massaging the affected foot every morning. Danged painful, and took about 4 months to sort out. I also have the aggravating factors - on my feet most of the day, carrying a bit more weight than perhaps I should be, and training in bare feet on hard floors for quite a few hours every week. @Kent: Tang Soo Do - Korean martial art, linked to Northern Chinese wushu styles. Very energetic, as I recall!

Endicotts sell ex-Dutch army Bergens quite cheaply, depending on grade. These are actually a Lowe Alpine Sting in dpm - excellent quality, adjustable for size (yours), takes standard side pouches to take capacity up to about 80l. I bought a grade 2 for £35 plus delivery, and it has been an excellent load carrier, taking snorkelling gear down to dive sites and moving vast quantities of my daughter's stuff back from college (No connection with vendor other than as a happy customer)

Some suggestions: http://www.flashaholics.co.uk/gun-lights.html I use a figure 8 clamp to mount a torch under the barrels on my O/U - made by LED Lenser iirc. Rubber lined clamps, so no marks on the bluing. Most of the tactical type torches have an option for a pressure switch for gun mounts.

Afaik, cycling is more to do with load than cartridge length. What chamber length is your Mossberg? I have heard that some 3.5" autos are reluctant to cycle light loads, although I discovered (inadvertently) that mine will cycle 24g loads without a hiccup.

Oh yes, and you can ghost load MP153 as well, although you do need to mind your fingers!

Excellent idea! Perhaps we could call it the Pogo Stick Club, in honour of the semi-auto's greatest fan... I have a Baikal MP153, bought very cheaply as a "throw it in the back of the pickup under a straw bale" gun. As it turns out, I rather like it. Getting a bit fed up with snide comments along the lines of, "you'll never shoot well with one of those", and "why handicap yourself with one those". Yes, I could have spent four times as much and bought a nice Beretta or Benelli, but there are a couple off glaring faults with that cunning plan: a. I would cry every time it got scratched b. I couldn't afford to go and shoot it. So; expensive ornament or cheap shooting tool? Hmmmm... Ok, it makes curious mechanical noises: filling the stock with structural foam quietened that down a lot. LOP is way too short. Plastic stock, so plastic extension, made from bits out of the Box of Useful Items, plus secondhand recoil pad. Balance is very front heavy. Jeez, guys - primary school physics: remove weight from one end and add it at the other end to move the centre of mass. Net weight added 3 oz. Centre of mass moved aft 3", to under the bolt release button. Total spend on mods £5. Necessity (read poverty) is the mother of invention!

The serial number will give you the date of manufacture if it's after 1986 - first two digits are the year.

Mine lives in the cabinet with bolt forward and the barrel off - because it won't fit in otherwise!

Mick Shepherd still has one for sale...

I've used my O-light M20 as a gun light on my shotgun - Cree XP-GS2 LED, and my Solarforce with an XML drop in. The M20 gives good throw out to 100m with no black spots or beam artifacts. The Solarforce gives a bigger, brighter flood, but less throw - gets a bit dim beyond 70m. Both are very light and sit under the barrel in a figure 8 clamp. I would recommend asking on candlepowerforums, as you will find more knowledge there on torches and lights than almost anywhere on the web. hth