Townie

Drove M25/M40 on the Friday of the bank holiday weekend. In gentle need (thankfully as it turned out) of a pee stop, but the queue of cars into the final M25 service station and the next two on the M40 was practically back onto the motorway turnoff. What on earth will happen when we're all driving electric vehicles? I hope the service stations have serious plans for more chargers. I'm going to stick to petrol as long as possible.

That's how I used to carry my semi. Someone told me he carries his muzzle down, breech flag pointing forward so it can be seen by all, which makes sense.

Spoke to the chap at Minsterley Ranges (up in Shropshire for a few days. Minsterley is excellent and because it was empty, they let me have a play with some of the more interesting guns). He's an instructor and his first point was that the flag couldn't be immediately seen, so it's a question of not just being safe, but being seen to be safe.

At the clay ground the other day and I bumped into a chap using a semi. Big red flag properly in the breech demonstrating it was safe, but he was carrying at the trail i.e. gripping in front of the trigger guard, gun parallel to the ground. This meant that fellow shooters were looking at the muzzle from time to time. My view was that irrespective of the breech flag, the gun should be pointed in a safe direction. Having said that, I'm sure my muzzles occasionally point at people when my gun is broken, but the gun is obviously safe. Any views? Not an anti-semi thing (I used to have one) but interested in people's thoughts.

I know, I know. Sad thing is that finding out about this fly is the most useful thing I've done all day.

I'm embarrassed to say that I read an interesting set of Tweets about these insects by George Monbiot this very morning. It's apparently a 'mutualist', so it lays its eggs in wasps' nests and the grubs keep the nest clean by eating debris.

Enjoyed that. You don't miss many do you?

Best answer.

I had mine reinstalled a few years ago. I know you shouldn't be overly reliant on the safety, but it seems a daft thing to bother to remove.

I'm sorry, I don't. This was a few years ago and it was something I stumbled across, so no idea of who or where. He was decoying them, so ranges weren't great.

Saw on YouTube a chap shooting Canadas with a 28g loaded with 6s. Head shots, so stone dead or clear miss every time. He was an excellent shot though.

I called Graham Mackinlay and he is indeed a helpful chap. Responded promptly to emails and made a generous offer. He's also got some lovely guns and I'll make a point of visiting if I'm ever up that way. Nice change from some of the miseries I've dealt with in the gun trade.

I'll call them. The next stage is scrapping it and I'd rather give it away than do that.

Thank you Holloway. This is my gun. Gunshop advised me to put up at £300 or £350 and accept £250, but I'm not very good at playing games. Probably explains why I've not got further in life. Happy to respond to any questions.

Just to wrap this up, having looked at gloves from just about every sport and activity going, including all those mentioned here, I bought a pair of the Sealskinz Solo, which were indeed on sale at £10 plus postage. I used them (one of them anyway) on a sim game day yesterday and they worked very well. Good fit and feel, not sweaty and good heat resistance. Thanks again to everyone for the advice.

That's very helpful, thank you Dave. Our house certainly isn't a higher end build!

Brilliant idea. Thank you John.

Thank you all. Never simple is it?

Chaps Towel rail in the bathroom heated by the central heating system that we’re thinking about having replaced by an electric one with a timer. Is this a job for a spark because it involves (presumably) running a spur from a nearby plug (other side of a stud wall) or for a plumber because the water supply for the existing rail will need capping off? Or for a plumber who specialises in bathrooms? Any guidance welcome, although correct answers do not include ‘do it yourself’.

Thank you all for your suggestions. I’ll go away and have a big think.

Thank God no, but still pretty awful. I wouldn’t have minded if he was good.

Read with interest because I shoot gun down. It makes my mount and swing far more fluid whereas I tend to poke if gun up. To avoid that, I sometimes shoot gun in shoulder but face off stock, moving my head to the stock as I swing. As people have said, it’s what works best for the individual.

Behind a chap a while ago who, after each pair, shuffled forward a couple of paces to the bin, turned the gun round so the rib was facing away, ejected the empties into the bin (awkward manoeuvre with the muzzles pointing up), shuffled back into position, reset his feet, tried a couple of practice mounts and then reloaded. I ended up wishing he’d just let em fly.

Already got one, but it slides a bit when hot and when opening , fingertips touch the barrels. Plus it makes me a bit nervous in case I burn myself. I shoot clays midweek and usually stay on a stand (provided no one else waiting) until I’m hitting consistently or it’s a waste of cartridges, which leads to a hot gun. And then there’s the odd sim day. I think I’ll look at a left hand golf glove which may work. Or I could man up and not have hands like a girl.

Chaps! CHAPS! Stop shouting at each other. I’ve got an o/u, but I’m old enough to prefer a s/s. And I shoot a bit better with it too.