DoctorG

Just wanted to see if a slab would fit in a typical kit bag just to make it easier and more discrete to carry to the car or into the house etc.

Just starting to blast some clays and getting my kit sorted. Firstly I'm in need of a general equipment bag: something to carry headphones, glasses, slips and a couple of slabs of cartridges etc between shooting stands. So, what bags etc are you guys and gals using? I'm not swayed by fashion so have been looking at all purpose kit bags on Amazon. But to make sure I get something that fits, what are the dimensions of a typical 'slab' (250) of cartridges? Thanks in advance, G

Loving the histories Think I confused myself yesterday, getting hung up on things like "ooh, for another £100 I could get the MK70 which is newer than the MK7000", instead of finding something that fits and feels right for sensible money. As most say, I'll probably want/need something specific after 6 to 12 months of bashing clays and getting a more consistent gun mount etc. Deep breath and wait for the license to be approved, then go to the sweet shop...I mean gun shop

Just been to the local gunshop and clay range to get a feel for different guns before we buy. Have shot a Beretta SP on a taster day last year and shot a Miroku 6000 a couple of times at the local site this year. Beretta seemed heavy, Miroku seemed pretty light and whippy. So, at the gunshop tried a Browning 525. Nice, bit heavy and it appeared that the comb was a bit low for me. Then tried a Beretta SP which felt nicely balanced and the comb was about right. OK, so that's no to Browning for me and a yes to Beretta (generally speaking). Off to the local range and laid hands on the MK6000 again, feels great, but again comb seems a bit low. Odd because I had shot quite well with it for a first go. Then try a Browning 525 Sporter which, as we just found out at the gunshop, was too low in the comb. BUT, the chap points out that I am holding the gun like a rifle....too many years with a rifle and scope! So, relax the shoulders and remount and....I can see the rib and the bead clearly So, overall, back to square one.....everything is a reasonable fit (maybe shorten the stock of whatever i eventually buy). No wonder there are so many newbie questions about "which gun is right"! So I suppose my overall question is...hands up if you kept and still use the first shotgun you bought -

Just joined the forum... Cracking vids, lovely crosshair camera setup. More more more!

Great, thanks everyone. (Not feeling quiiiite such a plonker)

Spent most of my career as EH&S manager in a variety of companies, now university lecturer. In my experience the NEBOSH will carry more clout on the CV and at interview.

Brill, cheers for that info. I'm shooting at Treetops, Newport. Now, thinking aloud, I assumed the controller was audio activated because the instructor said 'call again' a few times and I assumed that I was just too quiet. However, maaaaaybe, he said that because the trap didn't release? Hmmmmmmm. Aaaaaah. What a plonker! So if you are shooting alone you press button(s) and the delay gives you time you remount/hold the gun. Ok......just picturing me mounting the controller to my shoulder and leaving the gun on the floor

Can someone explain the principles behind the voice activated control devices used in sporting clay? - I could wait till my next taster session (I'm very new to this) but thought I'd ask here rather than waiting...and rather than looking like a complete berk So, you plug in the device, with several buttons. I presume that you press one button for a single clay when you call, another for two, another for two on report and another for two simultaneously? Well, there are multiple traps at each station and I'm wondering, if I send a clay in order to see its flight path, does that count as 1 of my 50 clays that I've asked/paid for? If I shoot five stations and call for two birds at each just to see where they are coming from, that's ten clays I haven't shot at, leaving me 40 to shoot. Or...bear with me...is this factored in as a recognised 'loss' by the gun club? If so, I could theoretically use up loads of clays that I'm not shooting at. Ooooooor.....I said I was new......does the control unit simply record how many clays you call and then you pay for whatever that number is back at the club house? There you go, my first, and probably to most people 'daftest' post. Thanks in anticipation, G

Good start..... The topic was supposed to read A First "HELLO" D'oh!

Hi everyone, New to clay pigeon shooting, did a taster last year with my good lady and we loved it. Had another go last month (I sneakily went a third time while she was in work!) and we're hooked. License applications being processed, cabinet sat upstairs waiting for the firearms officer to pay a visit and we're off to the local gunshop tomorrow to swing a few O/Us around. I'll avoid mentioning Beretta, Browning or Miroku at the momentfor fear of starting a bun fight I'll avoid asking newbie questions like which gun, which cartridge etc, but I dare say I'll ask a few howlers in the days, weeks and months to come....in fact I have a (probably dumb) question I'm about to post in the forum. Keep your eyes peeled for it, have a laugh for free Spent many years with air rifles but blam blams are all new to me. Some clay bashing will fill the gap between sea trout sessions very nicely. Celebrating a year being cancer free after prostatectomy surgery...yay...treating us both to a couple of guns and the promise of many hours of fun, and not just a little competition between us, shooting frisbees in the sky. Gareth