Jim

I bought a Benelli 90 Macino semi auto and it only comes with the factory fitted butt plate. They do sell another thicker one but it is a special order and expensive. I found my stock was too short and needed to lengthen it. The easiest and cheapest way is to but a spurious butt plate of the thickness you require. One with a ventilated strip used by clay shooters add a lot and was ideal for me. These will not fit exactly over the end of your stock, usually slightly too big, but it is a simple matter to sand down to the correct shape and size if you know the technque. I can explain this in detail , if required.

I am left handed and use a Benelli 90 Macino field gun. Never any problems with it. Here in Ireland left handed guns are dearer - approx. 20% more, and can be quite difficult to obtain. The only other manufacturers who sell left handed semi - autos are Fabarm and Remington. Check: http://www.avalon-guns.com for prices of new & second-hand left handed semi-autos.

I own a Benelli Super 90 Macino, Superlight, semi - auto game gun (left hand) - have it for the past two years and no problems to date. I fire 3,000 - 3,500 cartridges a year - rough shooting, game shooting, decoying and clays, and the gun has never jammed once! Also the gun can take loads from 28 gram to 56 gram with no alterations. Cleaning is a doddle as there is no gas piston, the cycle works on recoil - thorough job takes about 20 minutes every 1000 cartridges fired. For left handers the only semi - auto available are Benelli, Remington and Fabarm.

As I'm left handed my choice of semi's is limited. I use a Benelli Montrefeltro Ultralight Field shotgun (5 shot) which is available left handed. Excellent gun, very light but practically no recoil due to ejection system - a revolving bolt which means no gas chamber, making it very easy to take apart and clean. If purchasing a gas operated semi the mechanism will need cleaning quite often under heavy use as this is what usually causes them to jam.

Using a full body crow decoy I made wings and tail for flying crow decoy from old computer mouse mats. The underside is a perfect colour black and they float gently up and down on the rotary spinner. Very realistic and free. To provide anchorage I drilled three holes in underbody which secure tightly into cradle arms.Has worked a treat and is very realistic when used with large owl decoy.