matgriff

I have a mid 80's Beretta A301 multi choke. Can anyone tell me how to remove the cocking handle so that I can strip the gun down. I've removed the pin and trigger block, just can't quite see how to remove the cocking lever. Thanks Mat

Hi, please let me know if you find one.... I have exactly the same gun and I also need one :-) Mat

Hi. I have a very nice Beretta A301 multi choke semi-auto, circa early 1980's The original hard plastic recoil pad is split, I've seen replacements for £12. The stock is curved at the end not straight, the replacement pads are also curved, but I want a soft pad around 12-20mm thick to extend the pull a bit (ive been using a slip on pad but it looks naff) All the aftermarket and replacement stuff seems to be for flat finished stocks ? Any idea where I can get something ? Thanks

Hi, if you mean the plastic lenses have gone milky, then just buy the autoglym headlight restoring kit, works great, bit messy but brings them up like new.

Discovery 2 facelift I have the exact same :-) Mat

One of the most common reasons for this on a Micra is the boot release switch.... I had the same problem, replaced it and it was cured. Google it under Micra boot switch flat battery.

I guess the carb is matched to the 70cc big bore kit ? And really the most accurate way to set the timing on a stroker is to use a dti (dial test indicator) to set it up in mm BTDC, convert the degrees figure to mm using the stroke of the engine, alternatively invest in a circular calibrated timing disc, set it up correctly then punch some marks to set TDC and your required timing point.

It's rich..... you need to run it at WOT for half a mile or so, then kill the engine and check the plug. if it's rich you'll need to go down on the main jet, go down a bit at a time, rich is safer than lean, but you'll be losing power by running too rich. If it's fine at WOT but rich everywhere else, lift the circlip on the needle one notch (to lower the needle slightly) this will lean it out everywhere else apart from idle.. but that's not important. make sure your timing is spot on first. If your timing it at the factory standard setting you shouldn't have to open up the adjustment ? or does the kit require something non-standard ? Mat

Did you set the timing with a dti ? it's really the only way with an old two stroke... also get a dwell meter to set the points correctly, feeler gauges are a bit hit & miss. If I take your comment of "went backwards today" literally, then you definitely have a timing problem.... two strokes can run backwards quite easily. Double check the timing and make sure you have the correct grade of plug. Better to start off with an NGK 9 and work down, basically if you have too cold a plug it'll just foul, but if you start with a 6 and it needs a colder one you risk melting the plug and holing the piston. And don't bother with the standard B8ES/B7ES etc, use an EVG or EG with fine wire electrode, they're much harder to foul. Two strokes are quite fragile, especially when you start to tune them.. be careful or you'll incur some expense :-) Mat

Not read the whole thread, but couple of mates I go clay shooting with are keen shooters... dropped me off two pheasants and 4 ducks the other night, cut the breasts out and prepped them up, they're now in my freezer ready to be cooked. I'll generally use a few pigeon breasts when I shoot them. They told me when they went shooting pheasants they couldn't give them away on the day :-( They take their own kills and use them, it was generally quite a few people didn't. I'll never turn down free birds.... we have 4 kids to feed :-) Who doesn't like crispy duck breast ? Seems a waste to me, after all breasting a duck or pheasant takes two minutes with a sharp knife.

That clutch looks like a standard centrifugal clutch ? With all that ££££ you've spent on the engine rebuild, don't scrimp on 2 stroke oil when you get it up and running, use a good quality fully synthetic to protect your investment :-)

If you get something with full service history that's been looked after it's probably as good as anything, the problem comes when people run things like Disco's for 3-4 years, don't fix or maintain all the little things that go wrong (and they do !!) then sell them on. You buy it, then discover there's lots of little niggles to fix.... stupid things like air-con not working, elec windows not working properly, ABS sensors and traction control. things that are not essential, but can be very expensive to put right, especially if you can't do it yourself. However if you're already running a Porsche I guess the spectre of looming potential expensive repair bills should be something you're used to.... I've had my Discovery 2 for three years, and I had to sort a load of stuff on it during the first year, but it's been pretty reliable for the last 12 months.....I imagine the newer stuff should be better built and more reliable

Screwfix do a set of "Streetwize" ones for about £15 a pair, come as one single and one double. I bought a set last year to use in my Discovery, thinking for £15 they'll be a bit crappy. I was well surprised, really heavy duty black nylon material, they've been on for 12 months now and work fantastically, well worth the money. https://www.screwfix.com/p/streetwize-heavy-duty-van-seat-covers-black-2-pcs/8116p Mat

OK thanks.... full gloves with fingers ? I've see a few types without finger ends or with fold back fingers Mat

Any recommendation for a good pair of gloves for shooting ? I was out the other day, standing around for an hour and thought my fingers were getting a bit cold, and it's only going to get worse over the next couple of months. Thx Mat

Research & Development Engineer, Power Electronics ... specifically for large offshore wind turbines

Ultimately you won't be able to avoid having a smart meter.... the meter is the supply company's property and they can fit/replace it with whatever they want whenever they want, you have no say in the matter, and sooner or later they'll all be using them. Most companies are waiting for the new "standard" 2nd generation of meter to be perfected, then there will be a mass roll out, the 2nd generation meters are supposed to have a universal standard and can work with all suppliers using a common interface standard. Mat

First off, the previous comments about the meters being able to be hacked and people having the power turned off is not true..... The meters have no disconnection method or means of isolation. This function is only provided outside of the meter, by either the supply company's fuse and in conjunction with a local double pole isolator. For the meter to be able to perform this function it would have to be physically much bigger and contain a contactor (in the case of the electricity meter) and a solenoid valve in the case of the gas meter. As has also been said previously, the meter(s) only allow you to see your consumption in real time, via smartphone apps or similar and also let the supply companies see it too. At the moment this is of limited use, however going forward It's only a matter of time until they introduce variable tariffs based on time of day (think of a more modern version of the old economy 7 system) This will be required for grid load balancing and could well provide significant benefits to everyone. It won't be long before "smart" devices such as fridges/freezers/washers etc switch themselves on/off to provide grid balancing, especially when everyone starts to charge electric cars...... Basically smart meters lay the foundations for all this new technology that's coming.... and make no mistake it is coming, especially for the electricity grid. Mat

I bought a slab of these in fibre last week for use in a Beretta semi-auto I just got. I've been using the pigeon express 30g#6 in my O/U, but they're only 65mm long shells and the semi-auto doesn't like that size. Mat

OK great, thx for the info :-) Mat

OK thanks, so basically I do nothing more than use section 2 when I buy a new gun and register it online ? On renewal, my cert will come back with guns registered to me printed on it and a new blank section 2 ? Thanks Mat

As stated above.... you can basically do what you want in your own house... more complex or bigger jobs can be notifiable under building regulations, but you're fine with this little job. If your light fitting has one single three core cable, then just extend it directly with a junction box... depending on the age you may have red/back + earth or blue/brown + earth.... new cable will be blue & brown. red=brown blue=black If your fitting has two/three cables, then it will also have the loop in for the switch and or the feed to the next fitting... if you're competent, then use a four terminal junction box to do the loop in and switch and then just run a single cable to the fitting, if you're not sure just extend all the wires individually either in one or two separate junction boxes. Remember to isolate & test dead before working on it and also make sure that no one in the house will accidentally re-energise the circuit while your'e working on it !!! Mat

Not having held my SGC for too long, I have a basic question. I've bought two guns in the last 12 months, both times the seller filled in section 2 on my certificate with the gun details plus their own personal details. Both times I have also recorded the transaction on Staffs firearms licencing website, where you inform them of a transfer or sale (alternative to doing it by post) and both times I have received an acknowledgement email..... On my SGC it has a section that lists "guns held on the certificate" when does this get completed/updated ? Is it just when you renew your ticket and they add the guns that were previously listed in section 2 (assuming you haven't sold them since then) Sorry if this is a simple question. Thanks Mat

Hi I need to extend my Beretta A301 that I just bought, I think 1/2"-3/4" should be fine. Does anyone know of a pad that fits directly to this model ? I looked online, and the standard factory plastic plate seems to fit the A300, A301, A302 & A303 series, so if anyone owns one of these and has fitted one can you let me know. As a temporary measure I fitted one of those rubber Jack Pyke slip on pads, works fine just looks a bit naff. Thanks Mat

70mm it is then :-) Thanks