NYorks

Best of luck Ken. My apologies JDog - I thought it was related, that's why I tagged my comments/report to a different post. Would you say that the comment from kenholland above falls in the same 'unrelated post' category - it doesn't give a total therefore a purist would say that it's probably unrelated or wrongly placed? Personally, I have no trouble with it - it shows positive engagement; but sadly there seem to be a few purists in these forums who have 'ownership rights' by dint of longevity. Not interested in sniping, it's just immature and dull - I'll step away.

251 over drilled beans next to the A1 in N Yorkshire yesterday = 560

Received a call from a farmer near the A1/Scotch Corner on Tuesday to say that his drilled beans were begining to attract the attentions of some pigeons and that there might be the chance of a few shots. So I went along yesterday and set up in the field and immediately decided that I was poorly sited and always going to be fighting the strong breeze, which was coming into my right shoulder and so the birds would probably be coming from behind me. But I thought I'd chance it - 30 shell decoys, 2 bouncers and a hide that was being pushed in by the wind. I started at 1100-ish and finished at 1830 with a bag of 251 - utterly unbelievable. I would have been happy with a few dozen, but they kept coming in 2s, 3s and half dozens - I just left the shot birds wher they fell to fatten out the decoy pattern and used the dog to retrieve runners or long-droppers. I finished the last of my cartridges, an odd 2 boxes of 34gram 5s, which left me feeling slightly 'whiplashed' by the end. Farmer was amazed by the numbers and came to have a look as I was picking up with the dog and took great delight in telling me that actually it wasn't his field (aargh)! His was the next one along - but he called the true owner who fortunately was pretty happy with the outcome too. My best day ever and from practically nothing on first impressions. Birds all taken by Yorkshire Game (15p a bird) who work out of Bolton on Swale. Good luck all.

Lots of good snippets to be found on Youtube too.

Frustratingly, I have just 'broken' my second Nitehawk 300 rpm Turbo pigeon flapper; the first died after just one outing and was replaced by the provider (free of charge) and the second now just buzzes at me in 5 second bursts after a dozen outings. They are not cheap (£39 ish) but appear to be a waste of money. Anyone had the same experience with this model? can you recommend a better make? A pity, because I found that they make a real contribution to a decoy pattern. Advice/thoughts much appreciated.

28 over the same field - 294 Darn - just logged in and there was a time delay - barbarian tally just appeared after I entered my total - should read 309

Any news about the chokes on the gun Richard?

Ok - many thanks.

Yes - they were helpful; it first sold in 1905 for £23 on the 25 Sep 05. But they wouldn’t say who they sold it to because if ‘customer confidentiality’ - haha. Right barrel is the choked barrel (impr cylinder right and true cylinder left) - a true driven game gun, handles beautifully and shoots like a dream. Having trouble sending a pic but will try again.

Hi Richard - what are the chokes and barrel length? Does the price include delivery via RFD? Regards, Mark.

Me too please - William Leech & Son 12 bore boxlock (damascus barrels, made in 1905), Arietta 12 bore sidelock and AYA No4 boxlock 16 bore.

33 over drilled barley - 266

I've had some luck dropping off birds with local pubs who are keen to put locally-sourced food on their menues. I give them for free and the three pubs that I regularly approach will usually take upto a couple of dozen or more. Hope this helps.

hehe - thanks Tightchoke, got it - lesson learned....

The real atrocity in all of this is their appalling use of the English language - it is "excited about" not "excited for" (aarrgghh!).

Saw one swallow over Lake Clywedog in Powys last Saturday whilst fishing. Saw two Great crested Grebes doing their courtship dance too - amazing.

My W Leech & Sons (Damascus barrels, semi pistol grip, 28” barrels) first sold for £25 in 1907 and still shoots like a dream - but the gun company (still working out of Chelmsford) said that they couldn’t tell me who they sold it to as it breached customer confidentiality ?

Hi - has anyone come across a scope mount for a BSA .22 LR 'Sportsman Fifteen'? There are two small screw holes in the rear left bolt housing but I have never seen a picture of this rifle with a scope or scope mount fitted. Grateful for any advice/information.

I have an F16 Game - 30" barrels. Great action, good mount and lovely trigger pull but I can't say I shoot all that welll with it; so bad in fact that I'm now pretty psyched out when I take it out shooting. Away and driven shots straight over my head are fine (game and rough shooting) - angled and full crossers are proving problematic; I think I'm shooting over the top. I've used Side by Sides pretty much all my shooting life (generally older sporting english guns and an Arietta sidelock currently) and now tend to stick with it. Shame really - F16 Game is a really nice looking and handling gun. Well worth finding somewhere that you can have a really good run out with a demo gun. PS: my 'best' gun is a damascus barrelled W LEECH & Sons - a boxlock sbs, 107 years old with a semi-pistol grip that handles and shoots like a dream. Can't believe how smoothly it mounts and swings...

Fifteen over rape in the sunshine = 233

Add 61 over rape near Bedale = 225

42 and 55 on two ocasions over rape a few hundred yards east and west of the A1 near Leeming, N Yorks. On both occasions it dried up at lunchtime when the wind changed. 206 Sorry - my bad! I'm double reporting - take away the 42 already mentioned above =164 (too much gin.... ).

42 over rape in a v cold breeze last week, just beside RAF Leeming in N Yorks - although there were two huge flocks (each of 1500+) cutting around the large field for most of the day. Fifteeen birds shot two days later but they were very flighty and stuck together like glue - not easy.