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Scrumbag,, I guess it depends on what you want to be an RCO for? If you just want some knowledge the NSRA also do an RCO course. However you need to understand if you want to be an RCO with an accredited qualification to be able to book and run MOD ranges on behalf of your club the ONLY qualification that I'm aware of that will permit you to be able to do this is the NRA qualification for which you will get a photo-ID card which you will need in order to get the MOD licence to be able to shoot on their ranges. I'm acutely aware of this as I've been trying to get the NRA to conduct a "local course" to qualify a number of members as its a pain fo some to get to Bisley. Sadly if you want to qualify as an NRA RCO, they have now mandated that you have to first have a period as a "Range Safety Assistant" for a minimum of 6 months and I believe they have introduced a course for this which you need to complete as a pre-requisite to doing the RCO Course and exam. If you just want the knowledge for use at your own club range then you can probably purchase the course training materials from the NRA. Good Luck in getting sorted, but don't hold your breath with the NRA!https://nra.org.uk/courses-and-training/range-conducting-officer/ https://nra.org.uk/courses-and-training/range-safety-officer/

Some time ago there was also a "Black Death Challenge" on Rimfire Central - it looks like this was a long time ago but if you google it you get this: http://toyfj40.freeshell.org/GunPix/BlackDeath.html Good Luck!

Sussex Gardener - your FEO needs a proper education and I suggest you refer him to the Home Office Guidance to Police 2016 See Page 123 and this will show the Home Office advise to the Police and shooters alike is that .243 IS SUITABLE for FOX. See the table relating to Quarry Shooting on Page 123. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/firearms-licensing-police-guidance I have some sympathy with the idea that new shooters need some mentoring before being let loose with a powerful firearm on their own and there is some inequity if you want a centrefire and have land and money to buy one the law permits you to be in the field the same day you get your ticket. If you want to target shoot you have 6 months of probation to shoot at a location specifically designed and operated to be safe - go figure. DSC is a good Idea but in any event Joining a good club is always a good Idea. Good Luck with your application - learn the guidance it can be very helpful!

Thanks for the replies. Gordon, I'm in Portsmouth, but if I find myself heading in your direction I will shout. Many thanks!

Does anyone know what size of pin punches are needed to completely strip a Browning Buckmark please? Any recommendations on where to buy some decent ones from Please?

Dougy which model I this - I could zoom the photo and see its a Leatherman but which model? I have a wave which is great but I also have a Leatherman Crunch - which has pliers like mole-grips and I really like how useful that is!

Sorry I only ever knew it as a Benjamin Pump this was nearly 40 years ago and my "interest" in pumps was short lived!

I had two in the Past - the first was a Crossman which had lots of plastic and it wasn't really powerful or accurate so, I soon fell out of love with it. Later I hunted for a better pump up and looked at Sharp Innova and Ace, Spanish Setra, Sheridan and finally settled on a Benjamin this was the most "metal" in a rifle of this type the others (stand-fast the Sherdan) which looked great but no one local to me sold .20pellets so the Benjamin was the best compromise. This was streets ahead of the Crossman and it not bad, however I soon got bored with the several pumps to reach full power no prospect of a second shot at a bolting rabbit. In retrospect I would have preferred to have spent the money on a good springer! In my view they are very much a novelty item? You pays your money an takes your choice - good luck whatever you do?

A friend introduced me to this calibre about 15 years ago - I went with him when he purchased a near new Rem 700 in .25/06, By chance the dealer also had a hardly used Tikka 690 and it has been a great find. My friend waxed lyrical about the calibre and I just took a punt on it at the time- I left a deposit and went back several weeks later when the variation came through. I didn't have any more trouble getting this to be accurate than you normally would have through load development with a new rifle. Zero 1" High at 100 and you have a point of aim shot out to 300. Now a go to favourite It shot well with Winchester 120gn Factory and after I had cases I have Loaded with 117 Noslers

As it sounds like he and his son will be "casual users" I would suggest a springer would be less complicated and there is a lot of choice - I have an old Airsporter and a Mercury which have both taken lots of rabbits, but these days a I prefer a HW77. Any of these might be a bit heavy for a young lad. HW30 is supposed to be very good and would be better suited to a youngt person.

Sorry for your loss and Signed!

ROFLMAO!

Be careful, I put a safe into a city centre flat when in Glasgow to an outside wall inside a built in wardrobe. After the plasterboard it was 50mm of polystyrene insulation I had to get some 60mm spacers and washers to build up and get the raw bolts to tighten down solid instead of just squashing against the insulation. Just bear that in mind? You could drill an exploratory hole with a small drill and see what you hit before you commit to the location for your cabinet? Good luck

Cool. They look really well made! Well Done Mate!

I have never understood why the Remington Speed-Master, gets treated like the ugly sister. A friend had one and it was reliable (if kept clean) accurate and handled nicely? They often seem to come up for sale really cheaply - making them a lot of gun for the money. As far as proofing goes - the history of it was to overcome the issues with variable quality of the materials used to make firearms - in this day and age you have to ask if it is still really relevant, the quality of materials are much better, the US, arguably one of the most litigious societies in the world does not bother with proofing, relying instead on the manufacturers to "police" quality? Someone mentioned a 100rnd speed loader for tube fed rifles - do you have a link please?

The tragedy here is that a family have lost their little boy? How and why it happened and if airguns should be licenced or not, is really a side issue? For the family concerned nothing can ever "fix" this for them, it will blight them for the rest of their lives and things will never be the same for them again. Please put aside your differences and other concerns and think about how this will pan out over the years ahead? Its a terrible thing for those close to it. Nearly 40 years ago my brother was killed by a drunk driver - my mum was never the same again. I saw my dad cry the first time ever. They were both changed by it - later in life seeing guys I had been at school with out with their siblings for a beer or a meal, going on holiday together, there are so many things - an extra pair of hands when moving or needing a lift these poor people, their lives will be diminished immeasurably from now on in so many different ways!.

Cabela's and Bass Pro are both Excellent Stores - I've been shooting in Texas with friends a few times. - when the airline lost my case - I got clothes there everything from the boots upwards. The stores are epic and at Grapevine - DFW, the store has a mock mountain with large taxidermy deer at the base, sheep and bear on the way up and a float plane suspended from the ceiling above it. At the base there was a river with fish and live ducks flew around the interior of the store. They literally had everything you could want for the outdoors. I'[m also a fan of their clothes and wrinkle free travel shirts, if we cant buy from them by post, then I will be damned annoyed. The sooner we are out of the EU the better!

https://shop.whittakerguns.com/store/shop?sorting=inventory_desc&d=amount:0:8000,count:-100:10000,departments:RELOADING,subCategory:Powders&list=false&paging=page:2,size:20,index:40 If you look at any powder in the US its much - much cheaper, we are being royally ripped off and IMHO its the importers / distributors who are to blame. I don't think the local dealer you use will have a massive margin!

******! Ditchy - sorry to hear your woes, hope you are soon back on song - perhaps some R&R is a blessing in disguise - more time at a desk taking it easy and pushing out interesting posts for us all to read? Good Luck with it all! Oops -didn't know that word would be filtered? Rhymes with Hummer but begins with "BRAVO".

Not to do with your suffering but your post made me laugh - my squadron Warrant Officer on passing out of basic at Catterick had a first posting to Machrihanish and after being told of its, exotic tropical location - he had just finished drawing all the tropical gear from stores when asked by the supplier, where he was being posted - who then erupted for wasting his time!

I guess it depends what you want them for first off? When I did my DSC the instructor suggested the use of binoculars at a similar power to the scope on the rifle? A friend put me onto Carl Zeiss 8x30 Jenoptim Binoculars - very reasonably priced as used items on e-bay quite frequently and not so big and heavy when out with all the other accoutrements of a deer stalker.

I think you are looking at this the wrong way - I see lots of future potential!

The Police seem to have a new "hot topic" called "risk assessment" - they may well have decided after what happened that there is some "risk" of your friend going off and retaliating with his firearms? Regardless of how incredible that may seem to him or you, especially as it sounds like he is the victim of his Ex's attitude/violence - it seems like he is now being abused by officialdom? I do not think they (the police) have fully got a grip of how risk assessment is really done looking at probability, severity and the likely outcome, as an example in industry the likelihood of someone cutting their finger whilst working in many industries is quite high, however the severity of this is low (you will not be likely to die - just stick a band aid on?). this "Risk" could be mitigated or eliminated by training or PPE as an example wearing sturdy protective gloves. With training people and with the PPE in place this risk would be deemed ALARP (As low as reasonably practicable) and TOLERABLE ? Conversely a builder walking off a roof could kill a person and would be INTOLERABLE - lots of steps are now taken to mitigate or eliminate this risk - there are LOTS of regulations about working at height and scaffolding has to be erected and certified by approved people? These days it will have kickboards and may be netted in to stop people from falling off a building under construction or repair. You may well have to wear a harness and be hooked on at all times to achieve ALARP status? I think the police currently work to formula of something like: Person + Firearm + Emotive Relationship Issues = High and Intolerable risk of serious violence or death = INTOLEREABLE, whilst not taking into account the persons true nature - its a bit of a "scorched earth policy" where inconvenience to your friend takes a bck seat to what they believe is necessary for public safety? Putting firearms in storage will cost your friend - you could perhaps help him by taking his shotguns if you have space? I wouldn't argue the case assuming any separation is resolved quickly and nothing stupid is done by him, then I would expect he would be given his ticket back? I wpuld be getting in toush with his shooting association and getting some advice from them though? Good luck to your friend!

Many thanks!