Oly Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 Just wondering if there is any movement in the game shooting world to accepting semi-auto's at game shoots - whether they be driven, rough, formal, informal etc etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beretta28g Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 can you amend the poll between 1, and 3 theyre still forwned apon, but if everyone is safe theyre being accepted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 Oh this has all been done before. And even before it was done before, it had been done before... The answer is "no" and "no" to pump actions (which are safer). It's tradition like wearing the shirt and tie to a driven day as well. You wouldn't wear a DJ to a football match and you wouldn't wear a clown suit to a funeral. Etc. Ad nauseum. The end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecooper1 Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 My answer is also NO and NO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 Well on our syndicate we all use semi-auto's. I know that it is tradition/snobbyness on formal shoots but I honestly don't see the issue providing everyone is safe. Within our syndicate we know each other well and have shot with each other for years so I suppose that helps the knowledge/acceptance that everything is safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George1990 Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 Acceptance and tolerance eh... Not in my book Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glensman Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 Well on our syndicate we all use semi-auto's. I know that it is tradition/snobbyness on formal shoots but I honestly don't see the issue providing everyone is safe. Within our syndicate we know each other well and have shot with each other for years so I suppose that helps the knowledge/acceptance that everything is safe. But the local partridge syndicate dont allow them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 But the local partridge syndicate dont allow them... Do they not? I'm suprised at that, although I think most of them don't have semi-auto's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utectok Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 If I owned a semi and could shoot wellwith it I'd use it anywhere with a decent flag and a slip it's as safe as any gun. If I could afford it I'd loveto take it on a posh £1k a day shoot just to see peoples faces! But then I saw this guy on the tube in america with a 12 shot semi and he managed to miss the same pheasant 12 times lol. I reckon I'm gonna stick with missing 2 times and being a discrete as possible!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 I'm a firm believer in the right tool for the job, and a semi isn't the right tool for Pheasant or Partridge on a formal shoot, its tradition and there are potential safety issues. I could be persuaded if supported on medical grounds or disability, there are exceptions to most rules. webber Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glensman Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 Do they not? I'm suprised at that, although I think most of them don't have semi-auto's. They did for a while, then some tool did somethin and now semi's aren't allowed I would put more stock in the man behind the gun than the gun itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 They did for a while, then some tool did somethin and now semi's aren't allowed I would put more stock in the man behind the gun than the gun itself. Yes I agree with this it comes down to the individual. This is one reason why I can understand semi-auto's not being allowed on Formal shoots as they don't know each other. One thing to consider; a semi-auto can be put in a slip with the bolt open, but an O/U or S/S has to be closed so therefore they aren't necessarily safer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George1990 Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 Been here done that. Got nought to do with safety - they don't look the part. Simples. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GW80 Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 I use a semi for hide shooting, i use a 20g over and under for walked up and the few times i went to the partidge, personally i can't see why semi's shouldn't be used on driven shooting but restrict them to only 2 shots, on the continient it is common practice to use a semi shooting game! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 I use a semi for hide shooting, i use a 20g over and under for walked up and the few times i went to the partidge, personally i can't see why semi's shouldn't be used on driven shooting but restrict them to only 2 shots, on the continient it is common practice to use a semi shooting game! Totally agree with this, providing they are restricted to 2 shots then I can't see the issue. In fact for walked up shooting they are more practical as they are lighter and also less recoil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 I don't see anything wrong with keeping a bit of tradition. I got an invite recently to a pals own commercial pheasant shoot and asked his feelings if I brought my semi to use, he preferred me not to so I didn't. We can all have a view and there is little or no arguement on the safety side as far as I can see, but hey, whats wrong with a bit of tradition! PS ...I hate and detest SBS, just can't get into them, so arguably I have already pushed my luck being able to use a O/U!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guest1957 Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 I don't think generally speaking there is a real safety argument, however I still go with an SBS for the same reasons I would wear a shirt to go out for dinner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GW80 Posted March 5, 2010 Report Share Posted March 5, 2010 (edited) I don't see anything wrong with keeping a bit of tradition. I got an invite recently to a pals own commercial pheasant shoot and asked his feelings if I brought my semi to use, he preferred me not to so I didn't. We can all have a view and there is little or no arguement on the safety side as far as I can see, but hey, whats wrong with a bit of tradition! PS ...I hate and detest SBS, just can't get into them, so arguably I have already pushed my luck being able to use a O/U!! This comes under snobery, i was asked to a game shoot last year and shot my fathers sxs which was a AYA Yeoeman worth about 3 quid, but i was made to feel more than welcome. Since then he was bought a webley 700 20g, i don't think he will shoot any better with it but for the first time ever he has what he wanted in his hand!! Edited March 6, 2010 by GW80 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyboots Posted March 5, 2010 Report Share Posted March 5, 2010 i shot at the local estate this year on beaters day and the keeper had no problem with me useing my semi auto as long as i just used 2 shots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight32 Posted March 5, 2010 Report Share Posted March 5, 2010 There seems to be a pattern here particularly with the Irish lads. So in Ireland it is slightly more accepted than in the UK? I have to say that honestly is this worth the argument? Most of the time it is just the individuals bloody mindedness at the end of the day when they know full well how things work in this business. I invited a friend to a formal day and the first thing he asked me was could he bring a semi auto. I had to say no when I knew full well he had a nice o/u in his cabinet. This sort of thread is waste of time, done to death it is. For the people who are getting into shooting for the first time just for the record, make sure the first gun you buy is an o/u or sbs, it just writes this whole issue out of the equation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oly Posted March 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2010 (edited) At the end of the day, from all the polls done over the years I think they may be getting more accepted over time. Remember that there was a day when o/u's weren't allowed - sbs only!!! Safety is the prime concern, and slowly I think they will get accepted - and you can't say that they aren't the right tool for the job, they kill all quarry just as well and are used safely on other (albeit less ponsey) group shooting activities, and in other countries for game shooting...it is simply down to formalities and tradition in England...but like I say, that started to go by the by when o/u's came in. I ask the question as I am really struggling to overcome my cross eye dominance (another thread done to death!) which I have tried everything to solve but have never suceeded...but my kill ration on my semi is considerably higher. So I have the dilemma of whether to replace my expensive o/u with a cheap one (or sbs, although I don't get on wite them either) and potentially increase the number of badly shot birds (never a good thing - respect for your quarry etc) or just stick with my semi which I shoot great with. Plus I bet there are a few old timers who would prefer the kick of a semi on a driven day's shooting rather than just having to give up altogether. Edited March 5, 2010 by Oly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyboots Posted March 5, 2010 Report Share Posted March 5, 2010 There seems to be a pattern here particularly with the Irish lads. So in Ireland it is slightly more accepted than in the UK? just like to clear 1 thing up the people who replied from n.ireland about this topic still live in a country which is part of the UK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted March 5, 2010 Report Share Posted March 5, 2010 they may do monkeyboots but the attitudes are different. Semis are still seen more as tools for shooting vermin rather than game guns, personally I can't see them being accepted by any decent syndicate. Shooting and beating on a few unless there was a medical reason for using one people just don't do it, there is a sense of occasion on a propper day and it would be a shame to loose that and start treating game birds as vermin. As for using one on cock days at the end of the season that is acceptable on far more shoots simply because at that time it does become more a numbers game to clear up some of the cock birds and also as some beaters only have a semi auto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted March 5, 2010 Report Share Posted March 5, 2010 (edited) I don't understand that last post, Why are you treating gamebirds as vermin if you shoot one with a semi auto? Do you think that all the ducks and geese that I have shot with mine are vermin? Your post is nothing short of snobbery in it's highest form Al4x. While I would not do it I do not see why semi autos shouldn't be used on a game shoot. The safety aspect is a crock of **** as a O/U or S/S in a slip can still be loaded. Being covered by a piece of cloth doesn't make it safe. It is acceptable to shoot a cock bird at the end of the season with a SA but not on a PROPER day? I have a medical reason why I should shoot a semi auto and that is fused vertabrae in my neck but I had a recoil reducer fitted to my O/U. Why? not because of tradition I had it fitted as I shoot better with it. Edited March 5, 2010 by MC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted March 5, 2010 Report Share Posted March 5, 2010 semi autos just seem to be more of a tool than a nicely built gun, I guess you've got to go to some very traditional shoots to get a sense of the occasion that goes with a shoot day and also experience bigger clear up days when the essence is on clearing up cock birds prior to the end of season to stop them pulling hens away from your ground. These days are so far from a normal day you can't really call them the same thing, may not meet your ideals MC but its a fact of game shooting. Generally its more acceptable on these days to use an auto because the people on the day aren't usually game shots. I have no doubt you won't understand but there you go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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