drone Posted November 23, 2013 Report Share Posted November 23, 2013 I'm nearly 70, overweight and with a heart condition, I'm also in remission from cancer and I started reminiscing on my life, especially around shooting which I hold very dear to me. I started at a very young age and my first shot with a cartridge gun was with a Grange 410 which misfired, I mean the chances of that. My formative years were spent in the valleys of gwent and my guns were 410s, 12 bores and a 577 snider enfield. Fast forward a few years and I got a job in Oz, I started accumalating centre fire rifles like they were going out of fashion. My favourite was a Mannlicher-Schoeneur in 264 winchester magnum which I used to shoot a pile of animals but used it most to cull sharks off the west coast. I then got employed in the Norwegian offshore oil industry and my girlfriend's father was a warden on spitzbergen and used to cull the icebears there. I got an invite to go with him and I have to say it was the scariest time of my life. I bought an H&H double in 300 h&h as "my gun". It did pretty damn good on the antlered game but prospective father in law thought it massively overpowered for "the bears". My chance came and, to be honest, I bottled it. I had admit I couldn't bring myself to shoot the damn bear. At the time it was lolloping toward us with us on the menu. Prospective FIL took it out with one shot from a 9.3 mauser (IIRC) and I was ditched by the best bit of aXXs in Norway. I moved on and one day, in Greenfields in Canterbury, Kent) bought a 12g Darne with imp cyl in each barrel. This was in 1982. I bought it because it was just over 6lbs in weight so I could tote it with my double 8 on the fenland marshes. I used the Darne more than the Tolley as there were more duck than geese and, gradually, I introduced it to my game shooting where it was my gun of choice. The Tolley went, as did the Boss game gun and the Churchill XXV SLE but I still have the Darne. Over decoyed geese, ducks, pigeons and over driven snipe, woodcock, pheasant, grouse and partridge this gun which cost me £375 in 1983 has been my weapon of choice for all wingshooting. You can imagine my surprise when I found out it was a V19, which currently costs 18000 euros. So my thanks go to alan florence who had the gun built and eley for making 1 & 1/8oz trapshooting cartridges in no.7 shot for keeping it going. This is my favourite gun, slow to load but quick everywhere else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun4860 Posted November 23, 2013 Report Share Posted November 23, 2013 Nice write up, Don't think I could shoot bears either.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie-fox Posted November 23, 2013 Report Share Posted November 23, 2013 Nice write up...as above, don't think I could shoot a bear unless it was a case of him or me.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
station Posted November 23, 2013 Report Share Posted November 23, 2013 Good read - thanks. Another one here for the "only if him or me" vote. ATB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browning123 Posted November 23, 2013 Report Share Posted November 23, 2013 Excellent write-up, I remember using a Darne in the early 70's it was a 16 bore sidelock borrowed from a friend. I am 66 and have also shot all my life but have recently been struggling with my health, Angina and Arthritis, I also live for my shooting, driven game, pigeon shooting and rifle shooting. Recently due to not feeling too good on certain days I have been tempted to stay home, but I feel I must keep going - and once I'm out I enjoy it as long as I remember to be carefull & take my time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bicykillgaz Posted November 24, 2013 Report Share Posted November 24, 2013 What a great read! Not sure I could of shot it although you must wonder how different thing could have been if you had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlosdesilva Posted November 24, 2013 Report Share Posted November 24, 2013 Very interesting memories,how did you shoot the sharks?i assume from a boat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RED BEARD Posted November 24, 2013 Report Share Posted November 24, 2013 a nice read that,thanks for posting it.hope the health holds up for a good many years yet . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikk Posted November 25, 2013 Report Share Posted November 25, 2013 Thanks for sharing your memories it was a very interesting read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
palo Posted November 25, 2013 Report Share Posted November 25, 2013 Hello Drone. Very interesting insight to your shooting life, one question what did you do with all your rifles when you left Oz? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe soapy Posted November 25, 2013 Report Share Posted November 25, 2013 The Darne, I have lusted after one for 50 years after seeing them in Selfridges? whilst on a trip to London. The lack of headspace was reputed to cut out a lot of the kick. Also fancied a baby bretton, musthave been the lightest gun made. Fav gun i owned was a tikka 12/222, now that would shoot the nuts off a fly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddaftspaniel Posted November 27, 2013 Report Share Posted November 27, 2013 I have always fancied a Holland and Holland. It would not make me shoot any better but I could miss with style! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkfanz Posted November 27, 2013 Report Share Posted November 27, 2013 looks like there,s a few older guns with health problems on here but still keep on going,i myself started shooting when i was at school,in 1972 i had my left leg amputated then aged 21 carried on shooting,did rough and some wildfowling on southport marshes,then fowling on anglesey for a number of years,and now rough and pigeon decoying,right leg and hips are now suffering the ageing process and arthritis also have prostrate cancer but got a 4 month old springer september last year to train 1st dog in 25years couldn,t face another one after losin my gsp bitch all those years ago,but gettin to hard to chase after those runners now so the spaniel can do it for me,,so in my life ive been a biker a commercial tyre fitter an hgv driver owned sea fishin boats for more than 30 years as well as the shooting,,so to all us old timers may guns never be silent. psi use all my guns but my favorite has to be o/u 20g Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browning123 Posted November 27, 2013 Report Share Posted November 27, 2013 looks like there,s a few older guns with health problems on here but still keep on going,i myself started shooting when i was at school,in 1972 i had my left leg amputated then aged 21 carried on shooting,did rough and some wildfowling on southport marshes,then fowling on anglesey for a number of years,and now rough and pigeon decoying,right leg and hips are now suffering the ageing process and arthritis also have prostrate cancer but got a 4 month old springer september last year to train 1st dog in 25years couldn,t face another one after losin my gsp bitch all those years ago,but gettin to hard to chase after those runners now so the spaniel can do it for me,,so in my life ive been a biker a commercial tyre fitter an hgv driver owned sea fishin boats for more than 30 years as well as the shooting,,so to all us old timers may guns never be silent. psi use all my guns but my favorite has to be o/u 20g Good write-up and well done - you are a credit to the sport! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted November 27, 2013 Report Share Posted November 27, 2013 I can understand why you held back on the bear, pretty certain you'd have shot it though if the FIL wasn't there as back up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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