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Safety standards in the old days


Townie
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Looking back at the 60's and 70's I find it hard to recall a single farmhouse that did not have a loaded 12 bore behind the back door or in the barn. Most were double hammer guns, some English, but most Belgian. They would often be held together with bailing twine (to keep the forend on) and a rubber band between top lever and trigger guard, (replacement for a top lever spring). It has to be remembered that a 10/-  (50p) licence from the Post Office was all that was required to own ANY gun.  I used to go on an annual fox shoot where a huntsman and 6 couple of hounds would come from Cumbria for a week to the Lancashire area, in February, to 'control foxes'. This had to be one of the most dangerous experiences of my entire shooting career. (which includes carrying a firearm on the streets during the I.R.A. activities on the mainland). Shotguns were were not looked upon to be 'dangerous' back then and having been shot TWICE by the same gun, on the same day, albeit it at some 70 yards distance. The pellets were stuck in my Barbour waxproof, with one actually drawing blood on my neck. As I was a guest, I complained to the host, to be told " Yes, he is in his eighties now and his eyesight isn't what it was "   !  As gun licences have become more thorough and thus, harder to obtain and of course, changes to the Firearms Law, things have certainly changed for the better. Having said that, I had my eyes opened on many occasions whilst involved with the running of a shooting ground for some 17 years. I think the 'classic' was being accused of "ending someone's shooting career and he has never been the same since ". This arose from the guilty party, discharging a 'SNAP CAP'  in the clubhouse, injuring 2 people. Those people required Hospital treatment and as such, the Hospital staff informed the Police. They are required to do this with any gunshot wounds. The Police duly attended and statements were taken. It transpired that 'friends' of the negligent person had noticed he was becoming "A bit forgetful of late". His local F.E.O. suggested that maybe the time had come for him to surrender his Certificate, which thankfully he did. However, I shouldered the blame for 'contacting the Police'  ?   I think that shooting today is far, far safer than it was back in the 40,50 and 60's, but there are always going to be 'incidents'  in the shooting field, once that 'red mist' comes down, or one is distracted from the job in hand........................??   As was drilled into me many years ago by a Firearms Instructor, " ALL GUNS ARE SAFE....................UNTIL SOMEONE PICKS THEM UP ".

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