where do you think i should start ?

[funkymonkey]

I am a bit baffled.

 

I like a bit of air rifle shooting and for the last year or so have been working with Alfie my 14 month old choc lab.

I want to now move him onto the next step of coming out with me into the country and start picking up for me,

 

But, and this is a bit but,,,,

 

I dont have a shotgun not a rim or centrefire, I dont have permission or insurance.

 

So i need to try to work out where to start with this,, I dont mind joining a local club,, but must admit, wont probably go there that much

as the whole apeal to shooting for me is getting out in the country.

 

I'm not sure what sort of gun to go for either, and this is almost a catch 22 in that i haven't got permission yet but do have local farmers close by that i can try that i have seen rabbits and pidgeons on their land.

 

so the question would be what order do i need to work on things.

 

1) Insurance.

2) join club.

3) ask permissions.

4) decide what sort of gun to go for.

 

I would prefer to go for the pidgeons rather than the rabbits really and as a big part of what i am doing is based around my dog, i'm thinking shotgun.

Least then i can do some clays in the club rather than target practise which isn;t really my bag once i know the gun is set up ok.

 

Apologies for it being so vague on details,, but i guess i dont really want to spend money on insurance,, license, gun and then find local farmers dont want to know,,, but at same time, I respect that if i trun up at their place with none of the above,, then i'm not a serious option and therefore wouldn't expect anything other than a refusal.

 

Also, can you recommend me some shotgun,, i like the up and over style but other than that, i dont want to spend more than few hundred as will need to buy cabinet etc. If i have a few options i can ask at the club to maybe try a few before i buy.

 

many thanks

 

Andy

[funkymonkey]

Ohh,, one last thing,

 

Anyone ever used these bango master things for training gundogs / improving your shooting.

 

they look just the ticket for those times when there are no birds about,, and would you think that if i do manage to get permission, they would allow me to use one on their land..

 

For those who dont know what they are:

 

*****************

Edited June 10, 2008 by henry d

[salisburykeeper]

You would do well to start of with an air rifle. Then get some permissions off a few farms and then apply for shotguns/rifles once you are confident with the air rifle.

The first 500 shots through your air rifle should be at targets rather than live until you get used to it, and can group a few shots nicely

[funkymonkey]

got an Air rifle already and have had for a few years, so thats no worries as already confident with shooting that.

 

rats and rabbits am more than happy hitting in the head and wont take body shots on bunnies if i'm not sure,, so the basic of the whole shooting thing are already in there.

[casts_by_fly]

if you already hunt with an air rifle, then to me it seems a natural extension to move to a shotgun. You don't need permissions before hand and you can get plenty of practice on clays any time of the year. NPPC may be an option, though slightly pricey. I don't know your budget.

 

at the same time, I would look into beating. Since your point in doing all of this is to get outside (with and without your dog) then I'd look at trying to beat any any local shoots you can get on. You can get a feel for how things work, you can get outside, and you can decide if it is for you.

 

insurance you can get by joining basc.

 

So rather than your options above, first decide if it is something you want to get into. If yes, then get your SGC application in and start saving for a nice little used O/U. If you keep the price down initially (2-4 gun cabinet, simple 12 b O/U) you can recoup your costs by selling back later used. And, try to find other shooters in your area. You'd be surprised how nice a lot of shooters are when it comes to new people. You might get a day or two in the field to see if it is what you like.

 

Thanks

Rick

[Taff Mason]

you definately need insurance mate, its only about £75 per year and you get much more than just insurance for that. as for working the dog i would get a shot gun. you don't have to spend a fortune on a gun or cabinate. i've seen guns go for £50!!!! you can still drop birds with a cheap gun. and cabinats go for about the same.

 

what area are you in mate? somebody near you might have one for sale!

 

Taff

[Pinkfooty]

Don't make the mistake of thinking that airguns are a natural lead-in to shotguns. They're not.

 

I suggest that you do things in the following order (they can overlap):

 

1. Join BASC

 

2. Apply for a Shotgun Certificate

 

3. Consider what type of shotgun will best suit the type of shooting you are likely to do (you will probably end up doing several, e.g. wildfowling, roughshooting, clays, etc so an inexpensive O/U or semi-auto might suit you best to start with)

 

4. Start going along to clay shoots to get any idea of what goes on and to meet some other shooters. Some clay grounds will let you have a few shots with a borrowed gun and the best clubs will give you tuition. The technique of shotgun shooting is totally different from rifle or air-rifle shooting.

 

5. Once you have your Shotgun Certificate, buy your chosen gun.

 

6. Go to local informal clay shoots or to a shooting ground and practyice on clays until you can break a reasonable proportion of targets at a variety of angles and ranges.

 

7. Once you feel competent with your shotgun, start asking around local farms for permission to shoot rabbits and pigeons. The fact that you are a BASC member will help due to their insurance and Codes of Practice. If you have a trade, offer to do work around the farm in exchange.

 

8. If you live near the coast (there is nowhere in UK that is more than 80 miles from the sea) join your local wildfowling club. Go to club meetings and volunteer for work parties. The more fellow sshooters that you meet, the quicker you will make contacts that lead to shooting opportunities.

 

Good Luck.

 

Eric

[MM]

Don't make the mistake of thinking that airguns are a natural lead-in to shotguns. They're not.

 

I suggest that you do things in the following order (they can overlap):

 

1. Join BASC

 

2. Apply for a Shotgun Certificate

 

3. Consider what type of shotgun will best suit the type of shooting you are likely to do (you will probably end up doing several, e.g. wildfowling, roughshooting, clays, etc so an inexpensive O/U or semi-auto might suit you best to start with)

 

4. Start going along to clay shoots to get any idea of what goes on and to meet some other shooters. Some clay grounds will let you have a few shots with a borrowed gun and the best clubs will give you tuition. The technique of shotgun shooting is totally different from rifle or air-rifle shooting.

 

5. Once you have your Shotgun Certificate, buy your chosen gun.

 

6. Go to local informal clay shoots or to a shooting ground and practyice on clays until you can break a reasonable proportion of targets at a variety of angles and ranges.

 

7. Once you feel competent with your shotgun, start asking around local farms for permission to shoot rabbits and pigeons. The fact that you are a BASC member will help due to their insurance and Codes of Practice. If you have a trade, offer to do work around the farm in exchange.

 

8. If you live near the coast (there is nowhere in UK that is more than 80 miles from the sea) join your local wildfowling club. Go to club meetings and volunteer for work parties. The more fellow sshooters that you meet, the quicker you will make contacts that lead to shooting opportunities.

 

Good Luck.

 

Eric

 

does this have to be mentored, like the FAC one? or can any idiot like me apply?

[Trussman]

There's no mentoring for shotguns

[funkymonkey]

Great replies guys,, spot on,,

 

I have shot over and unders before,, but only on stag do type set ups at clays so can see that its a completely different thing to the air rifle.

 

It was more a case of,, what seems to be the logical step up and forward from what i already do.

and most of you guys seem to be thinking the shotgun is the way forward once i get to that stage rather than a rim or centre,, so thats great as that was what i was hoping you would say.

 

ties in much better with the sort of shooting i want to do and also how it will work around the dog.

 

So from whats been said,,, would i be correct in saying that insurance is deff the first step,, but then rather than jumping in a bit 2 footed, could i start approaching the farmers for a bit of air rifling rather that shotgunning..... then gives me plenty ofg time to sort out the licenses and get on the clays until i am a bit more accurate on them, and then by that time, should have a decent relationship with mr farmer ad take things from there.

 

Deff liking the idea of getting in on the beating etc,, and i know a lot of people on the working dog side so that shouldn't be a problem.

 

Its very very early days,, but what sort of shot gun would you say think about for around the £300 ish mark,,, for the pigeons ?

i'll get one second hand as would be a waste of a new gun on me,, so its just a few model names and stuff that would sell for around that used would be great

[al4x]

going beating is your best way in, that way you can get to work your dog and get it used to game etc but it also opens a lot of doors to pigeon shooting and vermin control, as well as usually a day or so's game shooting.

 

You will need to do some work with your dog and keep it on the lead to start with till its steady on game but it will get both of you outside and in with shooters. Best bit is you don't need insurance to start just when you get your shotgun

[Ice]

Alright mate, i was the same as you a few months back, i now have a shotgun and more than enough land to shoot on, a air rifle to a shotgun is a massive leap, i have only been using the shotgun for around 4months now, before that i had never fired one ever, so trust me im no hardened veteran, and i dont pretend to be.

 

The power difference between an air rifle and a shotgun is collossal, my first outing on my own i missed nearly everything that was around 40 - 50 yards away, because i was compensating for the drop in the shot, that is thrown straight out the window, straight at the target with a shottie, go down the shotgun route pal, you wont be dissapointed, and get a Over and Under, not a Semi auto, i was told this bit of advice when i was looking and took it, my mate who started shooting the same time as me has a semi, i love my O/H to bits set me back just under £500 and i dont think ill ever sell it....

 

Good luck with everything...

 

Ice