43 replies to this topic

[nurseholliday]

Used to go out to the middle of nowhere and just fire guns with uncles and cousins in Pakistan. Don't think it's classed as a "hobby" though.

Fired some sort of Walther 9mm, Beretta 9mm, and a Colt revolver. Up in the Karakorum mountains you can pay Bedouins to use their guns, so I mowed down a flock of birds with an AK47 and literally chopped down a tree with an M16. Boy were guns fun when you were 13.

The SA80 I used in Cadets seemed sh*t in comparison to an AK on full auto.

Edited by nurseholliday, 14 November 2007 - 07:42 PM.

[Barnett]

i did 5 years bird in Belmarsh...

[Dog]

I used to do alot of HFT (Hunter Field Target) Air Rifle shooting.

I've had quite an aray of rifles...

From..

Westlake B2 (pile of poo)
Crosman Ratcatcher - had around £500 spent on tuning it, but it was still poo
Air Arms S200 - upgraded to a 10 shot
Air Arms S400 - then upgraded to a S400 GML
BSA Superten
Webley something
HW95 - bullbarreled and lazaglided
HW80
Falcon Rapter - walnut Skeliton stock

Few pics here - www.picturetrail.com/sniper296

I was also in the Air Cadets, the No 8 rifle was one of the best rifles I used, most accurate (I could garentee to get a Marksman!)
SA80 or L98 (L98 being the cadet issue) blooming plastic tonka toy, but again, got bored of getting the RAF Marksman...

Edited by Ðogmatix, 14 November 2007 - 10:36 PM.

[strebblo]

Good stuff! Although I never understood HFT. Why go to all the bother of getting an expensive (probably only in some cases) rig all cammo'd up, dressed head to toe in expensive cammo and then sitting/lying down in the rain and mud to shoot knock downs?

But then I don't do it, and it's got to be more accessible and popular than straight FT so that's good, but why not just have your regular gun and regular outdoor clothes/waterproofs?

Do you still have & shoot any of those rifles?

Glad there are people with a good range of tools in the cabinet here, it's always good to talk to other shooters with a broad experience of disciplines.

[Dog]

Good stuff! Although I never understood HFT. Why go to all the bother of getting an expensive (probably only in some cases) rig all cammo'd up, dressed head to toe in expensive cammo and then sitting/lying down in the rain and mud to shoot knock downs?

But then I don't do it, and it's got to be more accessible and popular than straight FT so that's good, but why not just have your regular gun and regular outdoor clothes/waterproofs?

Do you still have & shoot any of those rifles?

Glad there are people with a good range of tools in the cabinet here, it's always good to talk to other shooters with a broad experience of disciplines.

haha, no need to dress in camo, but I did as it was cheap, warm and didn't show the dirt.
I perfured HFT to FT due to being more rugged and trying to bend round some of the couases...

Have done HFT then Strebblo? If so, where did you go?

I found that HFT made me a better hunter in all honesty, I had a bloody good laugh, I think I have a piccy of me with mt S200 at my first shoot...
There are a few pics of me in a couple of Air Gunner or Air gun World can't remember which....

Found a couple of old pictures...


Me in the wet, with my S200 - first time HFT'ing


Me, at the same place as above, but later in the year with my S400


Me at a live fire day, with a Magnum pistol - scared the life out of me....

[wolfys_mini]

you look like you have your eyes closed on the last one...surely not a good thing

[Dog]

Forgot to say...

I do only have one rifle left, thats my HW95 Bull-barrel. I don't think I'll ever get rid of it, I love it too much lol.
I am currently looking for some nice grade 3 walnut to get a stock made for it, I've also looked into getting a better scope for it too, as its currently got a Hawke Airmax 5.5-16x44. I fancy another Bushnell 10x40 or 10x50, amazing scopes.

[strebblo]

no, never done HFT. I much prefer the solitude of hunting and on my own and also in a small group now and again. Canny wait to get out lamping again when I'm not so busy..

I started out with one of those shocking little B2's as well, but got rid of that for a HW77 pretty quickly afterwards. Gotta agree with you about the HW's and should never have sold mine - best rifle I've ever owned.

Had a TX200 Mk I after that for a while and that was a bit of a legend, but not a patch on the 77 really.

You should get some nice timber from the states - very cheap at the moment too. I'll post up some links when I get back to work next week.

Dunno about the bushnell stuff, I've shot a few rifles with bushnell glass on, and wasn't very impressed - espescially at the price of it. I've not looked through or shot one yet, but apparantly the nikko night eater scopes are just fantastic, so I'll be getting a nice big one on my hummer when I buy it.

I was going to comment on the pistol shooting pic too - no wonder it scared the life out of you, with you eyes closed did they have to point you uprange before firing?!

[strebblo]

Forgot to say, how do you find the Hawkes? I've used a couple and they just seem a bit 'asda' to me! I had a BSA contender from the states for a couple of years - only a fairly cheap one, but it was very good for the money.

I think I prefer those and the good old tasco's to hawkes, mostly because everyone has them, they have billions of models which are all the same and they just seem really cheap. Well most of them do, my bro in law has a couple which aren't too bad, but I have to rib him saying I prefer to use my S200/tasco than his Rapid 12 .20/hawke! You just have to do it really...

Hmm... not to be dissin your stuff man....!

[gixxerpower]

i used to do a lot of airrifle shooting when had land to shoot on. was in cadets too (leek 60sqdn) and shot the L98's, one cadet broke 2 in one night once.

last gun was a webley exorcet, all i got now is a cheapo airpistol that i shoot targets with in the garage, just to keep my eye in.lol

what is the law regarding back garden plinking. i know you have to be within a certain distance of any public paths roads etc. just wondering about neighbours because we are after a new house with a good garden, there is high fences (and a garage) separating the gardens and no public areas at the back but im unsure of were you stand with this?

i had a go of a S400 at work on some pidgeons the other month, was very nice and light.

[strebblo]

Webbo Exocet was quite good - nice & light at the least.

As for the law, I'm not certain how it stands now because of the recent 'Violent Crime Bill' introduced at the start of october. If you have a look on blackpool airguns website they have an informatve section near the top left of the page.

As the law used to be though, you shouldn't shoot within 50ft of a public area "if it causes a nuisance" to others. Exact wording that, but as I say it may have changed, so check the B A R site.

Other than that, make sure that you check with the neighbours first and have a good backstop, but if it's your land or you have permission because you rent the house then I believe your legal entitlement to shoot your airgun there should not have changed in the VCR bill.

fred.

[blacktulip]

i havent shot a gun in my life, would like to though. im just waiting for someone to reply "ive got an uzi 9mm and from the birmingham massive isn't it"

seriously i would love to have a day clay shooting. i have a springer which i could train to fetch real birds.

[strebblo]

It's not difficult to arrange a Clay taster day. You should call up a clay ground near you and say you're after having a go with a short bit of tuition (other wise it gets expensive) and see what they say. Most centres will offer you something like a half day with maybe 100-200 birds (clay ones that is..), gun hire and ear protection in a package for £50 - £150 depending on the amount of coaching and how many birds/shells you go through. Cartridge prices are on the up though, and that's not going to change for a while, so you may find it better to do it sooner than later.

Cracking fun though - DO IT!!

Did I Mention I'm a qualifed Clay pigeon coach?!

No ground or equipment at the moment though!

[strebblo]

Dunno about the dog though - I've got a lab gun dog and it's almost a full time occupation to train him in everything field related. Plus... your dog would be knackered running around trying to collect the millions of bits of clay birds!

Just in case there's any confusion though,

Clay pigeon shooting = Artificially launched ceramic/sythetic discs
Rough/driven shooting = Ususally live pheasants (but not for long ) 'encouraged' to where the guns (Shooters) are waiting, in you find them in the case of rough shooting, amoung other birds/animals.

But you probably know that.

[8vAlan]

iv shot an LSD? (think thats what its called, SA80, extended with the bipod) SA80 and a GPMG with the TA. thats about as far as it goes...