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Beefbeefbeef

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Everything posted by Beefbeefbeef

  1. I've heard all kinds of things will work and had plenty of success with all the above (not tried bananas) but the most important thing is to make sure there is always food available otherwise the duck will go elsewhere, particularly if you are in an area where there are several people feeding flight ponds.
  2. The loft is in the middle of the house so there's no masonry walls, just partitions. It would also be a major pain in the ass going up and down the step-ladder.
  3. Firstly, hope I got the right forum section for this query. I have just moved house and there is no sensible way for me to attach my cabinet to a masonry wall. I am therefore thinking of drilling into the floorboards and also a partition wall at the rear of the cabinet. Do you think this is going to be acceptable to the firearms officer? I have moved a few times and the officers seem generally relaxed although I did have one in Birmingham who insisted on a masonry wall fitting (may have been due to the nature of the area!). Cheers
  4. As an aside, mine is a CZ 452 silhouette which I bought new - there were nil instructions in the box about how to zero it in. Maybe that's because it depends on the scope set-up etc but you'd think CZ would give some basic advice.
  5. No, I've 30 years experience with shotguns and airguns but this is my first rifle. Maybe crouching over the barrel of my truck was not giving as steady a position as I could get when prone. Will try that.
  6. There seems to be a lot of discussion about cleaning and the balance of opinion is that cleaning is necessary with the .17HMR unlike many calibres although I know some disagree with that. When I bought the rifle and didn't have a clue, the gun shop "threw in" a bore snake which was crap (broke very quickly) and not much liked by serious rifle shooters so I've discovered. Since the bore snake had broken I hadn't been able to clean the rifle so that was what was wrong with my cleaning! I latterly bought a wire brush and cleaning rod and was amazed at what muck was in the barrel. However w
  7. I bought a .17HMR last year. When I tried to zero it, I found that beyond 60 yards it was pretty difficult to keep the rifle steady enough to produce a reliable series of shots upon which scope adjustments could be made. That and a realisation that my cleaning regime was not right meant a lost confidence in it. The game season has intervened and so I haven't had the rifle out for a few months but want to try again now. I was using a bean bag under the fore-end of the rifle, resting on the bonnet of my 4x4. I typically fired 3 to 5 shots and then checked the target to see where I was
  8. Hi Joe I have a good pond which has shot very well over the past two seasons but this year the mallard only use it as a day roost (often circa 30 on there during the day) then don't come in at night - annoying! There are lots of teal this year which makes up for it but i am puzzled why the mallard have changed their habits. I am in east Shropshire so not a million miles from Cheshire - maybe the wet spring affected the hatch rate?
  9. In the summer I have found that it pays to get decoying at first light beacuse the birds come off their roosts in dribs and drabs so they can be decoyed. Later in the morning they have flocked together and tend to move as one group which is no good if you are trying to decoy them. I have not noticed if this also happens in winter as I tend to be after game and wildfowl at that time of year.
  10. This season i am getting loads more teal coming in to one of my ponds at dusk, lots more than last year, but the mallard are only there during the day - unlike last year when they came in at night. It's weird how the mallard now use it as a day "roost". Something has changed over the last 12 months - maybe the mallard have a better feeding option locally. I do feed mine twice a week, same as last year.
  11. why is 30g to light for duck ? For an average shot who wants to make sure he kills consistently, I would say 30g is too light for a bird like a mallard. 30g will do the job, no doubt, but I like to make sure.
  12. I still question the original rationale behind banning lead shot for shooting. I can see the logic of banning lead shot from fishing tackle on some english canals and rivers where the anglers are 10 yards apart and fishing the shallows, often daily, where the wildfowl are probably feeding. But was there ever any real evidence that shotgun shooting was causing the same problem? I've a feeling the ban on lead shot in shooting got "swept up" with the fishing ban. Now there is chat that they might ban lead altogether because people aren't observing the ban! If there is evidence to the
  13. Have you read about the TMX though? They reckon they are as near to lead as its going to get and better and cheaper than tungsten matrix. I've been using 32g TMX over the past 3 years and really like them. Before that I used Tungsten Matrix in 36g which were even better but I stopped when they went daft expensive (think they are towards £2 a shell!). If you buy 250 TMX they work out at about 90p a shell however Gamebore have stopped / paused production because the price of tungsten has just rocketed again. They were also dropping the load from 32g to 30g which is surely too ligh
  14. I've tried sitting them on top of the radiator in a room with a dehumidifier. Suspect something has corroded inside. A new set is over £150 hence worth seeing if they can be repaired.
  15. Mine have just packed up. Changing the battery has done no good. I suspect there has been a build-up of condensation inside them which I saw when I opened them up so probably someone with a bit of know-how might be able to fix them. Anyone know of anyone who repairs these things? They are MSA Sordin Supreme. Cheers
  16. I find the ducks move on to moving water pretty quickly when it's frozen however you can still bring the odd curious duck into range using a few decoys and a duck call, particularly the ducks which were using the pond before it got frozen. They often come for a look at dusk.
  17. Can't get hold of tungsten any more so I'm going to try steel. I use a Miroku mk70, approximately 7 years old. I gather that no more than half choke is sensible. Do I need to get my gun checked out to see if it is proofed for steel or is that just a concern for older guns? Cheers
  18. I rate these shells when non-lead is required. My mate phoned "Justcartridges" to order some but was told they have stopped stocking them - anyone know where else I could buy some?
  19. Agreed. I tend to find it makes the ducks more positive about coming in. When the conditions are mild they sometimes spend ages circling / checking out the area.
  20. I have a Duck Commander (can't recall model but it is black plastic (acrylic?)) and it seems to pull in ducks. Possibly not as "raspy" as I would like but it is single reed.
  21. I would never have guessed that one. I know someone who tipped in loads of broken biscuits from the Tunnocks factory in Scotland. Apparently the ducks loved them.
  22. On the basis they seem to eat anything, I am hoping they might have a go. Must be occasions when a crab apple tree hanges over a pond. I will report back!
  23. I've just chucked in a bag full but interested to hear if others have tried.
  24. anyone know an estate where walked up ptarmigan shooting is available? Hardly anything on the internet.
  25. Hi folks Just to let you know that the Ythan estuary in Aberdeenshire is now owned and managed by a club. YEWCA was set up before the start of this season and unfortuanatly all the members places have been taken now. Just to let you know, before you travel up to be let down. Cheers Matthew Didn't know that , thanks Matthew. Shot my first goose there 20 years ago when I lived in Aberdeen. Was amazed at the time that it was free shooting and, whilst that felt good, I always felt it had potential to be abused. I guess a club is a good thing.
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