andyfr1968 772 Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 (edited) Hi, folks. I met up with Simon last Sunday for a bit of a practice and a bit of a mooch. I've decided to dispense with the useual coffee as it makes me shake like a mo-fo.... I think I must be caffine sensative!!! so a glass of water did just fine.... When we got to Simon's shoot it was fairly good weather, quite still, a bit cloudy but pretty good. I was setting up my Leapers 2-7x32 on my Diana 52 after my Luger went tits up after it got soaked last time and caused me problems when out with Benji last week.... All was well, zeroed in nicely and I was a happy bunny The weather then decided to give us a fairly stiff and variable cross wind so we thought we'd do a little long range testing. We set up a target about yards from where we were shooting from and gave it a go. The target was an old frying pan that we found, poked the handle in the ground, made some aiming points then got at it. Simon's HW80 .22 that had been previously putting pellet on pellet at 30 yards couldn't find the pan more often than not and my .177 Diana 52 could find it but the group was about a 10 inch horizontal spread very gusty conditions and it really showed. Only a couple of weeks back, we'd both been hitting 2 inch stones in still conditions from exactly the same shooting point!!! Testing done and night closeing in, we got settled down into the same spots we'd used last time out along the edge of a wood close to a quarry. There's loads of evidence that the bunnies are there, scrapes, droppings, runs, all the useual stuff but I didn't see a single one 'til it was nearly dark and that was giving it legs away from me. ARSE!! All was not lost though, I managed to nail 4 woodies and a ferral that landed in trees near by me and Simon cracked a 45 yard rabbit and a couple of pigeons too I've got a few pics but I really cannot make my piece of sh*t Victorian laptop talk to Photobucket.... I can email them to someone, if you'd be kind enough to post them for me....??? Cheers Edited March 2, 2011 by andyfr1968 Quote Link to post
andyfr1968 772 Posted March 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 Thanks for the PM Mr Mole, I'll email them to you tommorow Quote Link to post
pianoman 3,587 Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 (edited) Cheers Andy. It's a bit bloody annoying when it's fine and mild around my house but, out in the fields it starts blowing up a freshening wind. Still, that's what we get to shoot in so, we have to keep pushing on. It was good to get my FAC Weihrauch HW80 .22 rifle out. She's been put on the back burner in favour of my other rifles for the best part of a year. But, after just a very slight bit of dieselling from her strip service lube had subsided, I had her singing to one-hole precision at 35 yards; best range accuracy in the breezes. Even with around 20ft/lbs energy the wind still plays havoc with your long range precision. I've got Andy focused into shooting as accurately as possible to ranges way beyond the norm for hunting. This enables you to get a better appreciation of where your hold is actually taking you to with accuracy. It also helps your hunting ranges enormously. If you can group ten shots into a penny sized hole at 60+ yards; a rabbit's head at 30 starts to look like a barn door! The frying pan was a good bit of fun, trying to hit it at yards (you sure Andy? it seems further..ahem!) in the winds. We'll push this further when the warmer, calmer weather gets here. My scope for this now 11-year old rifle is an 11-year old Simmons Whitetail Classic 4.5-14x40 AO Supernightview. I bought it brand new when I bought the rifle brand new at Guns International. I have the exact same scope again on my Weihrauch HW77. In my experience, this is THE perfect Weihrauch spring rifle scope. It's a quality optic that will withstand the fierce recoil of the Titan spring FAC HW80 and hold it's zero like a serious money scope does. It cost a princely £230 when new 11-years ago but, my God it's as good today, after thousands of high recoil shots, as the day I first mounted it to this HW80. Once you click it to hitting the target perfect centr to centre, it's zeroed..and stays there! I wish to God Simmons would start their Japanese plant back to making it again. It brings the very best out of these beautiful German spring rifles and it lasts as long as they do! When you and your rifle and scope are hitting pellet on pellet at decent ranges, there is nothing more that you can demand of yourself or your kit. So, it was back on with the turret caps and off to have a hunt along the ridge of the huge quarry that lies at the end of my permission. As Andy says, it's got all the hallmarks of active rabbit terrain. You come to the edge of a vast quarry with a good 200 foot drop to your left. A ridge of old meadow pasture just 25 feet wide from the pit-edge fences to hedgerow and forest, runs along for about 350 yards till it ends with old boundary fences; where the old farmland there once was, was divided. It used to be a huge, fantastic meadow brimming with rabbits just 6 years ago, before the quarry expanded and bought the land. Now, the warrens are still actively healthy, but with only a strip of grasses left, the place to be is covering the woodland slopes down to the river. Being left-handed is an advantage to laying on the sloping ground with the winds in your face. But on this day, the winds were blowing up the side of the slopes despite the dense trees doing much to dissipate the strength. It's not looking promising. I took edge corner of the woodland while Andy stalked quietly off to a spot he wanted to cover from being here before, further on. The light was fading at about 5pm and in woodland shooting, you need a scope that can use every degree of available light. The Simmons Whitetail comes into it's own here. It's got excellent light-gathering optics and scrolled down to 6-mag, I could see clearly all my foreground and background shooting range and being at the top of the slope put me eye-level with the tops of trees. Now just keep comfy and wait... Wing Clatter! A woodpidgeon drops down onto tree top branches just twenty five to thirty odd yards to my right. As I begin to gather my rifle...A shot from Andy's Diana 52 cracks through the wood, clearly and not so distant as I thought. There's a thwack! He's hit something... Up flashes a rabbit! Cheers Andy you just flushed me a rabbit! A good 45 yards and way down below my position, the rabbit has heard Andy's rifle and now it's trying to get a sound positon-fix on his position before it makes a move for its warren. I get my good old fashioned 30-30 Truplex reticle into aim, just touching on the crown of its very alerted head...I felt the bop of recoil at my shoulder as my controlling hand held the rifle's weight on the wrist with my trigger finger slowly, surely releasing the shot,,,THWACK! And the rabbit jumped and flopped down on the spot kicking and rolling down the sloping ground into a cutting. Bugger that idea, going down there for him!! I settle back debating how the hell do I get back up the steep slopes with a rabbit in tow when Andy's rifle cracks off again. My neck of tyhe woods has gone distinctly quiet. So I mooch out and back further along the woodland track in the opposite direction. This is where I dropped a couple of woodies as they fly into roost. There's very rarely a sight of a squirrel in this forest but, woodies are a decent banker if there's not much around. It was pretty near dark when I bagged the last one. he was almost a silhouette 25-odd yards away in the bare branches and the shot hit him just above the crop. It fell down into the valley, lost in the dark. Oh well, the foxes will be happy with a few freebies. I met up with Andy a few moments later and he had a brace of woodies. He'd lost his other bag down the valley slopes too but, at least we both had some decent moments sport for our afternoon and we trudged back up the lane for the car. Better shooting yet to come I think! Simon Edited March 2, 2011 by pianoman 1 Quote Link to post
zini 1,939 Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 Nice write ups there lads, it sounds like you 2 had another great time. Fancy meeting up in a few weeks time Simon and Andy and taking me out for a bit of a shoot as I'll be back over in the UK? Would be nice to meet you both in person. Si Quote Link to post
Danny R-10 16 Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 cracking write up there lads, sounds like some good shots too. Sounds like persistance paid off in the end, pity about the bloody wind ah well I suppose we can't have it all. ATB Danny Quote Link to post
pianoman 3,587 Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 (edited) Hi Danny Thanks a lot mate. Seems my permission is running more nocturnal at the moment but, it should start to come alive in daylight as Spring approaches. Actually, I wouldn't have my permission any other way. It's a tough course for air rifle shooting with so much unsheltered land open to the vaguries of the winds, but, that all helps to keep you sharp Cheers Danny , Hi Si. Hey mate! We'd be honoured to have you come shoot with us here. Who knows, you could even persuade me there's decent shooting to be had from a pcp without it conking out! hahaha! Sure it would be lovely to have you here when you are back. And Laura too if she would like to come get some good Yorkshire mud on her boots! I have a huge amount of farmland to cover that gets hit with Rabbits, Woodies, even Mink in certain areas. In a few weeks there should be more activity about the place and I'll have some idea where it's getting liveliest. My mate is putting down Barley again this year and Mixy did a lot of devastation last year so, Mayhap we'll get some good sport this season. All the best Si Simon Edited March 2, 2011 by pianoman Quote Link to post
rossi_j 99 Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 (edited) Cracking write up andy and simon, a good day out in good company is what its all about .atb. .ste. Edited March 2, 2011 by rossi_j Quote Link to post
zini 1,939 Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 (edited) Hi Simon, Thank you kindly pal, I will defo take you up on that kind offer mate . I have no real permission of my own at the moment in the UK, but intend to get plenty after my return from Canada . My Uncle (Brian Moore) is a game keeper / pheasant and turkey breeder in Clipstone (Mansfield). He runs the shoots that way and has tonnes of land that he rents off farmers that I will be able to shoot on if I ask him . Ill invite you and Andy down once I’m back buddy and sorted for some squizzer, bunny and rat shooting . By then I’ll have another 2 or 3 very good quality new pcp rifles in my gun cabinet for you to have a look at mate and try out . I may even be able to get a meet going on our Brian’s land in the Summer after I’m back with plenty of corvid, rat and squizzer bashing as part of the schedule . I’m also pretty sure that when you shoot a few shots with my Tench tuned and customised .22 calibre r10 you may well change your mind about some PCPs and take a secret liking to her . She shoots like a dream and its as accurate as they come buddy. ATB Si Edited March 2, 2011 by zini Quote Link to post
Webby1 34 Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 Nice write up i love reading them and envisage i am there lol Quote Link to post
pianoman 3,587 Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 Cheers Webby. I love writing about a good day out with my mate and guns. Even if we don't see so much as a sparrow sometimes! It's a beautiful place is my permission. Hi Si. That would be lovely to come visit you too. Thanks mate indeed. I'm sure Andy would be up for it. I'm just joshing about PCPs to get a rise out of the lads who swear life and death by them . Their quality just need to catch up with the price tags! (ouch!) I'm seriously looking forward to shooting with your Tench reg'd R10 AND, if she's all you say she is I will declare my undying love and desire for her openly here! Enjoy the Canadian trip and we'll see you soon when you get back. All the best. Simon Quote Link to post
rossy08 33 Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 nice write up lads, always good to read your posts, all the best Andy ps Simon when do we get to see some pics of your permission. Quote Link to post
pianoman 3,587 Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 Hi Andy. Andy has taken a few and will be posting them up here just as a soon as he can get someone to help post them. He's having problems getting his PC to talk to photobucket. Glad you like the write up mate. Simon Quote Link to post
rossy08 33 Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 always enjoy you write up/posts your a credit to the site and sport with your knowledge. is Andy have problems geting his lamptop to talk to photobucket or is he haveing problems talking to his laptop he welcome to email them to me and i will see what i can do for you both. Andy Quote Link to post
Sweeney-Todd 208 Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 Hi Andy and Simon. Terrific post guys, enjoyed the read. Congrats on your bags and shooting. Like you say Simon, better things to come ATB. Bill. Quote Link to post
Karpman 44 Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 Cracking wright up chaps, You fella's know how to live it up thats for sure! All the best Karpman Quote Link to post
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