Afternoon on the Farm

[silentshot1 206]

Been a while since I've put anything up, but thought I should t least pull my weight!

 

Ok, the weather was looking fantastic, Her Majesty had given me the thumbs up and apart from a quick charge to Greenfields to pick up some low scope mounts for the HW 77, the day looked like it might be mine!

 

As ever, last minute chores (sadly not mine) manged to destroy most of the morning!

 

Finally got my boots on the farm at 13.00, with the HW 77 and the R-10 in tow. The plan was to zero the HW 77 quickly then decoy some pigeons with the R-10 until about four, followed with a hit on a couple of warrens with the lamp and the HW 77, but most of all try and avoid blanking (a new habit I've picked up intermitantly but regularly since January)!

 

Drew a 1" circle on a board 30m away, loaded the HW77 with a .177 AA Field, controlled my breathng, let out a large silent sigh and Blat, Bang, through the scope I watched the pellet hit an inch right. Awesome I thought, easier than I imagined.... famous last words! 50 shots, 3 fresh targets and 3 distances ever closer to the target, the pellets were still landing an inch either to the side, above or below the target with no real pattern and the occasional pellet hitting the bull.

 

Although starting to add up the scrap value of the gun im my head, I had a calming drink of Ribenna and figured that I'd missed the pigeons so might as well just try a barrel clean later and bring out the R-10.

 

A quick zero of 10 shots, 4 to hit zero at 25m and 6 out of pure vengence, spreading the single hole wider! Bingo, all ready.

 

I left my zero range and headed to the 1st warren. The ground slopes gently away from you and there is little cover, so a slow, quiet approach is a must, a hedgerow runs the left hnd side side of the approach, but behind that is full of brambles and wind blown twigs. You might as well sneak up with Crisp packets attached to your feet, so the open ground approach, although exposed, is by far the easiest and quietest.

 

 

As I approached, I spotted 3 or 4 Crop robbers sunbathing and playing a couple of meters in front of the warren. I dropped to my knee, I was still 50 odd meters out but slowly shouldered the gun to see if I could get a shot away. Clearly the wee buggers saw me because they dissappeared, hedgerow bound, quicker than Viagra at an over 's swingers party! I got to my feet and quickly but gently made tracks for some cover, under the fence with a bit of bank for cover, some 28m from the warren.

 

 

I got myself comfy, it was only 16.00 so I had another hour or so to wait for dusk and the Rabbits to venture out again. I closed my eyes and let the Sun warm me up.

 

After only 20 minutes or so I was amazed to see four rabbits jump through the fence line to my left, do a quick ring of the field in front, running almost under my nose, then charge for the warren in front of me. I pursed my lips and let out a squeek, two stopped and two charged on. Both that stopped looked around quickly, one dashed for the warren, the other started jumping in 180 dgree flips, then settled briefly. I got the cross hairs on him, bang on zero almost, I gently took up the first stage, let out some air, held, squeezed the trigger and phut CRACK 5.52 .22 AA field met skull. The rabbit did a full backflip, a goodbye wave and went still. Awesome!

 

I waited until dusk, but with no torch for the R-10 and the light dieing, i called it quits and headed back, but hey, no cheque book and pen for me today and the promise of a return tomorrow for some pigeons!

 

 

Thanks for reading.... bit wordy!

 

James

[wedge2409 98]

Very nice write up James,bit of a puzzle with the HW77 ,but you can't go wrong with the R-10 lovely rifle ..Ste

[silentshot1 206]

Very nice write up James,bit of a puzzle with the HW77 ,but you can't go wrong with the R-10 lovely rifle ..Ste

 

Thanks mate, normally a brilliant gun, so may be the pellets, just off out to play with it again having cleaned the barrel and with a tin of Superdomes.

[dtw 42]

very good read.

[milegajo 595]

Hahaha "they dissappeared, ..., quicker than Viagra at an over 's swingers party!" Oh god what a metaphor!

 

Really nice write up and fantastic photos too. Looking forward to reading about your next outing.

Mystified by the 77. I'm a firm JSB Exact Diablo / AA fields man. Find they perform brilliantly in all my rifles. Very strange...

[RatSniper 19]

Love the right up and good shooting

[ftm 3,357]

well you brought a smile to my face mate [not easy to do-so the wife says!] with your "wording" brilliant write up and glad you got the chance to get out and about

[77 si 21]

Really enjoyed that read, I have had days like that with my hw77 in the past it is very frustrating, normally after I have spent a few months using a pcp then pick the springer up for a days shooting try and zero it and i am hopeless for the first few shots. Hope it all works out for you with it after you have cleaned the barrel.

 

ATB Si