Air rifle shooting. How it should always be....

[pianoman 3,584]

Gentlemen.

 

I feel compelled to write on what has been a really wonderful shooting day I've enjoyed with Andy (AndyFR1968) and his two smashing lads on Andy's permission on Saturday this weekend. I don't have Andy's permission to use their names as I write this, so I'll refrain. But they are both the loveliest boys, polite, well mannered and mature beyond their young ages. The eldest is just 13 and the youngest about 11, I think.

 

After zeroing my HW80 and Air Arms TX200 .22 rifles on my permission in the morning, I was meeting up at Andy's house at 1pm and we piled the rifles and clobber into Andy's car and set out for this beautiful dairy farm permission he has in rolling hilly countryside near Leeds.

 

I was so impressed by the eldest boy's manners and quiet enthusiasm to be out with his dad, I let him have my precious TX200 in all it's pristine blued metal and glowing walnut glory.

 

Nobody gets hold of my guns but, I just knew he's look after it and treasure a few hours with it and I figured he was a safe risk.

 

The look on the lad's face was amazing. He just glazed his eyes over the rifle in his hands and raised it to his shoulder again and again perfectly poised and on the right eye relief with the Hawke Endurance 3-9X42 IR scope I have specifically for this rifle. It reminded me of me at 8 years old when my aunt sent me my first gun; a Webley MkIII .22 air rifle from Australia so I could go shooting with my dad, with a rifle of my own.

 

"You need some ammo for that laddie!" I said and loaded an AA Field .22 pellet for him after handing a full tin of of the 5.51mm variety to him. Picking out a rock about 25 yards down the track ahead of us I said.

 

'Breath in. Raise her over the target and let the weight bring you slowly down as you exhale, to sight on that stone and squeeze the trigger when you align on it. Go on and skittle it! Remember, this is a slightly-built 13 year old lad and he's got the weight of a scoped TX200 rifle that some of the noodle-armed say is an unmanageable weight for them!

 

And he did it! Perfect shot complete with a pleasing Zing! off the rock! (Definately a chip off his Dad's block!)

 

"Well matey, you can have that rifle and ammo for the day. Don't bloody drop her! Again, another priceless toothy smile and a look of sheer pleasure.

 

Andy brought his HW90 .20 and King Ratcatcher along and the youngest lad had the use of the 'Ratty'. We set up targets and spent the afternoon shooting in brilliant warm sunshine and wonderful country. Both of us teaching these boys to shoot with respect for safety and the skills to develope ahead of them in life.

 

It was absolute magic watching them soak in all you tell them; and seeing them hitting their target shot after shot for it. Correcting little bad habits in the budd and seeing them quickly adjust and correct their shooting . Enjoying every shot and moment.

 

Well, after a while, we went for a mooch deeper into country and maybe show them what the big boys can do. Yet, despite the signs that the place should be running with rabbits, we hardly saw anything.

 

But one opportunity came along. A large Buck about 65 to 70-or so metres away up ahead. Andy took a shot at it and whacked it straight over kicking into the nettles. Perfect technique from a standing position. No messing. It was a brilliant piece of cool calm shooting on a target of opportunity.

One to dad!

 

A while further along and there in the distant fields was a large rabbit feeding...about 160 metres away by a wooden fence. And Ive got 21 ft/lbs of precision accurate HW80 and an RWS Superfield in the breech.

 

I took a standing shot and raised the 30-30 Simmons reticle several feet over its head....CRACK!

 

The shot took no time flying over the range but, that bloody rabbit was well switched on and must have heard the round coming close and fast in the breeze. It moved like greased weazle shit just as the pellet was coming down and thwacked the wooden fence right where it's head had been. I saw the dust fly off it on the spot. That would have been my longest range kill with the HW80 but, heyho, it was a terrific shot as it was, even if I say so myself...and I had it witnessed for once!

 

There was an audible chorus of PHWOOOOARR! came from behind me and big grins all round! So, honours even if not the bag score!

 

All that changed a little further along when a woodpidgeon landed on a tree about 30 metres from us and I had my rifle loaded and just about to give the youngest a shot at a target with my HW80. "Scuse me laddie!" I whipped the rifle into aim and toppled it straight off the branch, through the leaves...right into a murky stream running beneath! Despite the best efforts of the boys, it remains in its watery grave till some water rat will no doubt find it a tasty meal.

 

So there it was. A kill apiece and a fantastic day out shooting with these great young lads. I'm sure they both enjoyed it as much as we did and learned a bit from us both. And though we didn't get anything major in the pot for it, a hearty fish and chips supper on Andy afterwards more than made up for want of a large bag of rabbits etc.

 

Thanks for a day out with your boys I will never forget Andy mate. I'd love to take them out training with us again sometime

 

Cheers everyone.

 

Simon

Edited September 17, 2012 by pianoman

[ArchieHood 3,692]

Good on you Simon, its nice to know there's still people about that will pass on their knowledge and help the young uns out.

[pianoman 3,584]

Cheers for this Archie. It was a genuine pleasure mate. truly it was. Sad when I think of the times I had with my dad at their ages. He was an amazing rifleman who taught me everything I know. He's too old and frail to get out now. But he always told me. "Pass it along to those who want to learn from you!

 

So I hope I honour my dad this way too.

 

Hope you are getting better with the old foot problem too Archie.

 

Best wishes.

 

Simon.

[Skot Ruthless Teale 1,701]

you really are a top geezer simon. shame about the longranger, that would have been an amazing kill at that range from standing aswell.. you really are the man.

 

over last few weeks iv been 'training' my mate and his first shot at a squirrel resulted in a great headshot about 40-50 ft up a tree from about 10 yards standing and he absolutely nailed it with my hw95k. showed him a few scopecam vids off youtube to show him how steady he has to be or will miss lol

[walshie 2,804]

Good for you Pianoman. Without people like you there would be less youngsters coming into the sport.

[Phantom 631]

Nice one Simon

And excellently written always a pleasure to read from you bud

 

Tony

[pianoman 3,584]

Thanks very much Tony Skot and Walshie. Appreciate your kind responses Gentlemen.

 

I think a lot of the youngsters nowadays have few of life's natural teachers to show them the pleasure they can get from doing something properly and correctly and above all, safely, without boring them to death with some ignorant classroom tosser constantly whingeing on at them, with over-caution and apprehension of some daft, bloody disaster if they so much as look at a firearm or an air rifle.. No wonder they leap at the prospect of doing something and get very quickly disillusioned and fed up when the desired result doesn't happen straight off.

 

I know I bloody would!

 

But these boys are a genuine pleasure to talk with and teach. These youngsters have every right to go shooting and we who have the experience and skills have a responsibility to teach them. Properly. As our dads have with us.

 

Andy is a brilliant dad. Just like mine is!

 

Thank you for reading it chaps.

 

Regards and compliments.

 

Simon

[porkycrook 466]

Cracking write-up Simon. It is nice to hear that not all teenagers are hoody villans, even nicer to see that you had trust in them.

 

ATVB

 

Roger

[secretagentmole 1,701]

Nice read about yours and Andy's trip out. Swine when you get a ducking rabbit!

[kill zone 27]

nice write up look forward to hear more

[Daz 7 563]

"An Excellent write up Simon by the "Jedi Spring gun Master"

 

Nice to teach the Young Un's, My Grandad taught Me all them Years ago An absolute Genius at shooting with the

Old iron sights whether it be Airguns or Full bore powder burners a crack shot if ever there was .

 

atvb Daz 7.

[stealthy1 3,964]

I've all the time in the world for kids that can behave and listen to what you say, by the sounds of it, Andy's kids are just those kind of kids

[pianoman 3,584]

Thanks Daz Mike, Kill zone and Roger. And you are right on the money Stealthy my friend. You can't help but want to help youngsters who are both keen as mustard and thoroughly decent.

 

For many of us shooting is in our genes, passed down from our dads and grandfathers like Daz here, with his grandad. My dad served as a sniper during WW2 and was a blistering shot with a .22 rifle or a shotgun and I got it all, with patience and kindliness, from him. He still asks me about the shooting days I get and he still reminisces on the days I had with him as a youngster myself.

 

You can't dismiss the youngsters of today as being the dimmest set of buggers there's ever been. They aren't all violent thugs and chavs. And they all get enough brush-tarring and being dismissed lightly out of hand, as it is.

 

I think when you meet a nice kid like Andy's sons are and he's keen to learn and needs a bit of help, it's a very mean, bad show of anyone to deny him. If I thought for a second the lad was going to do something silly, I would have kept my rifle out of his hands. Simple as that. As it was, both of them rewarded our trust with some expensive rifles and scopes and looked after it all, never shooting until we cleared the ground ahead as safe. Careful to cock and load properly without risks to anyone or anything.

 

And these lads will remember this day and the many others I hope to come, for the rest of their lives. I loved every minute I spent with them and watching them develope and soak up all we were able to show them.

 

That's worth something of yours or my time. eh!

 

Best regards and compliments to you all here Gentlemen.

 

Simon.

Edited September 17, 2012 by pianoman

[villaman 9,979]

Very good post mate ,good on you

[kanny 19,322]

nice read thanks... it took me back to when dad gave me my first gun a relum tornado... i like your style of shooting bud i like to think mine is simlar style wise ... i dont know how we managed before range finders mildots and chairgun