I'm FINALLY Ready To Rock!!!

[Guest Frank]

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Ye right there, John. It's certainly proven 'challenging' as a first 'proper' rifle Not exactly the experiance I'd hoped for or expected. But an experiance none the less.

 

Actually, my mate Dean hasn't long left here. We had a little shoot off and I was explaining to him that, every time I made that heavy sigh, that was because I'd been squeezing the trigger as hard as I could and that I'd drifted off target in the effort and was now about to realign and try all over again. We were registering an average of FIVE such sighs before the thing fired!

 

Best bit was when I handed Dean the rifle and a live round and bade him 'Enjoy'. I then wandered off about other business and got a couple of minor jobs done before hearing the crack of his shot. I came back round to Dean O' to be greeted with an absolute and rather protracted stream of F, B and C words. I'm quite sure, had it not been another mans rifle, he'd have slung it on the ground and jumped up and down on it too.

 

So now I have independent verification of why it is I'd secretly rather enjoy the prospect of any 'Hot Shot' who wants to publicly tell me I really could use a bit of practice at shooting and should get tinier groupings at what ever range; All comers welcome to come here and fire The Beast themselves. No bean bags and bipods. Just them, The Beast and an eight pound crush.

 

Deano understands now. He's felt the force.

[Ricky-N.p.p 0]

[Dean o Riordan 0]

 

 

 

finally ready so he is. but he still lost to me in the shout out and i was useing a 22 rim fire aganst his 22 hornet.

 

he sill got a bit moro practising to do.

Edited August 4, 2007 by Dean o Riordan

[Guest JohnGalway]

So now I have independent verification of why it is I'd secretly rather enjoy the prospect of any 'Hot Shot' who wants to publicly tell me I really could use a bit of practice at shooting and should get tinier groupings at what ever range; All comers welcome to come here and fire The Beast themselves. No bean bags and bipods. Just them, The Beast and an eight pound crush.

 

Who'd tell ya a thing like that

 

I'm sticking by my 's and advice

 

I can only imagine you're talking about Frank re Hotshot

[Guest Frank]

So now I have independent verification of why it is I'd secretly rather enjoy the prospect of any 'Hot Shot' who wants to publicly tell me I really could use a bit of practice at shooting and should get tinier groupings at what ever range; All comers welcome to come here and fire The Beast themselves. No bean bags and bipods. Just them, The Beast and an eight pound crush.

 

Who'd tell ya a thing like that

 

I'm sticking by my 's and advice

 

I can only imagine you're talking about Frank re Hotshot

 

Who me .......Naaahhhhhhhh

[Guest JohnGalway]

How's the rocking going?

[Guest Frank]

Yes Ditch, hows it rocking their?

Was out last night with a mate and a .220 swift, shot 6, sliced them like a chain saw.

 

Good night for it tonight Ditch, windy and black out their.

 

Frank.

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Good night for it tonight Ditch, windy and black out their.

 

 

Was, Frank. Here at least. I haven't had a pint all day and was waiting on a call. Finally decided to show myself as out - they'd know what it meant - and kitted up. Got off to a cracking start with an Irish hare sitting right there in the top field. So I basicly walked out my compound gate. Walked over my parking / turning area and shone over the hedge at a hare! Strictly verbotem, of course. But lovely to see her and in fact stood there studying her. I can't get over these little hares, mate. Anywhere else I'd have just said she was a rabbit. But we have No rabbits for miles around. Well; Unless this is the first one to appear here? Even bobbed off like a rabbit

 

And everything went seemlessly and gracefully down hill from there! I've been deliberatly running the battery down and I guess I just forgot quite how down I'd run it. Cutting a long story of a longer walk short; The wind died almost as fast as the beam and I wound up on the far side of Pat's land, working my way hopelessly back through it with barely a breeze in my face and a forty yard range of beam Never saw another thing, but several people must have seen me and that's always a bonus. I do like word getting round that I'm out there

 

Anyway, don't for a moment think ye getting away with such a short post from me! Oh no! Deano took me over to Dave's today! Naturally, there's tales to tell! But first off though, back to John there; John, the book arrived a week or more ago, mate. Sadly I'm dealing with some mega family / personal issues just now and my time's not my own. But I did manage to read a couple of chapters. WHAT a f*cking book!!! God! Ye were so right; ' The Book ' indeed! I've got it sat here right beside me, gathering dust, and I'm just burning to sit and devour it. Hasn't he got a great style of writing? It's as if ye sitting in the truck with him, waiting for the action, and he's just chatting about his views of things. Won me over the moment he mentioned how 'Big Cats' like a bit of fox!

 

But back to my ill fated rifle. Would ye believe one of the guys from E-Z Pull contacted me through this very site?! He advised me to do something I'd never have dreamed of in a hundred years ..... Turn the E-Z Pull 'trigger' round. Back to front! I shit ye not! I double checked I'd heard him right. Yeppers. He was telling me to set it so the two triggers were effectively like " () " ! FFS!

 

Well, due to the stresses I'm under, I'm afraid I Rather over did it last night ( ) good old fashioned alcaholic poisoning was well in before the night was even out and I was shaky as f*ck. Thus I had a Real nightmare fiddling with the fiddly little device. But none the less, I did it. I then took her out to my firing spot and popped one in. Aimed at the base of the big tree and " CRACK! " I can't honestly remember how it felt. (I probably really Was That handcarted by then ) But I do remember feeling distinctly satisfied. I feel she was no where as light as I had her when she couldn't fire on it. But equelly, no where near the frustrating power drag I had without the E-Z. I bought a fresh box of ammo today and am taking it damn easy on the black stuff tonight. Tomorrow I'll pop off another shot or two, just to remind myself. But I feel I'm well pleased with the result of that gentlemans advice. So, Thanks to him then, if he reads this

 

What else is there? Calls. I asked Dave what calls he had and he straightaway handed me a 130 Euro little thing in a cammo belt pouch! Never one to shy from attempting to empty ones account is our Dave! He reckons it the best though. But having things like Widgeon on it? Like, yeah; I shoot a lot of Widgeon here ..... I pointed out I Really wanted a wooden crow call I could bite the plastic mouth piece of and do a rabbit squeal. Sadly, he's completely sold out of All blown calls. I did examine a 32 Euro box. Again, didn't catch the name, but this one was Fox and they do a Crow one too. Had Ditressed Kitten and Gray Fox Cub on it, I think? But, even at such a price, Deano and I gave it a few blasts and curled our lips. We later agreed there's something just 'not on' about such devices. Indeed, we agreed there'd be an ever present fear that the damn thing may well scare off a fox rather than bring it! Repetative quality just seems wrong.

 

Anyway, Deano had gone there with the intention of stepping up to a Hornet himself. Thus, for the first time ever, I found myself back in Dave's actual gun rooms! F*ck Ing Hell!!! Suffice it to say that I soon needed a bib. Now that rifles actually mean something more to me than mysterious and wonderful things which only others are allowed, I was well enjoying myself. As was Dean.

 

Highlights would be my new born appreciation of those fancy grained, laminated guns. (Haven't you just got one, John?) Frankly, could never see the appeal of them before. Not from photo's. But seeing one in the flesh? Oh yes! They Are head turners, aren't they? Very nice

 

I was equelly surprised to find I found a black synthetic not at all displeasing either! Again, magazine advert shots or web stuff? I always scoffed to myself and thought what ever could anyone see in such material and colour. Not so bad at all though.

 

The blue plastic air rifle made me so sick and insenced I wanted to smash in on the floor! Have ye ever seen one of Those f*cking things?! Jesus christ!

 

Dean O' eventually chose himself a rifle and placed his deposit on it. He's so eager for it his frustration at not finding any Gards on station duty when we got back to town was evident. Poor sod was gutted at having to waste at least twenty four hours before getting his reapplication in. I can fully sympathise with the poor guy. But, f*ck me; Look at what I went through! Anyway, I'll leave Dean to explain his own story, if he's a mind to. But, finally, for now; Here's my own piece de resistance!

 

I'm In Love!!!!! Mooching about amongst the rifles just stacked against crates of god knows what back there, my eye was drawn to another little black, synthetic number. I may have asked Dave her name. I may have just carressed her. All I really know is that, inside sixty seconds of laying eyes on her, my whole world slid widly out of kilter! Remmington 597 .22 Magnum! O M F G!!!

 

Oh god. I just had to stop and sit here for a moment then. Reliving the experiance! She has a soft, rubberised cheek piece on the left hand side of the stock - something they never show in the facing right photoes. I shouldered her and my stubble meshed against her soft, warm skin. My left hand found her countours So natural! I looked down her scope. Put the cross hair on something. Stood there. I swear I could still be standing there now ~ that cross hair locked rigidly on pin point! Oh God!

 

As I actually said to Dean during the long drive home - between manic utterances of " I want her! "; I'd thought my old BSA Lightning .22 air rifle was a dream? F*CK! I'd throw a Lightning on the floor in disgust and contempt if I ever compared it to the feel of such LOVE!

 

Lads; I have simply Never in my life picked up Any gun and felt so deeply naturally that it was simply an extension of my living flesh, bone and soul!

 

.22 Magnum? Rounds are cheap as piss. Drop a fox at 100 yards ~ the viable range of my light and my eyesight. All the reviews I've read since say she's a gorgeous little gun. Cheap as f*ck to buy. They equelly say the so and so's better. But christ, I could make Such natural work with this little black beauty! They Made her for me, in heaven! Would ye believe it; She's said to have a heavy trigger?! But 35 quid sets that right! Guy had it done. And there's Deano and Dave both vehemently agreeing that the Gardai would Love to change my chit for her - it being like a worker asking for a pay cut. I'd be stepping down a level of inherrant lethallity and they'd be rubbing their hands in glee!

 

Get her? I'll f*ckin sleep with her in my bed! I'm completely, utterly and totally smitten!

 

Let's hear it!

[Guest Frank]

.........

[Guest baldie]

Ditch, i,m surprised the guardai didn, t reccommend one in the first place... the calibre is well suited to Eire,s little hedged fields, i,ll bet you are hard pushed to find a shot past 100 yards?

The remington 597 is a good rifle, but it has a potted history. Here goes.

The .22 RIMFIRE, has had a lot of problems, enough so, we actually bought at least a 100, that were s/h that had been returned to the importers, Edgar bros. The faults were these. a bad magazine, which they have finally got right, with the MK3 version. Poor trigger, which is easily remedied with a volquartsen replacement trigger, and also poor extraction, which again is remedied with a volquartsen match extractor. There were also problems with cycling subsonic ammo, which we finally got to the bottom of, with a couple of "fixes" which are obviously now a trade secret, so i wont be revealing it here.

All in all, a lot of work, but still a cheap gun, which has a lot more good points than the ruger 10/22, like last shot hold open on a straight stick mag, good open sights, decent stocks etc, and a good range of aftermarket bits too.We tend to forget in the UK, that these little guns were designed to run on hi velocity ammo, as its all the yanks use, not subsonics.

 

Good news is, none of this applies to the .22 magnum, except maybe the trigger, and possibly the extractor its a fine rifle, and i believe they now come screwcut.

[SNAP SHOT 194]

DITCH,

if i was you i'd stick with the hornet, And only for one reason really, when you increase your skill level, you look towards something that will give you that extra little bit of reach. I'm sure you have a few fields of at least two hundred yards. looks aren't everything, a gun that shoot's well keeps zero, and has the ability to do everything you want from it is top of the table when buying.

As i said practise with the hornet will make you a dangerous boy, you'll be picking of foxes at two hundred yards in no time, something that you could not do with the said love of your life at the moment

When i got the .243 i wasn't a totally great shot, but getting to know the gun, practice, etc, i'm plinking of foxe's at four hundred plus yards.

something i would not have even tried 5 years ago.

if this weather would give us a break i'd really like to be poping a few shots at some 500 yard targets.

As the lad's kindly offered offered me a hill were there is no people shooting across a valley, i can't f....ing wait.

but back to you, stick with her mate. think about what i said as the goverment here are trying to get shooting put to the stoneage. maybe if you changed back and wanted to have a hornet in two years time you might not get one. with this pack of as.......oles in with the greens.

PRAIZE THE LORD AND PASS THE AMMO

[Guest JohnGalway]

If you're going to change anything, then go up in calibre to .223 at least, don't go backwards. You're not going to be shooting that number of foxes and other to be bothered by ammo cost in all reality. The only time cost comes into it for centrefire rifles is when you spend the day banging away at paper targets. As far as I'm concerned paper should be used in two ways. Zeroing and checking zero and finding out your bullet drop/wind performance. After that leave it to the writers.

 

As for callers, I have the callmaster digital caller, they work.

 

Yeah my new Remmy has a laminated thumbhole stock, very nice it is too. Probably on a day that I had sense I'd have gone for the VS SF II with its synthetic stock but you pay your money you takes your chance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm using American Eagle 50 grain hollow point, which comes in boxes of 20 for 12 Euro a box.

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Cheers, el Bald And ye quite right; There are some sweeping great fields, backed up by a forestry plantation, just a couple of miles down the road from here. However; I don't have a clue who owns them. They never have sheep on them. I can't see anyone hiring me to take out what thus wouldn't bother them. My lamps effective range is 100 yards and the same about goes for my aging eyeballs. I can't shoot what I can't discern clearly, no matter how powerful a gun I have.

 

Most of all, I'm not in competition with my own or anyone else ego's. I enjoy what I get up to and feel I'd enjoy it even more with a rifle that suits me.

 

I was out again with Deano today, lads. He had some pre range finder set targets up, ready for me and popped off a few shots. Sadly, stone cold sober, I found the trigger's actually as hateful as ever. I believe I see the problem, yet another adjustment should fix it. But I'm just sick to the guts of trying to make a gun I really now can barely stand the sight of stop fighting me at every turn. I shot satisfactorally, despite the massive handicap. But, as I said to Dean; No fox would stand around waiting while my wrist tendons knotted and my trigger finger ached as I crushed ever harder on that f*cking trigger!

 

Deano said he'll drop by and give ye a summary of the afternoons fun. I must just mention though that I found a plastic bottle and filled it with water. Shot the thing at fifty odd meters and sadly, the recoil moved the scope as it impacted, thus by the time my eye found the target again, a split second later, all I saw was two whisps of paper, floating down like feathers. Dean, the lucky bugger, saw the whole show and was most mightily pleased! Vapourised, apparrantly!

 

Anyway, John; Would that caller of yours retail at somewhere around the ton mark? About the size of a twenty fag packet and come with a little cammo belt pouch? Just wondering if that's the one Dave reccomended to me. He said that one worked.

[Guest JohnGalway]

It's for sale here. Lol, not around the ton I'm afraid, it's £165! But, like I said it does work. It'd be smaller than a fag packet, maybe slightly thicker though. Easy fit into a jeans pocket.

 

I don't want to harp on about it but I'd get rid of the NEF for a better make of rifle.