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matt_hooks

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Everything posted by matt_hooks

  1. matt_hooks
    How good are you at butchering it? If it's a decent size, and they're not damaged, the french rack is amazing, slow roasted at about 70 degrees for a few hours. Use the juices to make a gravy, with some redcurrant jelly stirred in. Serve with a good mash, maybe a colcannon, and some good veg. Course if you're not used to butchering, or it's damaged, then strip a load of meat off and stew it with some veg and a good veg stock.
  2. matt_hooks
    I wouldn't really put too much hope in "generic" request letters. Most farmers will have several requests a year for shooting permission, and so they can be choosy buggers! I'd say that face to face is FAR better. Take the letter along by all means, it's something you can hand over with your details on, and some info on you, but there's nothing like approaching face to face for getting permissions. I know if I were asked to let someone loose on land that I owned (I wish!) I wouldn't even consider someone who just sent a letter. I'd want to put them through the wringer, show them the l
  3. matt_hooks
    Jock, the .243 will push a light bullet (55gr for example) faster, and therefore flatter than a factory loaded 22-250. What range are you grouping at an inch?
  4. matt_hooks
    I wish I had the cash for this. Got the slot on the ticket and all, this would be a dream. Good luck with the sale!
  5. matt_hooks
    Don't think the Game Kings come with IR. Mine hasn't got it. Great scope nonetheless, run it on the .243 and have no problems at all.
  6. matt_hooks
    The one, in England licences to take deer at night are issued by Natural England, for the reasons stated in the Deer Act 1991, as amended by the Deer(Regulatory Reform Order) 2007. The allowed reasons are The licence will cover named individuals, and will have a maximum number of individuals named, normally four. In Scotland, the DCS (Deer commission for Scotland) are the relevant authority. Last time I checked they were in the process of merging with SNH (Scottish Natural Heritage) so they may be the competent authority now. You have to prove that damage has occurred in th
  7. matt_hooks
    No they don't. Certainly not with a shotgun, and any keeper will have a condition allowing use of the gun to protect livestock.
  8. matt_hooks
    Yup, but you'll need to do it with a new ring, as one that's failed won't be the same size. I'm trying to see if I can find the dimensions on line, but they're not telling.
  9. matt_hooks
    Find out what size they are, and then pop to your local plumbers merchant. You'll pay maximum 30p an O-ring, instead of the £13 for three or four that some people are charging. You need to find out outer diameter (OD) or internal diameter (ID) and ring thickness. I have loads lying round, if you can find the dimensions I'll stick a couple in the post if I have them. Don't over-tighten the fitting, as this can cause the ring to pinch and fail early. If it's properly designed then finger tight should be sufficient, though I would recommend giving it a 1/4 turn past that to be sure,
  10. matt_hooks
    Looks like a fun day out. Where abouts in Swindon is the place? Is it the same place planned for the get together in April? (If so, stop cheating and getting practice in you lot! ) Good shooting all of you, Ste, that's a hell of a score in the winds we're experiencing! My chickens are not impressed, they're all hiding behind the shed!
  11. matt_hooks
    Point number one, NEVER attempt to zero a sight from a single shot. Fire a group of three or four minimum first, then adjust according to MPI. Point two, If you've scrubbed the barrel out, it will take a few shots to recoat the barrel with whatever lubricant your particular round uses. Point three, check, and then double check, that all the screws are tight. Nothing causes zero loss like a loose mounting screw, stock screw or similar. Unless the scopes have taken a knock, they shouldn't be losing zero with a very low recoil rifle like the LR. Check that the screws that hold the tu
  12. matt_hooks
    No i just believe I got it wrong ...... I honestly thought the 222 was the smallest round for deer.... What are the bullet costs for the .220 Swift against a .222 Well, the .222 IS the smallest round, in terms of overall size and muzzle energy. The Swift case is considerably bigger. The confusion is with the naming conventions. .222, .223, .220 Swift etc. all firing the same diameter pill. Even things like .223WSSM use the same size bullet.
  13. matt_hooks
    Leon. I wasn't having a go, more of a friendly warning. You really do need to understand the law about airguns or you could end up in a lot of trouble. Glad you are reading up and trying to learn, obviously there are loads of resources, and if you've got questions here is a good place to ask them. We don't bite (generally) and there are people with huge reservoirs of knowledge, so ask away!
  14. matt_hooks
    Possibly you're confusing the .220 swift (a 4000fps, 1800ft.lb beast of a round) with the .22 Hornet (pushing out a not to be sneezed at, though not deer legal, 800ft.lb) All of the .22 calibre centre fire cartridges fire the same .224" diameter bullet, albeit at a wide variety of weights, speeds and energies.
  15. matt_hooks
    Ron, you'd be surprised by the number that do allow it! I know several farms where pheasants from a next door shoot are a serious pest problem, and for one reason or another the farmer doesn't get on with the shoot and is more than happy to let anyone shoot the pheasants that cross over onto their land.
  16. matt_hooks
    I wouldn't say it's funny. It does show a complete lack of knowledge of firearms law, which is worrying. How much do you know about the law governing air weapons? It's fairly important to have a good knowledge of the law, otherwise you could find yourself in a whole world of s##t! If you are thinking of applying for FAC, then go to the FAC forum and read up on the application process in the pinned thread. There are pages and pages of very good and helpful info, too much to repeat here! I's also spend a load of time reading up in here on the airgun firearms law, especially as it relates
  17. matt_hooks
    Talking about Coypu and Capybara, they are both alien species, so have no legal protection and are classed as vermin. I wouldn't fancy shooting a capybara with a .22LR though, big suckers they are! All my rifles are conditioned for "'primary species' and any other legal quarry" so I can shoot just about anything that's not a deer with any of them. I also have a "any animal in the management of an estate" and "pest control" condition. It's a shame they then chose to tie it all up by giving me the restrictive condition "on land deemed suitable by the chief constable of police" but I hope to
  18. matt_hooks
    Badger, most people start off with one calibre by chance, and stick to it. If you have the feel for the .22, then I think it's the better calibre for downrange energy delivery. The barrel length shouldn't make much difference to the trajectory, a carbine will be set up to give similar MV as the full length barrel, so the trajectory is exactly the same. The .22 is fine for HFT, though it does require better range estimation skills. I would say get your mitts on a .177 and put a load of pellets through it. I know quite a few people who shoot both calibres (DavyT for one) and get on very well
  19. matt_hooks
    They're not clearly defined anywhere in law, but precedent says that the "approved person" can be the landowner or the landowners agent, taken to mean someone that has been given permission by the landowner to carry out such activities.
  20. matt_hooks
    Your only issue might be the pigeons. All wild birds are protected by the widlife act, but there are general licences in place for the control of pigeons, but there are specific reasons and conditions you need to satisfy before you can shoot them. Go to the BASC site and download this years general licences, and make sure you meet the requirements. As for rabbits, the whole of the UK is a rabbit clearance zone, with the exception of a few small areas, so you can/must shoot them or control them. Squirrels are classed as vermin (grey) so can be shot. Ditto rats. Pheasants you know ab
  21. matt_hooks
    The barrel length makes no difference in overall performance. A shorter barrel may need more air to accelerate the pellet to the required velocity, so you may get fewer shots per fill in a short barrel, but otherwise it's entirely down to personal preference. The .22 will give you more shots per fill anyway (counter-intuitively) but the .177 has a flatter, easier to learn trajectory.
  22. matt_hooks
    The .22LR is the most popular chambering of them all, and for good reason! It's a versatile, cheap and readily available round, and most gun cabinets will have one in them. Rabbits at 100 yards are achievable, if you're good. It's quiet (totally silent for a bolt action firing subs through a decent moderator) and has plenty of power to deal with small vermin. I don't understand what everyone sees in the .17, unless you want to be shooting out at the extremes of the range capability. It is noisy, wind prone and expensive. The only gain that I have heard stated regularly other than range
  23. matt_hooks
    IF you'd had those kicks.... BUT you didn't... So nur!
  24. matt_hooks
    Your contract is with the gun shop. It's up to them to sort it out. If they've sold you something that, through no fault of your own, has caused damage to an item of your property then you would have a good claim against them for the cost of repairs. It's not up to the ammo company, or the rifle manufacturers, it's down to the shop to ensure you suffer no loss, and then it's up to them to try and get their money back from the manufacturers. Quote them "sale of goods act". Any item they sell has to be "substantially as described, of reasonable quality and fit for purpose" and it would seem
  25. matt_hooks
    Bwaaaahahahahahaha! It's like a £300 lamp. It uses a light colour which is highly detectable to humans, unfortunately it's right in the sweet spot of most other mammals too. The batteries don't last long, and the laser diode doesn't like the cold. They're great for real long range stuff on a warm night, where a lamp would not give the reach and the prey aren't lamp shy. To compare it to proper NV is frankly asking to disappoint customers!
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