Clay Shooting...Norfolk Style

This weekend I took full advantage of the gale force winds and took the 12 bore/gauge out with my friend Penny. He was using the Hatsan Escort semi-auto and I had the Midland Gun Co over and under. We were shooting random targets all different sizes to see how we got on with the conditions.

Rough Shoot - Pheasant And Pigeon Dec 2014

Earlier in the week I decided to go for walk around some farmland with JC for a spot of rough shooting. This also gave me the opportunity to take my GoPro out and have a play. We bagged serval birds but I must apologise for the bad language and some of the terrible banter between myself and JC. JC was using his 12 gauge/bore Miroku and I was using my Midland Gun Co 12 Gauge/Bore.

Below is link for youtube where I have started a Outdoor & More channel so hit subscribe :)

Tom

Outdoor & More

Woodland Frosty Walk

This morning I went down to a woodland area where I shoot quite regularly for an hour and bagged myself a few birds with my Midlands Gun Co over and under 12 bore/gauge. I didn't bother with decoys or getting in the hide I just used the natural cover of the wood to pick my shots. There was a stiff frost on ground and when I left it was -1C so I was layered up and had the flask on stand by.

As you can see the woodland edge where rabbits break cover

open canopy makes great for shooting

A few pheasant having a early feed 

RC Titiano Caccia game cartridges 31g 6 Shot

Midland Gun Co over and under

Overall a nice mornings work with a magpie and two crows, the landowner has a real magpie problem and I've not had the opportunity to shot them yet until today. When shooting in a wood you really have to stay vigilant and have the gun at the ready because you don't get much time to react.

Tom

Outdoor & More

Pheasant Shoot This Weekend

I'm really looking forward to this weekend because I've been fortunate enough to be invited to a pheasant shoot in Norfolk on Saturday. I've had the gun out tonight giving it a clean ready for the big day, I feel like christmas has come early. The shoot is on a farm in Norfolk near Stoke Holy Cross situated a stones throw away from Norwich.

I will be using my Midland Gun Co over and under which is a 12 Bore/gauge. It's a lovely gun but I am looking for a replacement. As you probably are aware buying a second shotgun in the pheasant season is quite hard due to the high demand and there aren't as many nice guns to pick up. I will probably hold out until the end of season because then you find some real good buys. 

Fingers crossed I can get some good photos at the weekend and hopefully a few birds.

Outdoor & More

Clay Shooting In Beeston, Norfolk at Fair Clay Targets

I do enjoy clay shooting but unfortunately struggle to find the time to go, the shoot we go on is in a small village called Beeston in Norfolk. The day is ran by a company called Fair Clay Targets and it's a very popular trap venue which is ran every two weeks.  The shoot offers a variety of locations such a woodland, quarries and open land where they set up various layouts.  We done a 100 bird shoot with some of the guys getting some good scores but I will reveal the results at the end. Here is a few photos from the day:

Jonny with his Miroku

Open traps

Quite the audience

Beautiful Norfolk countryside

Beretta semi auto

Doddy with his Nikko 12 gauge over and under

Taking aim

Woodland trap

Glenn with his Beretta Silver Pigeon

Woodland edge

Well the results are as follows:

Glenn: 77/100
Jonny: 76/100
Doddy: 64/100
Myself: 60/100

Not the best day I've had in terms of results but I've not been for a long time and I started off very slow ..well that's my excuse anyway. I was shooting with my Midland Gun Co 12 gauge, she's a bit of a golden oldie and never skips a beat. For clays I use the Gamebore 'velocity' cartridges they are 28g and cost around £39 for 250. For clays I don't particularly think it matters what cartridges you use and usually just go the cheapest and the Velocities come up best for price.

Tom

Outdoor & More

My Guns

I wanted to give a small overview of the guns I use and what I use them for. At the minute I hold 3 guns. A semi Automatic shotgun, Over and Under shotgun and a Under lever Air Rifle.

Hatsan Escort 12g

The first thing i can say about my Escort is wow. I brought this gun for around £250 and it was 3 years old. Ive had it for nearly a year and never looked back. In terms of value for money its amazing. It has never let me down, easy to clean and maintain and isn't cartridge fussy which can be a problem for most semi auto shotguns. I wanted to find a semi auto that I could just take and the field and get knocked, bumped and occasionally dropped and still function fine.

I did look at getting a Berretta A300 which was priced at £850 but I'm so happy with the decision i made. A lot of people would turn there nose up at the Hatsan because it not as a sought after gun. But Hatsan have done a great job with unbelievable value for money. The gun comes with 5 chokes and choke key which are all the standard sizes.

To conclude the gun has great value for money and perfect for those rough shooting days out where reliability is essential. And just proves that cheap doesn't have to be nasty. Also new, the gun comes with a 3 years manufactures guarantee. 


Midland Gun Co Model 502

This gun was given to me by a friend and was my first Over and Under. To be fair its a nice looking gun and I'm not sure the age of it. Its Italian made and very well built. I'm looking to swapping her soon for a Browning 725 or 525. I mainly use it for clay pigeon shooting and occasionally take it pheasant shooting. 

All round not a bad gun but I am looking to upgrade it.

Air Airms Tx200

I used to be really into my Air Rifles I've had springers, pcps and co2's you name it I've fired it or owned it. The only one I've kept over the years is my Air Arms, its reliable and never skips a beat. It has a lovely stock and really pacts a punch. I mainly used it for rabbits which I never had a problem with from 35 yards. Its an under lever which is great in a air rifle because the barrel is parminatly fixed unlike a break barrel. Combined with a 3-9 x 40 Golden Antler scope it hold its zero very well. I brought the gun for £200 which in it condition i think was a very good deal. Brand new i think they are around £400.

  Overall would highly recommend this beauty of a springer, you don't have to worry about dive bottles or pumps you just go out and shoot. I recommend H&N Field Target Trophy pellets for best results.

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