Hello from bristol England

[Dusty Stil]

Hi, from Alan, an envious admirer of your freedom. I'm retired now, and a frustrated former gun owner. I started at 14 firing 303s in the army cadets, MK4 Enfields and air rifles. I had my own 410 and 12 guage, a, Cooy, against my parents wishes. I was conscrpted into the Rhodesian Army as I was working out there in the mines. I was in the airborne at first then I was attached to gunships after I was injured. We had
the 7.62 SLR and the FN Cal rifles. South African Mag belt fed MGs. Uzi, and The Browning Hi Power. Returning to England I Joined the British army. When in Germany bought my own S/W 357 model 28 and a 9 mm Colt Commander of my own and spent many happy hours at an Anglo German gun club targaet and combat shooting. Serving over ten years.I brought the weapons home and obtained the fire arms certificated that was needed but the local clubs were tame. I started 12 guage shooting again , a Winchester semi and a o/u Frianchi, for clays. When Tony blair passed that antihandgun law, goodbye S/w and Mr Colt. Retirement came with family illness. So my 12 bores were sold. I'm afraid now its memories of happy hours and talking and interest only. I would like to talk with members around the N/W because my son lives near Vancouver now, after serving in Bosnia and Iraq as a reservist, and does someshooting over there.

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[Dunerunner]

Welcome, Dusty!!

 

[EMP9596]

Welcome, Sir!

 

[CZ Fan]

 

[westcoastal]

welcome from the oregon coast.
and yes we are still lucky in alot of ways
so, did crime (all crime not just firearm related) go up, or down after the ban.
we have a saying here "when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns"
works for both types, legal gun owners who may or may not relinquish their guns
and the criminals that aren't going to turn
in there guns.

 

[wombat]

Mhoroi Dusty and welcome to the forum!!

You were in the Kwe Kwe region? Globe or Phoenix? No, not me, just people I knew and some ex-pats.
Chased off in and around the beaches of Durban, just the young surfie (who fell off, more than up) with a disrespect for authority
And one day, some years later, tethered to a well trained Ridgeback. Answered the question which was better than a Shepherd.

Memories ... Cadets - my Dad's answer - always in trouble for dragging the butt around - I was a tad too small back then.

Rule 303.

Thanks Dusty, for the trip (literally) down the foggy memory alley!

 

[bubbazanetti]

Greetings, ol' chap!

I have had the "itch" for a .303 MK IV.

Had one and sold it. Wish now I had not.

And thank you for reminding us how important our gun rights are.

 

[Dusty Stil]

Hi westcostal

Thanks for your welcome. Indeed crime has gone up, the only handguns on the streets are illegal ones in the hands of crims. When the police armed response units get to the incident its oll over, unless its an ongoing incident. Our Police are not normally armed, (they want to keep the good British bobby illusion). The police armed with HK MP 5s or Glocks and sniper rifles I'v not seen those up close to identifie the make and model. These units are few and far between, and , always appear in large groups.
Thats enough of my moans, tell me about yourself? Whats your favourite type of firearm? What type of shooting do you do? Family? I'm married, son and daugther, we have four grand kids. I used to enjoyed pistols and rifle shooting, combat was my favourte. In 'o9 I passed through ( thru) Oregon When we were on vacation we drove from San Francisco to Vancouver on the coast road to visit our son and family. I was imprssed I kept saying Wow at the Landscape and views, and we were always treated with warm friendlyness by the people we met. Hoping to hear from you again.

 

[Swedish K]

Welcome to the site - if you have plans to visit your son I'm fairly sure there are several here that would love any excuse to get some range time in.
Just out of curiosity is he a member here / did he inherit the gun hobby? Sounds like you can say you lived a colorful life and in interesting times. At least you have the experience/enjoyment of shooting, a pity that so many in the UK will not ever have the chance.
Do you see any chance that the weapons restrictions/bans will be lifted over there?

 

[Dusty Stil]

Hi bubbazanetti,

It is important you fight to rights to bear arms. Look at Britian, you have to prove 'use' for a shotgun before you are 'granted' a Shotgun Certificate, keep the weapon locked up when not in use in a certified cabinet. A firearm certificate, forget it, hundguns, any handguns are illegal, for owners who want to keep within the law. There's plenty on the black ( illlegal) market. And the British police are useless, they normally unarmed, the armed reponse units are always late. Treat criminals, like guests, in this country they have more 'rights' than their victims.

Enough of my moans,what about you? What type of shooting do you do? A Mk IV that was a nice rifle, you had hold it into your shoulder, otherwise you felt it. When I did mmy snipers course, a long time ago. We used a No. 9 rifle. which was basically a 303 Mk IV retuned to 7.62 nato round, I could guarantee a 'kill' at 600 yds. I had time and practise in those days. I can understand your 'itch'.
Hopeto hear from you again . All the best.
Dusty

 

[drew]

Welcome. I hope our firearms rights never get crippled like yours. Glad you enjoyed your time visiting our corner of the world.

 

[westcoastal]

dusty, thanks for the info. it's always better to get to hear it from someone thats there.
can't trust the media her to give a true and actual story.
as for me i've lived her on the coast of oregon most my life.
married 20 years, with 2 boys and 2 grandkids.
got a red ryder bb gun at 5, a single shot 22 at 6, handy for rabbit quail and grouse (only get time for one shot most the time, so it it the best way to learn to shoot, one shot one kill) to add to the family's food
here we can't hunt big game until we turn 12 so the small game and fish (trout nad salmon) was all my brothers and i could and to the pantry. then first 20ga at 9, marlin semi auto 22 at 10, and first .270 and a pump 12ga at 12. so then i could add deer elk and duck to the supply.
we ARE blessed with the right to own and shoot firearms as we chose, for now.
hopefully my boys and my grandkids and their grandkids will always have these rights.
here are a few pics of my boys

both boys with one of the rosevelt elk i've harvested


older son (in the middle with a cotton tail rabbit) and two of his cousins


older son with one of his blacktail bucks


younger son with one of his blacktail bucks

 

[Dusty Stil]

Hi Westcoastal,

It was good to hear from you, What you say is true there will fine hunting for your grandkids, if no polotictian gets get their way. Too many do gooders and loud month minorites. if they shout loud enough for long enough PC poloticians start acting over this side of the Alantic. I'm a tolerate bloke with most people, but with the 'Human Rights Act' they are getting all they ask forand more. We can't even deport convicted foriegn criminals anymore because of their 'rights'.

The photos were a bonus, you must be very proud of your boys ( sons, but they're always boys to us Dads. I still mine 'arre Kid' and he's approaching 40). There must some good meat in your freezer, and plenty of it. How far do you have to travel to do resonable hunting? Do you and your lads use a range to 'zero-in' your rifles? Is that a Ruger your older son is holding? What scope do you use( looks like an 8x40 or 8x50). How often are you able to hunt game? I guess there are licences or permits you have to have. Are rabbits considered vermin? Thats about the only shooting we have over here, and pigeons with a 12ga or .410,or clay pigeon, thats your skeet shouting. If you want peashant or grouse,thats expensive. With 'drives' on to the 'guns' with beaters, its more like range work with flying targets. Deer, forget it. Unless you earn about £70,000 a year, its mega-bucks, strictly controlled, by the land owners in Scotland. Locally (50 to60 miles away), they have 'stag hunts' hunters on horse back with dogs (hounds). They even wear the famous red coats. They do have licenced stalkers ( takes about 10 years to qualify), they do the cullling if needed, but the land owner gets the meat. Stalkers do it as a second, part time job. I was lucky I had a farmer as a friend and did rabbiting and kept the foxes down. Alll it cost me was afew rabbits and bottle of good Scotch at Christmas and some wine for his wife.

I'll finish now, My Best to you and your family.

Have a good day

Dusty

 

[tac]

Evenin', Dusty - tac here, lucky enough to spend time in Oregon AND Canada at least twice a year. I live in East Anglia and have 18 guns here, in spite of the PITA hoops we have to jump through to get them. Anytime you are over here you are welcome to drop by and have a jaw-flapping session - I spent 33 years in the Army, BTW.

'snot fair to spread alarm and despondency about game shooting over here - true, it helps if you are well-heeled if you REALLY want to go shooting with the aristocracy, but here in the East Midlands/East Anglia I have all the deer shooting I could ever want, IF I wanted it, for the asking - at least 50% of the 250-strong membership of my club are deer-stalkers. We take what we shoot, as well, for around £25-40 pd. I agree it might be different where you are, but look at the British Deer Society website to see who REALLY does the most shooting. I assure you that MY pension isn't £70K p.a - if it was, I'd be living near or in Cannon beach!

PM me if you care to.

best

tac

 

[Bigfoot]

Welcome Dusty. I've lived all over the US and will retire in Oregon in several years if the economy doesn't tank. Love it here, almost never wear a jacket or a hat, what's a little moisture. Get this, you walk into any sporting goods store and purchase a hunting license, wait for the season to open and go get em. Blacktail are small, the Elk are huge and the terrain is usually brutal. The dry side of the mountains just an hour away is mostly longer range foothill country. The Mule deer are bigger and the Elk are a bit smaller there.

I read quite a bit of British press, EXTREMELY PC about home but they cover US news better than most American press. Go figure. Too polite to say "get outa there" but housing prices are very low right now, just sayin. Also the other Vancouver is a half day drive across Washington, might be a good time to buy before the Canadian boom hits. Worlds third largest oil reserves. Alberta is too cold for me but lower BC is nice.

 

[coop44]

Hi Dusty, lots of expat brits around here. Always room for one more "...yearning to be free." By the way, being a bit of an anglophile, I'll be in london in about a year, going to take the train north from there to visit my roots in glasgow.

 

[tac]

Hi Dusty, lots of expat brits around here. Always room for one more "...yearning to be free." By the way, being a bit of an anglophile, I'll be in london in about a year, going to take the train north from there to visit my roots in glasgow.

If your roots are in Glasgow you'll no be any kind of an 'Anglophile'....... :=)

tac

 

[coop44]

If your roots are in Glasgow you'll no be any kind of an 'Anglophile'....... :=)

tac

only some of the roots go there, the others go to switzerland, mexico, and england. An anglophile can loosely described as anyone enamored with england, with relatives named Beatrice and Alberta I think grandmother was too!

Gonna be hitting museums and pubs, soaking up culture.:drink:

 

[BANE]

Welcome ..

 

[Dusty Stil]

Helllo tac,
Sorry I have'nt replied I was away for a couple of days. My shooting days are unfortunately over, partly financail, mostly with illness in the family. I still am interested in shooting and firearms( I was described once, if it goes bang, he's interested). I'm pleased for you in your area there's plenty of deer stalking for you, In the South West, Bristol and S/W counties, when I tried in the eighties and ninties. One pistol club had a 2 year waiting list, I joined another but couldn't use my .22 rifle on the range. Rifle clubs were .22 target clubs. The nearest big bore rifle club was near Salisbury, with employment and family could only get there about once a month. It also had a 2-year waiting list for full membership. I wanted a Ruger .308. The addition on my FAC was only accecptable if I belonged to a big bore club, to have the rifle for just for 3 or4 times a year was a no-no.
The only places I could find for deer shooting was Exmoor or Dartmoor,Wales was all sewn -up with the landowners. The stag hunts controlled any culling on Exmoor and Dartmoor.Fortunatly an old army mate knew a stalker who did it semi-profession, who was at times busy and occasionally needed an extra gun, because it wasall on private land he lent me a 7mm Mannlicher. I had some good days with the 12 bore as well, but not deer.
I still say you have to be very comfortable to deer shoot in this counrty, and to 'have contacts' is very useful to get an introductiion. It seems like a 'closed shop' in this neck of the woods.
But I would love to have a chat.If I had remained single I think I would have stayed in the Army, I enjoyed it.
All the best Dusty