Not a trucker I’m afraid. My name comes from the first forum I ever joined and relates to my 1979 Series 3 truckcab (pickup) Land Rover. I just can’t be bothered to dream up more relevant names for the various other car, gun, trade and koi forums I’ve joined since.
You watching me? AA S400 carbine, walnut stock, MTC Mamba scope, carbon barrel shroud, Huggett moderator and a handful of polished Rowan Engineering bits. Amongst a couple of others. Barely get time to shoot these days though.
I couldn't shoot an animal if you paid me to, however I have been considering taking up HFT or field target shooting for a hobby, what are considered a good gun for these as I am confused at all of the videos online and the majority of those are years old.?
One of those questions that you’ll ask and get a million different answers. Always fancied HFT myself but never found the spare time. Nobody is going to look down on you if you turn up with an AA S400 / S410 but anything goes really. There will always be people spending thousands on their gear but you can get into it for a lot less, try it out and upgrade. Have a trawl on AirgunBBS and AirgunforumUK and you’ll see loads of threads asking similar or join up and post your own questions. The 400/410 are as accurate as you’ll ever need them to be and sensibly priced. Second hand you can get them for about 2/3 of new. Just be prepared to strip them down and service if you buy a used one. Very easy to do though. FT tends to be in a different league, using guns that look nothing like a gun at all these days. Very high-tech. Doesn’t mean you have to spend huge amounts to get into it though. Personally HFT appeals more to me than straight target shooting but each to their own.
Thanks for this, I will look up that forum, I like the idea of both disciplins but I think HFT is less of an outlay and probably more interesting.
I reckon so. Just feels like there’s a bit more to it if only because you’re stomping around the woods, shooting at different angles and positions. Keeps it more interesting than just lying prone shooting away at a paper target. And if you think the FT rifles can get expensive wait ‘til you see what some guys spend on a scope!!!
Totally accept that. I shoot for sport - but will only shoot animals that are either destined for the food chain and then only enough to ensure no wastage, or vermin such as rats.
Rats I don't mind people shooting but I think you have to be a good shot to kill any animal humanely, I would hate to shoot something and it was still alive suffering.
I agree, humanely wherever possible. I actually use "humane mouse traps" as we have field mice and shrews which get released. Even with rates I will make every effort for a one-shot kill, but having a multi-shot rifle, it only tales a second more
I remember watching Blue Peter as a kid, they sent John Noakes down onto the London underground lines. They had some Heath Robinson contraption with 3 light bulbs on it to test if the rails were live. "Why are there 3 bulbs?" asked John. "As a back up in case one's broken" they replied. "What if all 3 are broken?" asked Noakes. "If all 3 are broken, you're very unlucky and won't be alive long anyway..."
You can get a proving unit like this one. https://www.screwfix.com/p/megger-ac-proving-unit-690v/9419p#_=p Although you can do the same thing with a known live source
Oddly enough when I served my time in hospitals we used to have a home made box with two light bulbs and a couple of probes attached to it to test for dead, We have come along way since then but the principle remains the same.
A simple way is to connect your voltmeter to the socket using something like this https://www.screwfix.com/p/kewtech-kewcheck-r2-testing-adaptor-230v-ac/31565 Your meter should show you the supply voltage. Flip off the MCB for that circuit and it should show dead. Flip the nreaker back on again, and you are back to supply volts. You can then flip off the breaker, check for dead and be pretty sure you are safe.
I have one of the old london underground testers somewhere, mine very much as you describe, a n open topped plywood box with a wooden handle, the box contains 6 pygmy lamps in two series chains parallel to each other. the box has a copper spring clip on the bottom big enough to sit on the rail, then there is a meter or so of thick single core wire to a similar clip with an insulating handle to attach to the other current carrying rail - very simple, but must have worked for years!! I acquired it years ago when I helped strip out an underground substation rectifier array that was being saved for a museum that I assist from time to time, there was lots of old underground junk down there which we were permitted to clear out!
At least it makes sense to you now which is the most important concept when working with electricity.