Is anyone still buying side by side 12 bores ?

[holwellcourtfarm]

Well, just a quick reckon up, every 800 bangs spreads 1/2cwt of lead across a shooting ground.

My conscience is clear on lead shot. I bought 1000 cartridges in about 1985 and still have 150 left.

 

[ollie989898]

I don't think there is a health issue from eating shot game, and I can't think there is much environmental impact from lead if you shoot a few rounds here and there- around here the soils are loaded up with heavy metals anyway.

 

[Oliveau]

20 odd years ago I paid quite a lot of money for a very nice Cogswell & Harrison Blagdon box lock sbs originally made in 1911. A lovely light gun and a pleasure to use. I gave up shooting a couple of years ago due to mobility issues and ended up literally giving it away as local gunsmith said it was unsellable in current market.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

I don't think there is a health issue from eating shot game, and I can't think there is much environmental impact from lead if you shoot a few rounds here and there- around here the soils are loaded up with heavy metals anyway.

my gut feeling would be, far more heavy metals deposited on the ground from spreading sewage sludge

Secret report details toxic chemicals in sewage used as fertiliser at English farms

The Environment Agency found sewage sludge destined for English fields was contaminated with microplastics, weedkiller, and “persistent organic pollutants”

unearthed.greenpeace.org

 

[Ffermer Bach]

20 odd years ago I paid quite a lot of money for a very nice Cogswell & Harrison Blagdon box lock sbs originally made in 1911. A lovely light gun and a pleasure to use. I gave up shooting a couple of years ago due to mobility issues and ended up literally giving it away as local gunsmith said it was unsellable in current market.

That is such a shame. A while ago, I was talking to a local gunsmith, and he said all his customers were my age, in the past young men would get an airgun and then progress onto shotguns, where as now, they play on computers so there are not the young coming through. I think our media seems to demonise shooting too, everyone who has a gun is either a drug dealing criminal, far right nutter or psychopath!

 

[Clive]

Unless it's something unusual or a top premium make then one local gunroom (Roding Armoury in Abridge) send them in bundles of 10 to Africa, for £5 a bundle, for villagers to use to scare lions away....

Lions you say ??

 

[Dry Rot]

Isn't the problem with lead shot that wading birds filter them out to add to the gravel in their gizzards? Small stones are used by the birds to grind up grain and molluscs.

 

[Farmer Roy]

Isn't the problem with lead shot that wading birds filter them out to add to the gravel in their gizzards? Small stones are used by the birds to grind up grain and molluscs.

yes

 

[2wheels]

I’m no expert but would you not be better putting that weight load through a 20bore? Would the pattern not be better?

yes the squarer the shot load the better.

 

[C.J]

yes the squarer the shot load the better.

A gentleman uses a sweet sixteen

 

[2wheels]

A gentleman uses a sweet sixteen

aah but a 12 bore is a bigger weapon.

 

[Red Fred]

Not a big game hunter here, but presumably the same cartridge issues will apply to my little old pre war .410 that I use for rats and on walkabouts down the hedges?

 

[davidroberts30]

I don't think there is a health issue from eating shot game, and I can't think there is much environmental impact from lead if you shoot a few rounds here and there- around here the soils are loaded up with heavy metals anyway.

It's bad for your health if your the game...

 

[snarling bee]

yes the squarer the shot load the better.

Indeed
I use 28g in a 12 bore normally. Is that square? or even 'short stroke'.

 

[2wheels]

Indeed
I use 28g in a 12 bore normally. Is that square? or even 'short stroke'.

that is what i use but am now on to 24gr, no difference in results and better shots than me get on fine with 21gr.

 

[principal skinner]

A gentleman uses a sweet sixteen

The ladies gun. I’ve a John Wilkes ss 16 but it’s far too short in the stock for me, was grandfathers and I will get it re stocked one day, until then I will stick with the 20

 

[C.J]

The ladies gun. I’ve a John Wilkes ss 16 but it’s far too short in the stock for me, was grandfathers and I will get it re stocked one day, until then I will stick with the 20

I also have my grandfathers 1938 John Wilkes 16 bore best boxlock.

 

[principal skinner]

I also have my grandfathers 1938 John Wilkes 16 bore best boxlock.

Lovely guns

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Lovely guns

Also stops people mumping cartridges from you during a shoot day. This was given as the best reason for using a 16 bore by a gun on the shoot I beat on when I were a teenager.

 

[ollie989898]

I don't think I've ever laid eyes on a 16 bore. What are they all about? Seen plenty of good shots who near exclusively use a 20 bore.