The woodcock have arrived, think we are the last to see them in the land this year. Seen five today.
The foggy damp day started with a squirrel. Tia worked a rabbit around and around for me but I had a real bad flint in the cock, it just would not go off. Shame really, it was a bonnie rabbit!
I ditched the flint and fitted a hand knapped one I made, what a difference! Instant ignition on a passing pigeon, still missed it though!
I was nearing a set of wooded pools that get teal on them so dug out of my bag a vial of steel shot and some card cut to the correct size. I developed a steel load in September, a card wrap protects the bore from the steel, it is only a short rang proposition. Now I only do this once a year with a flintlock before you all go nuts at me, I had to sneak in real close and shot just as they were about to lift, in fact a few did lift but with one shot I got three birds.
Tia was worn out by the thick mud retrieving them. As I mentioned, a once a season event for this flintlock, any more of this and it would spoil it! No wounded birds, I can live with it!
On the way back a woodcock emerged from a wood side hedge and flew away from me, instant ignition from my flint and through the smoke I saw the bird bounce of the ground, Tia missed the action but with her nose and my guiding we found it, it was a runner! It must of been close to thirty yards when I shot!!
Todays bag consists of a squirrel, a pheasant, a woodcock and three teal.
Not bad considering the poor results I have been having with this trade gun, my frizzen spring broke two weeks ago and funny patterns that I narrowed down to the powder! I used a different batch today and done better. I made a frizzen spring from an old wall hangers hammer spring! Works so far!
B :thumbsup:
The foggy damp day started with a squirrel. Tia worked a rabbit around and around for me but I had a real bad flint in the cock, it just would not go off. Shame really, it was a bonnie rabbit!
I ditched the flint and fitted a hand knapped one I made, what a difference! Instant ignition on a passing pigeon, still missed it though!
I was nearing a set of wooded pools that get teal on them so dug out of my bag a vial of steel shot and some card cut to the correct size. I developed a steel load in September, a card wrap protects the bore from the steel, it is only a short rang proposition. Now I only do this once a year with a flintlock before you all go nuts at me, I had to sneak in real close and shot just as they were about to lift, in fact a few did lift but with one shot I got three birds.
Tia was worn out by the thick mud retrieving them. As I mentioned, a once a season event for this flintlock, any more of this and it would spoil it! No wounded birds, I can live with it!
On the way back a woodcock emerged from a wood side hedge and flew away from me, instant ignition from my flint and through the smoke I saw the bird bounce of the ground, Tia missed the action but with her nose and my guiding we found it, it was a runner! It must of been close to thirty yards when I shot!!
Todays bag consists of a squirrel, a pheasant, a woodcock and three teal.
Not bad considering the poor results I have been having with this trade gun, my frizzen spring broke two weeks ago and funny patterns that I narrowed down to the powder! I used a different batch today and done better. I made a frizzen spring from an old wall hangers hammer spring! Works so far!
B :thumbsup:
