Is it worth learning to shoot?

[ForgeCorvus]

The commonest ammunition types in this country are .22 LR and 12 bore.
Why? Because they are used in the the commonest shooting sports.

I know three places that don't sell guns or shooting supplies (they're feed merchants or 'proper' old fashioned hardwear shops), other then shotgun shells and a few bricks of .22.

Unless you're going stalking, a .22 will deal with most critters around here.

My ideal Prepstead armoury would be:
Air rifle, scoped, at the limit or possibly an FAC magnum rated.
.22LR self-loader, scoped and suppressed
12 bore, single or double, screw-in chokes

Sadly at this time, I'm not in a position to get a ticket.


Off on a tangent.
What are Shotgun 'adaptors' classed as in this country?

[Briggs 2.0]

The commonest ammunition types in this country are .22 LR and 12 bore.
Why? Because they are used in the the commonest shooting sports.

A while back I was sighting in my 12G and .22LR and following on from the posts about penetration, backdrops and FC's comments on 22 and 12G I thought this might be of interest.



The metal sheet is 2mm thick. From left to right:

2 x 12G 50g number 3 (3.3mm shot-size) lead shot magnums. 20metre range. 24" barrel, modified/improved 1/4 choke. It doesn't show too well in the photo but the force of the shot is what bowed the metal inwards on that side. No penetration of the steel.

3 x 12G 36g SG (8mm shot-size)steel magnums. 20metre range, same shotgun. A wider pattern which I am no expert but I believe is due to steel shot being less maleable and bouncing off one another in flight. You can see the steel shot dented and penetrated.

8 x .22LR high velocity at 50metre range.

Safety is always paramount with me and the metal plate was only placed against the tree trunk for the photo. For the test it was placed against a solid earth backdrop. Behind the metal plate I had a 15mm piece of chipboard. The SG went on to penetrate the chipboard by about 5mm. The .22LR opened up a hole in the chipboard and penetrated through.

[Plymtom]

Didn't try a slug then Briggs?

[preparedsurrey]

Off on a tangent.
What are Shotgun 'adaptors' classed as in this country?

Can't get my head round how do they work accuracy wise?

Answers baring in mind my experience is limited to pig hunting with a rifle in Aus and shotguns/ air rifles here

[Plymtom]

Can't get my head round how do they work accuracy wise?

Answers baring in mind my experience is limited to pig hunting with a rifle in Aus and shotguns/ air rifles here

Not awfully well from what I just googled.

[Holomon]

I've seen Hushpower modified shotguns shoot, and they're not bad really. Haven't had a go myself, but I don't believe the accuracy suffers all that much and it does a surprisingly good job of noise reduction.

Providing you can show a use and are a member of a club, you can get pretty much any reasonable size calibre on an FAC. A friend recently got a 7mm Rem Mag, a .357, a 5.56 and a .22LR all at the same time on his first application. They refused the .44 Mag, but he was happy with the 4 he got.
Anything you can reload yourself would be handy post SHTF, but it'd have to depend on what the situation was as to which gun I'd end up rolling with. 22LRs are okay, but in terms of stopping power I'd take an 8 shot 12G Supernova on an FAC, especially as there's no limit or log to how many shotgun cartridges you can stockpile.

[Briggs 2.0]

Didn't try a slug then Briggs?

I didn't want people to have nightmares

[ForgeCorvus]

3 x 12G 36g SG (8mm shot-size)steel magnums. 20metre range, same shotgun. A wider pattern which I am no expert but I believe is due to steel shot being less maleable and bouncing off one another in flight. You can see the steel shot dented and penetrated.

.

So, what do you normally shoot those beasts at ?

[Mad Scientist]

Hi Folks!

One solution I hit on by mistake is buddy up with someone who shoots. I can't shoot for toffee but got chatting to a grocer at the market. He shoots pigeons and ducks just to keep them off his farmland but doesn't eat them!! He's more than happy to sell them to me for a pittance and is genuinely glad the birds are being consumed by my hungry family! I give him extra for his veggies so it all works out, really.

[dannytsg]

Off on a tangent.
What are Shotgun 'adaptors' classed as in this country?

Can't get my head round how do they work accuracy wise?

Answers baring in mind my experience is limited to pig hunting with a rifle in Aus and shotguns/ air rifles here

I think you can pick up some 12g adapters for other calibres that a rifle along their short length, normally 2 1/2 or 3 inches. These are mainly marketed for the US and another less restrictive markets as in the UK they wouldn't be allowed as you could effectively take a shotgun on a SGC and make it an FAC gun by using the adapter.