Funny old day today , rain , no rain and so on . new fella turned up . spring gun man . shot around with Melv on the course . he was trying a new thigh rest . seemed better he said . tried without the jacket . very windy and decided to put my gimp coat on . that was quite a lot better . cleared to top half of the course . the lower position i have been using does not seem to be working properly for me . as it is taking to long to get the two shots off on the lanes . will try a higher hold wednesday . also put my march scope back on as it seems better for standers . a matter of balance i think .??? HOLLY

Well good day down the club . very hot in the wood . shot without the jacket and dropped four . one i miss dialed . one i was sitting too low . as i have put on a bit of weight ( need to lose that ) and ran out of breath . two standers . adjusted my position and did ok after that . need to work on the standers sunday ??? HOLLY

Education is a wonderful Thing Bazza ??? HOLLY

I decided to forget trying to shoot HFT with my Kalibrgun Cricket Bullpup and swap the scope for a big Sightron. This was mounted a couples of days ago and taken to the range yesterday. Forget all the super expensive airguns this little beauty was unbelievably accurate, the downside is the creepy trigger which takes a bit of getting used to. I also tested the Tsar which is pushing the power limit at 790fps using 8.4 pellets however, it was really accurate at 55 yards achieving single hole groups in 4 out of 5 shots. There is always a problem that it may breech the BFTA power limit of 795fps ( think the legal limit is 810fps) in certain weather conditions. I have tried bringing the power down but now think the regulator needs re-calibrating to a lower pressure, the plus side is this will give more shots per fill, the downside is having to screw the hammer pressure all the way in to get a semblance of decent power. Decisions, decisions.

Thought i might try taking the scope up a half inch today at the club . i was surprised at how much difference it makes at range . only down side is the amount of clicks it takes on the very close ones . so will see if mr lupe can handle it sunday . HOLLY

OK . well i was hoping for more wind today at the ground . but hey ho it is what it is . dropped two . got tired from the heat at the end and made two mistakes . this in open . need to over my close ones as i was going a little high . not bad . so i will see how it goes at Purbec next weekend ??? HOLLY .

Only took two tins of pellets ??? HOLLY

Ahh yes but the full course was not out then dear boy . nope there is only one Champ . and that is little old MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE ??? HOLLY

PS it is all about me me me me me me and err well ME .

OH YES . a clearence today . 48 targets . double wet leg . ??? HOLLY

OK more practice today , but wet . i think i was the only one to do the course . most just sat inside the caravan . the stabilisor needs more practice and an average position . probably taken whilst sitting on a level lane . which is not easy at carisbrooke as i don't think we have one . ordered a puffer bottle to put some talc in to puff up in the air to help with windage . next comp is Purbec GP . also started to use a shooting glove , which seemed to help today . ??? HOLLY

Well things move on and so do we . decided with regret to keep to the steyr for the other GP to come at purbeck . need a good result to boost confidence and to get on top of the stability problem on sitting . i have now fitted a lighter more manoverable stabiliser . melv is gonna make me a new bit for it and we will see how it goes thursday ??? HOLLY

OK good day today on our new course . only dropped a couple and that with my old shutz/lupe . enjoyable . so off to the Buccs at the weekend ??? HOLLY

They were bought for GPs Keith . some of those i have shot have been around a mile in all . plus i would have to wear em at the club and walking up and down our hill would not be fun . gotta pair of Magnum boots to try tomorrow . see how they go ??? HOLLY

OK went out for a walk in the mountain boots and i am afraid not for me . cos they are so damn heavy , asfter a couple of miles . you cannot pick your feet up in em ??? HOLLY

OK in the search for accuracy i have added a eliptic side wheel to my Sightron . and in search of the elusive kneelers . i have bought a pair of mountain boots . with a REALLY stiff last . i am hoping i can sit on my heel . oh and shortened the trigger blade . as it was a bit long . world domination will shortly be mine ??? HOLLY

Hmmm a trophy hey . might consider that . yes just looked up Keith's book of excuses and come up with . when i knocked the side wheel of thursday , i had to move the front mount . bit windy so i think the zero was not right . so i have changed the mounts from adjustable to fixed . and cleaned the barrel just in case . not what i wanted just before a GP . still as long as i thrash bazza and andy there . i will be happy ??? HOLLY

PS good news was the rifle4 went over the chron dead on 777 fps .

Good day at Southampton Buccaneers for their Summer League, nice course with a testing breeze. Well done Melv with a 15 ex 20, shame Holly shot a number of targets from the wrong lane otherwise he might have equalled Melv. Mind you, if they had an Old Duffer trophy at the World Champs, Holly would be a front runner.

Well that did not go to plan . oh no . the wind was wicked and i was wobbly . not a good combination . tried a thigh rest and the glove . the thigh rest no good . the glove good but needs breaking in . then to cap it all i knocked the side wheel off . took 40 mins to get it all back as it should be . at the buccs sunday . so hope for a it less wind ??? HOLLY

OK good day , lots tried , a few targets hit . a hell of a lot of targets are now hidden by weeds . got the glove to try tomorrow and a pair of anti glare shooting glasses . see how it goes ??? HOLLY

We Have a nice rock pool for you to bathe in keith , you will have to share it with a rather large great white shark though ??? HOLLY

Well i thought i had got more stability on the sitters but no . so last week was in search mode again . i have ordered a fingerless shooting glove to try that and get the rifle off the knee . see how that goes wednesday ??? HOLLY

Think that might be sorted , now in use it may ? need a very small spring on the return of the trigger it's self . we are losing the first stage . barring that i think it is now a pretty good trigger . might not scare a 9015 owner . but hey ho and off we go ??? HOLLY

PS I will not sink to those levels Keith . if i did i would have to join Bisley ?

Spark plug might work to jolt him into life

Sink plugs or bath plugs, B & Q do a nice selection?

Ok i think we have the steyr trigger worked out now . melv did some work on it and shortened and made it more direct . only job now is sort out the trigger plate , which wobbles . needs a couple of plugs at each end to stop this . then i think it will be a good trigger ??? HOLLY

Never give a Sucker or a Bazza an Even Break Keith . as you should know ??? HOLLY

Love your play with words, makes it seem you had a better day than Bazza and beat him, when you both got a 17, my book a draw, no winners or losers.

PS, wasn't really a thrashing by you either was it. ????

Well the bisley boys were sent packing today at the Buccs . old bazza was not having such a good day BUT i had a rather a good one . only dropping one going up the hill . till i got too the top of the hill . when i boogered up a range on my spare scope . which while thinking about it missed the next one , at only 42 yards . oh well . dropped three . shame but a good day . warm too by the end . ??? HOLLY

Yes Keith , you and bazza are the tops at excuses . comes with living on the main land ??? HOLLY

What is a FT shooter without a couple of good excuses Keith . i borrowed two dozen of yours . hope you don't mind ??? HOLLY

Good day today, at least from the weather point of view . after much thought decided to try to change the trigger on the steyr . it was just getting on my wick . so melv has got the action to try to change the way it operates . it was too cleaver by half . too many linkages . anyway that means mr shutz is out sunday . made a few mods which i hope will work . but anyway a day out is good . HOLLY

OK out tomorrow , looks like a good day . decided to do the three GPs with three different rifles . no point in having three rifles if i don't use em . so out tomorrow to check it up is the old Shutz . will try it with both barrels to see how it goes . was ok last time out . since i stopped cleaning the spare barrel it has seemed better . but we will see . off to the buccs sunday . to give those boys a good thrashing . HOLLY

The Floater andy . mind you today it took an inch of target ??? HOLLY

Well that was a day to forget shooting wise . blooming wind was unreadable . targets took wind when they should not and did not take wind when they should have . i thought melv was a gonna clear the course . well at least till we started the second half of the course . then it was OXO . hit one miss one . did my head in . onward and upward ??? HOLLY

Well the trigger seemed to work well . adjusted the reach on it and will see how that goes tomorrow . i have started to get some bits together to try to alter the remote trigger operating mechs . it is at the mo too sloppy . did quite well on the course today . although a couple of silly mistakes made . mostly down to bad position to shoot from . that damn 53 yarder is still giving me trouble . wind rattling the trees around it and the only shot that hit was straight down the throat . grrrrrrr ??? HOLLY

Cold day today . it is the wind , sneaky wind to cost me a couple of targets , that i just could not suss out . ordered some remote linkage of flea bay . to try to improve the trigger . in the mean time i have changed the trigger blade for a button type . see how that goes . ??? HOLLY

On the course today bit of clearing and some strings need sorting . anyway i dropped 5 . one of those was a twig . so i am calling it a four . so fairly happy with that . the four i missed were all for wind . i gave it and they did not take it . i think the barrel i have , takes less wind when dirty . so am gonna clean the barrel at the end of each week . so it does not get too dirty . sounds a bit silly but you have to give it what you think . so i am hoping the rifle will go back to as was . also gotta do something about the trigger remote mech . it is not right ??? HOLLY

Good day today . not so much in scores but in feeling with the out fit . some confidence is starting to creep in . slowly but it is there . march onboard and zeroed . got onto the course in between showers . the plan was to mag down for the sitters . to encourage confidence in stability , this seemed to work well . i was using half way between 15 and 20 mag . it did not seem to work as well for standers . so i magged up to 25 mag for those . gonna rain tomorrow probably . so don't know how that will turn out . cleared some bushes for a new lane . do some more tomorrow ??? HOLLY

popped down the club today for a couple of hours . quite hot . had a bit of a problem with heat on the lupe . ranges were a bit all over the place . they were ok sunday at the buccs . BUT it was quite shady there and at our place the leaves are still not on a lot of the trees . so looks like mr march will have to come out of the cupboard for the summer . good job i never sold it . also worked on the position . getting there i think ??? HOLLY

Not an easy day today , wind was going every where . dropped 8 . new lane being started . only one more for a GP course . left the steyr out in the sun and then checked it over the chrono . A OK . 780 fps . had to take the shooting jacket off half way around the course , too hot . > HOLLY

Low wind today . thought i was a gonna be on the up . nope . missed five . 4 standers and one sitter . not good . mind you beat andy who was having a bad day . so could be worse . on the clock tomorrow ??? HOLLY

Well things are coming on position wise with my rifle . getting more consistent scores . not great scores but good ones for the conditions . tomorrow i have to zero the wifes steyr in . as she is threatening to come down and shoot . so she shoots on thursday , when the weather is good . so that gives me till tomorrow to sort it out . ??? HOLLY

Right , good day today . there are now 23 lanes out at the club . 22 active . i dropped three . which i am pleased with . roll on sunday ??? HOLLY

Ordered a top turret from AJP eng . got it today gotta say great bit of kit . might even keep my march now instead of selling it ??? HOLLY

Well that was better today . light breeze , that for once i managed to suss out . well most of the time . i missed two standers and two sitters . not bad for that course . quite pleased that i managed to get a 25 yard mini kill standing . wore my old shooting jacket . it was humming a bit . as it has been in the boot of the car for a while . so i left it down the club to get a airing . nothing special about it . but it always seems to help . gotta re-mark the close one . as they seem a bit out on the side wheel . ??? HOLLY

Right down the club today to do a bit of testing for Phil of STB . that worked out well . did the course . which is in a state of flux at the mo . changed a couple of targets around . two minis . wanted to do one 15 and one 25 mil . but could not get to the 15 mil to get it . too muddy . wellie boot jobbie . started hailing about one . so that stopped play . HOLLY

decided to take the march off my steyr . and put my old spare lupe back on . probably gonna sell the march in the spring . once the GPs get going . easier to sell . the lupe is not as good as the march . but very easy to use . ??? HOLLY

Now there was a lot of sniggering in the back row from some , about getting a more stable position . well i actually thing i have managed it . at least a small portion of it . i wore my golf shoes today . this meant i could get my leg up more cos my foot was flatter on the floor . i also when back to the richard north method of trigger control ( famous spring gun shooter ) will see how it pans out tomorrow > HOLLY

Ha now see this is where the Buccs boys go wrong ? you see you have to have a plan . all you lot have , is no idea ??? HOLLY

In the never ceasing search for stability . i have purchased some bigger knee pads . the idea is to lower the centre of gravity of the rifle . see how it goes wednesday ??? HOLLY

So i am back on the steyr again . this time for the summer . gotta get a good feeling back with it ??? HOLLY

Good one today . not much in the way of wind . dropped 6 on the course . too many i thought . missed some i should not have . checked the rifle and found i was a number out on the top turret . result of messing with the pellet pusher . finished off the day with a good grouping session . nothing like it to chill you out . ??? HOLLY

No more winter leagues now , so i have to decide whether i am going to use the march or the sightron this year . love the sightron but it is heavy . will this destroy the enjoyment i get from shooting ? the problem i had with the march was it was too dark . i like a bright scope . i enjoy looking through em . plus it can be difficult on a darkish target to get the range . now i tried using the march on 25 mag last week . which at the time seemed to go well . did i just wish it to be good . or was it really good . this week wind permitting i will find out . i will go to the longest targets on our course and see if i can repeat the ranges . it did last week , bringing in the 54 yarder twice . then i have to decide if i want to keep the sightron . which is a good one , or sell it on . two shooters interested already . so need to get this right . ??? HOLLY

Comp this weekend . dropped a bit of a large boo boo . i got my new inner side wheel for the march today and fitted it . ready to zero at the club . trouble was i moved the forward mount so as to clear the side wheel . no problem normally BUT it was megga windy today . i had a hell of a job zeroing it . still not sure it is right . oh well onward and upward ??? HOLLY

OK out today with the wife for the first time this year . only had half a day because of rain in the morning . as said march scope fitted & rezeroed . still gotta check it . as it was well windy . but pretty much there . i had problems with the march previously , leading to me thinking of selling it . to day i tried it with glasses on and without the rubber eye piece . the glasses changed the ranging , so no . taking the eye piece off def helped brightness . why that would be i don't know . but what works , works . more tests when the wind slows a bit and without the wife going on about her standers . half way around the course she managed to dislodge the trigger . just as was a goona nail a long stander ( probably ) onward and upward . HOLLY

OK it is all happening . i have not been getting on with my march scope . i think because my eyes have changed . getting older . so that must go . i am replacing it , at least for now with a sightron . will give that a go if i don't like that . i will see what else is about . maybe a lupe 20=50 . which i do like ??? HOLLY

Decided to go back rigorous barrel cleaning . on wednesday night . that leaves a day to shoot it in . then comp on suday . clean sunday night . ready for wednesday . had some shots that i could not explain by wind today ? although at our place when the leaves are off the trees . it does get difficult . i have also tightened the power adjuster lock bolt . i don't really think it was moving but the power had gone up slightly today . will run a string over the chrono wednesday . just to be sure . i have a spare reg . so i can change if i need to HOLLY

Good day today . good turn out . worked on stability again . tricky wind as ever . standers were not so good this week . gotta work on that . as we are at curridge park next week for round 7 of the winter league . gotta try to keep my average of 30- ex 40 . or maybe beat it . would be nice to put in at least one really good score . ??? HOLLY

OUT tomorrow , sunday with my steyr to try to get a better position for sitters , stability is the game as usual ??? HOLLY

And on it goes . got to the club , over the chrono . 780 fps , good . onto the zero range . Grrrrr the blooming side wheel came loose . drat and double drat . anyway fixed that , completed all the lifts , done . will take to the club sunday as i think Andy wants to try a steyr as he may get one ??? HOLLY

It did not go to plan today , oh no . i think i left my brain indoors . i did not take the correct air filler . so i had only enough air for about 50 shots . to set it up on the chrono , zero the rifle and do all the lifts . not enough . so i decided to do from 25 yards out to 55 yards . all done , BUT i then realised that i had left the barrel adjusting allen bolt in the front barrel support . which of course when i took it out meant , everything i had done was for nought . OHWERR MOTHER. so gave up and went for a ride on my bike . i resume tomorrow . with filler and no bolt in the forwad support . what can go wrong ? err probably plenty . oh dear ??? HOLLY

OK wifes rifle out tomorrow . she is threatening to come down thursday to shoot . so need to get it sorted ??? HOLLY

Windy Today . reckon 30 to 40 mph . myself and young melv took to the course . along the western side of the course it was a bitch . i just could not sit still in the wind . plus i could not fathom in which direction it was coming from . dropped 8 along there . on the rest of the course i dropped two . for a total of 10 . so 30 ex 40 . i don't hold out much hope of a decent score sunday . still a faint heart never won a fair maid or a comp ??? HOLLY

Well good shooting today BUT the bloody cows knocked our fence down . pooed in the compound . knocked my rear wiper off and covered the car in cow snot . i hate cows . only missed one . that rifle is good if it is not too windy . mind you the scope was playing up as it was warmer and this lupe does not like warmer weather . perfect when it is really cold . HOLLY

That fella from Springfield is actually Antony Martin from Kent Woodsmen. He is about a foot shorter than Dan the Man plus Dan is still shooting his Anschutz, Antony uses an FTP as you can see in the video.

Not a borrowed rifle for Dan, he's had the Anschutz dipped to resemble something Batman would use.

Snipers are still a very good pellet but I've seen small gains in consistency going from them to expresses and now to heavies.

Not so Colin . a/ there is a better class of shooter on here . B / Very easy to get pics on here . pics give a much better idea of what goes on . how did you get on sunday HOLLY

You might as well save your fingers and just copy /paste everything from AGF here....:D

Well got the Golf shoes today . got no spikes on em just some plastic pimples . so i don't know how good they will be . will give em a try wednesday if poss . blooming stiff that is for sure . stil you cannot really expect a lot for a fiver off flea bay . ??? HOLLY

Sunday and club day . most enjoyable . course done and shot quite well . got all my standers . tricky wind . confidence coming back as the weather got better today . tried my gimp coat as it was warmer . def better overall . took my forward pistol grip off as really it only helps on steep down hill shots . but i will keep it in my shooting bag , in case i come across a ground with this sort of target . power went up slightly as it got hotter . i am afraid you have to live with that with steyrs . just gotta keep an eye on em . Holly

Well no golf shoes yet . so just plain practice tomorrow . gonna be even colder i am told . had a bit of luck winter wear wise yesterday . picked up a british army fish tail parker at a charity shop . better still it was a fiver . well £4.95 actually cos there was five P in one of the pockets . not bad a a good one is £45 up on flea bay . ordered a air cylinder mounted windicator from Rowan Eng . the old one kept snapping . let us hope the snow stays away . onward and upward . ??? HOLLY

Too cold again for Gimp coat . so shot around as was . adjusted the forcing cone in the muzzle brake . gotta say this is the best grouping rifle i have used . as said not a great wind fighter . wind was getting stronger by the hour . but no snow or rain . worked on my standers and sitting position . i have bought a pair of golf shoes of flea bay to see if that will stop my feet slipping in the mud . will see how it goes sunday ??? HOLLY

Interesting day . damn cold . i found i had to much under the Gimp coat , so had to take it off . try again tomorrow . after doing the course . i sat down on the zero range and tried some Exact heavy pellets . 10.03 . slightly less wind on the 55 yarder but not enough to change pellets . i also spent some time checking power settings to see at which speed the pellets group best . normally in air rifles the pellets stabilise and group best at around 800 fps . the BFTA limit is 795 for 8.4s so that is out . but on the steyr i found that 769 gave the best combination of accuracy and windage . talking of windage . very difficult today to judge what to give it . the wind would just stop ??? HOLLY

Ok ready for tomorrow . lupe scope fitted . tomorrow i will try the rifle with the bits fitted and get my ass out on the course with the gimp coat to see what i can do . check the scope lifts and chrono and see how it goes / HOLLY

It does not look promising for tomorrow . very windy . but will have a go anyway . get out the house at least ??? HOLLY

As i have said before , stability is what i seek . to make up for my less than fit frame . so i have added a forward pistol grip . may not look to much . but i am hoping it may add something to my sitters . sunday will tell . weather permitting HOLLY

Much nicer day today . cold but very little wind . gimp coat worn for half of my shooting . there is no doubt that it is better for most of my shooting . the problem now is that my standers have gone down hill using my 2002 shutz . the weight is the problem . when i was working . i was shifting weight all day long . now retired the muscles are not what they were . i am not what i was . so it is back to the steyr . only thing is now . do i put the lupe on it or the march . decisions , decisions . ??? HOLLY

OK out today at the ground . cold , cold , cold . urgggh . fingers were to cold to load a pellet after an hour . so all i got done really was zero the wife's rifle for 35 yards . have a couple of cups of tea and after two hours go home . i have been cleaning the barrels of my rifles with dry 4 by 2 ( cut to 2 by 2 ) for a while . so to see if the barrels were getting dirtier than usual . i used a wet patch in each . so far so good . each patch came out with an average amount of dirt on it . so i will carry on dry pulling through . the small side wheel came back for the march . with the mod done . and was fitted tonight . bit fiddly but hopefully i won't have to do it again . heavy jumper tomorrow and gimp coat . later start around eleven i think . i am hoping it will be a bit warmer . HOLLY

Right bitter cold so a late start tomorrow at the club . the wife wants to get down the club as soon as the weather sorts it's self out and get's warmer . so tomorrow is sorting the wife's Steyr . over the chrono and check the ranges and lifts . couple of hours should do it . have been considering a sightron scope . dunno . very small exit pupil on the sightron . makes it difficult to pick up the target . i will see ??? HOLLY

OK so stability must now be found in a Gimp Coat . gonna be chilly . may give the H&N Snipers a run out wednesday . the rifle is very stable power wise at 775 in this cold weather . also should get the side wheel back shortly . i had some mods done to it as it every now and then would slip off in the bag , not good . HOLLY

Good day but cold , cold . fingers were going numb early on at the club . sighted the steyr in and marked up the side wheel and sorted my lifts , 10 to 55 yards . myself and melv went out on the course . did about ten lanes . dropped two . the last lane 54 yarder . went out side on the left for wind . but it did not take it . i think much as i did not want to . i am gonna have to make a thigh rest for it . shame cos it has classic looks . but when all is said and done . it is about hitting targets . not looking good HOLLY

True of course , but like many others i worked from 15 till i was 69 . so yes i now enjoy my retirement . i def recommend it HOLLY

Well the rest worked well today . needs a few small mods . about 80 % there . it really does make all the difference if you can sit properly ? HOLLY

PS Sreyr out tomorrow . need to remark the side wheel . should be sunny .

Ok in the race for stability before the GP season starts . i have added a thigh rest to the shutz . bit heath robinson at the mo but will sort it properly as i go . wednesday will tell . HOLLY

Well that was a day to forget , shooting wise . i was looking to sit lower for more stability in the air sitting . yeah right . wobble wobble wobble in the wind . hit one miss one . aim out side the kill , miss aim inside the kill miss . Grrrr . i think i may take up tiddly winks like Big Bazza ???? HOLY

Ok after thinking this through i think one of the reasons for my lack of stability in the sitting position is that i s that i am sitting too high with the rifle . gonna try a lower position sunday ??? HOLLY

Bitterly cold at the club today , i was shooting the shutz to get more time in on it . very difficult wind day . ??? HOLLY

Well the plan fell apart on execution sunday . a lack of use of the shutz in a comp and cos i thought it was a gonna be really cold i did not wear my shooting jacket . i was a gonna leave of the shutz for a while . but no i have a cunning plan ??? HOLLY