Thread: Shout out for a good bugger

Tim from Talon Arms came over today and sorted my Toz magazine issues, had the mag for a few years but all sorts of things got in the way until now and it was swapped. Can't say enough about the great service from Tim and going beyond the call of duty. Many thanks Tim.

Had never heard of them before now, who are they and what do they do specifically? Google only returns some old stuff

@timattalon you old helpful bugger you.

Originally Posted by Tommy

Had never heard of them before now, who are they and what do they do specifically? Google only returns some old stuff

Talon Arms is/ was a gunsmith and gun shop owned By Gary Osborne. He is still smithing but not from a shop like he used to. I was a customer that spent far too much time in the shop and was approached to sell a few items on trade me that were not moving in the shop. After the quakes hit, the building was closed. So I started operating on behalf running some of the firearm sales through trade me and the forum. We are not a big trader by any stretch of the imagination, but we do what we can. I have not been listing much lately as most of the Toz 22 bolt actions we imported have been sold. Semi auto Toz 22s have not been so popular. Good rifles but with the 10/22s dropping from $800 in the early 2000s to $500 now it makes the Toz harder to move. We have a few centrefires, but mostly ones that are being under cut by other sellers so rather than take a hit, we have left them and will find new homes for them one day.

Most of the time now, any sales come from when people ask questions here and I find I have a solution here that fits their needs rather than offering what we have for people to look at.

I try to think of it as a hobby as I have a real job here in Chch and most of what I have done is to help out Talon Arms.

@timattalon
I also say you are a good bugger
You offered to show me around the traps out at the gun club and so far are one of only 2 forum members I have met and have been very patient (and helpful) with my questions.

@csmiffy Not problem. Always happy to help. It was good to meet you. I have been out there a few more tuesdays of late, trying to hit some clays with a shotgun.

Originally Posted by timattalon

@csmiffy Not problem. Always happy to help. It was good to meet you. I have been out there a few more tuesdays of late, trying to hit some clays with a shotgun.

id like to say I could give you some assistance there.
years ago me and a mate had a play with a clay thrower trying out a potential new shotgun. Id done some in the past and he hadn't although he is a good shot with rifles and shotties on game.
He asked me how far to lead in certain situations-I couldn't really tell him so he jokingly said I use the force. I've stuck with that ever since lol
I've been a better than average shot on the clays in my day, not lately mind you but I'm a shit coach.

Originally Posted by csmiffy

id like to say I could give you some assistance there.
years ago me and a mate had a play with a clay thrower trying out a potential new shotgun. Id done some in the past and he hadn't although he is a good shot with rifles and shotties on game.
He asked me how far to lead in certain situations-I couldn't really tell him so he jokingly said I use the force. I've stuck with that ever since lol
I've been a better than average shot on the clays in my day, not lately mind you but I'm a shit coach.

When it come to shooting clays I tell newbies that I use the TLAR system.

Cue "I bet that's really complicated and hard to do, this guy must be some kind of technical genius,this must be harder than it looks" expression.

Then I tell them it stands for "That Looks About Right". It usually gets a chuckle.

I have come to the conclusion that the only way i will ever get a perfect score shooting clays, is to shoot them while they're still in the box.

So far I got 1 out of 10. I described it as "I could not hit a barn door from inside a Barn made of doors......" I can hit a rabbit on the trot with a 22 but cannot hit a building with a shotgun...YET! I see some practise beckoning each Tuesday....

Originally Posted by timattalon

So far I got 1 out of 10. I described it as "I could not hit a barn door from inside a Barn made of doors......" I can hit a rabbit on the trot with a 22 but cannot hit a building with a shotgun...YET! I see some practise beckoning each Tuesday....

Maybe I can instruct you in the ways of the force Tim lol
Both eyes open and the gun has to fit you properly. Is it a shotty that you have shot things with before ducks etc?

I'll second that. I bought a Toz semi last year. Best service I've ever had from someone I've never met.
Even had the open sights bang on when I took my first shot.

Originally Posted by csmiffy

Maybe I can instruct you in the ways of the force Tim lol
Both eyes open and the gun has to fit you properly. Is it a shotty that you have shot things with before ducks etc?

Its a 1937 Belgian side by side with hammers. Grandads shotgun running sub loads so as to not over stress it. And never hunted with shotguns at all. Took one rabbiting once to try. Fired one shot-never saw another rabbit. So went back to using a 22 with subs....I have never bothered with duck hunting as I dont really like duck and work on the principle of "if I ain't gonna eat it, I ain't gonna shoot it...". I want to try goose one day but if I dont like it then I probably wont go looking to shoot another. The exception being rabbits. I dont really eat rabbit either, but we still make use of the meat for pet food.

geese are fine-prefer them to duck. Is that the one you had at the club that night I was there?
I would suggest you pattern the shotgun to see where it is shooting for you and add padding to the comb to suit. It is obviously not something you would carve the stock up to get your eye in the right place but stick-on padding etc is quite acceptable and reversible.
Your eye would usually be above the rib to allow for the rising clays.
If it isn't shooting where you are looking then you wont hit shit

Sorry I missed you. I meet so many people through the course of a single day that I struggle to recognise people I have met before. Next time, please remind me who you are as it is always good to chat.

Yes that was me there with the old gun. The tip I got which saw me hit the last clay was the subs are slower so instead of having the clay over the bead, cover it with the barrels as you pass and that helped....

Thats the usual advice with side by sides when shooting trap clays. The guns shoot flat ie along the rib and as your targets rising if you aim at it the shot ends up going behind, so you have to aim ahead. Grandad told me bum, beak, boom and keep swinging works for ducks and clays as well.