Thread: Gadgetman

Thinking about GM this morning while I was milking the cows and I think if he could comment on this thread he'd use one of his favorite lines "I'm far too young and handsome for this!" Rest up old mate

To use an American phrase that is totally apt here, we are diminished by his passing.

I never met him in person but had a bit to do with him and Mike over various things. An all round good bastard. RIP Brian.

One of life`s true Gents, taken form us all far to soon.
RIP Brian.
Condolences to Timerider and all.

I never got to meet Brian but had quite a bit of contact on here. Was a genuine good bloke.
What a way to go, out roaming the hills, just a bit young though.
RIP mate.

Ah no. That's just a bastard.
RIP mate

RIP Gadgetman. We met at the first Toby shoot. I remember you as a discreet man but yet very eloquent and knowledgeable on the forum.

A sad loss. Gadget always struck me as one of life’s helpers. Always giving for others.

Sorry to hear that @TimeRider, that brings a tear to one’s eye. I only met him a couple of times, but we conversed here a few times over the years.
Condolences to you and your family, he thought the world of you all.
Rest in peace Gadgetman!

A nice humble and helpful person. Faced his challenges with courage and humour. Sad loss.

How can i ever forget the sight of those great long legs clad in its red racing longjohns whilst on a goose shoot weekend on lake ellesmere .a more kind bloke ,generous to a T ,a wry sense of humour and always willing to help some bugger . gadget old son Im pleased when your time came it was doing something you loved out in the country you loved .my deepest condolences to your family in the dark days ahead,our thoughts are with you and if you need us please call .

Gadget loved wild on game as food and I once gave him some quail. Christ you,d a thought it was caviar??generous to a fault and a all round treasure rest easy gadget all the best to the family at this time Christ just remembered the red long johns at duck shooting kotuku called him the racing crayfish

RIP Gadget

Wee tale of gadget .Wanted to sight some rifles in so gave him a bell .
yep see you at handloaders tuesday night .
I duly turn up with 7.62x39 and Gadget carefully coaches me through it -grouping not remarkable but sufficient .
Seeing im left handed Gadge produces his daughter(TimeRiders) Left handed 7mm mag,hands me three rounds and in that inimitable quiet voice "have a go "

Hes busy next door workin of his homebuilt .243 as i snuggle down behind this luvly example of gunsmiths product .

Ok relax crosshairs of target "boom" from next door and me startled feels the 7mmag punch me .!!!

Righto repeat exercise -this time Isettle in then quietly tap the trigger -feel that shot was spot on .

third time repeat again Ok but nowt marvellous

Bugger me-Gadge and i stroll up to 100m target - his grouping looks typically expert"still a bit of room to improve though"is the quiet comment

Over to mine and its a cracker cloverleaf just above the aiming point

I was bloody incredulous as id never used such a fine weapon before and never in this calibre .

my initial thought was Gadget had slid one onto my target to make me feel good but it wasnt the case .

last week I was buggerisaing round in my mancava and what did i find -that very target from that night .

so In honour of Brian Angus read "Gadgetman" it will be kept as a living memento

he also had a fine line of wee chinese torches ,which i was given a few of .working nightshift in a psych hospital ya gotta be on ya toes and frankly the employers torches were shit .I sold a few to other nurses and supervisors too never had a complaint .
Ive still got three two will be mounted on my .22 and shotty .

long may his memory shine.

We did so many shoots - and as team member Graeme @Bob Da Browning) mentions above we had alot of adventures. Sites from North Canterbury to Central. A funny moment in one shoot - it was about the time of the Alexandra bunny shoot few years back, and our team decided to stay on a site past midnight and shoot 1000 bunnies!! So we arrived - set up in shearers quarters 5ish, then by 6.00 I'm driving on the big farm, dropping off some of the boys into their chosen blocks. They've all got Hiviz and R/Ts for safety - and keen to go. I was right out the back in a quieter area but still by midnight had declared on 108 I think, so headed back to pick up boys - listening to whopping scores on the little radio.. Pick em all up and we're back to the shearers quarters about 1pm, and as we settle down for cold pizza and a beer etc I do exact tallies. Oh no - we're only on 970 bunnies. Gadgetman and @Bob Da Browning immediately jump up, grab some rifles and with big laughs are off out in the truck again. An hour or so later they're back and this time settle into the pizzas and many yarns. Another 60 rabbits, bringing final score for evening to 1030. Liked it so much we did it again 2 weeks later and in bit shorter time shot 1004. Legend days. Alex bunny shoot tally that year for 48hrs was 872!

And it ain't always about the numbers.. On another occasion Brian and I were shooting on a smaller farm near Waikare, North Cantab. We really enjoyed the walk and stalk and popped about 30 bunnies. But what impressed us most was that it was an evening during huge Aussie bushfires of 10-12 years bag. The evening colours were fabulous - we were quite in awe. It was like walking in a Vincent painting:



On another occasion we are at another site - a good one that produces 5-200 depending on time of year etc, and we were setting up rifles for spotlighting right on sunset. To be honest we didn't think about the shooting for a while - beautiful!! Absolute blessing to be there sharing memorable experience..

RIP Gadget