Indians For Guns

Friends, it has been sometime since we,the members in UK, had a get together.Then one day, we received a message that our good friend Señor Naga Rifle will be visiting the fair shores of Albion for a brief few weeks.After a breif but chaotic consultations with repective diaries, it was decided that we should meet at Shooter's(Dev) clay shooting club near Luton.He was to pick up MoA and Señor Naga Rifle from London and Hamiclar was to pick me up from the outskirts of Luton.

Well we reached Shooter's club Broomhill Clay shooting grounds owned by the old and venerable bespoke gun makers, "Atkins,Grant and Lang".Unfortunately, as it was a Sunday,visiting their gunshop was ruled out.



Though the meteorological predictions were expecting a clement weather,we were apprehensive given the experience of the vagaries of English weather,especially due to the recent (very)cold wave.However, it was Mr MoA who played truant,instead of the Sun, due to workload (the nature of which was greatly contested ).The morning remained surprisingly sunny and dry,though it was still icy.The result was, we were confused for a few seconds if we strayed into a carnival. A lot of people-kids,grand mothers,families,soloists etc, all were merrily blazing away at clays.Most touching of it all was the pair of wife and husband-the lady in a wheelchair armed with a Beretta and her husband pushing the wheel chair from station to station with his gun slung over shoulders. If only the anti-gun nitwits were to witness the joyous atmosphere,they just may understand that the gun owners are after all not blood thirsty murderers.

Before, we go further, I must tell you a few words about Senor NagaRifle.Apart from a very witty sense of humour,he has the uncanny ability to change his visage from utterly bewitching to very intimidating to absolutely menacing. You will find out as we go along.

Well, not to waste any more time,Shooter started to assemble his Browning 525 and the Classic Doubles O/Us and Hamiclar got his Beretta 682.


Along with the guns, the large hearted Shooter brought me a brace of pheasants that he shot from the shoot the day before.How very generous of him!


Then,quickly we were on our way to the clay stands.


While we were on our way,Naga spotted the GoCarting track and was quick to observe that he never shot "Go-Skeet".He wanted me to get on a cart quick so that he could start "Go-Skeet" shooting. I agreed provided that he wears the hearing protectors over his eyes.

Shooter blasting away:


NagaRifle trying Shotgun



As I missed a few,Shooter wanted me to mount and shoot after I see the clay,a la Churchill's instinctive style of shooting, instead of shooting pre-mounted .It was VERY pleasing to see the clays bursting into smithereens!I did not bust all of them,but it did improve my score and taught a few lessons. One thing must be said here.Shooter's enthusiasm for shooting is like a mountain spring,fresh,clear and unsurpassable.It is infectious.

Our fingers were freezing in the cold wind,but we valiantly kept hurling lead at the clays.Finally, once it was done,time for a hot cup of tea to bring back some sensation to our numb hands.Here,Naga put his Hindi to good use,screaming "Oi,chai lao".

Then,before we left for lunch, we checked out Hamiclar's Weihrauch HW-80 customised by Steve Pope.It is a gorgeous-gorgeous thing.You will be proud to have one in your possession and I think you will never ever wish to let something like that to go out of your hands.
Shooter tries the HW-80


Ze Group Photo.You can see Naga pull another trick here.He turns into Dr Evil!


We chose an ancient looking country pub to break bread together."The Packhorse" dates back to the 1600s or so we were told by the mistress of the said ale house. However, the steaks turned out to be disastrous-stringy,chewy and as ancient as the place itself-obviously not from very happy beasts.But, we being of Bulldog like tenacious disposition ,left nothing to waste.Hunger motivated us hugely of course. The chips did compensate to an extent though. After a couple of hours of nattering about guns,ways and means of making IFG better,collective cursing,bitching and bemoaning the state of affairs re guns in the motherland,it was time to move.With vows to meet again and often,we shook hands and parted ways.It was a fantastic day for all of us.Though we met Naga for the first time,it was as if we knew him for a long time.

Special thanks must be said to Shooter for arranging the shoot at his club and the brace of pheasants . Mr MoA,there is no excuse for next time,please.

Best-
Vikram

Nice write up as usual.Always look forward to your posts.

Nice read. Sure you guys had a good time.... with Nags around, who can not, but enjoy

Thanks for posting !!

Ze Group Photo.You can see Naga pull another trick here.He turns into Dr Evil!

An uncanny likeness if I may say so... I never would have guessed!!

Jonah

LOL, nice writeup Vikram. It looks like you guys had fun.

Ah, what a nice read and pics.

I wasted my UK visa last year, should have made a trip ..

-Inder

Vikram, as usual, the write-ups great. But for some reason, can't see any of the pics. Is it only me or.....?? Meanwhile, can you post the link of the pics??

Regards

I'd like to offer a big thank you to Viks and Dev for getting the momentum going for this shoot, I was half afraid we were going to give up. Dev's home ground was cheerful and comfortable. and he proved a great host. Naga was great company, and

jonahpach wrote: [ An uncanny likeness if I may say so... I never would have guessed!!
Jonah

Come to think of it.........

While we were having a chin wag over tea, the topic of stock blanks crept up, and the gentleman sharing our table offered to show us some walnut blanks from th gun room. Dev and Naga joined him, while VIkram and I hobbled behind, clutching our possessions. By the time we reached the gun room door, our friends had vanished and a rather menacing dame barred our entry, denying all knowledge.

It was surreal. Remember Javed Jaffrey's entrance in 3 idiots (main hi ranchod das chancad hun)!

Enjoyed the photos and the write up, could feel the bracing wind, smell of gunsmoke and WOW Katrina? Hope you guys can introduce GO SKEET shooting in India,with Arnold and Dr. Evil as coach and administrator.

thanks IFG UK team, for a smashing time out. very much enjoyed the day, especially shooters keenness for his sport gave me a few good tips.

i do remember shooter telling Vickers " use the expensive shots, not the cheap ones" as shooter was the one who did all buying and paying of the shoots. come to think of it Vickers did say that he 'has fallen in love with shooters Wellington.'

thanks all for taking the time out to meet up with me.

oh the walnut was Turkish ones had about 30 blanks.

Nags,

I spotted several walnut blanks on Holt's website for decent prices.Give it a good look.

Thanks everyone for your good words.I really enjoyed the company of the good friends.


Best-
Vikram

Hey i actually had a lot of work, plus the cleaning crew was to come. Who incedentally never showed up, but I did get some work done.

It isnt about excuses, its about priorities. I havent gone home in weeks, and wont be due to work pressures.

All I want to add to this wonderful write up is that i saw the "fabled" gunroom of atkin grant and lang.

Quite a few sidelocks there.

there was a couple there having a look at a purdey there. The salesman was telling them it was a good deal. Ithink it was about 30k. Many other old english sidelocks.
saw a poachers folding .410. there.

i especially loves the older damascus barrel hammerguns.


The food sucked (except the chips) but was nonetheless memorable because of the company. i dont know if he realises it; but mundaire was indirectly a part of the meet up because of the phone conversation he was having with vikram.

All in all the day was a great success. look out for the write op of our march get-together at edgehill shooting ground.

oye, thanks for having fun guys.Looks like IFG international is going great guns.
Am not a shotty man, probably know which side points to the target, but the smell of gunsmoke and smashed clays-wunderbar!
keep on doin it!
Axx