The message
from "DerekW" contains these
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We only seem to have mallard here. The odd skein of geese passes over,
but I've never known them to visit. The Guns get terribly excited about
the duck, but not very many of them have clue. In my youth I used to go
wildfowling on the Blackwater Estuary, though more time was spent in
conservation of nesting areas than with the artillery. (9-Bore Joe
Manton SB percussion)

Cristamighty I hope you had a tin hat to go with a cannon like that

Nope. And as it's difficult to measure a 9-bore load, and it was a good
stout gun, I stoked it with 8-bore loads.

I'll stick with my trusty Beretta 302 12 b more than enough lead
(er I mean non-toxic shot occifer) for me

It seems that the 'evidence' that wildfowl pick up lead pellets was
falsified. The legislation wasn't rescinded, though.

I've had the priviledge
of letting off a few bigger bore blackpowder pieces at gamefairs
and the like, happily the hair has now grown back

Got a percussion 10-bore now, and a flintlock 4-bore under restoration,
as well as a pile of old percussion bits and pieces of more or less
complete lumps - many in need of fettling. There are enough bits to mate
a 20-bore percussion deer rifle barrel and a stock which has a woodcock
barrel on it ATM. With a suitable box, it should be a pleasant little
item.

The Joe Manton caused a bit of a stir at the 1962(?) CLA Game Fair at
Longleat, smoking Single Birds Down the Line...

--
Rusty
Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
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