I might as well give a brief round up from Blighty.
The most important gun news of the year was Shooter getting his his FAC approved. He then went on a shopping spree for .308, .22lr, .17hmr and ? (remind me?). No mean feat considering the Cumbria shootings. He also got a great Winchester semi auto in composite stock, something he'd been searching for years, and top scores at all his shoots. He has added deer stalking to his talents. Both of us shot occasionally at my local club, where the owners have woken up and started to change targets every few months.
The sad news was Viks' departure. I was unfortunately unable to meet him more often this year, particularly at his farewell, where Grumpy and Shooter shot together for the first time. However, he managed to play with Dev's rifles. I still haven't. Lucky sod. He is curently with loved ones and we can't wait to have him back.
Nagarifle and MoA performed in much loved cameos. We still haven't been able to con MoA to shoot with us, though he played the ever gracious host and provided lots of range time for Dev who took the effort to track and meet him in his lair.
No story would be complete without the grand old man (....I can see it coming, so I'm wincing already) of IFG, the Bheeshma pitamah of Blighty, Grumps. Not only has he been a steady and reliable source of knowledge, but a bit of a beacon to remind us of level zero and a very generous friend. He even lent me his WH Pollard hammer to play till this summer.
Speaking personally, I got myself another Beretta 682 (can't have enough). Pretty much like property, the prices for these beauties have since then, gone up.
On the airgun front, sold off my Fwb 601, both my 124s, and the FX Cutlass and bought a Daystate Hunstman Midas instead. Loved the gun but hated the trigger and magazine feed. So, sold it and bought a Steyr LG110 FT at a very good deal. Also got a hunting stock made from Paul Wilson. Based on my mood, I used to lower the power and put up a set of Anshutz sights using it as a 10m rifle, or upped the output and set a scope to use outdoors. Still debating whether to sell the spare FT stock I have left or keep it.
Importantly, last December, my wife and I brought our V mached Hw80 and the Steyr with us to India. Equally importantly, organised a family get together for the whole Delhi branch of my clan, where everyone got a chance to shoot.
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I think it triggered some interest, because we did an encore for the addicted the following weekend. No food, fewer people, lots of time and lots of shooting.
"Stan, don't you know the first law of physics? Anything that's fun costs at least eight dollars."
