Greetings !

[camerags]

Hi Fellow gun enthusiasts,

Since I shoot more with my cameras, I chose to call myself camerags here.

I work in IT as a Senior Support Manager for Multinational HQ?ed in Geneva. Chennai is my home (though it?s still Madras to me) and I have been a member of the Chennai Rifle Club for 20 years. I have won the Bronze twice in Tamil Nadu State level shoots in two different disciplines.

I enjoy Target shooting and am decidedly anti hunting. Even primitive man hunted animals for food, but he never hung up a saber toothed tiger skin to decorate his cave. If you are a trophy hunter, you are off my Christmas card list.

That said, I am an avid nature photographer of advanced amateur status and a musician as well, having played the guitar since I was 9 and I now jam with my 15 year old son who plays better than I could ever do.

I own a BRNO Model 1/.22 Rimfire, a HW77/.22 and a Diana 48/52 .177 air rifles. Plus an Indian made Aimco/.22 Tommy that I bought for my Son. I enjoy doing my own own ?gunsmith-ing? and I have done all tune-ups on my air rifles myself.

My wife and Son share all my interests.

Cheers !

[mundaire]

Welcome aboard Camerags... look forward to you participating in some of our discussions here

Cheers!
Abhijeet

[Mack The Knife]

I enjoy Target shooting and am decidedly anti hunting.

But you eat meat. What a hypocrite! Anyway, I am not going to waste my time arguing this same old subject with you.

Welcome aboard Rags. Has John given you the Nikon? Airport security wouldn't let DTDC send it, so they returned it to me.

Regards to S and R.

Mack The Knife

P.S.: There is a chap here who wants to know about your experience with Hawke scopes. Accessories section, I think.

P.P.S.: Use the Photo Album section to show the punters your wild life pics. It will be much appreciated.

[Vikram]

Welcome aboard,Camerags. We have room for every view on the gun lovers spectrum. Just, be well braced for some heated debates on hunting. Once again, we look forward to regular participation from you.For me too, it was Madras when was at the Ramakrishna Mission Hostel at T.Nagar.

Best regards-

Vikram

[axp817]

welcome to IFG Camerags,
Your interest, knowledge, and experience in air rifles and pistols will be of immense value to other members with similar interests here, and I am sure you will learn some too, from them.

I have to say though, that I completely disagree with what your views on hunting.

Since this is an introductions/welcomes only thread, I will save my argument for the hunting section. See you there.

Good to have you here,
Naren

[camerags]

Yo Rusty Old Boy! Yes John sent me the Nikon binocs and I will open it up and clean it after I get back from my travels. Like I said i may not touch the prisms but the lenses are easy

My interests are in air guns, gunsmithing and general gun talk.

Maybe I stirred up a hornet's nest with my views on anti-hunting.My objection to hunting for trophies is confined to India where we have laws in place which protect the few species that are left. I can debate this just as loudly and clearly but would rather bow out of a fraternity that believes in something that I dont.

[mehulkamdar]

Camerags,

Do we know each other? I was a member at the MRC from the mid 70s upto 85 or 86.

You're in a nice place for the shooting sports right now - the Feldschiessen/Tir en Campagne matches should take place any day in Switzerland now. If you attend them, do take some pics and post them here.

And, there's no need to leave this forum because of your views on hunting in India. No one here is interested in breaking the law in India - poaching as it would be. Since you're out of the country, it wouldn't be a problem to get a little hunting in Europe, I guess. Have heard that hunting chamois in Switzerland is particularly difficult, though, with a three year waiting list to get a tag.

Welcome again!

Mehul

[camerags]

HI Mehul,

We have mailed each other on occasions after Mack The Knife introduced us a while back. I joined the Madras Rifle Club in 1985, about the time you were leaving.

I live in Chennai though I travel to Europe on work often. That chamois was quite safe in any case..

I have no intentions of getting into debates - I apologise for starting one - but as an Indian living in India, I would like see my flora and fauna protected by law, and if it were not for these laws, we would have nothing to speak of.. Hunting laws in other countries dont interest me.

camerags

[Mack The Knife]

Morning, Rags! I am in no hurry to get the binocs. Take your time but do a super-dooper job. Ta!

I can debate this just as loudly and clearly but would rather bow out of a fraternity that believes in something that I dont.

Now don't be daft. You are entitled to your opinion. Let's just leave it at that.

My objection to hunting for trophies is confined to India where we have laws in place which protect the few species that are left.

So long as we are talking endangered species in a particular area, I support your view 100%. Who wouldn't? Apart from the commercially motivated poachers, that is.

Considering the ever decreasing habitat, sustainable hunting that keeps wildlife populations at manageable numbers isn't wrong and the revenue it would bring is all to the good.

Toodles!

Mack The Knife

[eljefe]

Hi Rags (if I may?)
Welcome aboard.
A fellow gun enthuisiast is very welcome to this league of endangered gun owners!
Yes, there will be lively debates and the boards resound of faux gunsmoke!
But, stay on, your experience in gunsmithing and presence of another gun fan is very welcome.
Best
Axx

[kanwar76]

Hi Rags,

Just saw this post(Don't know why but View posts since last visit is not working for me today ).

Welcome to the forum..

Though i don't agree with your views on trophy hunting but we can still debate on pro and cons of everything for good..

And as Mack The Knife said please share your wild life pics with us.

Inder

[steyrshot]

Cheers mate
glad to have you onboard, happy shooting

[mehulkamdar]

Camerags,

Any of the old timers still around? There were young lads like Sumit Sanghvi back then and I forget the name of the flour mill owners - an enthusiastic family as I remember. There was also Malathi David, a nice lady who always came accompanied by her little son Vimal. And, if you meet Appa Rao or his son DVS Rao, please convey my regards to them. Their Shikar Armoury used to have some nice guns from time to time but I heard that they sold some of their Boss guns to Tarachand Mehta some years ago. I'll recall more names in due course, but these were people whom I was in touch with long after I left the club as they were trying to sell some of their guns abroad, and to a major collector in Europe who is a personal friend of mine.

Cheers,

Mehul

[Mack The Knife]

Mehul,

Sumit returned to competitive shooting at the 2002 GVM and I think he is still around but not sure as I haven't gone for any comps in the past couple of years. Last I saw him was during the 2003 Nationals at Hyderabad.

Mack The Knife

[camerags]

Hi Mehul,

As Mack The Knife Clarified, Sumeet Sanghvi still shoots at competitions and he is one of the shooters who brought laurels to MRC. Malathy David is still a familiar face at the club. The flour mill family - I forget their names - the Father pased away a few years back and the sons have'nt been at the range since. DVS Rao Junior and I went to school together. I bought my first .22 Remington 514 single shot from Junior Rao from their Armory. Rao Junior is in a big way with shooting sports in India. I will pass on your regards to the Rao's

Cheers,