Tag Archives: guns

London Shooting Club Offering Downton Experience | Things To Do

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shooting, gun, guns, shotguns, clay pigeon shootingLooking for something different to do? At Frost we love clay pigeon shooting. If you want to try it yourself The London Shooting Club is an exclusive members club and concierge service that specialises in providing access to the finest shooting experiences in the UK and internationally. The London Shooting Club is very pleased to offer a bespoke shooting experience to both members and non-members that will make you feel as if you have stepped into the cast of Downton Abbey. Release your inner Lord & Lady Grantham as you shoot game on the estates of the finest of Britain’s stately homes including Highclere Castle where Downton Abbey is actually filmed.

Spend the day with The London Shooting Club taking aim at everything from pheasant to partridge in the ground of Britain’s most stunning homes and you may even catch a glimpse of the real Lord & Lady Grantham. So if you want to relive the golden era what better way than a day with The London Shooting Club.

Based at the prestigious West London Shooting School but using various prestigious shooting grounds around London, The London Shooting Club offers unrivalled access and expertise to those interested in shooting, from beginners wishing to take up the sport, to the advanced. Working with leading experts and top shoots to arrange group trips, tailored experiences and instruction in all disciplines of shooting, whether it be a shooting clinic, a training session, private trips to venues of special interest or a talk from leaders in the field of shooting.

It can be hard for city-bound shooting enthusiasts to find quality places to shoot or even just enjoy the company of other followers of the sport. The packed diary of social evenings, lectures and parties which each bring something a little different, often including the chance to meet leading experts, entry into London’s exclusive private member’s clubs, and late night revelry.

The London Shooting Club also offers a concierge service for both private and corporate members and their guests providing high quality shooting throughout the UK and abroad. The Club uses its extensive network of contacts and experience to give its members the best shooting throughout the year.

The London Shooting Club will have four membership levels. Beginner for those looking to learn to shoot, Competent for those who are looking to return to the sport or progress from a novice level and Advanced that is ideal for those shots who are of intermediate to advanced level and able to book game shooting days. The London Shooting Club finally also offers a corporate membership. To get the most out of Shooting Club membership, you need to be comfortable and safe handling a firearm – but it is fine if you’re rusty! Shooting Club Membership is £335 payable annually for Competent and Advanced memberships whilst the beginner membership is £195 annually.

The London Shooting Club
W: http://www.londonshootingclub.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LondonShooting
FB: https://www.facebook.com/TheLondonShootingClub

Statley Homes include
Highclere Castle
Blenheim Palace
West Wycombe Estate
Belvoir Castle
Ashcombe
Great Tew
Chavenage
Ashcombe House

CLA Game Fair 2013

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The 2013 CLA Game Fair site is the beautiful Ragley Hall Estate which covers more than 500 acres. So far we have had a chance to talk to Olympic Gold medalist Peter Wilson, bask in the summer weather, 30c at last time of checking, look at some beautiful guns, cute dogs, clothes and events. Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche have their cars on display and tomorrow we will be checking out the only Zorse (cross breed of a Zebra and horse) in the UK.

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We also spent time with prominent shooting journalist Michael Yardley who is at the top of his field. Michael has a gun from Boxall and Edmiston which bears his name after he gave some of his ideas on the design of the gun.

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Go to the Boxall and Edmiston stand to see their beautiful guns. There is also beautiful leather goods there from Daniels & Wood.

We will keep you updated on the CLA Game Fair 2013 tomorrow. Until then, have have a great weekend.

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We Need To Talk About Gun Control

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The news of mass shootings in America has become a depressingly common occurrence. Each time the same thing happens: the debate on gun control.

This year two of the worst shootings happened in America, in a Colorado theatre and a Connecticut elementary school. This excellent Washington Post article has a run down of shootings in America for 2012. What is really interesting about the article is that it tells you what type of gun was used in each shooting. Some of these shootings were done with military assault rifles or automatic weapons. To have a gun is one thing, but for a civilian to buy this type of weapon, which only purpose is to kill people, is something that should be re-examined. In fact it was former President George W Bush that allowed a federal ban on assault weapons to expire in 2004 when he was president. President Obama has previously mentioned his support for a ban on assault weapons.

Yes, I did say those guns are used to only kill people. Aren’t all guns for that? Well, no. Farmers need guns, guns can be used for shooting clays, or animals. For hunting and even for protection. I am not pro-gun, but I do not think the issue is as clear as the hordes on Twitter and Facebook think it is. If you make guns illegal in America then there is an obvious problem: you drive the gun trade underground and people who want to protect themselves would not be able to legally own a gun. I don’t want to live in a world where only the bad people have guns.

On the same day of the mass shooting in Newton there was a similar attack on children in China, but with a knife as a weapon instead. No children actually died in the China attack, but there have been fatalities in similar attacks. it does raise a point: a gun is only a weapon when a human being is holding it. But so is anything else when there is an intention to kill.

President Barack Obama promised “meaningful action”, after the Connecticut shooting. Also saying, “As a country, we have been through this too many times.”

The fact is that most gun legislation is set by states rather than federal government, and Connecticut has relatively tight firearms restrictions by US standards. Some people are saying that the shootings are a mental health problem rather than a gun problem, but what is abundantly clear is that tighter regulation is needed.

According to a 2012 report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the US has 3.2 firearms homicides per 100,000 population compared with 1.6 for Canada, 1.0 for Australia and 0.1 for England and Wales,

There are an estimated 300m guns in America, nearly one for every one of the 315m Americans in America, and the National Rifle Association (NRA) has more than 4m members. America is a nation where guns are embedded into it’s very foundation, there constitution even declares the ‘right to bear arms’, even if guns were banned where would all these guns go? What is clear is that we have to talk about gun control, but solving the problem will not be easy.

The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, New Frontiers in film financing.

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The Greatest Movie Ever Sold directed by Morgan Spurlock.

Where and When: Thursday 29th September at BFI Southbank

On Thursday I saw Morgan Spurlock’s new documentary about branding, advertising and product placement, which is entirely funded by branding, advertising and product placement.

Afterward, a panel of experts from film and advertising discussed how producers can create new synergies and forms of production finance without losing their artistic integrity. The panel included; Pippa Cross, Producer of Chalet Girl, Duncan Forrester, Head of Public Affairs, Volvo, Darryl Collis, Director of Seesaw Media, Pete Buckingham, Head of Distribution and Exhibition at the BFI

“Nothing like a cold call to let you know how little power you have.” Morgan Spurlock.

What I learned:

1) The Greatest Movie Ever Sold was the first film to be in profit before it hit theatres

2) Spurlock ‘didn’t negotiate for success’ so the brands didn’t have to pay him any more money when the movie became a runaway success.

3) In the first few months, The Greatest Movie Ever Sold had over 900 million media impressions.

4) Spurlock called over 100 ad agencies and 650 companies to contribute to the documentary, only 15 companies said yes. A success rate of only 2%.

5) Pom juice is 40% as effective as Viagra for helping a man sustain an erection.

6) Volvo did not pay to be in Twilight, the filmmakers stayed true to the fact that Edward drives a Volvo in the book. But they have people come in and buy the car Edward drives after seeing the movies, even though it’s a £35-50,000 investment.

7) A big champagne company turned down the opportunity to be in The King’s Speech because they ‘didn’t do period films’.

8) Morgan Spurlock could not legally disparage the entire country of Germany in or around the Mini that he was given for the film. Most of the contracts had a non-disparagement clause.

9) Spurlock said all of the brands asked for ROI (return on investment) but not of them got it.

10) Ditto for the final cut, Spurlock says: ‘Retain final cut or it’s not your film”. However, if your film costs more than $40-50 million, you will not get final cut.

11) Spurlock’s advice to filmmakers when negotiating with brands and advertisers is: Always know what you are willing to give up. Integrity is valuable.

12) Fed ex did not pay to be in Castaway.

13) The film uses all of the things it criticise in the beginning to sell the film to you later

14) Old Navy gave Spurlock a cheque for £200,000 after seeing the documentary at the Sundance Premiere.

15) The brands have bigger lawyer than you.

16) Pippa Cross had to spend 2K on CGI to get ride of a beer bottle on Shooting Dogs because the beer brand did not want to be associated with the genocide.

17) The Social Network has Mark Zuckerberg and the rest of the cast using Sony laptops, but, factually, the real people the film is based on would have been using Apple Macs.

18) Pippa Cross got Tesco vouchers for Chalet Girl, and the best Ski brands on board.

19) Morgan Spurlock made a deal with a tri-state pet discount store; you could get a goldfish and after the first one died, use a voucher to get another one. Like Spurlock does in the film.

20) Spurlock tried to get a gun company onboard, but they all said no.

21) The lawyer Morgan interviews in his documentary tells of of the term ‘Faction’. Where fact and fiction meet, and what advertisers use to confuse you and integrate their products into your favourite TV shows and Films.

The documentary is essential viewing for anyone interested in film, or raising finance.

Richmond Question Time With Zac Goldsmith

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Time
20 September · 19:30 – 21:30

Location
Duke Street Church, Duke Street, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 1DH

My friend Ben Mallet worked on Zac Goldsmith’s political campaign and is a member of the Richmond Conservative Future, He invited me to a cross party Question Time debate, I am a political junkie so, of course, I went.

The MPs who took part were Zac Goldsmith MP – Chairing and Hosting, Sam Gyimah MP – Conservative Party, Nigel Farage MEP – UKIP Leader, Serge Lourie – Lib Dem, Former leader of Richmond Council for 9 years , Emily Thornberry MP – Labour Party, Brian Denny – Trade Unionists Against the EU Constitution convenor.

It was a brilliant event, put together by young people interested in politics and making a difference. I had a chat with Nigel Farage who promised Frost a interview. Farage came across as incredibly intelligent and well spoken, as did Sam Gyimah, although he got a lot of negativity for being a Tory. Quote of the night came from Emily Thornberry, who was asked about Labour’s time in power and how much debt they had racked up with the Iraq war, she stated: “We went into debt on purpose”. Which is unfortunate, as it is the rest of the country that is paying for it now.

Nigel Farage revealed he had had death threats against him when the talk turned to a homeowners right protecting their own property and Goldsmith asked him if would have a gun in his house if he lived in America, Farage said: “What makes you think I don’t have a gun in my house in this country?”. Serge Lourie defended faith schools, stating that both he and his children had went to one. All in all, a good lively debate. The main thing I took away was how angry people are about the current world situation.

I asked Goldsmith for his comments on how the evening went: “It was the first QT event in Richmond, and seems to have gone down very well. The audience was uncharacteristically lively, and having been a temporary imposter, my respect for the real David Dimbleby has doubled. We had a diverse and high profile panel, and I hope we’ll be able to replicate the success on other occasions. Huge congratulations to the CF team”.

CLA Game Fair Report – GunMakers Row

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The Blenheim CLA was generally judged to be a success by all who attended I think. I got there a bit late but went to an excellent dinner party at William Evans with Charlie Jacoby and his banjo in attendance. It was, as ever, great fun and wonderfully organised by Sally et al.. I did not do the cocktail party circuit this year because I missed most of them on Friday. I am not really a social animal in that way anymore (boring old bugger). If someone is offering bubbles, however, I will occasionally make an exception! [There was one year when just about everyone in Gunmakers Row offered me a drink of some kind and I never did make it to the end – I woke up the next morning on a collapsed papering table looking at someone’s canvas ceiling – never again.]

So, while others were having – “partying the night away” – I was primarily interested in catching up with old chums and keeping an eye out for what was genuinely new. First, though, I want to thank my mucker Mark Curtis of Pigeon Mania for being an all-round nice guy and for putting up with me camping on his stand yet again (damn this business of getting on site by 7.30 now – hell, one has to get up early). Mark’s business, meanwhile, is deservedly going from strength to strength – pigeon magnets at just over 50 quid, flappers, some fantastic, well-priced, rechargeable hand lamps for foxing and similar. He has got his act together and sold a huge amount of kit.

I also want to thank Mike Ladd who offered space for my gunfitting service but which I did not take up this year (but which I may take to the Midland and/or Bisley Live). As well as the usual massive stock, Mike had his new range of Turkish made true sidelock over and unders on stand which look good and cost under 4K. He also had some presentable Turkish boxlocks – these guns get better and better although there are still a few details to work on. Mike also had a beautiful handling Abbiatico and Salvinelli 20bore over and under which caught my eye. It had a titanium action which gave it a similar magic quality to the Kemen titaniums.

Boxall and Edmiston launched their sidelock gun which looks great for 25K or thereabouts. Peter Boxall, their engineering genius, is ex Holland & Holland and Jaguar, and is a perfectionist. His firm’s guns are extremely well made and now offer exceptional value whether boxlock, side-plated or true sidelock. I am working on a new gun project with this company and details of it will be announced in due course. It just might have another barrel configuration and it will be English made.

Anglo-Italian Arms (formerly Guerini UK) had their new Fabarm range on stand. But, the gun that really excited me – and upon which there will be a full report somewhere very soon – was the round action 32” 20 bore over and under – the first specimen of which was on display. It felt spendid. I shoot 32” Maxums at the moment and this felt as good as better.

Holland & Holland had their centenary take-down .375. It was a wonderful gun, I have always wanted a Holland bolt rifle, but I would make do with a straight .375. It would genuinely be a gun that one could do just about everything with. It is no secret that I have a lot of respect for this grand old firm and the shooting qualities of its products. I also managed to have a fascinating discussion with David Little of Kynoch about why some old H&H .375s seem so soft in recoil in spite of their light weight – David believes it is because of two things – their slender, steeply angled, stock shapes and the progressive lead into the rifling. The former is an interesting point because I usually feel it has a negative effect in shotguns – David’s opinion is that it may work on a rifle because the time pressure curve is different. He also favours light long barrels.

Alan Rhone had a very interesting new straight-pull rifle from Finland – the Lynx. It felt really solid. It appears extremely well engineered too and the cycling is very quick. The Lynx is available in various forms including a laminate model (my favourite), standard hunter, and a deluxe model with all the bells and whistles of special engraving and gold inlays. Price from about 4K. Alan also has some excellent new QD mounts on offer made by a firm called Ziegler. These offer repeatable zero “again and again.” They’re neat, extremely well designed and available for a wide variety of guns. I am sure he is destined to do well with them, and I am having some fitted to my Sako 85 in .375 H&H.

Anderson Wheeler of Mayfair impressed me first because they are a young company with lots of ideas and energy, but also because they have created such an impressive product line so quickly. They make a good 20 bore side by side based on an AyA action, they have an over and under built on an Italian action, but these guns have a lot of London finish in them. A&W also offer the normal bespoke big bore double rifles (they had a .470 which was a beauty) and bolt guns as well as London made shotguns. Just to see two tables crammed with so many new made rifles and shotguns shows how much effort they have put it.

I had fun seeing Ian Tomlin of Traditional English Gun Cases and bought a beautiful 250 cartridge magazine from him. Ian has a great range of cartridge bags too. Bill Blacker was not far away, being his normal inimitable self. And, I also enjoyed stopping in on Croots who seem to be going from strength to strength with their bags and gun-slips too. They made a canvas safari bag for me last year which has proved to be invaluable – like the brilliant Barbour canvas shoulder bag (and they make something similar too).

Browning did not have a great deal of new product this year (2012 is rumoured to be their big launch year). One exception, though, was the wonderful, well priced, 525 Sporter (which I choose to call a MK2 because of its radically changed handling qualities thanks to the new lightened, Investor Plus back-bored, barrels). It might well be my gun of the year. I also really like the Winchester ‘Red Performance’ semi-auto. This is simply one of the best handling guns that I have ever shot – soft in recoil, relatively light in weight, and natural pointing.

Beretta have their new Silver Pigeon 1 which is Opti-bored and another performer as noted on this site recently. And, at the CLA, they launched a new small bore range of Silver Pigeon 1s, a new Beretta Jubilee, a Help for Heroes EELL (at £5,995 with a £100 going to this magnificent charity), and no less than 2 new A400 semis. These included the Action which is available with a Gun Pod ‘on board computer’ which notes the number of cartridges fired, their power and temperature, and, a blue actioned Excel (also available with the Gun Pod gizmo not mention Kick-Off recoil reduction). There is a Silver Pigeon 1 with game scene engraving as well, and, a new version of the Benelli Vinci.

ASI now have a round bar boxlock on offer – Edward King has a fondeness for better quality boxlocks – and, a deluxe model of the popular No.2. There are also a couple of new Rizzini Artimis sideplated guns. These are available in proportionately scaled 12, 16, 20, 28 and .410 actions, all with selective single trigger and multichokes as standard. Edgar Brothers had lots of new stuff. I saw the Remy Versalite shotgun for the first time and the new Zoli Black Magic rifle. Viking Arms have the Ruger Gunsite Scout rifle in .308 with a detachable box mag and various extras except the flash hider (which current US law does not allow the export of in our all too mixed up world).

What have I forgotten? The new Powell Marquis – a sub 3K, hand engraved, Spanish sidelock made by Arrieta (though my favourite in their line is the Lindhope high bird gun coming in over £7,000 mark which is based on an old pigeon gun). There is also their ‘Juvenis’ sidelock for (better off) young shots. E.J.Churcill have an extensive new line of over and unders inlcluding some finished in France, and, a 32” Churchill badged Perazzi. Finally, my thanks to Fiona Eastman for getting my Press Passes through in the nick of time. Without her effort, I would not have got to Blenheim at all.