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There are a couple of things that make me feel somewhat uncomfortable about the UK shooting experience. Aside from having to pay (which I understand is a necessary evil in that part of the world) I abhor the widespread use of moderators and I also find the seeming ubiquity of 'gun bags' out in the field weird. I don't know why you'd want to carry extra 'stuff' into the field but it's almost as though the individuals concerned are a bit embarrassed to be seen with a rifle. Maybe there's a very good reason for it that I just don't 'get' but it just seems odd to me.

I just thank Christ I live where I live and have the ability to roam over vast areas of public land with gay abandon - rifle in hand.

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Not sure if it is relevant to the Scottish Highlands and deer stalking. But when pigeon decoying in England, East Anglia it might have been. I got bored at one time as there were no pigeons coming in near me at all. So went for a walk to another stand, by a barn who were doing well. To stand behind them and have a chat. Opened the shotgun and walked over to them. May have closed it and readied for a shot at sonme pigeons flying in, but being in the open they saw me and didn't come near. Later the two guys at the barn said I should have put the shotgun in the gunbag when walking over, as that was required. The guy that was organising the pigeon decoying had the right to decoy but not rough shoot (or whatever it was called I forget). On this estate, there was rights to conduct pheasant drives, rough shoot, both rights owned by some Lord MuchSomething, and the local guy who organised pigeon decoying only had the right to decoy. So nio going for a walk with a gun. Guns when not decoying must be bagged.

Highland deer stalking? Don't know, other than maybe some tradition, or only being able to "stalk" (hunt) at some particular time or spot, or away from a vehicle a certain distance etc etc etc

Who knows, lots of rules and traditions over there ...

Like some of the culture but not the endless rules. Prefer our freedoms in Australia and NZ.

Perhaps some UK members or experienced in UK hunters can chime in on the question. Interested to know why gunbags would be used in the field?

Perhaps it is just to keep the rain off?

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John aka NitroX

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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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Have to agree with McKinney there, I cant stand the moderators, even worse on a synthetic stock. Always looks to me like an assassins rifle rather than a hunting rifle. I have always dreamed of hunting the Scottish Highlands but it would only ever be with a classically styled rifle minus any moderator. The sound of the shot has always been part of the hunt for me.
I would also say that if one is on an estate where the managers want moderators used so the animals are not dispersed by the shot for the next stalker, than their are to many paying stalkers on the estate at one time. Sort of lining up the deer one after another.

Waidmannsheil.

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FWIW a large percentage of rifles used in NZ now are plastic stocked, more often than not stainless, and with moderators fitted with a camo neoprene cover or wrapped barrel and all in camo tape and then a bipod attached.

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I think the synthetic stocked rifles is more due to a cost and price factor and push marketing by the makers and sellers than anything else.

A synthetic stock might be far nicer than a plan featureless lump of crap walnut. Much cheaper than a decent walnut blank and also far cheaper to make. SOMETIMES reflected in price, but when not, where it s the cost factor going?

The "tactical" marketing push and image has caught up a lot of newbies and others.

However a good synthetic stock does have advantages in durability, rough handling and weather variations.

I will use both, have two sythetic stocked rifles, a Mauser M03 but also recently bought another walnut stocked one. And a restocked military Mauser M96 in 6.5x55. However I would like to see that stocked with a classic walnut stock one day, maybe ... The rest are all walnut.

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John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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