A300 Outlander Sporting Update

Changed out the release button.  Installed the Cole Oversize Bolt Release Button.  

Makes closing the bolt much simpler, especially if you have a touch of arthritis.

Tools needed:  1/16 punch and paperclip.  Watch the video on YouTube that shows the steps of changing out the A400 release.

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Maybe with use it will become easier to remove the bolt handle, but for now it takes a major effort.

Ended up using pliers (using a cloth to protect the finish) to remove it.

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Piston Assembly A300

Learned the hard way on my A400.  Keep this sucker clean.  I use a wired tooth brush made for cleaning guns. Cleaning not needed after every outing, but if a clay target shooter you need to keep an eye on it, to include cleaning inside the gas cylinder of the barrel.

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I thought I had purchased an IC choke for the A300, but couldn't find it and had me second guessing.
Looked and looked and no where to be found.

Five minutes after I ordered a new one I found it!  At the time of purchase I didn't have a choke case for the A300 and put it where it wouldn't get lost.

Lost Target Update

Several times this year I've had to take time off from posting to the website.  Sorry about that and I know it can be frustrating to visit the site and find the opening page hadn't been touched in days.

Hospitalized five times and some days just didn't have the energy.

At the beginning of December I was at the doctors office and she sent me to the emergency room.  After seven days in the hospital, that included treating an infection among other things, was sent home.

Anyway, most health issues seem to be under control and can't wait to get back into the clay target sports come late January.

Should start seeing blog postings on various clubs we visit and in mid / late February will be recording a International Skeet and a Sporting Clays shoot and posting to YouTube.

I don't currently belong to any clay target associations but looking at resuming my ATA shooting come spring.   If I shoot sporting it will just be in Hunters.

November 2019 Odds & Ends (Beretta A300)

I purchased a Beretta A300 Outlander Sporting Shotgun for the wife.

Contacted a local gun shop to use there FFL for shipping and was told they didn't let people use there FFL.  Had no idea....

Contacted X-Plo, Inc and not a problem.  I think it cost $35,  First time visiting X-Plo when I went to pick up the shotgun and found it good sized and busy.  I was out of there in fifteen minutes.

Wife couldn't see the beads and a little on the long side.  Shipped the gun to Graco in Arkansas for stock work.  They installed an adjustable comb and took off 1/4" off the end of the stock.  The only down side was that Graco was a little backed up and took two weeks longer then expected.  In the past I think I was looking at maybe a week and a half turn around. Excellent work!

The shotgun will get a good work out in Florida this winter.

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Stopped by a Dunkin Donuts on veterans day and received my free donut.

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So much for a conservative supreme court looking out for gun owners "Supreme Court Allows Sandy Hook Relatives to Sue Gun Maker"

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Test and more test this week and past week.   Getting ready to go under the knife this upcoming Monday.  Did a stress test today and one more CT scan scheduled on Thursday. An Albany surgeon is going to remove a cancer from my left kidey (right kidney was last February).  Told to expect a four hour operation and be going home on Thursday.   Be a little late getting to Florida this year, but will be going.

Broken Remintron 1100 Magazine Tube

Found this break while trying to re-assemble.  

I'll give the Remington repair center a call and price a replacement magazine tube replacement/installation.  

If over a couple of hundred dollars I'll just buy a used 1100 and use it as my wife's backup gun.

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Went to the range and we had issues with the 1100 backup gun my wife was using while we decided on what to do with the broken 1100.

After looking at a number of used 1100's online, the cheaper ones had a number of condition issues.  I already shoot a Beretta and time to move my wife to one.

At the end of the day I purchased a new Beretta A300 Sporting 12ga. for under $900, to include shipping. 

Private Gun Sale Back Ground Checks

For or against?

Knew an avid clay target shooter for more then five years, maybe closer too ten.

He crossed numerous times into Canada to shoot.  One day technology caught up to him as Canadian Customs was able access his U.S. criminal record.

Turns out he was caught a number of years back selling drugs, arrested, and was a convicted drug dealer.  He had a felony conviction and NOT ALLOWED TO POSSES FIREARMS!

Do you know the history and background of the person at the club who is interested in buying your firearm?

Valleyfield and Farnham weekend

Visited Club Valleyfield Saturday and shot video of day two of the three day ATA trap shoot they were hosting.

Started to rain around 1pm but not heavily.

VIDEO/PHOTOS

Shot my first round of practice trap in over a year.  Felt good and I could see the targets clearly (had cataract surgery this past August).  Shot over more then a few targets and compensated by holding lower.  In the past I added a weight to slow my upward swing, but physically not at that point yet. I think I'll put the weight back on the next time I shoot sporting and go from there.

The club made a rather generous Lost Target donation.  Always appreciated!

Just my luck on the way home I passed a road side stand and they were still selling strawberries.  Sweet as can be.  Stopped and picked up some vanilla ice cream.

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Sunday saw me at Club Farnham for there annual fun skeet and trap shoot.  About 1hr 45min drive.

Didn't rain but on the cool side.  In the afternoon we finally had sunny skies.

VIDEO/PHOTOS

I shot the 50 target trap singles event.  Registration was in two parts.  You first registered and paid for the shoot (shoot fee included ammunition).  And, then reported to another table for squadding.

A change (I think it was new) is they had a large board off the field where you could see what squads were next up next for shooting.  They also had a board on the fields.  Excellent idea! I was squad #3.

Shot a 20 on the first field but fell apart on the second and ended up with a 16.  Had a hard time swinging on the hard lefts and rights.  Not shooting enough and got tired.  Wait until next year : )

Hot dogs and home cooked French fries for lunch.

Club seemed to have plenty of volunteers.  Hats off....

I don't speak French but many people came up and started talking to me in English.  Sometimes I don't realize how many people know me and how many people in Quebec speak a second language.

I didn't stick around for the awarding of prizes, but more then enough to go around.  Thanks to those who donated to the shoot!  I took a few photos (and video) of the tables holding the awards.

I found an out of the way ice cream stand on the way home and of course I had to stop.  Hitting the border and the person working was someone I meant at a sporting shoot a few years back.

Tournoi Five Man Team @ Huntingdon

Tournoi Five Man Team
Club de Tir Huntingdon - 500 rang du Ruban (Sainte Barbe), Québec

Nice turnout with over 50 shooters.

75 target event.  50 trap singles and 25 wobble trap.

Well run shoot!

Great kitchen.  Hamburgers cooked just like I like them.

VIDEO/PHOTOS

A shooter shot the fun shoot the previous week at Valleyfield and forgot to re-install the release trigger in his shotgun.  Flinched all day.

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Club Huntingdon in the recent past experienced vandalism.  Someone with a rifle shot up the club.  I saw the bullet holes on the outside of the building during my visit.

The club invested 3000$ in a camera system and now has 24 hour surveillance.

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Recently had cataract surgery. Have to use reading glasses and a pain to keep reaching for them.  Sept 9th I will be receiving a permanent prescription and if nothing else I will be purchasing bifocal reading glasses, both clear lens and a sunglass.

I mention it as I tried setting a camera setting at the shoot without my reading glasses and messed up.  I was setting the camera to take a photo every 45 seconds and instead set it to take a photo ever 9 min and 45 sec : (

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Crossing the border into Canada. Was stopped and had my firearm checked.  The lady checking told me she shot clay targets a few times when she was in Scotland.  We talked and I gave her the location of the Huntingdon and Valleyfield clubs.  She thought something she might do come this spring.

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Stopped at my favorite road side stand, but no strawberries to be had.  Lady said she had a sister stand in Ormstown that was still selling strawberries.  Ten miles out of my way.  There's always next year.

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My laptop at the minimum needed a new hard drive, had a couple of keys that were failing, and other issues.

Picked up a HP as a replacement and not a happy camper.  Stopped by Best Buy to fix one issue and tonight found the card reading wasn't working.

Already ordered a Dell and will be returning the HP to Best Buy on Tuesday.

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Two shoots next weekend.

QPTA Saturday and Sunday at Valleyfield and a trap/skeet fun shoot at Farnham on Sunday.

Québec Olympic Bunker Trap Championship @ L'Acadie

Club de tir L'Acadie (St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec)

Sunny weather with few clouds. Light wind, if at all.

Sunday action started on time and except for a few broken targets everything went smoothly.

Hats off to the trapper.  She really had a handle on operating the buttons and resetting the computer.

Final went well using a 25 target format (no flash targets).

Excellent meal served prior to trophy presentations.

VIDEO/PHOTOS

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As I mentioned I was heading to a Farmers Market 15 minutes north of the club some time during the day.  I purchased a couple dozen peaches.  Sweat tasting...... 

When I hit the border I was asked if I was in the compition?  Several Americans particpated and I assume they hit the border before I did.

2019 Les Sauvaginiers @ Valleyfield

6AM Saturday morning messing around on my computer and thinking, did I miss a shoot at Club Valleyfield?  A quick check of the clubs website and no I didn't miss the shoot, but it was schedule this very day.  Asked the boss if she didn't mind me taking a run over to Valleyfield and she said go for it.  Not in shooting shape and didn't have tickets anyhow (sold out shoot) but attended with cameras in hand.

Great turnout.  Over 100 shooters in attendance.

Take a look....

2019 Les Sauvaginiers

Did take my shotgun with me and it was physically checked entering Canada (I have a Canadian firearms license) and no big deal to be checked.  They were looking pretty serious and I didn't try to chit chat.   No issues returning to the states.

While in Canada I picked up a box of strawberries (you have to love the exchange rate) at a farm stand.  Both the wife and I think the sweetest berries we tasted this year.  Going to Club L'Acaide Sunday and looking at going to la prairie about 15 mins up the road and visiting the farmers market and picking up some Canadian peaches.  There coming off the trees this time of the year and taste like you were picking them off the tree yourself.

Stopped in Ormstown for lunch.  Hot dog and a small fries.  Looks like they ended up given me the extra large size of fries as I couldn't finish them.  Walked over to the ice cream shop and found the long time owner had sold to a young couple.  Ice cream was great.  I think more fat content in soft ice  cream then found in the states.

Back in the saddle again!

Cataract surgery completed in both eyes.  Doctor gave me the OK to resume shooting.  Eyes testing at 20/20 but won't receive a final prescription until mid September.  I still need reading glasses.

We went shooting today.  The last time I shot targets at the La Roue du Roy my wife had to tell me the machine numbers, as I couldn't read the letters or numbers on the signs : (

Targets really stood out even though I was just using a set of cheap sunglasses.  Got tired about halfway through and had to slow down a bit.  Going to take awhile to get back into shooting shape.

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Hearing aids next on the agenda...

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The past weekend was great.   I took video/photos at both the L'Acadie (trap) and the Roue (sporting) shoots.  Clubs are about a 35 minute drive from each other.

I found both shoots to be well run and shooters having a good time.  Saw more then a few people that I haven't seen in some time (my first time at L'Acadie this year).

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The Quebec Trap Provincial in 2020 will be held in June, the week after the Vermont State shoot instead of in August.

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Olympic bunker trap tournament this weekend at L'Acadie.  I plan on dropping in on Sunday with cameras.  Expect a lot of slow motion in the video as bunker targets almost impossible to see on a sunny day.

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Cancer fight going well.  Had a few setbacks.  Earlier this month I had the beginnings of renal failure and received six bags of IV fluids over a three day period.  Good as new.  Also, my bodies reacting to the cancer drug and having to take steroids to take away full body aches and pains (almost couldn't walk). Seeing the doctor on Thursday to see what the game plan will be in regard to steroids (not good for me to be on).

I have doctor in Albany that has been keeping an eye on me.  He was the one that guided me through my medical odyssey at the Albany Medical Center this past winter.  He telephoned me and has set me up to see a surgeon in Albany to remove the cancer from my left kidney (right kidney was done in February).  We consult in mid September and I suspect an operation in October.  A major operation and not be able to do any heavy lifting for a month or so.

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We didn't travel to Florida last winter for obvious reasons.  Heading south once again this winter but for a shorter period.  Three or four clubs I just have to make a return visit.   Also, we like to hike and have one or two trails we like to hit.  My wife has told me more restaurant visits this year : )

Al Stefanelli... One of the good guys!

New camera, NOT.

At the Underhill shoot my video camera stopped working : (

I purchased an upgraded model and gave it a try at  the Golden Triangle shoot and didn't like it.  A larger sensor and you'd think it would much better show clay targets in the air.  Not the case.  Disappointed but just the way it is.

Camera is back in the box and return shipping label printed.

Ordered the same model as the one that stopped working and should receive it Tuesday.

Three Shoots and two thank-you's

Finally been out and about (have ongoing health issues) and started visiting clubs and doing video and photos.  I get tired and can't go all out like I use to but I do manage to get some decent video and photos.  Something I always enjoyed and never expected payment or donation.

Three shoots….  Didn't shoot, just showed up with my cameras.

Two clubs I was more then welcomed and received a thanks for coming.

One club I'm still trying to figure why I even showed up.  Basically ignored by club (shoot) management and never received a simply thank you for coming!  Not even a thanks posting on Facebook or YouTube.  If I'm not welcomed or the club could care less, just man up and tell me so I'm not wasting my time.

Maybe I've never been welcomed and just came to the realization.

Just venting and it feels good!

Cataracts

Two prescription changes in the last two years $$$

Went to the eye clinic today as couldn't see clearly at distance.  Highway signs hard to read.  Outgoing trap targets would disappear from sight : (

Had my eyes checked and the person running the machine couldn't come up with a prescription for my that wasn't a blur. 

I've been seeing an ophthalmologist for the last two years and he has been keeping tabs on the start of my cataracts.  Told me at some point they might become an issue. 

When all said and done he recommended I have cataract surgery.

The downside is I have to wait until August to have the procedure done.  

Roue du Roy Super Sporting Program

Please find attach, a shoot flyer for the May 25-26th event at La Roue.

If you plan to participate let me know which Day (Sat or Sun) & Time (AM or PM) you would like to shoot.

Next (MOST IMPORTANT), please let me know if you would help to volunteer & referee at least one flight time.   

Thanking you in advance,

Tony

b325gradeii@sympatico.ca