tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34392767104181825632024-03-12T20:42:43.167-07:00London Gun Services498 Kings Road
London SW10 0LELondon Gun Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04862506264755524837noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439276710418182563.post-12474646833680986492018-02-15T05:08:00.001-08:002018-02-15T05:08:29.743-08:00End of Season Interview with Michael Sillwood - Gun Room ManagerAs the season has now finished we thought it would be interesting to hear a few of the thoughts and reflections from our trusty Gun Room Manager at LGS and his experiences out loading in the field over the last few months.<br />
Michael has worked for LGS for the past 4 years and has been a huge part of the company's development, providing a wealth of knowledge of all things shooting.<br />
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Michael sits elegantly in a crisp Hugo Boss suit outside a boutique Chelsea cafe. He sips on a steaming espresso with an amaretti biscuit on the side. The winter sun scatters haphazard shadows on the cobbled ground and Michael sits with sunglasses poised in his right hand. The gentle lounge music from the cafe drifts outside and dances on the air in a haze of cigarette smoke; like a smoke machine setting the scene for Michael to take the stage - the sunlight being his spotlight. His expression is reflective and philosophical as we begin the interview...<br />
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<br />What has been the most memorable part of the season for you?</h3>
My most memorable experience this season has to be loading for a client at Gunnerside in North Yorkshire, I have never seen coveys of grouse like that! I was also lucky enough to load for a client at La Nava in Spain which has stunning scenery and good quality partridge shooting! Even though it snowed on the second day we were not phased!<br />
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<br />What has been the most challenging part of the season for you?</h3>
I would have to say that it was adapting to each of my clients needs and shooting styles, each client is different and when one is out in the field a lot it is important to think quickly.<br />
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<br />How does this season compare to last season?</h3>
This was my second year of loading so this season I feel like I had a better basis of experience in comparison to last year. I am grateful that working for LGS has taken me to some of the best shoots in the UK! The pace of growth in the business is outstanding and this season has definitely seen a vast expansion in the development and establishment of the company.<br />
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<br />Where has been the most beautiful place you have visited this season?</h3>
The most beautiful estate has to be Ben Alder in Scotland - the scenery was amazing with grouse to match it! It was definitely one for the experienced shooter.<br />
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When out in the field a lot, do you have any survival tips for other loaders?</h3>
I would have to say it is cartridges; I always take double the amount of cartridges I expect to be used as there would be nothing worse than getting caught short. I always carry spare batteries for ear defenders and plasters for the occasions where the trigger guard catches but most importantly a selection of biscuits and water for energy levels!<br />
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What is your favourite item of shooting clothing that you own?</h3>
My favourite item is not necessarily clothing but my new Cens Digital In Ear ear defenders, they are fantastic and I would highly recommend them!<br />
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Do you have any hopes or plans for next season?</h3>
I am looking forward to field testing the new Frederick Beesley over and under shotguns which are currently being made ready for next season. I also hope that I will continue to provide our service to new and existing customers at LGS and out in the field as we are already receiving bookings for the 2018 shooting season!<br />
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<br />London Gun Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04862506264755524837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439276710418182563.post-65894900926778038692017-12-19T07:43:00.001-08:002017-12-20T01:41:06.684-08:00Shot the espresso<div class="MsoNormal">
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If you are like the majority of people in Britain, then you
won’t be one to turn down a good coffee and neither are we at LGS, so when the
opportunity arose to go coffee tasting at H. R. Higgins we were more than keen
to jump on board!<br />
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Michael often goes out loading for some of our clients and
one particularly blustery day on the moors he found himself amongst some chirpy
Italians, all of whom were pining after a punchy espresso to help them adjust
to the rather early wake up call. It just so happened that the lovely owner of
H. R. Higgins coffee shop was on the same shoot and as a means of tying
together two of his passions he sells cartridge bags with coffee making kits inside
at the shop/café in Mayfair. As you can no doubt imagine, this went down rather
well amongst the said crowd. Totally inspired by this idea, discussions later
lead to the prospect of LGS jumping on board with H. R. Higgin’s coffee/cartridge
combination. Realising we slightly missed the boat for this season (not to
mention what lovely Christmas presents they would make) we planted the seed to
introduce these next year and as a result were invited to H.R Higgin’s to have
a look around.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So after a fleeting dive into the office a few weeks later,
myself and Michael hopped in a taxi to Duke Street. The first thing that hit me
upon entering was how beautifully traditional it was. On the ground floor there
were jars and jars of rare coffee beans, old fashioned scales and elegant fine
bone china. The chic, friendly and laid-back café was downstairs. We kicked off
with a signature espresso which was strong and rich just as a proper espresso
should be. The first long coffee we tried was the Christmas Blend, which was beautifully
smooth yet had a lovely warm spice to it. Ideal for warming up on a snowy
morning with a ginger or cinnamon biscuit on the side. We then tried the
Tanzania AA Chagga Dark Roast which had a slightly bitter velvety air about it
followed by the silky, smooth Vienna Blend. It was great to try such a diverse
selection and it was certainly apparent that H.R. Higgins really are experts in
everything coffee. By the end of the tasting, inevitably we were both buzzing so
after purchasing some coffee to take home (ground and packed in front of us) we
flew out of the door….<o:p></o:p></div>
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We are really looking forward to introducing a spot of
coffee bean magic to the doors of LGS next season with H. R. Higgins; the
cartridge bag coffee kit really is a necessity for all coffee drinking shooters
after all!<br />
<br /><br />By Mary Woodhouse<br />
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London Gun Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04862506264755524837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439276710418182563.post-20487604909174202862017-11-30T09:26:00.000-08:002017-12-20T01:42:25.748-08:00Squire attire<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 105%;">Aside
from the rustic and wild days out shooting, the vigorous repairs or the
ferrying around of some seriously high end shotguns LGS is secretly a bit of an
Aladdin's cave for the country squire. It is often easy to overlook an
accessory when it comes to shooting; there is such focus on the gun, the game,
what you’ll need to wear or the type of cartridges you’ll need. But hidden within our cartridge treasure trove are
some excellent stocking fillers...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 105%;">We
have a lovely selection of hip flasks: on a brisk winter’s afternoon as the
dappled sunlight melts last night’s frost and the icy wind prickles its way
through thick tweeds, a spot of homebrewed sloe gin whilst out on the go is the
perfect winter warmer. Pair this with some jolly and jazzy House of Cheviot socks
to lift everyone’s spirits and an Alan Paine pheasant tie and one couldn’t be
more fitted to the country life. Spaniels basking by crackling fires and the
delicate aroma of mince pies warming in the AGA also spring to mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 105%;">We
also have many other chic and unique gift ideas such as cufflinks, letter openers and bottle
openers along with a vast array of shooting accessories. This is the perfect time of year to stock up and adorn oneself with glorified goodies and as Marc Jacobs once said: “Any
opportunity to adorn oneself is human, and accessories are an easy way to do
it”!</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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By Mary Woodhouse</div>
London Gun Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04862506264755524837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439276710418182563.post-90274636098912873292017-10-11T05:04:00.000-07:002017-12-20T01:43:08.657-08:00Fire and water<br />
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Having recently spent some time in the South of France I
started to peruse over the idea of the shooting world outside the familiar
surroundings of LGS. I am sure I am not alone in regarding such a glorious
sport as, simply put: traditionally British. We think of the rosy golden hues
of dusk that melt through gentle mists like water colour paints, along with the
piercing kiss of the crisp cold air as it clings onto last night’s
frost…obviously with a bit of tweed and a few Labradors thrown in the mix! The
ever increasing requests for Visitor’s Permits we receive from shooters
residing overseas also stresses just how renowned and world famous the British
shooting scene really is, the most high end of which of course being by
invitation only.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Nonetheless the shooting scene in France also has a certain <i>je ne sais quoi</i>. Trap and skeet shooting
in France is as popular, if not more so, than it is in the UK. Shooting is very
much embedded within the web of France’s culture and a <i>license sportif de tir</i> – namely, for sporting purposes as opposed
to hunting is relatively easy to obtain. What appeals to me about France’s
shooting scene is the availability of the popular tradition of shooting clays…from
your boat. What better pastime than gliding out on the glittering Mediterranean
sea whilst shooting a few clays as they dance over a shimmering sea in the dappled sunlight? One could even finish the day with a punchy espresso or ice cold Provence rose served in an elegant frosted glass overlooking the nearest harbour. However, the beautiful
scenery and holiday feeling aside, I would imagine clay shooting at sea
requires a completely different discipline to clay shooting at a shooting
ground. The motion of the water inevitably throwing in an extra challenge.<o:p></o:p></div>
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However to get a bit of practice in before one waltzes off
to the sud de la France, Thames Leisure offer a clay pigeon shooting cruise
where one can simulate the pirate life (sort of) but instead of the Cote
d’Azur coastline one’s backdrop is Tower Bridge and the iconic London skyline.
Certainly ideal for those looking to add a bit of spark to a day on the river!<o:p></o:p><br />
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By Mary Woodhouse</div>
London Gun Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04862506264755524837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439276710418182563.post-11838221533707250102017-08-14T09:14:00.001-07:002017-12-20T01:46:09.562-08:00These birds have got game………<div class="MsoNormal">
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Or Weardale’s do anyway! And yes, this can only mean that
the shooting season has finally begun and it has been much anticipated here at
LGS. Ours began on the beautiful Weardale Estate on the Cumbrian boarder.
Leaving myself and Guy in SW10 to man the office; Tom, Gary and Michael
journeyed north to welcome in the season with a bang (pun intended). After
meeting friends and clients the boys spent Friday evening in the only way one
should, namely puffing on cigars and sipping the finest whiskies. There was a
fantastic atmosphere with everyone in high spirits for the following day.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After an early start, it appeared that the weather didn’t
look too favourable first thing, nonetheless by the time the gang had donned their
tweeds and loaded up the cars sunlight started to melt away the clouds and it
turned into the most glorious day. After driving up to the grouse moor everyone
was raring to go. Michael briefed the estate loaders on the level of experience
of each gun and everyone set about getting ready. Michael was loading for Tom
but had a shot himself in the last drive and managed to impress the crowd pretty well!<br />
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The day’s shooting was exhilarating and fast paced, 3 guns
had never shot grouse before and despite the intensity of the first day they
all shot pretty well! Lunch was a delicious array of the likes of hams and
quiches which was all terribly British. The grouse were pretty sprightly and
moved at a rapid pace. Being the start of the season the birds were still young
and had yet to work out where the grouse butts were located. This worked to the
shooters advantage but being the speedy birds they are they still loved to
dodge a bullet!<o:p></o:p><br />
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At around 4.30pm the day drew to a close and all went off to toast a successful start of the season. High spirits and excitement for the coming few months were bubbling as much as the Champagne. No doubt there were a few sore heads on Sunday!<br />
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By Mary Woodhouse</div>
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<o:p></o:p>London Gun Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04862506264755524837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439276710418182563.post-91157471929805286332017-07-31T09:01:00.000-07:002017-07-31T09:02:03.213-07:00Gun of the WeekComing soon<br />
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<br />London Gun Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04862506264755524837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439276710418182563.post-37600174414903036842017-07-03T06:31:00.000-07:002017-12-20T01:45:44.280-08:00Shooting as an art form<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v7-1O5AOMZY/WVowUHol-YI/AAAAAAAAADw/uCttdsbQf7E2I70IZqZvdVSjLrYjylt6gCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v7-1O5AOMZY/WVowUHol-YI/AAAAAAAAADw/uCttdsbQf7E2I70IZqZvdVSjLrYjylt6gCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_0205.JPG" width="480" /></a>When one peruses over the idea of traditional British
shooting, one may think of the likes of hearty ladies and gentlemen spilling
from the entrance of a grand stately home and gracing the crisp frosty morning
clad in tweed and surrounded by working spaniels. Well, this would be my
whimsical and ideological perception of the shooting lifestyle at any rate. It
is amazing how country pursuits such as shooting have become so much more than
simply a sporting activity. Shooting represents a lifestyle, it exudes an ethos
of freedom, affability and privilege. There is a certain thrill and excitement
that surrounds the sport, the rawness of which is not too dissimilar to the
likes of fox hunting or riding. Of course there’s also the renowned social side
of these activities, I mean, who doesn’t love a Hunt Ball or a post shoot long
lunch on the estate. In addition there is something incredibly exhilarating
about the open countryside that sets these activities apart from other sports,
fresh air after all is good for the soul! <o:p></o:p></div>
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I think it’s this overall atmosphere that adds to the joys
of a day’s shooting. It is a means of escape and release from normal life, and
in some respects, a form of expression of the self. How we connect with our gun
and the bird is not dissimilar to how we may connect with, for example, a
beautiful painting. Art opens up new emotions within us and places us within a
realm of creativity and inspiration, just as through shooting we are inspired
by the countryside, the people and the power of the gun. The skill of an able
shooter is a craft that can be learned and perfected, and great joy can be gained
from the process involved. It is not just the act of firing a gun but all the additional aspects that make shooting into an art form. It not only brings people
together but it connects oneself with the landscape and the natural world. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There is something very timeless about going shooting which
I think again is partly related to the disconnection to the outside world or to
urban life. Society spends so much time these days gazing at iPhones or lazily trawling
social media but when shooting it is like this aspect of modern living doesn’t
really exist. The concentration applied to the shot or the distractions of good
company detaches us from this, clearing our minds and thus allowing a clear
passage for creativity of thought. Shooting in itself can thus be perceived as
an art form and a lifestyle. It is so much more than a sporting activity but a philosophy
of life that moulds who were are.<br />
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By Mary WoodhouseLondon Gun Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04862506264755524837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439276710418182563.post-76044695112633010972017-06-16T08:12:00.001-07:002017-12-20T01:45:11.371-08:00Can we Clay All Day?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">One of the many benefits of working for London Gun Services is that going for regular days out shooting is a ‘mandatory’ requirement…I’m certainly not complaining. However, I only started working at LGS a month ago and believe it or not had never shot a gun until yesterday! Being the only woman in the office I am a bit of a tomboy and shooting obviously seriously appeals so I was pretty excited to have a go. At around 11am myself, Elliot and LGS Director and former world champion Tom cruised up to A1 Shooting Ground in Barnet in Tom’s rather snazzy Range Rover. Upon arrival we eased into the day with a punchy Italian coffee in the sunshine before heading out to hit up some clays</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Tom paired me up with a nice and gentle 20 bore and we started out with some easy left to right crossers. To get me going Tom gave me some useful tips and guided me through the first few shots. Tom and Elliot then showed me how it’s done and completely nailed a straight 25. We then tried out a few other targets including High Pheasants from the Tower which I found a little more challenging...! Tom and Elliot then did a spot of speedy double-gunning and I was on buttoning duty! Finally we did a session shooting decoys which was handy to up my hit ratio! To end the day Tom and Elliot did a round on the Olympic Trap (needless to say I sat this one out, next time!!). This was great fun to watch and I certainly realised what talented shooters the boys are!</span></div>
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By Mary Woodhouse</div>
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London Gun Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04862506264755524837noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3439276710418182563.post-46464982703135330862017-06-16T08:06:00.001-07:002017-12-20T01:44:40.192-08:00Shooting for gold - Tom Ward (LGS Director)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Italy is often highly regarded as a country of innovation, passion, and exuberance which applies not only to its culture but also to its shooting scene. Tom Ward from London Gun Services can certainly be one to vouch for this having just won The Green Cup at Umbria Verde Shooting Complex last week; which is arguably one of the most challenging shooting competitions of all time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Taking place over 2 days with the grounds located in the ancient town of Todi, which according to the mythical <span lang="EN">Quirinus Colonus </span>was built by none other than the legendary Hercules! The competition consisted of 125 targets in total, 50 on the first day followed by 75 on the second with an additional 25 targets for the top 6 final. With over 400 competitors including multiple Olympic medallists, world champions, and world cup medallists, Tom battled through like Hercules himself shooting a total of 45/50 on Day 1 followed by an impressive 74/75 on Day 2 winning him a strong place in the final. The final consisted of 25 targets added to the original scores, where Tom hit a perfect 25 which tied him for the lead with Russia. This resulted in a single barrelled ‘sudden death’ shoot off which after 3 targets crowned Tom as the winner. (Yes I certainly wasn’t the only one who was incredibly impressed!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Tom trains in Italy regularly and prior to the competition spent 2 days training in Conselice, which is about a 4-hour drive north of Todi. Although in the UK we are lucky enough to have a number of renowned shooting grounds across the country, Tom loves the Italian shooting scene. He prefers the facilities and says that there is a much more diverse mix of professional shooters from around the world. Italy does produce some of the most high-class guns after all! With this in consideration, I imagine there must also be a pretty good social scene and one must admit that the beautiful Italian climate is always a bit of a bonus too!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Conveniently, a couple of days after Tom’s victory at Umbria Verde he had a friend’s wedding in the stunning city of Florence. The wedding went on for 3 days (how very continental) and I think it is safe to say that the Chianti and Montepulciano were more than steadily flowing. Tom, as any well cultured Brit would made sure he brought a taste of Italy home with him: olive oil, local red wine, parmesan...how dreamy. And most importantly he also managed to fit in a spot of well-earned sunbathing by the turquoise pool in his rather exquisite villa, no doubt while sipping an ice cold Aperol Spritz from delicate cut glass and listening to some gentle lounge music – I mean it’s always essential to round off a trip to Italy by embracing la dolce vita!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">By Mary Woodhouse</span></div>
London Gun Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04862506264755524837noreply@blogger.com0