Starting pistols .... why?

[Colonel Blimp]

In another thread discussing training equipment newcomers to the sport are advised to buy a starting pistol.

I don't know if it's because I'm a miserable old curmudgeon, a tightwad, a flint hard rationalist or just a bit thick (all have applied from time to time) but I've never owned one or felt the need to. I just don't see what purpose is served; I reckon to do all the bangy type training with about 50 rounds each of .410 and 12 gauge.

I'm normally the most gadget obsessed soul for miles round, but starting pistols don't do it for me. I use my chum Stuart's when I do displays and demos, but only to intimidate the unruly kids in the audience! Is there anyone else who shares this deficiency?

Eug

[John Lash]

In a lot of areas it's illegal to train a dog with a "shoulder mounted gun" outside the hunting seasons. I guess they think you'd actually shoot birds under the guise of dog training.

Shotshells cost about .32 each, primers in a starter pistol cost about .02 each.

It's safer for some to use during the act of shooting and throwing a bird.

[tuckerdutch]

I live in the burbs...even the crack of a starting pistol will bring the police. I used a kids cap gun with the little plastic percussion cap rings. I fired it for retrieves and before I fed her. It made a pretty good bang but nothing that would concern people. It must have worked because when I started her on the 12 gauge she didn't have a problem.

[mitty]

There's the expense of shells but also the weight of a big gun makes me prefer the starter pistol. Already hauling a chair, a bag of ducks, umbrella, radio, and ear protection sometimes through deep snow or in the heat through thick cover or water.

[Wayne Nutt]

I've been rolled on hot by the police twice. Once there was a whole gang of them. It must have been a slow day for the police in Hurst, TX. If I had not had a starter pistol (shoots only 22 blanks with solid barrell) with an orange cover over the barrell I might have been in serious trouble.

Once I was training on the grounds of a factory (where I had permission to be) and the other I was going through my gunshy prevention program at home.

[Evan]

Besides, primers and blanks can be gotten pretty cheap, and store compactly.

Evan

[Hotchocolate]

Using a starter pistol you don't have to have a hunting licence, especially nice when training in several different states or provinces, also good for under aged birdboys . And all the reasons in above threads.

[Colonel Blimp]

Thanks for the replies. I confess to not even considering the police / security / hunting season thing, particularly the latter.

Just for once it appears that the legal requirements in UK are less onerous than those in the US. Having said that this is a big hunting area and we live in the middle of nowhere; a couple of gunshots are nothing to remark upon. There are of course seasons for game shooting, but ferinstance woodpigeon and feral pigeon have no close season at all, so popping a few isn't any bother. I can now recall a case where two ladies training in an (urban) park with a starter pistol got surrounded by the boys in blue, so I guess I'm luckier than I knew.

It makes more sense now.

Eug

[Chris Atkinson]

Thanks for the replies. I confess to not even considering the police / security / hunting season thing, particularly the latter.

Just for once it appears that the legal requirements in UK are less onerous than those in the US. Having said that this is a big hunting area and we live in the middle of nowhere; a couple of gunshots are nothing to remark upon. There are of course seasons for game shooting, but ferinstance woodpigeon and feral pigeon have no close season at all, so popping a few isn't any bother. I can now recall a case where two ladies training in an (urban) park with a starter pistol got surrounded by the boys in blue, so I guess I'm luckier than I knew.

It makes more sense now.

Eug

Eug, you are so right. But let me point something out that I find quite ironic. I bet you already expected that someone would say it, and I bet if I didn't someone else would have in the next half hour.

Regarding the highlighted, marked up area: e-collars.

It is such a crock of poop that e-collars and their use are banned, and or frowned-upon in various parts of the world. The use of an e-collar has proven to be a humane and effective part of modern dog training.

We can say what we want about "positive only", but I have downed many a Guinness alongside EU trainers into the wee hours of the morning. I know that these folks are not training with just cookies and bottom pats. I'll leave details out.

The way things are going, my country's focus and stringent focus on guns may get even more restrictive.

I sure wish you guys could use e-collars. You, Polmaise, and a bunch of others would probably think it's cool. It's not that you should "have to" use a collar. But you should be able to. It's a reasonable tool that when used reasonably, can help produce wonderful results.

Chris

[Don Lietzau]

I bet some of the old timers on this thread can remember a time before e-collars and some of the common training methods used in the USA. I agree with Chris. E-collars are human and get good results. Not that old but old enough to remember how we did in back in the earily 60's. I'm an e-collar guy. Duckdon