Shooting clothing - best source

[BobSki]

Hi everyone,

In the mid 80's I did a bit of .22LR prone shooting with a BSA MKV rifle. At that time I had obtained a second hand prone shooting jacket. It was all leather and very good quality. Unfortunately I can't for the life of me remember where I got it from.

I have now bought an Anschutz 1813 which is equiped for 3P shooting. I have thus far only used it for a bit of bench rest shooting at a local club BUT I want to start prone shooting again and maybe even try a bit of 3P. Searching for prone shooting jackets on't interweb I have found several places that sell new Kurt Thune, AHG etc BUT they all seem to be canvas and the prices are anywhere between £160 to £700.

Where do you guys go to get your kit?
Which jacket/glove would your experience suggest I should consider?
Do any of you know any good sources (not Daddies or HP ) for buying second hand target shooting kit?
Do any of you know of any good/active target shooting forums for UK shooters?

Thanks for any help you can offer
All the best
Bob

[Hemmers]

For new, here:
NSRA Shop
Edinkillie
Intershoot
Peritum
Ten Point Nine
Kurt Thune

For second hand, here and forum.stirton.com. It's smaller and quieter than here but some good stuff comes up occasionally.


Technology has moved on since the 80s. All-leather jackets are really the preserve of prone-only, only really prevalent amongst fullbore shooters. Leather goes soft much quicker than canvas and offers less support in the standing position as it's good under tension but relatively useless under compression (unless it's really thick, in which case it would fail ISSF Equipment Control, not that that would necessarily bother you but it does mean manufacturer's don't bother making stuff that can't pass).

If you want to do 3P, you'll find you want a canvas or canvas-leather jacket. I use a Monard Standard, which has leather across the back of the shoulders where it will be under tension during Prone/Kneeling, but the rest of the construction is canvas as it will be under compression in standing (where leather would be useless).

The AHG ones use a new fangled rubbery material which has got more popular over the past couple of years. For club shooting though, there's no need to be spending too much on those. Canvas is fine.

[BobSki]

Hi Hemmers,

Thanks for your reply buddy. It looks like I have found most of the places then, with the exception of Ten point Nine, I'd never heard of them.


That's useful and interesting information with regard to the use of Leather V Canvass, thank you very much for that. I guess I need to be more open minded in my choices.

Thanks for taking the time to respond.
All the best
Bob

[zooma]

I have an all leather Anschutz prone jacket if a used one would tick the box for you.

It was thought to be a 42" chest size when I bought it, but it was too tight for my 42" chest as I also wanted to be able to breath now and again as well, so I would guess it is more like a 38 - 40" size.

Let me know if this would be any help.

[markp1169]

Bedford target shooting supplies and they will be at Sywell on the 7th/8th July

http://www.bedstargetsupplies.co.uk/

[BobSki]

I have an all leather Anschutz prone jacket if a used one would tick the box for you.

It was thought to be a 42" chest size when I bought it, but it was too tight for my 42" chest as I also wanted to be able to breath now and again as well, so I would guess it is more like a 38 - 40" size.

Let me know if this would be any help.

That would have been very attractive to me, but I would not be able to get into it. I would need a 46" chest I'm afraid. Thanks for the offer though.

[BobSki]

Bedford target shooting supplies and they will be at Sywell on the 7th/8th July

http://www.bedstargetsupplies.co.uk/

That's interesting Mark, I didn't realise there would be any trade stands at the Midland Bisley. Cheers.

[u.k.neil]

Hi Bob

You can try City Air Weapons and Firearms in Lyndon Road, Birmingham. He does keep some Gehmann canvas jackets in stock. Only open Thursday through Saturday though.

Neil

[BobSki]

Hi Bob

You can try City Air Weapons and Firearms in Lyndon Road, Birmingham. He does keep some Gehmann canvas jackets in stock. Only open Thursday through Saturday though.

Neil

Hi Neil, how you doing buddy?
Thanks for that info mate, very useful, I had forgotten them.

Take care buddy and give my regards to Rob and Craig.
All the best
Bob

[JimJams]

Bob.

You may not have heard of Ten Point Nine http://www.tenpointnine.com/ but I would recommend that you introduce your self to Phillipa , who runs the company. She not only adjusts off the peg clothing for shooters but will create garments at very resonable prices.

I heard of her via the grapevine and she comes well recommnended.

I will be visiting her in two weeks to have the sleeves of a jacket, I bought on an auction site , lengthened and the jacket adjusted. A top jacket that needs a tweak to suit me. From what I have heard Phillipa has enough experience to adjust jackets so they to work with the shooter , whatever their structural deficiencies, and I have many.

Today I saw her at the Lords Roberts Ctr, Bisley, with her display stand as the ESSU English Shooting Championships.

And in my eyes the fact that she is producing the jackets her self in the UK ( near Birmingham) an not in Europe or importing from the 3rd world means alot to me and if you or anyone else can support her business then that has to be good for British shooting.

Regards JJ.

PS I understand that the famous Tucker jackets, that used to be made in Surrey, are now manufactured in Asia.

[markmac]

I have an all leather Anschutz prone jacket if a used one would tick the box for you.

It was thought to be a 42" chest size when I bought it, but it was too tight for my 42" chest as I also wanted to be able to breath now and again as well, so I would guess it is more like a 38 - 40" size.

Let me know if this would be any help.

Any pics and price please Zooma ?

[RobinC]

Bob.

You may not have heard of Ten Point Nine http://www.tenpointnine.com/ but I would recommend that you introduce your self to Phillipa , who runs the company. She not only adjusts off the peg clothing for shooters but will create garments at very resonable prices.

I heard of her via the grapevine and she comes well recommnended.

I will be visiting her in two weeks to have the sleeves of a jacket, I bought on an auction site , lengthened and the jacket adjusted. A top jacket that needs a tweak to suit me. From what I have heard Phillipa has enough experience to adjust jackets so they to work with the shooter , whatever their structural deficiencies, and I have many.

Today I saw her at the Lords Roberts Ctr, Bisley, with her display stand as the ESSU English Shooting Championships.

And in my eyes the fact that she is producing the jackets her self in the UK ( near Birmingham) an not in Europe or importing from the 3rd world means alot to me and if you or anyone else can support her business then that has to be good for British shooting.

Regards JJ.

PS I understand that the famous Tucker jackets, that used to be made in Surrey, are now manufactured in Asia.

I would second the comments on Pippa, she is probably the only source in the UK that really understands the required fit for shooting, and although I think she has been considering making her own, she supplies Hitex jackets and trousers which are high quality kit made in the Czeck republic. It is superb kit, highly regarded internationaly, both my wife and I have the trousers from them, and have had our jackets tailored by Phillipa. If you go to her or see her at a meeting to get measured she will also include final adjustments on collection which is the difference of getting them dead right.
Good shooting
Robin

[BobSki]

Hi again chaps,
I am most grateful for the info you have given. I visited Pippas site and although very sparse, it does give some idea of the clothing range and prices she offers.

I am approaching 55yrs old now and will very likely only shoot in informal club-level competitions. I very much doubt that I will ever be good enough to shoot at ISSF or high level comps so I am very much wondering if Pippas jackets might be a bit more than I need. The least expensive is around £350 and for my level of shooting I wonder if that might not be money wasted. I will try on a few jackets first and if I am unsuccessful, then I may go the made to measure route with Pippa.

[MikeLewis]

I'd recommend contacting Pippa, sometimes shooters have left kit in her care to sell on their behalf due to the amount of people that approach her, so she may have something suitable. Pippa's customer services are very, very good and she genuinely keeps the shooter's interests first. A lot of her custom is alterations to existing jackets as well as mtm, she's worked with alot of GB international shooters, including two of the Olympic team and a large number of the paralympic team.

Mike

[Bing!]

Don't confuse ISSF with "top flight shooting", anyone of any ability can shoot ISSF. Just make sure your kit is compliant with the rules and it will open up more competitions to you, it may encourage others who believe ISSF is elitest to join in and give the GB and national squad members a fright..... And a challenge outside of the usual suspects.
Nothing better than some old boy from a club in the sticks getting amongst the countries "best" in an Olympic final..

Bing!