Pipe Dreams: An Autobiography by Guy N Smith

Author:Guy N Smith [Smith, Guy N]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Biography General
ISBN: 9781907846762
Publisher: Black Hill Books
Published: 2013-12-23T11:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

CARTRIDGE LOADING

Before we leave the 1960’s there is another phase of my life which was, years later, to play an important role in my writing career. I had become friendly with a keen shooter who lived in Wellington, Shropshire, where I spent the last three years of my schooling.

John was an enthusiastic pigeon shooter and used to load his own shotgun cartridges. On one occasion he took me back to his house to show me his loading equipment which included, a mahogany ‘slide’ machine capable of loading 100 shells per hour, tools for closing the turnover tops, bags of loose shot, a 5lb can of powder and a variety of other implements. I was fascinated.

Several months later, about 8pm on a cold, dry February evening, the phone rang. It was John to say that he was moving to London the following day and if I could collect his loading equipment that same evening then I could have the lot for £6!

I said “see you later.” The next problem, as I had not yet passed my driving test, was to persuade my father to drive me to Wellington, a round trip of 70 miles.

As usual my father was ensconced in his armchair, drowsily watching television.

“Good God, not at this time of night!” was his immediate response to my request. So I pointed out to him that from now on if I had that loading machine we would both have cheap cartridges for years to come.

In the end he condescended with considerable reluctance, and within quarter of an hour we were on the road. John was all ready and waiting and within ten minutes the boot of the car was full.

Strangely, much in contrast to my father’s attitude towards banking and a conventional lifestyle, he remarked on the way home “that lot would probably start a good little business.”

That set me thinking.

Cartridge loading in those days was a far cry from today’s rocket science technology with an exactitude that has no margins for error. Safe and simple, I mastered the art in about a week. I tested my results. Perfect!

Needless to say the powder, shot and wads which had come with the equipment was going to run out before long. I needed a regular supplier whom I found via an advert in the sporting press.

Joe Bentley of Liversedge, Yorkshire, had a sizeable part-time cartridge business. His full time job was that of a ‘shot-firer’ (blaster) with the National Coal Board. I discovered later that he stored his gunpowder in metal cans at the bottom of a disused mine shaft!

Joe was only too happy to supply me with all my requirements. He had an arrangement with a large cartridge manufacturer and everything was at exceedingly reasonable cost. Certainly I had the basis for a very viable subsidiary business and I started it with Joe’s blessing.

Joe was a compulsive letter writer and I still have every one which he wrote me. Apart from advice on ballistics he recounted many of his own shooting anecdotes.

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