Last weekend of April is my DSC, will update once I've gone
I've bought 40 rounds for it... Just in caseHow much ammo do I need for DSC1?
- Thread starter JMikeyH
- Start date
I've bought 40 rounds for it... Just in casepatrickstar
Well-Known Member
thats more than enough mateLast weekend of April is my DSC, will update once I've gone
sikamalc
Administrator
Not sure where this came from, but having been contacted by the head of training at BDS this evening, I can tell everyone this is completely untrue.
Post removed.
Good luck with it all, I’m sure you’ll be fineLast weekend of April is my DSC, will update once I've gone
Pretty sure I took about 30 rounds but used less than 10 
Billyboy42
New Member
I took 20. Best to use Estate rifle which is net to bang on plus saves on ammo.
Happy stalker
Well-Known Member
Take more than enough, because when I did mine the guy next to me shot my target and I had to do mine all over again and thankfully someone else there had the same caliber as myself
I am puzzled by this talk of "shooting the wrong targets." Were there more than one out there ?
Back in the day we took this one at a time. One roe target. One shooter. Meticulously accompanied by the RCO as we each moved forward through the positions, observing our safe gun handling along the way. And this was quite a big course, about 15 of us, it took half a day, actually longer, to get through us all, due to the nonsense from those who clearly could not, and probably never would, be able to clear it yet were given multiple attempts, even some coaching. Even for those of us who cleared it first time, it must have altogether taken about ten or fifteen minutes for the best of us, cracking on. It ran into extra time for them.
For each candidate firstly the roe target insert, and the zeroing target, had to be replaced., and the roe patched up from the misses. Then the staff retreated safely. Then a bit of fannying about shooting the zeroing target and if necessary correcting zero until it was satisfactory for those unprepared. Minimum three shots. Then three on the roe target from prone, or simulated high seat I.e. resting off a rail whilst seated on a bench. Some candidates could never have shot prone, being dimensionally challenged, so to speak. Bipod or stuffed roesack bag from 100 yards, as it was then. It's 100m now, which does make a little bit of difference.
Then move forward and another three from a field position.. Then another three further forward. Aids allowed.. Sticks etc from closer ranges. ISTR it was sitting or kneeling sticks or long bipod, then standing sticks. This took time, and ammo. The targets were also taken away to be independently assessed before we got our certificates.
I don't think it is any more difficult, or easier, nowadays, but certainly the current procedure seems more efficient and less time consuming. You can either hit it first, and second time., in the correct zone (no, not a contrasty paper target with a marker to aim at) Or not. Two strikes and you are out. This isn't shooting groups at paper targets with called fliers.
Several on my course had never shot a centrefire rifle before, so used the provider's rifle and ammo, a .243 which was spot-on. They all passed, first or second time. Frankly, it's a doddle. You even get two goes at it, on the day.
Back in the day we took this one at a time. One roe target. One shooter. Meticulously accompanied by the RCO as we each moved forward through the positions, observing our safe gun handling along the way. And this was quite a big course, about 15 of us, it took half a day, actually longer, to get through us all, due to the nonsense from those who clearly could not, and probably never would, be able to clear it yet were given multiple attempts, even some coaching. Even for those of us who cleared it first time, it must have altogether taken about ten or fifteen minutes for the best of us, cracking on. It ran into extra time for them.
For each candidate firstly the roe target insert, and the zeroing target, had to be replaced., and the roe patched up from the misses. Then the staff retreated safely. Then a bit of fannying about shooting the zeroing target and if necessary correcting zero until it was satisfactory for those unprepared. Minimum three shots. Then three on the roe target from prone, or simulated high seat I.e. resting off a rail whilst seated on a bench. Some candidates could never have shot prone, being dimensionally challenged, so to speak. Bipod or stuffed roesack bag from 100 yards, as it was then. It's 100m now, which does make a little bit of difference.
Then move forward and another three from a field position.. Then another three further forward. Aids allowed.. Sticks etc from closer ranges. ISTR it was sitting or kneeling sticks or long bipod, then standing sticks. This took time, and ammo. The targets were also taken away to be independently assessed before we got our certificates.
I don't think it is any more difficult, or easier, nowadays, but certainly the current procedure seems more efficient and less time consuming. You can either hit it first, and second time., in the correct zone (no, not a contrasty paper target with a marker to aim at) Or not. Two strikes and you are out. This isn't shooting groups at paper targets with called fliers.
Several on my course had never shot a centrefire rifle before, so used the provider's rifle and ammo, a .243 which was spot-on. They all passed, first or second time. Frankly, it's a doddle. You even get two goes at it, on the day.
Happy stalker
Well-Known Member
When I did mine there where two deer targets allowing two candidates at a time the guy I was paired with some how put two rounds in my target, shite happens it was a lesson learned by the guy not to have scope magnification to high!
TH4
Well-Known Member
5 shot at a time when I took mine years ago
I've got some notes somewhere, I'll dig them out later, if I can find them. ISTR it was done at 200 yards with a larger target.
But, to make a point, in my old test, the RCOs (there were two of them), had to walk 200 yards with each candidate, from the start to the finish. There and back again.
This was operating under HO approved club rules, where 1:1 supervision is required for non such full-member persons. BDS course BTW, operating as an HO club running a guest day. I was a rarity, being such a person (also an RCO, but didn't mention that, not wanting to get roped in to assist).
I can quite see why using multiple targets and multiple shooters is a more efficient way. If most candidates already have an FAC for their own deer-legal rifles so don't need 1:1 supervision. Such is progress.
It seems there was a 150 yard prone component, and there was a red bull. Two guys who ran the course I was on seem to remember little more - but it was a residential course with a certain amount of drink taken. The extended range was dropped quite soon as it was often inconvenient to set up.
Stevec66
Well-Known Member
I did mine recently - 2 shots to confirm zero, and 6 for the test - in the event you have an issue on the first test, you can start again so another 6 shots, so providing you are happy with the zero then 20 is more than enough - be careful on the home load issue, I have heard of people being sent home and not allowed to shoot
Well, it took a few weeks but certificate came through the post this morning, thanks to everyone for the kind wishes, can check off that box nowLast weekend of April is my DSC, will update once I've gone
Lots in there that rings true. I recall having Chris Howard as my my ‘Personal’ RCO/Coach for the test. We flew through the various position shots as if we were on an assault course! Before I was in a comfortable sitting position a pair of height prepared sticks (not mine) were
There were an awful lot more than 15 candidates to get through.
K
I may have mis-remembered the numbers, could have been as many as 25.
I did mine at Wadhurst Park, many years ago. BDS. Chris Howard was the instructor, and quite a character. He certainly did not suffer fools gladly, but was fair, up to a point, and took time to give extra tuition afterwards to some who weren't quite used to it, their study ,possibly never having been slightly stretched before, during their education. But not thick, far from it.
As for the the shooting tests, ISTM that we are divided into those who can shoot, and those who have no talent for it, but don't have sufficient self awareness to realise so. Just as I know that I can only play tennis to the lowest level, bat at Cricket deplorably and utterly useless as a bowler. As for golf, please no. I never had nor ever will the coordination to be any good at that, nor frankly the interest in that society. Rugby I detested, horrible, I was a hooker and regularly collapsed on in the scrum, if not got at before. actually almost all organised games. However I do have other talents, particularly in racing sailing, having been doing that since I was maybe ten years old, if not before then.
Sometimes when a few got a bit agitated about questioning the methodology, (mostly died in the wool oldies who had reluctantly been sent on the course by their employers because it was necessary for them to get some minimal qualification if they were to hold down their jobs, but bitterly resented it), we'd decide to take a tea break. I had to hold up my hand to ask for "time out" a couple of times. Strangely everyone listened to me, and it all calmed down after tea and biccies. for 20 minutes or so.
On the exam day, as we toiled away, he had the decency to tell us mid afternoon that he had made two mistakes in his teaching, to do with recent legislation, so had contacted DMQ who had agreed that our incorrect answers would still be counted as correct. He explained to us what he had got wrong, explained the new understanding, why he had contacted DMQ urgently to try to sort it out.
It seems that he had spent the time invigilating filling his own multiple choice exam, and then been surprised to find that he had not passed 100% according to the marking scheme. Then got things rectified. No bother for some of us, where dropping a couple of points wouldn't have mattered much, but for some it could have been pass or fail.
Used his rifle (and his reloaded ammo) myself for the tests, didn't fit me at all, being a lefty, his RPA having a severely RH thumbhole stock and me being a foot shorter than him, but I couldn't use my own rifle, it was only on a target condition and not allowed deer legal expanding ammo back in those days. Which was a requirement, though I do think that I could have lobbed milsurp 7.62 Nato ball ammo. quite well enough to demonstrate sufficient skills.
Yep, remember the two RCOs and the assistants dashing about all day, as well as some other qualified people accompanying us individually through the simulated stalk beforehand. That's 200 yards walking there and back, between goes, they took it in turns,, accompanying each candidate one-on-one,, and carrying sticks etc. to thrust beneath them., and literally loading the rounds individually for the unqualified guest shooters, who cannot be trusted to load from a magazine, nor really touch a single round These, AFAIK, are pretty much still the rules for guest days at an HO approved club. s is the way still BDS does it.
I didn't let on that I was a club RCO in case I got roped in, though there seemed to be a constant stream of people wanting to borrow my electronic ear defenders because they had failed to bring anything of their own, despite the briefing notes.
Curiously enough that evening I got a semi-invite from Chris, along the lines of I'm out to kill, his words, not cull, some deer tonight, want to tag along. ? Sadly my answer had to be no, I've only got eight hours left to be on a 'plane to Canada for a business meeting. Drive home 25 miles, Shower, finish packing my bags, driver coming in five hours time to get me to Heathrow. . Otherwise I would have been there.
I think that it has all got a bit busier and bigger since then, but nevertheless I do think that standards have been kept up and sensible efficiencies made. My recommendation would still be, if you can, to attend a BDS run course, their training manager is truly one of the good guys.
Other schemes, run under DMQ rules I am sure are are as good, I am not living in the past.
As for those who offer pseudo stuff for much money, of whatever quality, well if it ain't DMQ overseen and does not give you the recognised qualification, I cannot see any value in it. It does seem that there are a lot of chancers in this game, best avoided.
There aren't really many of us about, never mind those still active: Quite a few of us who still are, know directly, or indirectly, of quite a few others. Once you have it it doesn't expire, until you die, or even after then, I don't think that DMQ keep an eye on the obituary lists. Certainly they don't regularly enquire after me to see whether I am still compos-mentis, or even dead, unlike my University re-union society.
BTW my Trained Hunter number is almost exactly 10,000, which should age me.
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