THE BIG SHOTS -- the book

[stumpstalker]

Comments would be appreciated from those familiar with the book titled THE BIG SHOTS – Shooting Parties of Edwardian England, by Jonathan Ruffer, published in 1979.

It reportedly was a template for the 1984 movie, THE SHOOTING PARTY.

Of course, in the fictional movie there had to be a fatal shooting accident. (At least, in the aftermath, the incident was attributed to an over-achiever who wasn’t “shooting like a gentleman”, which at least implies that a recognized standard had been broken.)

[john pulis]

Great movie. I liked the interaction between James Mason and John Gilgood (?) over printers concerning Gilgoods anti- shooting broadside. Edward Fox played an excellent unsportsmanlike “sportsman.” And the ending with the toll WW I took on those “in service.”

[Eric Johanen]

Good movie based off the book "the Shooting Party". I tend to watch it several times a year. James Masons last movie. Several friends and I occasionally shoot a Victorian/Edwardian clays shoot with vintage guns and black powder loads for some fun. 3 dram 1 oz for the 12's and 2.5 drams and 7/8 oz in the 16's. OE 1.5 fg makes for a clean burn and low fouling loads. Black powder works just as well as smokeless in the field. A good cleaning system makes it almost as easy as smokeless taking it just a few minutes longer

[Big D]

My present Lab Daisy,(pictured in my avatar) was bred by Vince Mitchell, who was the "technical expert" of the movie who directed where the guns and dogs were placed, when to shoot, etc. He had been a national judge and competitor for half a century
When I met him he was about 80 years old - a nice unassuming countryman. About 3 years later he was arrested for pedophilia