The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Remy on December 30, 2012, 12:41:34 pm

Title: Drenching guns
Post by: Remy on December 30, 2012, 12:41:34 pm

Where is a relatively cheap supplier of these?  And is there a big difference between plastic and metal, apart from price?  I had a plastic one which stopped automatically refilling, I'm assuming it was the seal or o-ring or whatever internal parts it uses!  If the metal ones have much the same setup is it worth paying the extra for them ...  ???

Title: Re: Drenching guns
Post by: supplies for smallholders on December 30, 2012, 03:10:55 pm

Like most things - you get what you pay for.

We stopped stocking the cheaper versions some time ago as they had so many problems.

Title: Re: Drenching guns
Post by: Remy on December 30, 2012, 04:01:19 pm

So are metal much better than plastic and which brands are best?

Title: Re: Drenching guns
Post by: SteveHants on December 30, 2012, 04:32:24 pm

I hate the expensive metal 'clik' ones or similar, never seem to draw the right dose. I have a cheapo mooe valley one and I love it. If it stops dosing properly - take the back off and smear a little cooking oil on the o-ring.

Title: Re: Drenching guns
Post by: woollyval on December 30, 2012, 05:39:26 pm

Quote from: SteveHants on December 30, 2012, 04:32:24 pm

I hate the expensive metal 'clik' ones or similar, never seem to draw the right dose. I have a cheapo mooe valley one and I love it. If it stops dosing properly - take the back off and smear a little cooking oil on the o-ring.

I agree with Steve...!!!

Title: Re: Drenching guns
Post by: shep53 on December 30, 2012, 07:24:37 pm

I have both,  metal for dosing only, plastic type for dosing and pour -on's, every one gets cooking oil before during and after use .  The plastic one's last  1 month to 1 year, my oldest metal one is 15 yrs old , you can buy  o-ring kits for all types.  Wash out after use and keep lubricated :thumbsup:

Title: Re: Drenching guns
Post by: SteveHants on December 31, 2012, 09:51:58 am

Dont you find that the metal ones take ages to draw through and soon start 'bubbling' meaning you have to go and strip the thing down?


Maybe the one I had was faulty, but I have developed a real hatred of the thing, having to adjust the dose halfway through dosing after I have noticed it isn't doing it properly, leading to paranoia about how many have been underdosed, plastic one seems to draw through quick (useful when doing hundreds) and I now dont have to worry too much about volume of dose .

Title: Re: Drenching guns
Post by: shep53 on December 31, 2012, 06:25:36 pm

Bubbling is normally the fault of the feed pipe rather than the gun, when dosing away from home i always take 2 guns just in case . If metal guns were a lot slower to fill then i woudn't use them, 500 ewes in 4hrs allows for no hold up's :raining:

Title: Re: Drenching guns
Post by: SteveHants on January 01, 2013, 05:16:00 pm

Would be typical if my dosing gun rage could be cured by a 20p piece of plastic tubing...