December 27, 2023
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has closed its 60-day public consultation on the socioeconomic effects of a ban on lead ammunition. The consultation includes questions on the banning of lead rifle ammunition and moots a reduced transition period away from lead shot. Following the consultation on the banning of lead ammunition in 2022, the…
September 20, 2023
This week Gerwyn Jones heads out to tackle the local pigeons of the Thames Valley. Protecting a recently drilled OSR crop in the neighbouring field, he puts in a strong effort to decoy pigeons, though the birds are soon wise to his plan. Then Mark Ripley heads out with a 177 sub-12ft/lb airgun, the Daystate…
August 22, 2023
With so many rifles, calibres, and rifle configurations on offer these days, for the novice buying a rifle, the options can be mind-boggling. Whether you’re buying a custom rifle, factory rifle or simply wanting to get the most from the rifle you already have, the first thing to consider is what you actually want to…
July 16, 2023
Humane killing of foxes I was recently asked whether it was legal to shoot foxes with an air rifle. If so, would the air rifle kill the fox humanely? Is it legal? This is a question that causes a lot of controversy. Firstly, yes, it is legal, provided it does not cause undue suffering to…
July 05, 2023
Rabbits are absolutely everywhere at the moment, feeding on the abundance of verdant green foliage and crops that have shot up — just like the rabbit population. Normally I am a bolt-action rimfire shooter for vermin, but an accurate, reliable and semi-automatic .22LR makes a lot of sense in these circumstances. The Ruger 10/22 has…
June 29, 2023
What do you do when grey squirrels, rats and corvids are robbing nests of eggs? You get out the airgun – and you lay in wait, as Mat Manning explains
June 28, 2023
The following are my pick of the best air rifles under £600, with models that I’ve been putting through their paces over recent months. They are in or around the entry-level price bracket, but still deliver solid build quality and dependable performance. (Prices correct at time of publishing.) Best air rifles under £600 Weihrauch HW95K…
June 23, 2023
A young Prince William — now the Prince of Wales — shot his first Highland stag at Balmoral aged 14, as was widely reported in the press at the time. The announcement was in no way unusual for members of his family; an illustration in The Times from 1858 shows his Victorian forebears engaged in…
June 12, 2023
Air rifle or a rimfire Q: I am thinking of buying an FAC-rated air rifle for pest control. Would this be better than a .22 rimfire? A: I like FAC-rated air rifles for certain pest control duties. They offer a significantly higher energy rating over the legal standard 12ft/lb energy. While this does not increase…
May 18, 2023
Bruce Potts finds out what happens when you shorten a barrel and fire .270 Winchester rounds
Sponsored by Skinner’s, this week’s dog of the week is Axel. Now 11 months old, Axel was picking-up game almost as soon as he was introduced to it and and he has focus, enthusiasm and an attention span far beyond his years. He will be competing this summer before the new season. For your dog to be included, email [email protected] a picture and tell us all about them. Featured dogs receive a 15kg bag of food, via Skinner’s.