Step-by-step photo guide shows you how to repair a broken firing pin for around £70
Advice
Our magazines – Shooting Times, Sporting Gun and Shooting Gazette answer your fieldsports questions with advice from experts at the very top of their field.
Our tips include help with gundog training, gun maintenance, shooting skills, legal issues, licensing, technical gun information, ammunition advice, cooking tips, shooting etiquette.
New to shooting?
If you’ve just started shooting you’ll find answers to questions like what is the best first gun or how to buy a gun second-hand. Also what to wear shooting and the legalities you need to know about.
Or do you have a good few seasons under your belt?
If you’re a more seasoned shooter you might have questions about your shooting technique and how to improve it. Or queries about the legalities of gun cabinets and shotgun licences.
Beating and picking-up | Gundog queries | Starting shooting | Shooting etiquette | Shooting clothing | Shotgun certificates and firearms licences | Gun cabinets | Legal answers | Shooting answers|
Shotgun storage advice from a firearms officer
When you’re the owner of a gun you need to be vigilant about firearms security. So we asked an expert for his shotgun storage advice, gathered from years of experience. Because the last thing you want to happen is for your gun to fall into the wrong hands. Shotguns storage…
Father’s Day Shooting Gifts: we pick out some top choices
Contrary to what you might think, men aren’t always hard to buy gifts for, particularly those who enjoy fieldsports. To prove our point, we’ve picked out some superb Father’s Day shooting gifts for 2021, which will go down well with any dads who shoot. We’ve picked out presents in different…
Trespassing law: how should you deal with trespassers?
Trespassing law Q: I have a question about trespassing law. We were out pigeon shooting when we were confronted by three trespassers. They refused to leave when asked and were a right nuisance. We videoed them and called the police, who said trespass was a civil matter and there was…
Should I always carry my shotgun certificate when I’m out in the field?
Is it law that we should carry our shotgun/firearm certificates with us every time we go out with the gun?
A hunting knife is a key part of your kit. Here’s how to choose one.
Once, when I was 13, I had been ferreting and needed to hock a couple of rabbit carcasses in order to hang them on my bicycle handlebars. I was finding the job a bit tricky because my cheap little penknife had never been sharpened. Suddenly, something snapped. I noticed a…
How to avoid having your shotgun certificate taken away
The correct term for having your shotgun certificate taken away by a firearms licensing department is having it revoked. The revocation basically means that you are no longer considered a responsible and safe shooter by the law and so your privilege is removed. Obviously that’s something no shooter wants to…
Gun recoil – what causes it and how to avoid it
Unfortunately many people are put off shooting early in their career due to having a bad experience with gun recoil. That is a shame, because gun recoil is definitely manageable so that it doesn’t present a problem to the shooter. The trick is to fit the gun and the shooter…
Beads on shotguns – do they mean you’ll shoot better?
Fore-sight beads on shotguns come in different colours – often red or green and are supposed to help with your eye dominance. But are they really necessary? If you find them a distraction, can you remove them? Shooting Times and Sporting Gun contributors gave their thoughts on the matter. Beads…
Air rifle muzzle energy – should it be adjustable?
Air rifle muzzle energy Q:I am planning to buy a new airgun and have noticed that quite a few models have adjustable power. Is it important to be able to turn air rifle muzzle energy up and down? A: Adjustable output is more beneficial on FAC-rated airguns, especially if you…
Air rifle case – does an air rifle have to be kept in one when you’re on a public footpath?
Q: My son has permission to shoot air rifles on a large estate to control squirrels and rabbits. The estate has a number of public footpaths running through it. He knows not to shoot near, across or towards the paths, but is he legally allowed to carry his rifle on…
Travelling with guns – here’s what you need to know
Whilst shooting locally is companionable and familiar, from time to time keen Shots will be keen to get travelling with guns. Whether to investigate shooting in a different type of landscape or a different quarry during a different season. Whatever the reason, all responsible gun owners need to know the…
Shotgun choke – here’s what you need to know about it
Shotgun choke does as it sounds. Chokes. That is, it constricts or narrows the barrels of a shotgun. This has the effect of reducing the pattern so that the density of the pellets is increased, which gives a stronger result. Visualise shotgun choke in the same way as a camera…
Can you legally destroy a shotgun?
Sometimes we have a gun that isn’t worth anything, doesn’t work and really doesn’t deserve any space in your gun cabinet. It may be one you inherited or one that you’ve had for many years that has outgrown its use. So what should you do? Is it against the law…
How can you pick the right cover crop for your shoot?
What are cover crops? By definition, a game cover is any crop grown with the intention of feeding and/or holding gamebirds in the shooting season. It was at a very young age that I began to appreciate the benefits that a good game cover crops can bring to a shoot.…
Can I buy a Purdey or Holland & Holland on a budget?
Is it possible to buy a Purdey or Holland & Holland side-by-side on a budget of between £2,000 to £3,000? If so, would it be reliable for gameshooting all the time and not just for special occasions?
Alcohol, guns and the law
We’re asked whether we abuse alcohol when we apply for a shotgun certificate or firearms licence. I was reading this and I started thinking about drinking and guns. All responsible shooters should protect the reputation of their sport and think carefully about the mix of alcohol, guns and the law.…
Here’s why you should consider planting perennial cover crops
The cost of planting and managing game and cover crops is ever increasing and we, along with many others, are slowly expanding the acreage we plant with permanent and semi-permanent crops. The advantages of perennial cover crops Not only do perennial cover crops reduce costs after the initial year of…
What’s the accuracy of lead-free bullets?
Lead-free ammunition is definitely making its presence felt and I am increasingly hearing from readers who have concerns about lead-free bullets and accuracy. Here’s an example of just one such question. Lead-free bullets and accuracy Q: Will my .243 Win rifle shoot lead-free bullets accurately if lead is banned? A:…
Can I go camping with my shotgun?
Camping with shotguns – legal or illegal? Q: I’m planning on going camping with some friends when the weather gets warmer and we’re going to pitch our tents on some farmland where we have a roughshooting permission. The farmer is happy for us to camp there and carry out some…