Dogging-in means using a dog to push straying pheasants from the boundaries of a shoot back into the middle. It’s a major job for keepers during October and can sometimes seem infuriating. Time-consuming and impossible without a dog. My favourite breed for dogging-in may surprise you but it’s a decision…
Advice
Is it legal to carry a shotgun on a motorcycle? And where should I store my shotgun during the shoot lunch?
If you’re a motorcyclist rather than a motorist, is it legal to carry a shotgun on a motorcycle when you’re going to and from a shoot? What if you had an accident, the gun got dropped on the road and was picked up by a member of the public? Would…
Looking for a permission for foxing? Here’s how to go about it
How to get a permission for foxing Dress to impress: wearing clothing that looks like you belong in the countryside will get you far more accepted than turning up at a farm in your best Nike gear. Be professional and polite: have insurance or, better still, BASC membership and business…
What are the best barrel lengths for different shooting disciplines?
Does one size fit all when it comes to shotgun barrels? No it doesn’t. There are suitable barrel lengths for different shooting disciplines, whether you’re shooting a variety of types of clay target or live quarry. Get your choice right and your shooting will be helped. Get it wrong and…
Do you suffer from stopping your gun? Here’s what you can do to correct it.
What does it mean when you’re told that you’re stopping the gun? Matt Clarke, editor of Sporting Gun says: “Stopping the gun means that are not swinging your barrels through the target, but are stopping the swing of the gun as soon as you have pulled the trigger. This will…
How to repair a broken firing pin
Step-by-step photo guide shows you how to repair a broken firing pin for around £70
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?
How to choose a stalking knife
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 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?