It is a criminal offence not to obey the conditions on your firearm or shotgun certificate. One of which particularly concerns moving house. Condition 3 on every firearm and shotgun certificate says: “The holder of this certificate must, without undue delay, inform the chief officer of police by whom the…
Advice
Questions to ask when booking a driven day somewhere new
New shoot: The key things to cover with a prospective new shoot.
Moving and gun cabinets. What’s the law?
Do I have to notify the firearms department if I move my gun cabinet to another part of the house?
How to zero your own rifle!
How to zero your own rifle: Set up your rifle on a proper bench rest, making sure it is stable and secure so it will not move.
Up to what range are my .22 bullets still effective?
On the ammo box it says .22 LR subsonic are dangerous up to 1½ miles - can one of these bullets kill a long distance away?
What is the closest to a public road you can legally use a shotgun?
Where a field is bordered by a public footpath, what is the minimum distance at which one can safely and legally shoot a shotgun?
Is it legal to shoot parakeets?
It's legal ton shoot a couple of parakeets species under general licence
Struggling with recoil using a 12-bore?
Q: I’ve started struggling with recoil when using my 12 bore: what can I do to reduce it? Is it time to change to a 16-bore? It’s really strange as my 12-bore fits me well. A: I come across many people who suffer with this and usually it’s a combination…
Preparing game for the freezer – here’s what to do
Q: At this time of year I always end up with an abundance of game birds that I need to store until quieter periods in the year. How best should I prepare game for the freezer so that it will keep as long as possible without developing a “freezery” taint?…
What’s a good night-vision sight for under £1750?
Q: I wish to buy a night-vision sight for my .22 Anschutz rimfire that I can also use on my .22-250 Sako for foxes up to 150 yards. Can you recommend one for under £1,750? A: As the daylight hours dwindle, night vision and thermal imagers will tend to replace standard optical…
Can threatening saboteurs still wear masks?
Q: My wife, who hunts with a local pack of foxhounds, recently found herself being abused by two hunt saboteurs, both of whom were wearing masks to hide their identity. Police were called and the saboteurs eventually dispersed. I thought some legislation had been brought in to force these thugs…
Gun security in your car – your responsibilities
The shooting season is now well underway and so I think that a timely reminder about gun security in your car would not go amiss. I’m told by my colleague, Detective Chief Superintendent Jo Chilton of the National Ballistic Intelligence Service, that there have been targeted thefts of shotguns in the North West. Certificate holders are…
How do you safely shoot ground game?
At this time of year the same old topic of conversation crops up at shoots far and wide - namely the shooting of ground game and/or low birds.
Should I try and hit a high bird?
A: This is a great question as when high bird shooting there is an optimum point at which to shoot the bird, one I often refer to in my lessons as the most vulnerable point. This is when the bird is at its closest but also at a stage in…
How to avoid getting a bruised face when shooting
Q: I am emailing out of frustration and wondered if there was any advice you could give me. I have been a competitor in trap shooting, on and o ff throughout my life, but now find it most uncomfortable to shoot any more than 50 targets due to a very sore…
Christmas gifts for women who shoot
Under £25 Tea towels shouldn’t just be practical but should decorate the kitchen like works of art when they’re hung up by the AGA. This modern design by Creative Tops is just the thing. BUY NOW: Creative Tops Into The Wild pheasant tea towel, from Amazon, for £7 These shooting…
4 tips for more consistent shooting
It is at this point in the season that some Shots start to question their shooting technique. If you want to make major changes you’ve missed the boat by about six months, as the hard work should have been put in before the season started. However, for those who are…
Should I buy these sporting rights?
When leasing a shoot find out your rights and where your legally stand
Does gun fit matter?
Gun fit does matter a great deal. With poor gun fit the gun is less likely to be pointing at the target or where the shooter is intending. This in turn can cause the shooter to unknowingly develop all sorts of corrective measures to address the problems. What can sometime…
Can I take cartridges on a plane?
Can I take gun cartridges on a plane? Q: I have been invited to shoot in Northern Ireland and I will be travelling by air. What are the rules about taking gun cartridges with me? A: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) sets standards for airline safety and security, including…