Defra has issued new general licences that look workable, following weeks of uproar. Here’s what you need to know. The three new licences do not need to be applied for because they are ‘general’. GL34: Licence to Kill or Take for Conservation Purposes For control of carrion crow, jackdaw, jay,…
Advice
Can I store my guns in the attic?
Q: I am applying for a firearms certificate so that I can acquire a .243 calibre rifle for stalking. I understand that I must obtain a gun cabinet, which I am considering installing in my attic. Would this be a suitable location? A: While an attic may appear to be…
Do 20-bore guns recoil less than 12-bores?
Q: Over the last three seasons, more of our syndicate members have switched from 12-to 20-bore guns. They’re nice and light and I’m thinking of following suit. Or does the 12-bore still have advantages? Do 20-bore guns recoil less? A: My word, you’ve opened a can of worms here! Entire…
Can a local registered firearms dealer ‘confiscate’ an air rifle?
Q: I have just taken my air rifle into my local registered firearms dealer (RFD) for some work. While he had it, he tested it over a chronoscope and said that with a heavy pellet it produced 12.4ft/lb of energy y and because of that he is not allowed to give…
Why do multi-shot airguns cost more?
Paying more for a pre-charged airgun with a magazine-fed firing cycle is probably justified if you intend to use it for hunting. When a fast second shot is required to finish off wounded quarry, the extra speed of being able to cock and reload the gun with the throw of…
What is the closest to a footpath or 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?
Gamekeepers’ Welfare Trust: Text 07786 917498 for support
Gamekeepers’ Welfare Trust: The Gamekeepers’ Welfare Trust has added a new texting service to its helpline in a bid to provide gamekeepers with greater access to its services.
How to deal with redundancy when a shoot closes
If there is anything more upsetting and unsettling than impending redundancy, I have yet to hear of it. And for gamekeepers who have been given notice of a shoot closure or impending redundancy, there is the added body blow of having to find not only another job, but also in…
How to call a fox
HOW TO SQUEAK A FOX: Here the Nataional Gamekeepers Organisation tell you how to call in a fox.
The legalities of target shooting on private land
Q: In terms of firearms, where would I stand legally with firing on private land? I have access to acres of land isolated from the public, but would I be legally allowed to purchase a firearm and perform target shooting there, with the landowner’s permission, or would I have to…
Will a sound moderator fit two different rifles?
Sound moderators are ever popular for sporting use these days, but ill treatment or neglect can cause corroded threads, misalignment or they can become permanently attached to the barrel.
How to improve the accuracy of your air rifle
Most shooters want to be able to shoot more accurately and there are lots of things you can do to improve the precision of the average airgun. Serious geeks take it to the absolute extreme. While “dark arts” such as tuning a gun’s internals and washing and weighing pellets can…
Which rimfire rifle would be best for you?
You’ve finally decided to buy a high-powered rimfire rifle, but which one’s best for you?
How can you stop a scope fogging up?
Q: When I travel to my stalking grounds in a warm car my scope’s lenses fog up in the cold weather. What, if anything, can I do to stop this? It’s a real nuisance and very irritating when I want to get out in the field Bruce Potts offers some…
Do my shotguns have to be kept at my home address?
Shotgun licence: If I apply for a shotgun licence do the guns have to be kept at my home address?
How to help save the red squirrel
We are fortunate in Northumberland to still have pockets of the native red squirrel in several areas. This is not by accident. The work that is quietly being carried out on estates by the shooting community is managing to sustain these populations. Every estate I have visited over the last…
Can I run an air rifle range at a fete?
Q: I am thinking of running an air rifle range at a church fete. Is this lawful and if so, what do I need to look out for when running it? Any pointers would be useful. A: An air rifle range at a church fete is a “miniature rifle” range…
Can I go camping with my shotgun?
Should you keep your shotgun in the tent or your car? Q: I’m in the process of buying some woodland and I intend to do some shooting there. I also plan to spend a lot of time camping in the woods. Is it legal to leave my shotgun in the…
Where I should place my hand on the fore-end of a shotgun? (And other related questions)
I have just come in to shooting and I am getting a bit confused about where I should place my hand on the fore-end wood? I have seen shooters holding it at the front, while others hold it quite close to the back.
As a shooter, should I have told my GP about my depression?
Some time ago, I suffered a bout of depression. I had recently lost my father and an old injury had flared up, meaning that I was having to take strong painkillers. There were other things as well — aren’t there always? — but equally there were many good things in…