Q: After all the talk about shotgun shooters moving away from lead ammunition, I feel inspired to try using lead-free pellets in my airgun. Are there any brands you can…
Mat Manning
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Tackling corvids to protect lambs
The long layoff from shooting during lockdown has been a frustrating time for many of us. Most of my shooting entails the control of grey squirrels, and it seemed difficult…
How to use an air rifle to clear pheasant pens of rats
One evening that really sticks in my mind is a ratting session with my friend Kev Hawker in February. As the pheasant season had drawn to a close, we were…
Airguns and summer squirrel shooting
Squirrel shooting with an air rifle can be very tricky over the summer months. The trees are covered with dense foliage which makes your quarry almost invisible in the treetops.…
What’s the maximum distance you can hunt with a legal-limit air rifle?
One question I get asked all the time is what are the distances for hunting with a legal-limit air rifle (sub-12ft/lb). How far away can the quarry be and what…
How to use an airgun for rat control
An air rifle is particularly suited for killing rats. With sensible use of backstops — most often concrete walls in a farmyard scenario — an airgun for rat control can…
How to use an air rifle for pest control
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
How to shoot an air rifle more accurately
Mat Manning offers some key pointers to improve your airgun accuracy and get you on target
How to enjoy a spot of garden airgunning safely and legally
Provided you follow some sensible safety rules, garden airgunning is a great way to improve your target skills. Any garden with a range of above 20m will make for interesting…
What airgunning kit do you really need – and how much should you spend on it?
Airgun shooting is enjoying a huge surge in popularity and newcomers are spoilt for choice when it comes to accurate and reliable air rifle accessories. Unfortunately, though, too many air…
Winter wood pigeon airgunning
Advice for airgunners on picking off pigeon
Seven of the best airguns for under £300
One of the greatest attractions of airgun shooting is that it’s such an affordable sport to take up. Here are seven reliable full-power air rifles under £300. Webley VMX Classic…
5 tips for airgunners
Mat Manning offers five key tips for airgunners to improve their fieldcraft 1. Go on a reconnaissance mission Reconnaissance around your shooting permissions will help you to target the right…
What’s best for pest control – a spring-powered or pre-charged airgun?
Q: I’d like to buy an air rifle for controlling rabbits and grey squirrels in our garden but I don’t really want a pre-charged model because I can’t be bothered…
10 top airguns for pest control
Modern airgun shooters are spoilt for choice when it comes to air rifles for pest control. Daystate Red Wolf RRP: From £1,899.99 This British gun is far from cheap…
Which pellet is best for my air rifle?
With the extensive range of airgun pellets now available, how can I find out which would be the most suitable for my air rifle?
How to buy a used air rifle
You can save a fortune by buying a second-hand air rifle. But if you don’t know what to look out for, it can also end up leaving you out of pocket. Here’s…
Five of the best pre-charged airguns for under £500
Although some people have the skill to shoot very precisely with spring-powered airguns, pre-charged (or PCP) models are generally easier to shoot accurately because they don’t recoil. The extra engineering…
10 questions about air rifles – and 10 answers
1. Do I need a licence to own an air rifle? In England and Wales you do not need a licence to own what is regarded as a “legal limit”…
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…