Thinking about using black powder? You’ll need a licence from the local police and a reason for using it. Having a gun proofed for black powder should be enough. Of course you can make your own black powder cartridges and you can also buy them if you prefer. But first…
Ammunition
What did our tester make of the latest ‘eco-cartridges’?
Margaret Heffernan, the writer and entrepreneur, said: “For good ideas and true innovation, you need human interaction, conflict, argument and debate.” Shooting has had this in spadefuls of late, largely on the topic of cartridges. In February 2020, the British shooting organisations unanimously voiced their support for the phasing out…
Taking a look at 24gm shotgun cartridges
The advantages of 24gm shotgun cartridges are often underrated and misunderstood. In addition to costing less and producing lower recoil they give you better patterns. This is due to less damage being done to the pellets during ignition and as they travel through the bores. The upshot to this is…
Why biodegradable shot cups are the way ahead for shooting
As we move inexorably towards a brave new world of shooting without lead or single-use plastic, I wonder how we will look back. I shall keep my powder dry on the lead issue. I have written before about my own positive experience of using steel for game shooting in my…
Moving from lead shot to steel – what you need to know
Moving from lead shot to steel - the practicalities involved
How to store shotgun cartridges legally and safely
I want to keep shotgun cartridges in the loft, which never drops below freezing but does get a bit damp at times. I am not talking about keeping the ammo for a long time, but maybe buying a year or more’s supply at a time.
Steel yourself
Twenty years ago, when restrictions on the use of lead shot on the foreshore came in, the steel shot cartridges commercially available to wildfowlers were not good enough. Steel shot performance has been playing catch-up ever since and still struggles to slough off its poor reputation. But there was a…
Are copper bullets the way forward?
Using copper bullets for stalking? But isn’t copper toxic?” asked a friend. He is a staunch defender of lead ammunition. In a discussion about centrefire rifle ammunition, I suggested he read Megan Rowland’s recent piece in Shooting Times. She gave a detailed account of using copper bullets for stalking and…
Cartridges and calibres for pest control
Wondering what is the best calibre for foxes? Rabbits? There are so many different species of pests – you can’t band together a rabbit and a fox – that you can’t have a single calibre for them all. So instead I am going to take a look at the various…
How to wash, size, weigh and lubricate your airgun pellets (to make them more accurate)
Frustrated by your performance with an air rifle? Wondering how to improve things? Well, washing airgun pellets could be a start. As could lubricating, sizing and sorting air rifle pellets. Any small changes you make to a pellet can make a difference to its accuracy and trajectory down range, due…
How to choose the right cartridge for your shotgun
All a shotgun cartridge has to do is propel shot towards the target to hit it cleanly. But with all the different makes and models around it can be confusing. So how can you choose the right cartridge for your shotgun? What you need to consider The sort of gun…
Will my shotgun be safe with steel shot cartridges?
I would like to try steel shot for wildfowling in my 2.5in chambered gun, but I have been told by some of my friends that I cannot do so unless the gun has been especially proofed to take it.
Lead alternatives for deer stalkers
Investigating lead alternatives for deer The lead versus non-toxic debate is nothing new to those of us actively involved in the management of deer. This isn’t going to be an in-depth technical analysis of the minutiae of bullet design. It is an insight into my experiences using various non-toxic rounds…
Our reviewer tried out two steel shot cartridges. What did he make of them?
Last week I shot on a friend’s syndicate. I took my AYA No 3, its woodwork now repaired and resplendent. What about the cartridges? My cartridge belt held Jocker Bio 34g No6s, my pockets stuffed with Eley VIP Pro Eco Wad 32g No5s. Conditions were sunny and clear The birds…
Cartridges for high pheasants
January has come round again and that means it’s high pheasant time. So we asked around some Guns and shooting instructors of our acquaintance to see what ammunition they used and for any tips they had to share. Concentration “Truly high pheasant shooting needs the right gun and cartridge combination.…
Which is the best shotgun cartridge for hitting high birds?
I noticed something last season. I saw some fellow Guns shooting birds at extreme range – higher than 60 yards – and I was also successful with some of my birds. What occurred to me was that a few years ago these birds would certainly have been out of range.…
Subsonic .22LR ammunition – what’s the best type for your rifle?
Six types of .22LR rimfire subsonic ammunition from varying manufacturers are tested to ascertain accuracy and stopping power at normal vermin ranges
How should you deal with a cartridge misfire?
I occasionally join a few friends for an informal clay shoot on a farm, and last time out one of my cartridges failed to fire after I pulled the trigger.
Can you tell me more about lead-free bullets?
Q: I see CCI now makes lead-free .22LR ammunition. Can you tell me more? A: The debate about the eco-friendliness of non-toxic ammunition continues. Lead-free .22LR ammo makes a lot of sense because a vast quantity of lead ammo is shot every year. The trouble is the alternatives to lead…
What’s the best ammunition for a Browning?
Rifle inaccuracy is not always due to a rifle's construction. It may be due to the ammunition.