Having the best air rifle pellets for your particular gun can make the difference between hit and miss. So how can you decide? Read through the following and you’ll be in a good position to make the right purchase – and make that all-important difference to your shooting. Best air…
Ammunition
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.
Choosing a calibre
I am a keen deerstalker and use a Sako .243. I intend to invest in another rifle with a larger calibre and was thinking of .270, 30-06 or .308. I want it for red deer, the odd fallow and hunting trips abroad. What calibre would you suggest?
We need to talk about lead shot
Calls for game shooting to push ahead with finding alternatives to lead shot are growing louder, both inside and outside of the sport. Rob Yorke offers a personal view on the subject. How lead shot became popular One hundred and fifty years ago, wild meat was harvested, without the use…
The evolution of the shotgun cartridge
I am going to concentrate on shotgun cartridge history and how it got to be what it is today — the cheap, waterproof, reliable, effective, safe and consistent item on which we all rely to deliver success, whatever target we engage. After all, a gun, however expensive and sophisticated, is only…
Is it time to move away from lead shot to steel?
We were deep in a ditch on the Orkneys. There was a tumbling grey northern sky above us and an icy wind. The peninsula’s greylag goose population was not playing ball. They went to the right of us, they went to the left, they landed on the barley 100 yards…
How to choose the best cartridge for your gun and your type of shooting
Which shooting cartridge you should use depends on a number of factors, but what gun you have and what you are going to shoot are the primary ones. Know your chamber size Cartridges come in different sizes, not only calibre. Having the right calibre should be obvious, but having the…
How to match ammunition to your rifle using a chronograph
Every one of us wants to be able to produce nice tight groupings when we shoot. However, even if you invest in a top-of-the-line rifle and couple it with the best optics you can find, your money will have been wasted if the ammo you’re using doesn’t suit the gun.…
Why I’m finally giving steel ammunition a proper test this season
Biodegradable shotcups suitable for steel ammunition have been available for a while. Gamebore has some 76mm wildfowling loads with its Silver Steel Bio-Wad fibre shotcup, while Eley Hawk has recently launched a range of 70mm steel loads with its new starch-based Pro Eco shotcups. These will, they say, protect shotgun…
Choosing the right bullets for deer stalking
Stalkers have an abundance of bullets to choose from, but how do you select the right one? Bruce Potts outlines what you need to consider
Where can I get 12-bore black powder cartridges?
I have been left an old side-by-side which was part of a collection and has not been shot for many years. A gunsmith tells me it has only black powder proof. However, I am assured it is safe to shoot. Where can I get 12-bore black powder cartridges?
Thinking about making your own black powder cartridges? Read on …
Popping a few black powder cartridges through a vintage English shotgun is an unforgettable experience.