Beretta 486 Parellelo Purchasing a gun in July will enable you to shoot a few summer clays to get used to your acquisition, and get any handling tweaks sorted out, before the serious stuff begins. The choice will be between a traditional side-by-side and a more modern over-and-under, and if you take the first…
Gun buying guide
Six of the best shotguns
Lewis Potter rounds up the best shotguns he has tested in recent years from hammergun to semi-auto and ranging from the affordable £500 price mark up to the high end £18,800. Akkar Triple Crown The Akkar Triple Crown is not a shotgun you would ever be likely to forget. Anything…
How to find bargain British side-by-side shotguns
It is not surprising that even those shooters brought up on the modern imported over-and-under sometimes cast an appreciative eye at British side-by-side shotguns, because they are fine and distinctly attractive pieces of work. Usually lighter and handier than most over-and- unders they are for many shooters still the ideal game…
Three value-for-money second-hand Sporters
Medalist Sporter More than 30 years ago, the UK Browning importers could offer an impressive range of guns – everything from £1,000-plus competition and game guns to exotic and expensive hand-built examples of John Moses Browning’s immortal B25. But one thing they didn’t have was a “starter” gun retailing under…
Second-hand semi-autos selection
Mike George picks out three second hand semi autos that you should look out for on the second hand market. He has previously chosen his three favourite second hand Sporters, second hand value for money shotguns and second hand European shotguns. Remington CTI target price is hard to say Most…
Three value for money second-hand shotguns
Mike George has previously picked out the best second-hand European shotguns, high grade guns and Sporters, now he is back with his top three value for money second hand shotguns ranging from £1,000 to £1,800+ from Miroku, Browning and Zoli. Miroku MK70 target price £1,000 If I describe the MK70…
Three second-hand over-and-under Sporters
This selection of second-hand over-and-under Sporters can be found on the second-hard market from £600. Bettinsoli X-Trail Sporter Target Price £600 One of the questions we are frequently asked on the forum section of ShootingUK is whether it is best for a newcomer with a limited budget to buy a second-hand…
What sort of deer stalking rifle should I buy?
Our expert at Sporting Gun advises: A: Well, your budget is decent. That’s good news because a suitable rifle with quality optics is usually about £1,500 for each piece of kit to ensure you get a sound combination. So with this budget you’ve got some money left over to spend…
William Evans: a London gunmaker with a Continental twist
Providing clients with a combination of quality, value and variety has always been the goal for William Evans, an English gun manufacturer involved in making quality sporting arms since 1883. That practice continues today and a key factor in turning what was once a traditional English gunmaker into a contemporary…
Three secondhand shotguns
Mike chooses three secondhand shotguns on the market priced from £450 up to £1,050 to help you make your next gun purchase a bargain. Hatsan Escort Xtreme Max Target Price: £450 It takes a manufacturer with extreme self confidence to advertise a 12-bore semi-auto shotgun as able to cycle loads all the way from 24…
Three secondhand high-grade guns
If you’re in the market for a high-grade gun but don’t want to pay the full price, the secondhand market has plenty of prestige brands. Here Mike chooses three secondhand high-grade guns from Beretta, Perazzi and Purdey. And with prices starting from just under £2,000, maybe your next gun purchase can…
The Jackal Woodsman air rifle
Bruce Potts reflects on the Jackal Woodsman, an accurate and powerful air rifle from one of the most innovative gunmakers in Britain
Secondhand Winchester selection
Fifty-two years ago, Winchester introduced a new O/U shotgun which, in the eyes of many shooters on both sides of the Atlantic, set the standard for all medium-priced factory-made guns to be judged by. It was the famous Winchester 101, built on the Kodensha plant in Japan, and it was to remain in production for more than 20 years.…
Second-hand Webley Patriot
All you need to know about a secondhand Webley Patriot, including how this high-powered air rifle with impressive pellet strike shaped shooting
The gun you shouldn’t have sold
Most of us, I’m sure, will have experienced that sinking feeling at some time or other — the one when we realise that we should never have sold that gun. A rifle or shotgun is rarely just a tool — it becomes a treasured possession. But, for whatever reason, be it monetary necessity or the lure of a…
Three top secondhand Sporters
Here’s Mike’s selection of secondhand Sporters that offer great value for money. Baikal O/U Located 600 miles east of Moscow, Izhevsk’s main factory produces pistols and rifles, several variations on the AK assault rifle theme, air guns – and the Baikal shotgun. The Baikal dates to the Cold War, and was once humorously said to be…
Secondhand aluminium guns
Mike George picks out his recommendations for secondhand aluminium guns. Bettinsoli Crypto Lite Bettinsoli are well respected as makers of entry-level guns, and a new Crypto Lite (now known as the Crypto Extra Lux Lite) comes in at just over £1,200. The gun pictured is last year’s model, weighing 6lb 5oz. The gun achieves…
Perazzi HPX shotguns: John Jeffries interview
What’s the most radical change you’ve ever had made to your shotgun? There are lots of alterations a gunsmith can make to give us a better picture of our target, but how about gluing on a reversed rib? That might sound a little fantastic, but it’s exactly the kind of…